Dusty Chalk

And then there's ear-wicking...

Yeah, I heard "mink oil" for surrounds, but this is different. EDIT: To clarify, I'm talking about things like (a) Grado pads; ( the foam screens on headphones between the driver and the ear (the one that people usually cut holes in for the "quarter mod") like Sennheisers; © the padding in those cases we all buy for our headphones; etc.

I now have two headphones whose foam is deteriorating. (0) What causes this? (1) Is there any way to prevent this? I suspect not, since I've had foam inside an anvil case (the kind that's valenced and is practically hermetically sealed) deteriorate purely out of age. (2) Does it "run"? I.E. once the foam starts deteriorating, should one just throw out the entire batch? Or is there a way to save the foam that hasn't deteriorated yet? (3) Is it "contagious"? I.E. Can it be transfered from one to another? (4) Is there a way to determine ahead of time how soon foam is going to deteriorate? (5) Best way to fix? Are there different kinds of foam? I know with Grados it's just a matter of replacing the pads, but what if it's a "sheet"? Do I need to remove the whole sheet? Is there a way to determine its acoustic properties to mimic the old foam, or should I just go for the most acoustically transparent foam in most cases?

You know, some may consider that "fail", but I consider it complete win.

May I just say that you have a knack for stating things in a way that entertains and convinces.

Heart, "Magic Man" Or, as is the case with me, one's memory is shot. My personal cup runneth over. I mean, the criteria is pretty straightforward -- is there a single thing that you would change about it? If the answer is no, then it's perfect. One can use other methods to test the theory, such as, do you find yourself listening to the song repeatedly when it comes up? (I find that particular rule to be particularly good.)

Rachmaninov Prokofiev Piano Concertos, RCA Living Stereo SACD

The name sounds like an adult device/vibrator.

It's not so much that they make crap as that they steal all their designs.

DOTU does not vomit.

Somehow, I doubt she's going to have any trouble getting the tubes to stand up straight.

x3 Aw hell no -- you'd accentuate the mids on the ones that aren't accentuated, if that's what you think you like. But that's assuming that they're wrong about it being something else -- which is too big of an assumption for me to put money on. I'd say that they're probably right. Especially about the ruler flat business.

Serious? Or tenacious?

Don't your ear canals open up to your sinuses? So presumably, moisture could get in that way.

x2 -- if you're really comparing DAC's and looking at them primarily for their frequency response, you owe it to yourself to buy an EQ and make them all sound the same, and then see if there is still a difference. I personally hate Behringer, but it is the default gateway drug entry point. There are more and less analog-sounding DACs out there, but most audiophile DACs should be analog sounding, it's the consumer-grade stuff that sounds digital to my admittedly less-than-golden ears. WRT lights and stuff, you definitely want an EQ with a spectrum analyzer built in.

[bill & ted]whoa[/bill & ted]

I love Katatonia, they have quite a few what I would consider perfect songs. Too many to list, a few that come to mind: King Crimson, "Starless" -- even the slightly sour notes hit by John Wetton (vocals), all the way to the slow progression of one-note solos, then a two-note solos, then autobahn speeds... Talk Talk, "The Party's Over" -- starts off slowly, not even hinting at the epic build-up, and this is synthpop? Joseph Arthur, "All Of Our Hands" -- just sublime for a protest song David Gilmour, "There's No Way Out Of Here" Peace Love & Pitbulls, "Youth" -- yeah, it's industrial, but for some reason, my CD player keeps going back to the beginning of this track every time it gets towards the end Rotersand, "Exterminate Annihilate Destroy" Gary Numan, "Absolution" Curve, "Unreadable Communication" -- auralgasm starting at about 2:19 Slowdive, "Catch the Breeze" New Model Army, "Lullaby" Portishead, "Roads"

Rachel Podger, Vivaldi: La Stravaganza, SACD

I have a theory: sibilance == one particular high frequency range being exaggerated; entire high frequency range being exaggerated == Sony MDR-7506/-V6.

As has already been established, because I am a compleat geek-nerd I remember that episode of Star Trek.

Does everything except HDCD, for $42 I wouldn't complain.

I only have the SACD version, so yes.

HD650 + beach == wind noise, I wouldn't recommend it. Get a DT770.

Happy Birthday, Ian!

And then get banned again for whining about not having enough to read.