Markl Mods

[Fitz]

Any fuckin' slob with a high post count and some rudimentary writing skills has most likely been contacted by manufacturers for one reason or another.

The only time I get contacted by manufacturers is when AKG's lawyers order me to leave their employees alone.

[Fungi]

The only time I get contacted by manufacturers is when AKG's lawyers order me to leave their employees alone.

:rofl:

[swt61]

The only time I get contacted by manufacturers is when AKG's lawyers order me to leave their employees alone.

Your integrity oozes from your poetic posts, so no manufacturers bother to try to sway you from your holy path. You are the enlightened one. Even though it may seem more fun to play the self inflated flatulent, Denon modding fuckwad, your path was already chosen Master Fitz.

[swt61]

You know if this thread exploded on HF we'd all be clambering to post it over here, and tear it apart.

Seems kind of anticlimactic now.

Oh hell who am I kidding. That asshole was beggin' for it, and it was fun as hell rippin' him a new one!

[hungrych]

It's not every day I get to call someone a mung sucking assclown.

That is such a lie.

[recstar24]

markl, let me put this to you straight. Pretty much everyone here already knows that you get review samples, and that manufacturers ply you to review their wares. You've alluded to this on Head-fi in the past, it's not a secret. We know, but we've been more or less indifferent until now. Why? Because up until now you've had the good sense to keep it quiet, but now you've decided to be an egotistical jackass and brag about your super special industry insider knowledge and powers, and how it makes you all special. At best, it's goddamn fucking rude and shows a complete lack of class. In smaller words, it makes you look like an asshole.

I concur. Markl I thought you were okay man and I had some respect for you coming on here and at 1st defending your side of things in a very respectful humble manner. But dude you got to get off that high horse your on. You say you are stating facts but these facts and the actual fact of stating said facts makes you look like an arrogant ass, just stop man. You review little ity bitty transducers driven by milliwatts of power, good for you.

[pompon]

If I don't want to do the job myself and prefer pay someone I trust, it's my business ...

If you don't trust him... why you read his threads and reviews ?

[Smeggy]

This thread has so much lose it's almost a win!

[grawk]

If I don't want to do the job myself and prefer pay someone I trust, it's my business ...

If you don't trust him... why you read his threads and reviews ?

Cute, he ask you to come here to post this, or are you just mark in a newbie suit?

[JBLoudG20]

Cute, he ask you to come here to post this, or are you just mark in a newbie suit?

Check the ip

[swt61]

I concur. Markl I thought you were okay man and I had some respect for you coming on here and at 1st defending your side of things in a very respectful humble manner. But dude you got to get off that high horse your on. You say you are stating facts but these facts and the actual fact of stating said facts makes you look like an arrogant ass, just stop man. You review little ity bitty transducers driven by milliwatts of power, good for you.

I feel the exact same way. I came in defending him. And I still stand by that as far as charging for the mods. He came in with an attitude about HC though, and I tried to politely offer a few insights into how to approach this site. I was all thinkin' he was a decent enough guy getting a bit of a bad rap.

Then he kept spewing more and more self grandeurizing vomitus, and I just couldn't stay silent.

He should definitely learn to come in and jab, then dance around the ring for a while, but most self important assholes never learn when to shut the hell up.

It was an eye opening experience, and in the end I'm glad I got that peek into the real markl.

[Augsburger]

Check the ip

Mark lives in the PNW I believe, pompom seems to be a Canadian. Perhaps Aerius' alter ego?

[pompon]

I like in Quebec, Canada.

Just look how bad I write in English. 8-)

I find interesting to try some products people seem to like.

Was a WOW factor when I saw Denon was almost the level of R10 for him. I know some people write exaggerated review but I tend to trust Markl. He write review on powercords and I heard the same thing when I got mines.

95% people don't hear difference and bash this product .. it's fine .. but generally, I try to avoid bash on product I never had opportunity to hear carefully.

For me, the best headphone was HD650 ... In fact, they fit my tastes.

I don't know if I will prefer Denon over my HD650 .. I will know in few days ...

I heard the Stock and don't found it bad .. but it's very different. They don't have the body and impact of my HD650 ... Will need time to appreciate them.

I can't try all product ... but for sure, I will need to try a big Stax before take a decision to upgrade my headphone amp.

[guzziguy]

am i the only person who grinds their teeth when they see that term?

