My monitors of choice are Adam Audio. I have a 3.1 setup using three A5Xs and a Sub7.
In the past couple of years they stopped producing the A3X/A5X/A7X, so in case I need to replace anything I decided to see what their current lines are like. The T-V/H series seems to be a pretty well reviewed budget line. The current A-V/H series is pretty on par with the previous A-X series; if I had to re-do the system I'd want to splurge on some A7Vs and a Sub10. And then there's the S-V/H series. The S5V measures from 25Hz to 50kHz and is over two feet tall. Each speaker is listed at $9,100.
How much plasma can a person donate per week before it starts becoming a problem?
I think my old man dumped about that much per tower on his pair of Sonos Fabers. They are legit amazing speakers but no WAY are they worth that at least not to me.
There's a bar I've been to that has custom-made speakers that were originally used in Disneyland for years and years before they got rid of them (even though they were still perfectly functional speakers). The owner was so proud of them and he'd spin vinyl in a small room behind the bar that would play over those speakers, and they just sound so god damn good.
Don't get me wrong, dad's Sonos Fabers sound incredible on both of his McIntosh* systems. They just aren't 5x better than the Klipsch he replaced.
*Yes he has one for analog and one for digital and a fancy switch for them. This is what happens when a man of moderate success isn't getting the grandkids he hoped for.
I think my old man dumped about that much per tower on his pair of Sonos Fabers. They are legit amazing speakers but no WAY are they worth that at least not to me.
My monitors of choice are Adam Audio. I have a 3.1 setup using three A5Xs and a Sub7.
In the past couple of years they stopped producing the A3X/A5X/A7X, so in case I need to replace anything I decided to see what their current lines are like. The T-V/H series seems to be a pretty well reviewed budget line. The current A-V/H series is pretty on par with the previous A-X series; if I had to re-do the system I'd want to splurge on some A7Vs and a Sub10. And then there's the S-V/H series. The S5V measures from 25Hz to 50kHz and is over two feet tall. Each speaker is listed at $9,100.
How much plasma can a person donate per week before it starts becoming a problem?
I think my old man dumped about that much per tower on his pair of Sonos Fabers. They are legit amazing speakers but no WAY are they worth that at least not to me.
There's a bar I've been to that has custom-made speakers that were originally used in Disneyland for years and years before they got rid of them (even though they were still perfectly functional speakers). The owner was so proud of them and he'd spin vinyl in a small room behind the bar that would play over those speakers, and they just sound so god damn good.
Don't get me wrong, dad's Sonos Fabers sound incredible on both of his McIntosh* systems. They just aren't 5x better than the Klipsch he replaced.
*Yes he has one for analog and one for digital and a fancy switch for them. This is what happens when a man of moderate success isn't getting the grandkids he hoped for.
I years ago realized that I was not the type that should have kids. Despite having shed loads of disposable cash and a not so bad career path. But largely I run the risk of getting killed at any moment in spectacular fashion. Which, when you find a woman who's sort of OK with your crazy ass job is freeing. You can spend money on fun stuff, like vacations, dinners, and audio stuff. This makes life... interesting.
So anyways about 15k later https://www.swanspeakers.com/product/index?cid=1 and good lord almighty you have not seen or heard such a thing. The cops will come, neighbors lose their minds. The sound is jaw dropping. It's on another level. After the initial shock of the entire thing and the police visit we went out and bought an old timey style popcorn popper and a gumball machine because reasons. It's awesome, it's also stupidly dumb but oh well. I get the nieces and nephews to be hanging out over here cause I'm that crazy ass uncle with all the fun stuff and when that uppercut lands in Mortal Kombat people feel it and cringe from the sonic impact.
So when we take a vacation it's a feeding frenzy on who has first dibs to stay here and take care of the animals. Plus it's fun to be the fun uncle.
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ButtersA glass of some milksRegistered Userregular
I think my old man dumped about that much per tower on his pair of Sonos Fabers. They are legit amazing speakers but no WAY are they worth that at least not to me.
