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My first day back at construction work for over a year. Well, first day back at a job not run by Milo and Otis. Well, it was really only a half day, gathering materials for the project. You can't rush into these things all at once. I found it refreshing to get back to it, but Suzy has a completely different attitude about this whole back to work thing. Oh, and I got a haircut.

So now the wife doesn't know which headphones I should keep because she's been listening to them to see "what's the big deal anyway" AHAHAHA! As far as married life goes, sure, it's still honeymoon phase and all that, but I met her five years ago, and everything feels new with her now... and effortless. And transparent. To use her own words, "for the first time in my life, I can be completely naked emotionally, just be my real self, and not worry about what my lover thinks. I don't have to worry about being judged. I can just be me." And that's EXACTLY how I feel too. I feel damn lucky. Best and most curious of all is that, on paper, we are so very different. Very much so. Technically speaking, together we "shouldn't sound this good"... but somehow, the synergy created is pure fire. Sometimes, you just gotta go for it and not overthink it.

I should be getting one of these to try out soon and can't wait. It wasn't fun sitting out the press embargo... 😉 I would take those measurements with bags of salt given the amps used and the people doing the testing.

It’s funny that the size of the transducer is exactly the same as my DIY headphones - 120mm x 90mm.

Sun Bear Concerts by Keith Jarrett. He’s even better than Don Henley.

Okay bring on the Henley hate. I can take it. Building The Perfect Beast Don Henley 1984 But that super fat 80s synth!?! dang!

For the past month, I've been using the Node 2i as a fast way to stream music. Came across a used unit on eBay for a decent price. I'm happy with it. Haven't really tested any other streamers though, but it's simple enough to control through phone app.

Finally got around to replacing the power switch on this amp that's been collecting dust for many years.

No, you make some great points. I completely agree with most of what you have to say. Besides, I've always had a soft spot for pricks.

And I'm being a pedantic prick so ignore me 😀 Regarding "progress..." If electrostats were really old these days, maybe some of these new planars and dynamics that came around as a result of this progress would actually sound better than the old electrostats. But that hasn't been the case in my experience. IMO this progress malarkey is just another FOTM, with the big revelation being - drumroll please - that "neutral" doesn't mean "bright as fuck!" Wow, we've come so far! But, seeing more electrostatics, or cool new things like RAAL - and they've got a new circumaural headphone announced too - is actually interesting, and the more good headphones out there, the better. Besides somebody needs to light a fire under Stax's ass and what better way than actual competition. Maybe this way they'll stop making headphones with headbands that crack, ergonomics not designed for human heads, amps that are defective by design, or tuning that's best served as an advertisement for EQ plugins. And if not, well other people will make stats too.

Martina Topley-Bird, Quixotic

Congrats man!

The Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet SHM-SACD

I had the hugo 2 for almost 2 years paired to an audeze LCD-4z and later with the Stax sr-007 mk2 that replaced them. Very very detailed DAC but I found it just a tad “cold” and clinical. i found the hugo TT2 (and even the mojo) to sound a little bit warmer and more musical. but we are really talking about slight differences (to me anyway).

congrats on the haircut... ! {oh and the other things as well}

Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 / Debussy: La Mer / Ibert: Escales Charles Munch 1959 Example: {and nothing sounds as bad as it does on youtube}

^^^ Nice, has been on my list to listen at some point....

Divine Tides Stewart Copeland, Ricky Kej 2021 Example:

I think I'll wish AnalogPete a happy birthday instead. Cheers!

Nice seeing a Singlepower come out of retirement.

I wish I could play Outer Wilds for the first time all over again, but this is the next best thing.

OK. Working back on how I aquired this piece of knowledge, I suspect I've read this once about the ESP900, from which I assumed that all headphones used in MRIs are electrostatic, which was reinforced the one time I had MRI and I indeed was given headphones. Though I now realise it was a headphone connected to those tubes, essentially. Audio hobbyist logic in action!! 😛

There has only ever been one MRI designed electrostatic that I know of, the Koss ESP900 which is just a 950 with a closed housing. I've heard that HE60's were used for this but never seen anything in the flesh, plus the HE60 headband is magnetic (plus the screws) so something had to be done about that. The MRI's I've been in all had sound pipes for the audio, simple tubes with the transducers elsewhere and sounded terrible. The Voce and the Hifiman units were indeed unfortunate. The Voce is well built but sounds like crap (electrostatics are all about that vague sound and loose, uncontrolled bass... ) plus that stupid case they insisted on shipping with them. Now the Hifiman Shangr-la jr. sounded good but that build quality and silly price makes it a solid miss.

