Dusty Chalk

Exactly.

Happy Birthday, oh Owner of The Basement, and Wielder of The Shovel.

Well, if you believe in jitter, then no. Most DACses use a PLL to sync to the incoming signal, so they'll still fluctuate some. Now, whether or not you believe in jitter, and (as is the case with me) if you do believe in jitter, but are skeptical you can hear it, that's something else entirely. So in answer to your question, the transport should only matter if you believe in jitter. Or the digital equivalent of wow and flutter. Addendum: it might also matter if you believe that your source doesn't produce a 100% match of all the bits (I.E. errors).

That's going to give me nightmares.

I'm going to guess: "mediocre".

I fix.

They're "delivery" people, and they don't want to make the actual deliveries? WTF?

What? What do you mean, "stretched"? I'm assuming you mean that they're put to the limits of their abilities -- that is far from the case. Because they're so close to the ears, they have to produce a much smaller sound waves and therefore have to move much smaller distances.

Yeah, that Rob Dougan keeps coming back, I suspect it's top 10 of the aughts for me.

It is encouraged as long as you have thick skin. People can be pretty rough around here. (I still haven't heard one myself.)

(changes mental note to ER4P and the adapter -- receives "duplicate database record" error...looks in database, realizes the "ASAP" part got ...uh... kinda forgotten) But I do have an amp that will properly drive the ER-4S, so the adapter probably doesn't need to be ASAP.

Happy Birthday!

(makes a mental note to upgrade to the ER-4S ASAP)

I only mentioned the HF-2's because the ESW9's were mentioned. Not that they have a similar sound signature -- they kinda do, but they kinda don't -- so much as they both have that same "fun factor". If you thought the HF-2's were a bit flat, I am no person to judge. In my case, they were just not for me, as I'm not a big fan of the Grado comfort quotient (they have to be PS-1 good or HP-2 good in order for me to still want them).

I actually do not have actual experience with the ER-4anything, but from those who've had experience with both it and the ER-6i, it's supposed to be a step up. And the ER-6i's are the single most isolating IEM's I've ever heard. Or rather, not heard. Or rather, "...had prevent me from hearing". Tri-flanges rule for that purpose. The ER-6i might also be a good starting point, but it's well below your price point. I'm a bass freak, and I'm quite happy with its bass response. But believe it or not, even for a drummer, you really need a full-frequency response IEM, not one that accentuates bass.

HF-2's?

Sloth may be a sin, but baby sloths != baby sin.

[cartman voice]God DAMN it![/cartman voice] That coffee one was way out of my price league as well. Distressed leather rules.

That looks like the frequency response equivalent of a cold shower. (makes Pacman 'game over' sound)

Fucking asterisks.

Get the Oppo. No idea what a reasonable price for it is, depends on the condition.

Orbs, Asleep Next to Science -- RIYL Mars Volta, Coheed and Cambria, guys with high voices, metal, lots of changes, theatricality Everything Everything, Man Alive -- indie poprock, but borders on progressive by being very intellectual Pain of Salvation, Road Salt One -- far and away the best thing they've ever done -- they used to be a more generic prog metal band with a few standout tracks, this album is superb from beginning to end, with dynamics that's bordering on Pink Floyd-ian. Bonus points for an electric piano pervading pretty much the entire album. Swallow the Sun, New Moon -- oh, hells yes. They bring it, whatever 'it' is. 'It' is brung...brought...whatever... Void of Silence, Grave of Civilization -- doomy. Demians, Mute -- imagine if Filter went all proggy. The Ocean, Heliocentral (instrumental "karaoke" version of Heliocentric) -- not that I dislike the vocalist, I don't, but the all instrumental version of the album really got my attention and made me listen to it repeatedly, until I was addicted. Whispers in the Shadow, The Eternal Arcane -- I fully expect to hear a comment that begins with, "I liked them better when it was the 90's and they were called..." ...Sisters of Mercy? Something like that. Not sure exactly what band they are reminding me of, but whoever it is, I really like them. Krypteria, My Fatal Kiss -- goth metal with femme vox, I pretty much love everything in that genre. Guilt Machine, On This Perfect Day -- more prog metal, another genre I love, especially when done well. Easily Arjen Anthony Lucassen's most focused effort. Throes of Dawn, The Great Fleet of Echoes -- someone's been listening to their Blue Oyster Cult collection and taking notes! Excellent choice of influences, I might add. While Heaven Wept, Vast Oceans Lachrymose -- prog goth metal -- the best of both worlds! !!!, Strange Weather, Isn't It? -- not quite as good as their last album, but still good. Indie dance pop. I really need to listen to synthpop, industrial, and dance music more -- I love synthesizer music. Pineapple Thief, 3000 Days -- more of a rediscovery, every time I listen to these guys, I think to myself that I should listen to them more. Well, now I have. Spacey-prog, for the most part. And their weaker tracks are stronger than Porcupine Tree's weaker tracks, IMHO. Still haven't listened (WTF?) -- Oceansize, Self Preserved While the Bodies Float Up (makes a mental note to fix that ASAP) Mankind is Obsolete -- accidentally discovered them when they opened for Android Lust -- totally dig, immediately. Loud, brash, chaotic, beautiful.

Gusty as shit down here, too, but no snow to speak of.

No, that's my point, anything that could be described as "pop" is probably more traditional than anything else he's done, including Faith No More. Am I misunderstanding what you're describing? Never mind, I'll just go listen to it from somewhere, find out for myself.