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I bought a pair of these headphones because I really wanted to see how good they could be and to support this new comer. My experience is pretty much similar to Birgir's. I like the build quality. The clamping force on the head isn't that much, which is a good thing. However, it can be a bit too loose. The headphones almost fell out of my head a few times. About the sound, they sound very similar to my Omega clone. I might be a bit bias, but my Omega clone has just a bit better bass extension. Overall, I would say that the phones are very nicely built. The headband can use some improvement. The price, IMO, is a bit pricey putting it in a similar price range as the Stax SR007.

I've had my set for over a month now and I would take them over the SR-009's but then again... never liked the 009's. I've been meaning to write up some impressions for the last couple of weeks so now might just be the time. First of the build quality is outstanding which means they are pretty heavy but yeah... very well made. The only issue I've run into is that there is a tiny bit of play where the forks attach to the cups but after a month of daily use they seem to be no worse for wear so probably not a long term issue either. I would also like some strain relief on the cables as they leave the cups (the 007Mk1 issues spring to mind) and on the plug but these are not easy to do on small scale build. They ideally have to be injection molded and well... that isn't cheap. Still this is me and I'm picky... 😉 The packaging is also superb and small touches like the markings on the cable splitter are appreciated. The fit is very much SR-Omega so a bit loose on the head and they have almost slid off a couple of times, usually when I'm lost in assembling some PCB boards or something like that and forgot they are there. Not really and issue under normal use. Now for the sound, same system as usual, Denafrips Terminator dac feeding a Carbon CC. I've yet to try the other set of earpads so they have the stock set attached... I think. Anyway... the set they shipped with. TL:DR, I like them a lot though I wouldn't call them an SR-Omega clone...they very much their own thing. Balanced sound signature over all but not quite as warm and relaxed as the Omega. There is a small bite to the mid-range that bothers me a bit on some recordings but far away from the SR-009 level of aggression. So not as smooth as I'd like it but that smoothness was also the Omega's downfall in some areas. Bass is not up to the SR-007 levels of depth, control and quality but perfectly fine and superior to any of the 009's. It's linear and extended but not the best there is. Still this is a more relaxed sounding set compared to the 007's so that is to be expected. Sound stage is controlled, yet expansive but can't quite pull off the layering trick the 007's can do so well but again... not really a complaint. Overall I don't think it is fair to compare them to the SR-Omega due to their status and the sad fact that so many Omegas out there sound far from stock. Bad earpads, badly treated drivers etc. all change how the old ones sound like while this one is nice and fresh... also not silly money. So very much recommended and it's always welcome when I have no complaints when testing something new. Small bite to the midrange that bothers me from time to time, not quite as engrossing as the SR-007's but yeah... just a different type of sound and nothing wrong with that. Finally, this set has been running for well over a month now and the amp used is being subject to a lot of power cycles (i.e. I'm using the time at home to do some stress tests) and they have had no complaints. No imbalance issues, charge up instantly and dead silent drivers.

Listened to this for the first time. Agreed, its excellent!

Peter Beard, a New York photographer, artist and naturalist to whom the word “wild” was roundly applied, both for his death-defying photographs of African wildlife and for his own much-publicized days — decades, really — as an amorous, bibulous, pharmaceutically inclined man about town, was found dead in the woods on Sunday, almost three weeks after he disappeared from his home in Montauk on the East End of Long Island. He was 82. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/19/arts/peter-beard-dead.html?referringSource=articleShare His well-documented personal life—Beard’s image should probably reside in the dictionary next to the word “dashing” (and perhaps also near “shambolic”)—likely spelled the end of a number of marriages, including some of his own. (Beard was married to Mary "Minnie" Cushing and, later, the model Cheryl Tiegs before marrying Nejma Khanum, the daughter of an African diplomat, in 1986; she and Beard have a daughter, Zara.) He and Truman Capote traipsed across America with the Rolling Stones on their Exile On Main Streettour in 1972; he was close with Jacqueline Onassis and generations of Kennedys (and had a long relationship with Onassis’s sister Lee Radziwill) and was a fixture at Studio 54. In addition to solo shows at the International Center of Photography in New York and the Centre National de la Photographie in Paris, among others, he often bartered his work to pay bar tabs around Montauk and to settle bets with friends. https://www.vogue.com/article/peter-beard-tribute-remembering-the-wildlife-and-fashion-photographer/amp

Makes sense. And if you’re satisfied and stop there, I guess there’s no second, so no first. Showed Melissa the Nomos Glashütte Club Campus neomatik and she fell in love. Showed her the price and the fling was short-lived.

I hadn't seen the mountains (La Sierra) that clearly since I was a little kid and none of the tall buildings were there, not even the broadcast tower in front which is from 1982.

First two episodes of The Last Dance about the 97-98 Chicago Bulls on ESPN. Wow... this is fun! It isn't especially deep, but the characters are some of the most compelling in the history of sports. I'm looking forward to catching the full thing in the weeks to come. Oh, and when this old Alan Parsons track started playing I admit I did get the chills a bit. When you heard that music you knew it was time for Michael to kick somebody's ass!

Yeah, I really like her performance and went a bit of a ways down the rabbit hole with her, too. She’s delightful!