Probably not. But let's be honest, you may hold the world record on the number of terms that cause you to grind your teeth.

[boomana]

Much fluff and fury in this thread since I went to work and came back home.

I don't much care if markl charges for the mods he does. If people want to pay him, that's fine by me. If people want to use what he's previous posted and do it themselves, a-okay. If people want to create their own mods, I don't much care. I thought the D5000s were good headphones, but, and as said, they're pretty flawed in ways that made me not want to own them. I spent too much time arguing with people on head-fi back when they first came out over that very thing (back when they were perfect), so I don't want to bother with that again here. I would like to hear the modded D5000. Why not? Either I'll like them or not. If I like them, good. If I don't, that's good, too. I have a very hard time believing that they are at R10's level, but I always love to be proven wrong.

[deepak]

booya, bitches.

btw, Markl, thanks for introducing me to Scott Walker! Climate of Hunter, Tilt, and the Drift are some of my favorite albums.

Hear hear. Scott Walker rules.

[swt61]

Much fluff and fury in this thread since I went to work and came back home.

I don't much care if markl charges for the mods he does. If people want to pay him, that's fine by me. If people want to use what he's previous posted and do it themselves, a-okay. If people want to create their own mods, I don't much care. I thought the D5000s were good headphones, but, and as said, they're pretty flawed in ways that made me not want to own them. I spent too much time arguing with people on head-fi back when they first came out over that very thing (back when they were perfect), so I don't want to bother with that again here. I would like to hear the modded D5000. Why not? Either I'll like them or not. If I like them, good. If I don't, that's good, too. I have a very hard time believing that they are at R10's level, but I always love to be proven wrong.

I share your sentiments about the charge for the mods (as already stated), and I really have no feelings about the D5000 in any way. The mods might be spectacular as far as I know, and I've never posted anything even slightly negative about them in any way. Really I had no feeling about them at all.

What did get my neck hairs standing on edge was when I tried to voice just that same opinion and back him up on his business practices. Only to then discover him trying to trash Duggeh, Head-Case and everyone who is beneath him, because they aren't the celebrated reviewer and all around super important guy that he is. The man slammed others for not reading what he posted, only to commit those same acts himself. He even jumped down deepak's throat when he was defending him.

It was an insight into how arrogant the man truly is.

I got sucked in further than I should have, and I always regret letting myself be led there, but I still stand by my opinions.

I just wish I'd been a little less hot headed and a little more eloquent.

[en480c4]

I just wish I'd been a little less hot headed and a little more eloquent.

Why? Your efforts would've been wasted, considering...

[Fing]

Interesting thread!

I do think the Denons to be a pretty good headphone for the money and even though I didn't find all the mods to be to my taste, some of them seemed to make a difference to the better to me.

As for whether they are on the same level as the R10, well personally I'd put a partially modded pair a bit below the ATH-L3000. I couldn't get on with a fully modded pair at all - too much loss of impact and bass, with too much treble.

They still have a way to go before they're close to an R10 in my opinion and I think you'd need to re-engineer a number of things to achieve that, if it's even possible, given the existing components.

[markl]

Good morning!

LOL, re-reading in the cold light of day is educational. Went through a whole bottle of wine before I realized it last night when I got sucked in over here. Apologies for any off-color remarks (although I suppose I was getting into the spirit of the site which is, after all, 80% off-color remarks ).

I see that I wasn't as articulate in expressing certain things as I could have been and got side-tracked; a case of what you mean and what you type aren't completely in sync. Let me try again.

As for this post by me:

get that I go waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the headphone world. To some extent, by virtue of the amount of involvement I've had in the community, and the amount of influence I can sometimes wield (which I don't take for granted, believe me), to some I may look like "the Man" or an "institution" that needs to be rebelled against (yeah, I do find that absurd, and wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen some of the comments here). But the reality is I'm just a fan and music lover like any other. No one can buy my opinion. I'm not rich, but I don't need any paltry kick-backs from some manufacturer to pimp their gear. That is utterly repugnant to me, and what's more, I've never ever even been approached by anyone to write something I couldn't stand by 100%, let alone been paid off for my review.

