Tari

Been watching Da Vinci's Demons, they just aired the third episode. It's preposterous and sort of gumbo hodge podge mess of the secret society conspiracy genre, but it still manages to be pretty entertaining, especially when Leonardo whips out his steampunk-y inventions and they actually work. Sets and soundtrack are surprisingly decent for a channel like Starz, they've been ramping it up since the success of Spartacus. Also watched some Happy Endings as a friend recommended it and I have two conclusions. 1) This is the worst version of a Scrubs style comedy I've seen 2) Elisha Cuthbert has the worst comedic chops I've seen in a while. It largely has to do with the inability of her face or voice to convey any real expression.

I didn't bother looking back at the transaction, but I thought it was sold from amazon direct as I remember it getting prime shipping. Maybe it was just fulfilled through Amazon though.

For those who bought Sabatier knives (from the famous French company) on the Amazon deal linked a couple pages back, I just got this notice from Amazon: Hello, We're contacting you about your recent order for the Sabatier 8 Inch Forged Stainless Chef Knife, order # XXX-XXXXXXX-XXXXXXX. We recently learned that because of an inventory error we sent you a knife made in China instead of France, as described on the website. We're very sorry about this. We're not able to send you a replacement, but if you don't wish to keep this item, you can return it for a full refund. You can request a return label by visiting our Online Returns Center: www.amazon.com/returns We hope to see you again soon. Sincerely, Customer Service Department Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com So Amazon was selling counterfeits.

That's Manfred Stein, founder and owner of QUAD.

Audiostream also has a list of DSD capable DACs, though its probably incomplete at this point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=67aGT2Aubys

Mmm, SSM9ED's. I always though Avalon took a cue from their design:

Why not ask the seller? They should know if they had it done by APS. I find it hard to believe he'd recable to work with a Stax Pro jack but not account for bias. He did good work.

Very good with the FP JH13's as well.

All these puns on the potpourri have got to stop.

Lil' Knight did the board runs and I saw him selling some extras recently. Try PMing him

I know someone who was raped and beaten within a half inch of her life and its always rankled me. The fight with the boxer who beats women was one of the most cathartic things I've seen on television.

Really cool. Have you managed to cut down the hum or is it just due to proximity of components?

Just saw the first two episodes of Utopia, episode three comes out this week. Between this, Sherlock, and Luther, the Brits are making some of the best drama out there these days.

I had two 7xxxxx units at the same time. I isolated the difference in sound (I think, as pads on one unit were slightly more worn than the other) to the differing grill cloth- one had a thicker, more tightly woven cloth and I noticed it was "darker" and less "open" from the first, the other was truly a great pair though. Taking off the grill cloth entirely makes for a very interesting open sound but I don't like the lack of protection. At RD's suggestion I tried substituting legging material for grill cloth and I now have the best balance all around to my ears. The downside of all this is that changing pads or taking them on/off and taking out the discs that hold the grill cloths on these headphones makes me go into hulk mode with frustration. John, I know the guy who bought Adrian's "preferred" pair, he paid $2100 (if I recall correctly) for them. "Preferred" status isn't worth the ~$600 difference.

Yes Edit- foiled by Padam.

Loved season 2 of Luther. I'd be a fan of Idris Elba reprising the role of Bond when Craig is done. But it would be hard to forget Stringer Bell/Luther when he plays it.

LG announces they are finally releasing their OLED TV.

They include a link on the bottom to contact them if you're a dealer wanting to become part of "Club Orpheus." My guess is it won't be unduly hard to become part of the club, but if they then catch you selling lower than MAP (they artificially boost MSRP so that MAP is what they really want vendors to charge), you lose your club certification and ability to sell their higher end products. It also serves as a way to reinforce exclusivity and luxury, as well as to remind everyone that they made a headphone called the orpheus at one time that was really good.

Update on the Orpheus thing, looks like its Sennheiser's coming out party for "Club Orpheus." Basically they're restricting their dealer network on higher end models so that you can be assured you're getting "orpheus service" if I'm reading correctly: About Club Orpheus Club Orpheus takes its name from the legendary Orpheus headphones. Released in 1991, Orpheus is still regarded as the most exclusive and expensive headphone ever produced. Its limited run of only 300 pieces, combined with unparalleled levels of engineering and component choice, means the Orpheus has left its mark on the audio world forever. Club Orpheus has been created around the very same values as this superlative product – its members represent the finest and most experienced audio retailers in the UK. In buying from a Club Orpheus member, you receive a range of benefits not found anywhere else. These include unparalleled expertise and first-class service. You can also be confident that you are getting the very best in quality from an approved Sennheiser specialist. We truly believe that there is something for every audio enthusiast. Remember that our most prestigious models are only available through Club Orpheus members. (Included products are HD800, 700, ie800, RS200, Momentum. No word if they plan on implementing something similar in the US.)

From the LA Times: There was bound to be a smart utensil. At Unveiled, the show's first media sneak-peek event, Hapilabs showed off its new Hapifork product: a set of utensils that the company says will "help you lose weight." The "smart electronic" fork and spoon pair, created by Frenchman Jacques Lepine, are equipped with sensors that cause vibrations when users take too many bites too quickly. (I suppose this could be used to serve the opposite purpose, as a sort of competitive eater's version of Nike Plus)

Jonathan Tinn from Blue Light/Evolution Acoustics sells the BMC line and thinks very highly of their products (his more expensive amp line is Dartzeel.) These price points make more sense. While BMC is a german company, their products are made in China, and the 8-10K they were charging for most of their amps just wasn't working. It will be interesting to see what they can do at this price point. Sennheiser is displaying the orpheus setup at CES this year, and that may coincide with an announcement of a new stat, if the rumor mill has their timetables right.