My monitors of choice are Adam Audio. I have a 3.1 setup using three A5Xs and a Sub7.
In the past couple of years they stopped producing the A3X/A5X/A7X, so in case I need to replace anything I decided to see what their current lines are like. The T-V/H series seems to be a pretty well reviewed budget line. The current A-V/H series is pretty on par with the previous A-X series; if I had to re-do the system I'd want to splurge on some A7Vs and a Sub10. And then there's the S-V/H series. The S5V measures from 25Hz to 50kHz and is over two feet tall. Each speaker is listed at $9,100.
How much plasma can a person donate per week before it starts becoming a problem?
I think my old man dumped about that much per tower on his pair of Sonos Fabers. They are legit amazing speakers but no WAY are they worth that at least not to me.
There's a bar I've been to that has custom-made speakers that were originally used in Disneyland for years and years before they got rid of them (even though they were still perfectly functional speakers). The owner was so proud of them and he'd spin vinyl in a small room behind the bar that would play over those speakers, and they just sound so god damn good.
Don't get me wrong, dad's Sonos Fabers sound incredible on both of his McIntosh* systems. They just aren't 5x better than the Klipsch he replaced.
*Yes he has one for analog and one for digital and a fancy switch for them. This is what happens when a man of moderate success isn't getting the grandkids he hoped for.
I years ago realized that I was not the type that should have kids. Despite having shed loads of disposable cash and a not so bad career path. But largely I run the risk of getting killed at any moment in spectacular fashion. Which, when you find a woman who's sort of OK with your crazy ass job is freeing. You can spend money on fun stuff, like vacations, dinners, and audio stuff. This makes life... interesting.
So anyways about 15k later https://www.swanspeakers.com/product/index?cid=1 and good lord almighty you have not seen or heard such a thing. The cops will come, neighbors lose their minds. The sound is jaw dropping. It's on another level. After the initial shock of the entire thing and the police visit we went out and bought an old timey style popcorn popper and a gumball machine because reasons. It's awesome, it's also stupidly dumb but oh well. I get the nieces and nephews to be hanging out over here cause I'm that crazy ass uncle with all the fun stuff and when that uppercut lands in Mortal Kombat people feel it and cringe from the sonic impact.
So when we take a vacation it's a feeding frenzy on who has first dibs to stay here and take care of the animals. Plus it's fun to be the fun uncle.
I am not familiar with Swan, but their starting prices don't look bad at all! I'll have to keep them in mind in the future.
On the kids front its a combo of me not meeting my wife until age 35 and her health issues. She's had migraine struggles her whole life that are made tolerable by oral contraception and she was recently diagnosed with hashimoto's disease (a thyroid autoimmune disorder) so the idea of pregnancy is understandably terrifying to us.
As a result, we have evolved into the fun-aunt-and-uncle combo for her sister's kids. They spent a weekend with us last year playing PS5 and Switch on our big screens with big speakers and we cooked them crab legs and shrimp alfredo. They bring that up every time we see them and ask when we're gonna do it again which is a pretty great to hear. At one point during that weekend the nephew whispered to their mom "Is it like this every day here?" Almost, little buddy. Almost!
My monitors of choice are Adam Audio. I have a 3.1 setup using three A5Xs and a Sub7.
In the past couple of years they stopped producing the A3X/A5X/A7X, so in case I need to replace anything I decided to see what their current lines are like. The T-V/H series seems to be a pretty well reviewed budget line. The current A-V/H series is pretty on par with the previous A-X series; if I had to re-do the system I'd want to splurge on some A7Vs and a Sub10. And then there's the S-V/H series. The S5V measures from 25Hz to 50kHz and is over two feet tall. Each speaker is listed at $9,100.
How much plasma can a person donate per week before it starts becoming a problem?