Yes, I do get sent gear for to me to review. That is the result of having been around a while in this community and being a voice that is trusted by many. No, that is not a privelege offered to every single headphone nut, so I get the resentment. I can tell you, whether you want to believe it or not, I have never ever written a single syllable that I did not mean. There have been occasions (not many) when I received a product that I didn't find worked for me in my system that I simply sent back and did not comment on. Just because it didn't work for me in my system doesn't mean someone else might not find the very same product the ultimate NIRVANA they'd ever heard. In general, if it's some Mom&Pop outfit, I don't have time to sit there and slam their product and try to wreck their business (if it's some huge company like Sony, as you have seen, the gloves are off). I have instead tried to focus on those products I've found to be outstanding and that I want to alert my friends to.

I was recently added as the resident headphone review monkey for Positive Feedback online, based on my reputation and past work. Here, I was going to be paid for my contributions (a nominal amount), but more importantly, I got the prestige of being a "real reviewer" for a much-read site. This was a significant feather in my cap as it would be for anyone.

I had 3 reviews in the pipe-line for PF, but the moment I become a MOT for Head-Fi, I wrote management and resigned as there is no way I could possibly be their headphone reviewer when I sell a modified product I like better than the phones I would be reviewing.

The point is, no matter what you may think, I am an honest guy, and no one buys my opinion, and I'm not some evil shill for any brand or product.

The point I was attempting to make (incoherently), was related to the many remarks I've read here and in the past on this iste that I'm a shill or a paid stooge. That smarts, and that really does make me mad. If folks are going to make charges like that, back them up with some evidence. You can't because there isn't any because my opinions are not for sale.

The puffery was a botched attempt to defend myself against these charges by presenting my "resume" of past activities to try to show that I'm not just some random guy who only showed up yesterday to shill for some company. People who have been around a while know me; if I was some kind of shill, I'd have been found out years ago. I would also not keep changing my gear around and discarding older stuff for newer stuff I liked better. I must be a very disloyal shill who abandons the gear he was paid to hype as soon as he hears something better.

I mentioned my Positive Feedback gig to make the point that I was the one who came forward immediately and resigned due to my activities mod-ing headphones, a shill probably wouldn't have. I was looking forward to being a regular contributor there, it was going to be fun. They also didn't take me on because they thought I was some shill; they "hired" me because they checked me out and asked around. In any case, if I wanted to be some kind of shill and bash everyone else's headphone but the one I mod, I could have had a platform to do that, but I quit.

As far as the comments about my being trusted by "many", yeah I read that now and see how that could be seen as ego-inflating. I do get asked every day for help with people's systems and direction and opinions, that is true. However, a bit immodest to have worded it quite so bluntly as above. Again, the point was not that I'm so great, it was to refute the idea that I'm a shill and provide more evidence that I'm not just some jerk with a keyboard and 20 bucks from a manufacturer to spam a website. A shill would be quickly found out, and no one would be asking his advice on anything.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

swt61,

With all due respect, I think you've misread what I wrote in this other post that you seem to find so offensive. It wasn't about me and my "importance" (this time ), it was pointing out how important Head-Fi is (and this site, too, to some extent). I'll re-post it so you can see. I'm saying that *anyone's* posts on some new product can make or break that product, it may never get a second chance if the first guy to review it hates it. That makes that person, whomever he is very powerful. So is the group-think that can happen WRT to certain products, opinions that become inherited and passed around and become "true" just by being repeated. If there was no Head-Fi, for example, and only head case, Ray Samuels would likely be out of business due to the prevailing negative attitude toward his stuff here. That is power, gentlemen. I'm saying the things you say just in passing about a product can have a huge ripple effect you may not be conscious of.

If you are a highly visible member of that community (and that goes for anyone, not just me), you are known to manufacturers, you better believe it. Which only makes sense, they are looking for influencers and someone well-known with a high-post count has more weight and credibility than a new name that just showed up that day to talk about their product. It's on that basis that folks (including me) get sent stuff for review.

Makers of audio products are VERY VERY VERY interested in Head-Fi. Head-Fi is one of THE primary and most IMPORTANT audio sites on the web.

Why? Because most of its audience is made up of younger people who have not yet made their minds up about any brand of gear. Convince them on Head-Fi and you have a customer for life.

Don't be fooled, EVERY manufacturer of gear knows about us and is painfully aware of us and what goes on on Head-Fi. We MATTER.

We are taste-makers and gate-keepers. The majority of folks coming into "hi-fi" for now and forveer are going to come in via headphones. We are the gate-keepers to "high-end" audio. Our attitudes and opinions matter, and matter more than they do on any other audio-related website (did you know Head-Fi is THE #1 audio website?).

