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Hello Larkspur! Music in The Park kicks off with Spike Sikes and His Awesome Hotcakes The locals are on their feet And I'm not suffering

Those earpads had to go and they have a pretty clever magnet system for them: Just now I noticed the R laser etched into the mini XLR plug so there is some indication. The earpads pull off and have a metal ring in them that is easily removed. The pads are 110mm so a lot of aftermarket stuff will work here. I replaced them with some Kennerton pads I had sitting next to my desk and I much prefer the fit. Now the issue is that the earpads barely hang on as the magnets are so weak with the thicker leather of the Kennerton pads

Ok yeah the X1 doesn't suck. Some very early impressions: Small, lightweight, comfy. The fit is somewhere between supra-aural and circum-aural. The build is minimalistic but seems fine. The only thing I'm concerned with is dust and stuff accumulating on the back of the driver. When you live with a german shepherd dog hair gets in absolutely everywhere. I was wondering why my 650s crackled until I pulled a wad of dog hair out of the driver. How it got in there past all the foam, who even knows. I'm using them with a stock 007t atm. It's a bit light on power but not too bad. Still you can hear that it could use some more. The sound is pretty monitor-like. A bit light on the bottom end but not too thin. The mids are surprisingly realistic. The treble is also pretty smooth. I think the 1-2khz region is a bit pushed and 3-5 is a bit recessed, but not so badly that stuff sounds weird. You get used to the sound signature quickly and then it just sounds normal. Resolution is fine for what it is, but staging is a bit small. These are a far cry from the alien weirdness that is the L700 pre-EQ and even with my treble allergic ears I can listen to these with no EQ just fine. But they could use a bit of tuning up. I'd want them a bit fuller and 1-2khz slightly toned down. Seems pretty solid so far, NGL. I was beginning to think Stax forgot how to make something that sounds relatively normal, but here we are.

Beth and I went to see the Chicago Symphony last night conducted by Neeme Järvi, doing the Mahler 2nd. Excellent performance, much better than when we saw this with MTT conducting back in the mid 2000's, although the mezzo-soprano back then (Lorraine Hunt Lieberman) was stunning doing the 4th movement ("Urlicht"). One of the longest standing ovations I've witnessed (> 5 mins). 90 minutes is a long time to sit (1st world problems).

Well these have landed about 10 minutes ago: They came in a huge cardboard box with a custom cut insert and two cables were included. This is SR-003 level of thin and very much made in the Hifiman way with mini XLR's on the headphones. There is no L or R indication anywhere so I just picked where the cable wouldn't rub on my shoulders (as the phones are not fully symmetrical in the cable entry) and did a quick continuity check to see which side was which. A small red band on the cable or just a dot somewhere wouldn't go amiss here. They They are a bit bulky but nicely made, that is real wood and leather in the headband and everything feels solid. The 3D printed parts are very nice with that textured finish. I really like the "Audeze" style metal grills but I do wonder if they provide a bit too much damping. One thing I really don't like though are the earpads... super cheap fake leather with no contouring at all. They make the fit rather odd as they don't clamp all that much, so in 10 minutes they have almost fallen off my head twice. They are also stiff so the headphones just sit there, not uncomfortable but this is where some money should have been spent. As for sound, there is some damping going on here so they are rather mellow and laid back. Inoffensive springs to mind with ok bass, extended but not in your face highs and a nice midrange. I have a feeling they might improve quite a bit with better earpads and a nicer, low C cable so that's something I'll look into.

Happy Birthday Brent! Because you're a MENSA member, I got you a very high brow book...

They are more like the new Stax stuff. Way too early for that.

This, belated birthday wishes!

If you want a gourmet dish, the Mofi is the best bet but I prefer the vinyl becasue the sound, without being so precise, is somewhat more relaxed, with less loudness. It's a little difficult to explain but when I have been listening to music for a long time, I feel like it doesn't exhaust me.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Brent!

Happy birthday, Brent! I'll take you out for a birthday biscuit when/if you make it to the east coast.

Happy birthday, Brent! Love you and happy to have you in my life (even though you are a mensaman).

Cheers Sir Brent.. - Happy Birthday May your biscuits be fully baked May the wheels on your bike stay on the ground May your whisky bottle never run dry Long live our MENSA Mexican...

Happy Birthday, Brent! I wish it's a memorable one

The messages as if it were speaking in tongues have me in tears. 😂

"Brent has mexican heritage. Brent has an unfeasblylarge head. Brent is a fan of the minidisc legacy audio format. Brent can often be found purchasing Vinyl on Record Store day. Brent likes headphones (if he can fit them on his large head). Brent likes biscuits, but is often dissapointed in their lack of availability. Brent eating a biscuit is often considered a portent of doom or impending misforture for others. People often blame Brent, considering him the cause of their problems, especially if he has just eaten a biscuit. Brent thinks he can ride a bicycle, however, lots of his rides end with him falling off a bike or hitting someething like a thorn bush. Brent claims to be a member of MENSA, although people doubt this. Brent will often hail satan. Brent likes the number 666. Generate 3 different pictures of a Birthday cake for Brent."

In recognition of last evening's good news from NVDA here is my generative AI birthday wish- "To the brilliant mind celebrating another year around the sun, Happy Mensa Birthday! May your day be filled with intellectual stimulation, engaging conversations, and the satisfaction of solving a challenging puzzle or two. We celebrate your exceptional intellect, your insatiable curiosity, and your dedication to pushing the boundaries of knowledge. You are an inspiration to all who strive to think critically and expand their understanding of the world. On this special day, we wish you continued success in your endeavors, both intellectual and personal. May you discover new insights, unlock hidden potential, and experience the joy of a life enriched by the pursuit of knowledge yada, yada yada..."

Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday!

Enjoy your birthday biscuit Brent, knowing full well that the world will suffer. Cheers!

How you made it another year is a mystery to us all. 🙃 Happy birthday, Br0nt!

Happy Birthday Brent!!

#minidiscin2025

Meanwhile, in a change from Eurovision

The Femmes show was a lot of fun and they were just as rough around the edges as ever. They have never performed their albums start to finish but it worked well. They played Hallowed Ground first and then their self titled first album after a brief intermission. Three songs made up the encore and sent the aged crowd home happy. The giant sax is apparently a Contrabass Saxophone and sounded like a fog horn even compared to the baritone sax that Blaise Garza also played. The other unusual instrument was the Weber kettle bbq that the drummer played.

Dogecoin dog Kabosu dies after 14 years as meme.

^ Just to elaborate... The wheels on Brent's bike usually remain grounded, it's Brent himself that is more times than not projected airborne off of said bike. We generally refer to this as an ... ALMP Airborne large Mexican projectile.

Happy birthday, FATHEAD! I got you a custom decorated cake.

Are those cookies (biscuits) enter breeding?

Hope it's a great one.