I know it's been a month since your post, but I've had the chance to listen to the A7x's next to the T7v's and the T7v's sounded like dogshit in comparison.
My monitors of choice are Adam Audio. I have a 3.1 setup using three A5Xs and a Sub7.
In the past couple of years they stopped producing the A3X/A5X/A7X, so in case I need to replace anything I decided to see what their current lines are like. The T-V/H series seems to be a pretty well reviewed budget line. The current A-V/H series is pretty on par with the previous A-X series; if I had to re-do the system I'd want to splurge on some A7Vs and a Sub10. And then there's the S-V/H series. The S5V measures from 25Hz to 50kHz and is over two feet tall. Each speaker is listed at $9,100.
How much plasma can a person donate per week before it starts becoming a problem?
I know it's been a month since your post, but I've had the chance to listen to the A7x's next to the T7v's and the T7v's sounded like dogshit in comparison.
Oh, that noticeable? The price difference is pretty hefty so I'm not too surprised. What's bad about them? Muddy low end? Undefined mids? Harsh highs?
I think my old man dumped about that much per tower on his pair of Sonos Fabers. They are legit amazing speakers but no WAY are they worth that at least not to me.
My monitors of choice are Adam Audio. I have a 3.1 setup using three A5Xs and a Sub7.
In the past couple of years they stopped producing the A3X/A5X/A7X, so in case I need to replace anything I decided to see what their current lines are like. The T-V/H series seems to be a pretty well reviewed budget line. The current A-V/H series is pretty on par with the previous A-X series; if I had to re-do the system I'd want to splurge on some A7Vs and a Sub10. And then there's the S-V/H series. The S5V measures from 25Hz to 50kHz and is over two feet tall. Each speaker is listed at $9,100.
How much plasma can a person donate per week before it starts becoming a problem?
I think my old man dumped about that much per tower on his pair of Sonos Fabers. They are legit amazing speakers but no WAY are they worth that at least not to me.
There's a bar I've been to that has custom-made speakers that were originally used in Disneyland for years and years before they got rid of them (even though they were still perfectly functional speakers). The owner was so proud of them and he'd spin vinyl in a small room behind the bar that would play over those speakers, and they just sound so god damn good.
Don't get me wrong, dad's Sonos Fabers sound incredible on both of his McIntosh* systems. They just aren't 5x better than the Klipsch he replaced.
*Yes he has one for analog and one for digital and a fancy switch for them. This is what happens when a man of moderate success isn't getting the grandkids he hoped for.
I years ago realized that I was not the type that should have kids. Despite having shed loads of disposable cash and a not so bad career path. But largely I run the risk of getting killed at any moment in spectacular fashion. Which, when you find a woman who's sort of OK with your crazy ass job is freeing. You can spend money on fun stuff, like vacations, dinners, and audio stuff. This makes life... interesting.
So anyways about 15k later https://www.swanspeakers.com/product/index?cid=1 and good lord almighty you have not seen or heard such a thing. The cops will come, neighbors lose their minds. The sound is jaw dropping. It's on another level. After the initial shock of the entire thing and the police visit we went out and bought an old timey style popcorn popper and a gumball machine because reasons. It's awesome, it's also stupidly dumb but oh well. I get the nieces and nephews to be hanging out over here cause I'm that crazy ass uncle with all the fun stuff and when that uppercut lands in Mortal Kombat people feel it and cringe from the sonic impact.
So when we take a vacation it's a feeding frenzy on who has first dibs to stay here and take care of the animals. Plus it's fun to be the fun uncle.
I am not familiar with Swan, but their starting prices don't look bad at all! I'll have to keep them in mind in the future.
On the kids front its a combo of me not meeting my wife until age 35 and her health issues. She's had migraine struggles her whole life that are made tolerable by oral contraception and she was recently diagnosed with hashimoto's disease (a thyroid autoimmune disorder) so the idea of pregnancy is understandably terrifying to us.