Those are REALITIES. I know it seems hard to believe it, but if you are a long-term contributor in the headphone community with a well-known name, you will be SHOCKED to know that manufacturers of gear you've never even heard of know who you are, and know that your opinion may be the gateway to their success.

So, the point is, it's not that I'm some demi-god of self-importance. I've been around and I have access to parts of this world you probably haven't seen. You may be amazed at how much weight you're half-hearted, tossed-off comment about some DAC has if you're on Head-Fi.

You may just be determining the fate of some small audio business....

Only to then discover him trying to trash Duggeh, Head-Case

Did you read what he wrote about my review? Who was getting "trashed" by those comments? So I reponded. I simply said I was disappointed it seems he shows one face somewhere else and another one here. If he wants to critique my review I can critique his review of the TakeT. I din't name call or trash him personally in any way, in fact I said I liked him and admired his writing.

As far as Head-Case, in general, no it's not really my style FWIW. It can be a bit "clique-y" and frankly a bit elitist, too. If you're not in the "club", watch out! It does feel to me like this is the place people go to talk behind the backs of other people in the community. I think the free-wheeling nature of the forum encourages people to say things to each other through a keyboard they'd never say to their face. Maybe I'm a bit square, but I actually like the (relative) civility over at Head-Fi, and don't mind the moderation. Your hobby should be something that you do to relax, not fight about. Head Case is not a relaxing experience for me.

Also, from what I can see, the site is anti-cable, anti-subjective, possibly anti-audiophile which puts me on the outs. Is that a fair assessment, or have I just not hung out here enough?

It was an eye opening experience, and in the end I'm glad I got that peek into the real markl.

After a nice bottle of red wine, anyway.

[kpeezy]

I am a total and complete moron when I'm drunk.

Disclaimer: I just drank 64 oz of beer.

[JBLoudG20]

I can't count how many people find there way here, piss and moan about how they are being treated (despite ignore the fact they are being total assclowns), fight back, claim this site has no credibility anyway, call us all poseurs, complain about the cliquey nature of the site, then blame it all on alcohol.

I can't recall one of these people who actually hung around a bit before, or after making these statements.

[laxx]

I can't blame alcohol because I don't drink. =[ Except Jagerbombs.

[aerius]

As far as Head-Case, in general, no it's not really my style FWIW. It can be a bit "clique-y" and frankly a bit elitist, too. If you're not in the "club", watch out!

There are two kinds of elitism, the bad kind which involves people who are born into high status and are way too full of themselves, and who believe that by nature of who they are they deserve to be respected and worshipped. The other kind is what we have here, people who through their work & experience have gained a ton of knowledge, far above that of the average person, and are willing to share their experiences. This is the good kind of elitism, educated viewpoints & opinions which have something to back them up. If for example I say "XYZ sucks", I can and will tell how it sucks, why it sucks, and the technical reasons for the how & why.

It does feel to me like this is the place people go to talk behind the backs of other people in the community. I think the free-wheeling nature of the forum encourages people to say things to each other through a keyboard they'd never say to their face. Maybe I'm a bit square, but I actually like the (relative) civility over at Head-Fi, and don't mind the moderation. Your hobby should be something that you do to relax, not fight about. Head Case is not a relaxing experience for me.

Everything I've said here, I'll say to someone's face. And I have, in real life. Hell, this forum is tame compared to what I'm used to.

Also, from what I can see, the site is anti-cable, anti-subjective, possibly anti-audiophile which puts me on the outs. Is that a fair assessment, or have I just not hung out here enough? After a nice bottle of red wine, anyway.

You really need to read more of the forum. Seriously. Either that or work on your reading comprehension.

[Dusty Chalk]

Aaah, so that's why you're mad. I get it. Actual facts make you mad... Not my problem, though is it? It's your issue. It's a Barack Obama thing.

No, he just very clearly stated your problem, and you totally missed it. Notice, in the example, that the rich dude actually does own the factory, and that the other guys would have no problem with him owning it. It's the flaunting in the face that's annoying. I.E. it's not the information -- factual, or otherwise -- it's the delivery. You're delivering it in asshat fashion. Whiney, egotistical, defensive, posturing, bullying, makes me want to you, fashion.

So I guess the short answer to your question, aerius, is, 'yes'.

This site has some cool smilies.