Yeah, but who brings the nestalgia more 😛

That is pretty much the same way that I see her as well. As far as the rest of the cast... I find it quite refreshing not to need to build a sympathetic feeling for them. It's not that they're horrible people, but they're severely flawed in the most appetizing way. The manager for example is a complete train wreck, and I get to go along for the ride without actually derailing myself. Besides, he is almost a montage of several creepy guys from my past. Of which I'm still thankful I was able to dodge and weave.

Support is also needed for the heavy magnets, adding yet more weight, explained here: https://www.audeze.com/blogs/technology-and-innovation/notes-about-weight-clamping-force-and-earpad-materials Considering the 4000$ price tag on a pair of LCD-4s, 4500$ doesn't seem to be far-fetched, considering there was probably a lot more development involved, but they might be gaining that back rather quickly. Unless they start to loose ground on their home soil, I don't foresee Stax changing their approach and while other people have made stats, they haven't gotten that big on the field itself. A new flagship will be coming eventually, but I'm not sure what they are going to do with the rest, since the SR-007 Mk2 is by far the oldest (and arguably the best) product they make. With the amps, they just don't care too much since making nearly the same thing for more money seems to be the only way to make any form of profit on it unless they start getting those parts from elsewhere. I wonder if it is actually worth it for Audeze to make a cheaper electrostat and start competing with their own products. Probably not worth the hassle and they will keep this line in this price category.

I think that was one of the things that struck me when coming back from a long absence, that electrostats seem to have stood completely still, while planars and dynamics have come forward in leaps and bounds. I don't have enough experience to judge whether they have yet reached the heights of the best stats, but the different rates of progress are quite stark. In any case, yeah, the more options and competition, the better.

I know I should let this go, but I find this stuff fun and think it's cool this show is spawning conversation, so if you don't mind using the honeymoon wife... 😉 . . . . [spoiler](spoiler){spoiler}What do we know about her? She's got rose-colored glasses and wants to make a difference. She may be coming to the conclusion she may not be very good at her job. He comes from big money and she comes from a family that can't afford flying to Hawaii. She's surprised by his seemingly new lack of caring about her work (may have been naive here) and interrelated he's surprised she wants to keep her own identity now that they're married. Finally, after he's flirting with others, she questions his feelings for the future after she loses her physical beauty and he responds, not with all the other reasons he loves her, but that he would never lose that attraction to her physical beauty. She's smiles satisfied. Do I have that list right? If so, clearly not completely innocent, but an understandable participant in the possible disaster? I dunno. What do you think? {/spoiler}(/spoiler)[/spoiler]

I guess I just have a cold heart 😉. Even with those two I'd think the wife would have had to have some sense of what she was getting herself in to and the masseuse is trying to forming a business with someone not of sound mind. 🤷‍♂️

Thought this was funny. Are you allowed to criticize Simone Biles?: A decision tree.

^^ Must be the same Seventy Three from his vids - One of the best sounds that can be made. Me: Back to another 1958 (good year) Ascenseur pour l'échafaud Miles Davis 1958 Example:

Sings For Only The Lonely (Deluxe) Frank Sinatra 1958 This edition contained the complete Mono and Stereo versions of the Album. I would not really call the Stereo "stereo", more like a diffuse mono, and his voice is dropped back in the mix. Here is a nice Mono track:

The drawers slide beautifully now! The tape is about 1/64" thick and clear, so you can't really see it. Shipping out tomorrow.

The Vanishing of Harry Pace: https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/projects/vanishing-harry-pace https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/jul/14/an-american-riddle-the-black-music-trailblazer-who-died-white-harry-pace

This probably renders this thread obsolete, but here's the Atlantic's list of best podcasts https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2020/12/50-best-podcasts-2020/617486/