A Brazilion different versions of St. James Infirmary (3 guesses why). Louis Armstrong predates Typo Negative in slowing it down to half speed by decades. This version is nicely raucous, but I have no idea how to emulate that on one guitar:

I would hope this would give the climate deniers a pause for thought...

better late than never... Assembled the case today

Sometimes the photographer is better than the gear.

My only visits to Madrid went along the lines fly in to the stunning airport, have two days of meetings (at INTA), fly out. I had very little opportunity to enjoy Madrid itself, or really even see it in daylight hours. Other than get really hungry because the restaurants (remember those?) didn't open until 8pm.

Stopping.. Let's not be crazy! Indulge! Fuck moderation, when has that ever led to fun.

Thanks much all four of you. The suggestions are definitely along my preferred path. IWC came into play when researching Flieger originals and they definitely have some nice models and a Max Bill would have already been ordered if the model I liked had sapphire crystal (the Form A may still). Nomos' are beautiful. Oris wasn't considered, but will now. I was even looking at watches popular with nurses (quickly taking pulse). I know how ridiculous it sounds to be discussing historical designs like Flieger or Bauhaus to say the following... but, I suspect the big driving force is I don't care enough about horological history to give it much weight if it comes in conflict against modern, information Design. Course that's an if. Probably why I drift towards pilot watches. Maybe why I like some newish microbrands over many standards. But I'd take a balanced, bold font over a historically accurate choice. Glance. Time. Thus not the position of the moon or how long I've been underwater or recording laps around the racetrack. So yeah, not complicated. And like all things I'm just talking about my preferences for this choice. Plenty of watches I can admire through the lens of timekeeping history or for other uses or as part of a collection. So further answering the above questions. I'd like it to last and an automatic. Would like to keep it near or under $1K new or used (so many nice choices 3x and above). Last analog watch was 44mm and I thought much too big, so around 40mm give and take on other priorities. White or black dial with opposite for indicators. A splash of color would be fine properly applied. Anything with three or more fonts on its face should probably be eliminated, but surprise me. I'm a sucker for a display back (it doesn't get in the way of reading time), but not essential. Generally like a sweeping second hand so appropriate movement. I'll probably replace any strap with a black rubber/silicone one for practical purposes. And directly relating to all the above, this is that hunt for single everyday watch, not part of a collection, with one big caveat - it will be worn with and without an Apple Watch on the other wrist. This for time. Apple Watch for other data (calendaring, maps, messages, etc.). So a single everyday watch as sometimes part of two everyday watches. I don't know how common this is, but wanted to mention. Finally, I've seen here and elsewhere people tend to move through Fliegers, Max Bills, etc. The various models seem to be a lot of peoples first "serious watches." Part of this could be collection building, but any comments on that? Man, thanks much for the time you've already spent thinking about my earlier post and other choices to consider. Any other comments/suggestions are also appreciated.

I guess there is no need for a port mod anymore? The idea of the port mod is to do the role the little white piece does, blocking the ventilation path but the piece is preserved after a driver replacement in your 007.

It is truly amazing what dramatically reduced road use and no airplanes has made. It is a real shame that the cause of all this low pollution and clean air is a worldwide lockdown to combat the spread of Covid-19.

Goddamn, that was good. New Fiona Apple album! First one in 8 years! More Tom Waits influenced! I’m a happy boy.

Those casters don't look like the type that lock in place. What happens at full tilt when a kick drum happens - where do those monster JBL's end up?

Received confirmation from the fab house that our orders are in production (each distinct Gerber file is considered one order). I've opted for boards to be shipped to me in batches when they are ready so we are not all held up by the partially assemble GRHV boards which will take longer than the rest of the PCBs.

RIP Lee and Brian..... RIP to Mr. & Mrs. Cohen, a couple in the Boston area. Saw a news story about them. Married 77+ years, separated only during WW2. Both in a nursing home, vowed to stay with each other to the end. She contacted COVID-19, he did not but still had pneumonia from another issue. With a nurse in PPE and holding each of their hands at times, they stayed together. She died I guess 12 hours after him on the same day. He was 102, she 97. I'm tearing up just typing this.....sad, yet so beautiful.....

Most definitely and the women this season were amazing.

Lily still loves cooking shows and recently has been bugging me to have a cake-off with her. It was my turn this weekend to make my cake for judging. She helped me in preparation for making her cake next weekend. It's a chocolate cake with dark chocolate frost and chocolate ganache and raspberry filling between each of the three layers of cake, topped with more frost and ganache. It was fun to make, I'll report back with how. it tastes later. Maybe not professional grade, but at least the flour that I buy at the grocery store is going to good use. I rode 30 miles to prepare for the fact that this cake is allegedly nearly 1000cal/slice. EDIT - not sure I ever posted a "complete" picture of the kitchen, if not, this gives you a good idea of what it looks like now.

Since there is no "What Are You Destroying Today" thread I post here. Yesterday, while trying a modification to a battery on the T2 that was meant not to be modified in any way I had a "gun shot" when high voltages were applied. I had to replaced three mosfets, two zeners, and one power resistor in PSU. Amplifier needed four c3675, three k216, only one j79 and two leds. Now I’m happy again. Some broken parts in a small cup. RIP.