We had a loaner pair at our small meet and I wasn't a fan either. I tried it off half a dozen amps and it didn't improve at all. Maybe someone will start a rumour that it needs a 20W speaker amp hehe.
Hmm locking jacks are annoying. Stepped attenuators will attract more sales as Audio-GD has shown with their C-2C - put it as an upgrade and most folks will buy it.
Damn, I wish I had loaded parents to spoil me rotten. I mean just think of all the life lessons I'm missing out on like working hard for things, having a savings account for college, investing for the future etc. Who needs good parenting when your folks can buy you anything?
Look a lot of Head Fi posts are pretty whacko so don't read too much [if anything] into it. I tried reading that Valab thread a while back and I just didn't get what people were trying to achieve.