Dusty Chalk

I've heard both newer and older R10's -- the newer ones is an improvement on the old ones in the bass department, and I don't feel they compromise audibly in the high frequency and detail department. The Qualia doesn't just need a good fit, it needs a monsterly good amp, So: "correct fit and well driven". Dude, what you need is a custom DEQX.

Turn off autoplay. I don't think iTunes triggers the DRM, it should just rip the audio portion of the disk (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

Yay for New Damage and Helios-Multi.

I haven't heard the 4070's, but based on the Stax "house sound", I'd suspect they'd be in the running. Even the lowly SR-20 is pretty fucking good. Being a closed headphone guy myself, that's where I plan on putting my money eventually. I like the L3000, but damn is it ever coloured. Not for everyone, and almost as finicky with amps as the R10. The GS1000 is also extremely coloured, but I don't like it, and it's not as closed as other closed phones. The CD3000 does not get enough love. I heard a stock pair paired with a Musical Fidelity X-CANv2, and that combo just reeked of synergy. I am notorious for being one of the few people who just plain does not get the love of the R10's. I don't see it as having that much more detail, to compensate for its completely unforgiveable bottom end. Hirsch keeps telling me that he manages to get bass out of the thing, but it always manages to disappear by the time I get there. I'd save it for a capella music -- female a capella music -- and solo violin pieces (not even viola), but at the price, I can't afford to keep a pair of headphones for like a fraction of my music collection that might be smaller than most THD specs. You know what gets forgotten? The ATH-A100Ti -- I wonder if there's any current headphone in the audio technica line that comes close to it. It's pretty fucking good. I'm going to listen to it some more this weekend, but I need to get new earpads. The ATH-A900 Art headphones? I wonder if any of these are any good (just browsing at audiocubes): JVC HP-DX1000 Audio Technica W5000 or W1000 Audio-Technica ATH-PRO700WH (they're not just closed, they're the airtightness!) link And yes, then there's the Etymotics. Quite possibly maybe.

The KGSS and the Blue Hawaii were two of the best estat amps I have heard. That said, if you're looking for warmth and lushness (and perhaps to save a few bucks), you could do worse than one of the MacAlisters, based on the one I heard (I really liked the one I heard -- I think I could easily listen to it 8 hours a day).

Some would say, if you can afford it, buy it. I would say, even if you can't afford it, if you have enough credit to buy it, buy it. Arguably the best headphone I have ever heard. It really is that good.

Unless one is aware of a unit's history and one knows that it's fine. (Such as the one that used to be Hirsch's -- I'd buy that one if I was in the market and it was for sale. Known good.) Oh, and welcome to Head-Case -- this place is a little different from audiokarma and audioreview.

Seabound, Double-Crosser Mentallo and the Fixer, Enlightenment through a Chemical Catalyst Distorted Reality, The Fine Line Between Love and Hate and Daydreams and Nightmares Diabolical Masquerade, Nightwork And One, Traumfrau and the three So Klingt Liebe singles: Jesu, Conqueror Eisbrecher, Antikorper Therion, Gothic Kabbalah (quite possibly their best ever) Entwine, Fatal Design Sylvan, Posthumous Silence Miles Davis, Complete Live at the Blackhawk

The whole thing cracks me up. I mean, shit, the most important thing about comedy is timing, and someone squoze comedy into an animated .gif -- fucking brillo. What reference?

You can definitely get a taste of vinyl with budget gear. I've heard (admittedly very) good turntables on very entry level phono preamps on both Juan's and Hirsch's systems, and've been impressed. The thing about analog is its naturalness. This is not something that everyone is sensitive to, but I think I am. I just find analog more coherent and...I don't know if smooth is the right word, because I've heard more smooth and less smooth digital gear...but perhaps what I'd call it is 'less digititis'. You really need to hear an analog setup. Because you could be one of those people who just doesn't hear the difference. That doesn't make you less of an audiophile, so don't take it as a slam; I know at least two people who don't hear the difference -- one is an out-of-the-closet close-n-play listener (I.E. he hates high-end gear) who loves the convenience of CD's, but the other is definitely an audiophile.

If your cable is shielded, you can connect ground (pin 1) to the shield, that's how one gets pseudo-shielding.

Yeah, I didn't see that until after I posted. I like the Lilith Fair -ness of it...it's great... ...or the response to "Lazy Sunday":

That one never gets old. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dmVU08zVpA -- got a love that "blue-eyed soul". And tell me you don't catch yourself singing it later. Oh, PS That one's not safe for work or mixed company...unless she got a sense of humour. Hey, I just noticed -- that's what my avatar's cat is listening to!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftCcH5PMeIM

Feel free to post your own -- either all-time faves or current favourites. Or just something you think others might find interesting.

EDIT -- add the following to the list of contenders: Matchbook Romance, Voices Katie Melua, Piece by Piece Muse, Black Holes and Revelations Gary Numan, Jagged Snog, Vs. The Faecal Juggernaut Of Mass Culture

link Comments?

Link to Audiokarma thread

Still working on my list, but here's some of it, anyway (probably a superset): Barry Adamson, Stranger on the Sofa And One, Bodypop Android Lust, Devour Rise and Take Flight Black Heart Procession, The Spell Brightblack Morning Light Matt Elliott, Failing Songs Gathering, Home Giant Squid, Metridium Fields Halou, Wholeness and Separation Isis, In the Absence of Truth Jakalope, Born 4 Katatonia, The Great Cold Distance Mono/World's End Girlfriend, Palmless Prayer/Mass Murder Refrain Mouse on Mars, Varcharz Ms. John Soda, Notes and the Like Anthony Phillips, Field Day Psapp, The Only Thing I Ever Wanted Pure Reason Revolution, The Dark Third Rodrigo Y Gabriela Carina Round, Slow Motion Addict Stolen Babies, There Be Squabbles Ahead Under the Influence of Giants Unexpect, In A Flesh Aquarium Wolverine, Still Zero Hour, Specs of Pictures Burnt Beyond Recognition

No, we suck. Well, grawk doesn't suck, but the rest of us do. Grawk -- I haven't given up yet, but this weekend my mother is moving and I should probably help.

Well, considering Peter Walker and David Patching are British, and that the google cache of their web page reads: , and since I believe the design team is still British, and since the Quad sound epitomizes the British sound, I would have to say that they're still prototypically British. Maybe I'm just fooling myself. Not that there's anything wrong with that (being Chinese). Aerius -- it's not sleep we'd be getting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRjVeRbhtRU and anyone else who has ever worked a help desk.

It'd be funnier if you could end the loop earlier, so she's just miming the ol' in'n'out over and over again.

He was (kinda) kidding (hence the smilie) -- Quad are, indeed, a UK brand, but they outsource quite a bit to China. That said, I second his statement -- I've seen some very good stuff come out of China. Isn't ASL Chinese? I'm pretty sure my Radii is Chinese...double-checked, they're out of Hong Kong. I wouldn't worry about it.

Okay, never mind, fixed that (aptitude is the bestest!), but now it wants the source code for the kernel, so I got that package, too, but I can't seem to find it on my system...do I want the package, and if so, where would have aptitude put it; and if not, what do I want (ubuntu with gnome, presumably breezy)?