catscratch

This. Also, always-on DRM and a pay-to-win auction house does not a happy customer make. I'm voting with my dollar and not getting it, at least not until it's much cheaper. Plus, the class designs went from interesting to juvenile, and the atmosphere went from dark and gothic to bright and cartoony. Who's the target audience for this game again? Maybe I'm just getting older.

I certainly care enough to want to hear your thoughts about it and see your measurements, though not necessarily enough to actually buy one myself. But who knows.

Only if it had a Porsche 911 engine like Jamie Oliver's VW bus.

Speaking of the SR-001, word 'round the campfire is that Stax are developing a new amp for it. Would that they developed new eartips for it as well. If not for the comfort, I'd use it everywhere. Of course I've yet to experiment with using other tips on it but the shape is strange and I doubt there's much out there that would fit.

I second the Comply tip suggestion. I had just about given up on IEMs due to comfort (they literally made my ears swell up shut after a long listening session) but Comply tips work well, so I'd suggest grabbing something that they fit on and seeing how that works out first. IEMs are simply so much easier to carry around and more practical than any portable headphones that if you find one that works well for you, it's worth it for the practicality advantages alone. I wish I could be as enthusiastic about sound quality though. I prefer the UM3x over the W4 but neither is close to the level I'm looking for, though they certainly aren't bad. The only universal-fit portable headphone I like sonically is the Stax SR-001, but it's far from comfortable and offers no isolation. I think if you want quality sound AND quality comfort, it's customs or bust. Are headphones like the Amperior or DT1350 better than the current crop of top-level universal-fit IEMs sonically?

I've heard distant mids out of the O2 before as well, with some gear. I don't have too many inadequate amps to play around with but with some sources that's definitely been the case. With other sources though that's not the case at all. The O2 pairs particularly well with the Neko D100 IME precisely because the mids aren't distant or laid-back in the slightest. I'm guessing that has more to do with the source than the O2 though since looking at the FR the mids should be emphasized, if anything. Also, the SR-X Mk3 Pro is the solution to all of your lifeless midrange problems.

I can see them not giving Tyll a review pair, after the publicity about the Beats and general tar and feather treatment a lot of popular headphones get. In fact I'd take Bose not sending a review sample as proof that IF is on the right track.

Man, that blows goats. Yet another inexpensive high-end capable headphone disappearing, and such a legendary headphone at that. I don't want to see the headphone market following the speaker market but it seems to be heading in that direction.

For me it's less about the 650 scaling well and more about its ability to sound truly wretched on bad gear. You really can't plug it into anything and expect it to perform as it should, but I'm guessing a lot of people are doing just that, and that's where the bad rap comes from. The other issue is that the price of a new 650 gets you some very nice used 'stats that will generally blow it away. Regardless, it's a very good headphone when driven well. One of the few that doesn't hype up the highs to give a fake impression of detail.

Has anyone tried any sort of transformer-box based rigs with the 009? I know it's probably quite silly to match up one of the most revealing transducers ever with one of the least resolving ways to drive electrostatics, but for team Euphonic Mush there don't seem to be too many 'stat amp options.

2001 3.2CL Type-S. I don't like that it's front wheel drive, and the weight distribution could be better. 260hp on the front wheels also makes for some torque steer and interesting behavior at the limit. But the engine noise, steering feel and accuracy, ride and handling balance, and general fine-tuning and engineering stuff is done very well I think. Interior's nice, too. As a sporty-ish coupe it's kinda half-hearted but as a daily driver it's great.

IIRC VW is discontinuing the 5-cylinder in favor of turbo 4s, so that unique 5-banger bellow may be gone soon as well. My favorite part of my ancient Acura is the engine noise, especially past 5k rpm. Mind you, noise is mostly all you're getting, at least compared to more modern, faster sporty-ish cars. Still, I will miss it when it's gone. The newer 3.5 and 3.7 liter V6s post better numbers, but compared to the old 3.2 they just make a mediocre drone.

