The Monkey

Having just gone through a similar exercise, I would recommend the vintage DAC path. However, just because it's vintage doesn't mean you're going to love it. If you can afford a new DAC and a vintage DAC (or if you can demo a new DAC), then that would be ideal. Really, the only way you can make an informed decision is to hear them for yourself. I've found that it is very difficult to get an idea of the sound of a source based on reviews.

iAd is seriously creepy. iPad getting OS 4 in the fall is fail. Something about this event strikes me as odd, and I don't know what it is.

Just FYI, in addition to an app for the iPhone, PS Audio is working on an app for the iPad that will control the PWD--and later, the bridge.

Yup, and the rumored available date is almost exactly as I predicted in relation to my receipt of the iPad. I expect a thank you card from everyone at Macrumors.

That would be a great craigslist classified.

^Exactly. With this:

For some reason, I get his movies mixed up with John Malkovich's. Are the fingerprints as big an issue as I think they are on the iPad?

It was tough for me to even get an arc assembly for my O2 mk1.

It's a sign, Larry. Get rid of those inferior DACses. I have not noticed similar behavior, but I have noticed the awful beachball a lot more with Snow Leopard. Have you tried a powered hub?

Plants v. Zombies FTW.

Neither can WiFi, apparently.

Nums, there was some talk about a group buy, but Stax is rather twitchy about its parts. I'm not sure where the GB stands. Has anyone heard from Craig lately?

If you want an HE60, then that's what you should get. Stax 'phones are Stax.

Thanks!

I agree. I'm really hoping this isn't a hardware issue (duh). From the few dozen posts I've read, I'm wondering if WEP or WPA is the culprit.

In one of the articles (that 'stretch linked to, I think), didn't one of the Apple folks say that it was designed to be tossed into a bag or the backseat of the car? In other news, I just got back from the Apple store on 57th street. That place is a disaster, but that's for another post. The iPad is really cool. The screen, while fingerprinty, is lovely. And the whole thing just feels super responsive. I can see how the overall experience would feel more organic than a traditional laptop. Some observations/comments based on my 10 mins: Typing is much easier than I anticipated, which alleviates a major concern. It feels heavier than I expected. It's fast, but some websites (e.g., MSNBC, WSJ) took a bit longer to load than I had hoped. The WiFi antenna indicator showed full strength, so no apparent WiFi issues unless the slow page loads is a symptom. The letterboxing on some of the videos makes the image ridiculously narrow, but blowing it up does not seem to crop as much as I feared. The iPhone apps look awful. This thing wasn't meant to have all kinds of dongles and doohickeys hanging from it--I get that more now. WANT

In what way(s)?

It would be pretty cool if the Smyth Realiser could be used with the iPad. I suppose that's a no go though, right, because the iPad and Podz can't output 5.1? Although, I do recall reading that you could record something through the Realiser and then jam it in your iPod and play it that way, but that sounds like a pita.

Good points, those. I guess there's also just a certain amount of "giving in" here. I am convinced that Apple has created a game-changing device, which sometimes necessarily means you throw out your preconceived notions about what you think you need and just embrace the benevolent fascism of Apple.

Although he does touch on one issue that I sort of agree with: does the iPad feel like a First Gen device? I get the lack of expansion ports. But the widescreen "issue" is odd. And I also agree that the lack of a camera, while not fatal, is a noticeable omission. I guess one of my concerns about spending this much money on a Gen 1 device is that the next gen will smoke it--and within a year. I know this is the price one pays for early adoption, but it still kind of sucks. Of course, balancing this concern are countervailing forces such as: 1) I want it yesterday; 2) I still use a Gen 1 iPhone; and 3) I am an impatient man.

Wow, that is a truly awful review. "It is superb, but the box it came in sucks. I hate it and so should you."

Too many words, not enough punctuation. Actually, just too many words.

Ha! Thank you for noticing. That Steve Jobs haunts me.

Bah. I'll get the case soon and I'll be all set.