Good episode, and overall a very good series I thought. Some of the middle episodes were kinda meh but 1, 2, 6, and 7 were all really good. I liked that Ferrari too but even more than that I want that M5... What I love most in a car is the ability to be both relaxed when you want it to be and go absolutely nuts when you want to drive like your pants are on fire, and the M5 seems to be the best expression of that, at the moment anyway. Need to try one out (not that it's even remotely in my price range or anything). The 335i and G35/37 both fit into that mold and I enjoyed my time with both of those. Beater racing looks tempting. Huge potential money sink though, and with audio and photography I don't really need another one

Great episode. But it would have been better if the Bentley and Brutus segment didn't go into "Britain > Germany." Incidentally... I've pimped Jay Leno's Garage before, and now I'll do it again. If you like the sort of thing that was on this week - old-school hot rods with aeroplane engines, vintage steam cars, classic prewar automotive art, and generally the sort of stuff Clarkson tells May to shut up about, it's about as good as a site as it gets. Also, I love the Morgan 3-wheeler. If I could afford one... I'd get an M3. But if I could afford an M3 and a 3-wheeler, I'd get an M5. But if I could afford an M5 and a 3-wheeler, I'd get an M5 and a 3-wheeler, that's for damn sure.

Cool worm. You can find these all over the NJ seaside though of a smaller variety. Polychaetes are amazingly diverse and can be amazingly pretty as well, though the usual reaction from people is still "kill it with fire."

IIRC that thing is an old Peterbilt cab with a 12 cylinder 2-stroke diesel (?!) that powered a stationary crane. There's a full video about it on Jay Leno's site, Jay interviews the creator, talks about what it is, and takes it for a drive. It's spectacularly awesome (and loud). Would be interesting to see what your friend comes up with.

I'm also interested if it will remove the optical low-pass filter like the D800E. That may push me to upgrade from the Mk2, which otherwise I'm perfectly content with.

More from the same builder(s): Comes complete with its own blown glass grille. What's this, an 18 liter tank engine? Yes please. I see your hot rod, and I'll raise you a... (whatever it is) more here: http://www.blastolene.com/ and as seen on Leno's Garage: http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/cars/custom-built/blastolenes-pissd-off-pete/index.shtml#item=87280

There's more about that thing on Jay Leno's Garage... now if only I could figure out how to embed those. http://www.jaylenosg...tml#item=204583 Incidentally, one hell of a site if you're into things automotive.

Well the brown pads aren't being made anymore either - though you can find NOS ones - so if you're SOL and can't return, you can get Mk2 pads, black headband and arcs and be fine lookswise at least. IIRC Mk2 headband has stiffer elastics and won't be as good for team melonhead.

$1k seems about right - $1500 minus the cost of refurbishing is what I'd pay. Make sure there are no channel balance issues, no squealing or weird noises and no intermittency issues especially as you move the cables. If all that checks out the drivers are probably fine. The seller should have let you know about the condition, if he didn't, he deserves some choice words in feedback. I also have to wonder what the hell you have to do to an O2 to get it into that kind of shape.

This is the same guy that ranted at length about how the K1000 is obsolete?

I dunno. On one hand yes the libel claim was off the wall, but then again TG consistently shows anti-american and heavy-handed pro-british bias and has been known to fabricate test numbers and outright lie on a large percentage of their more factual claims (see their handling of the Hawk Stratos test). Obviously it's meant to be an entertainment show and obviously its attitude is meant to generate sales, but it rubs a lot of people the wrong way all the same, myself included. I also like the Tesla as a concept - it's an alternative energy car that isn't boring, and making exciting vehicles is what the industry needs to do. So while I don't support Tesla in this, neither do I support the way TG runs its affairs - especially when it comes to North American distribution. But that's a totally different story... 3d episode was kinda "meh" I thought. Race sequence was fake and contrived, and I don't find things that are embarassing for the main characters funny. 4th episode was better, still some cocking about but a bit more genuine this time. And I liked the apology for the India special, and Brian Johnson is awesome. Beautiful Bentley too (the old one).

People waiting for the BHSE to finish aren't sitting on entry-level gear, so I doubt that will affect the cost of entry-level stuff very much. I think the general trend of the market is mediocre stuff going up in price significantly. A lot of used Stax stuff has been a disproportionate bargain for years, and as interest in it goes up it only makes sense for it to go up in value sharply. I think that as the market becomes more and more mature and starts to emulate the progression of the speaker market, DIY will become that much more important as one of the increasingly fewer ways of getting something good on a budget. So yeah... start building now. I know I will, soon. I also think that I'm a bit drunk, so ignore everything above.

If I look at the money I lost being burned when buying used, it actually overcomes what I've saved. I'm pretty sure from now on I'm buying new unless I completely trust the seller. Mind you, I'm an idiot and trust people too easily. Hopefully over time I'll be less trusting if not less dumb.