As a result, we have evolved into the fun-aunt-and-uncle combo for her sister's kids. They spent a weekend with us last year playing PS5 and Switch on our big screens with big speakers and we cooked them crab legs and shrimp alfredo. They bring that up every time we see them and ask when we're gonna do it again which is a pretty great to hear. At one point during that weekend the nephew whispered to their mom "Is it like this every day here?" Almost, little buddy. Almost!
Swan is odd. Pro tip if you are competent they started off selling components before shipping finished products. So you can DIY anything they have or go even more gangster on the whole thing and shatter your sliding glass doors. You'll save thousands if you go the DIY route. But then you have to, you know, DIY. Also as stated, their basic ask isn't that bad for what they are selling. I got into them with a DIY kit and it was good enough I said "fuck it I'm going to let them build it" and it was good.
For us, I'm former military with a job now that's very complex but mostly consultant/advisory. Still dangerous as fuck and when you die under water it's not some Jamacan crab singing at you it's bad. My SO and I are also both cancer survivors, our reproductive organs are nuked. While I personally never wanted a kid she desperately did at one point. It's a sore topic. But we rescued some feral cats. Who, despite an odd initial phase, figured out they got it good and are stupid lap cats, hump your foot cats, play fetch cats, sleep in the bed cats, and behave more like and overly friendly golden retriever than a cat. With the cat side of just randomly ambushing and attacking people at will. The matriarch of the group will rush up to you, then give you the ass to face, then bite you, then stand on her hind legs and hold your hand and drag you over to the treat jar and make sure all the others get fed. The ferret is, well, all the cats are girls and so is the dog so the ferret is the younger brother of our brood and a constant menace. You also get the odd moment of a cat riding a dog fleeing from said slinky with teeth. It's constant chaos and anarchy but I wouldn't have it any other way. Everyone is a rescue. Cats feral, dog bit someone, ferret was just well, a ferret.
There are funny moments where the rotweiller comes trotting through the room looking very upset, pack of cats follow him freaking out, and then as always the damn ferret comes after and just randomly fangs the first human and goes back to chasing the rest of them.
We also do the good food thing. We are in DC so it's easy to get a few dozen oysters and shuck them, grill some wagyu, make a lobster mac and cheese, and then duck fat up some french fries and just let things go crazy. The oddest thing we did was haul the older ones off to the rocky horror show. At which point they got to see my brother in drag singing in front the screen (Time warp again!!!!), me crack open a bottle of tequila and pass it to them (don't give me crap kids in high school drink and I'm no prude).
We also get the "is this how it is all the time" sort of ask. Her sisters are all out in the exurbs and have filled their heads with the horrors of living "in the city". And then it's all "uncle lives in the city and it's fucking awesome. They have midnight movies, bars, clubs, food everywhere and it's all good. There is a comic books store. Also his tiny apartment is full of fun.. Then he got rip shit drunk and took us scuba diving in a rock quarry with his navy buddies, and I learned to shoot a shotgun. I got reamed for taking someone sky diving. I guess, I should have asked? But I've jumped from a lot of planes and they were strapped to me so whats the harm? You left them with me for a week, you fucked up!
It's odd as her sisters are very Christian and very conservative so my style of jackassery and not giving a damn does not go over well. To me though. They are all gearing up for college and they are going to see the world sooner or later you can't stop that. And it's better to have a loopy aunt and crazy ass uncle you can talk to through it. It's not that sitting on the couch and talking to someone fixes an issue. It's that there was a couch and someone.
My monitors of choice are Adam Audio. I have a 3.1 setup using three A5Xs and a Sub7.
In the past couple of years they stopped producing the A3X/A5X/A7X, so in case I need to replace anything I decided to see what their current lines are like. The T-V/H series seems to be a pretty well reviewed budget line. The current A-V/H series is pretty on par with the previous A-X series; if I had to re-do the system I'd want to splurge on some A7Vs and a Sub10. And then there's the S-V/H series. The S5V measures from 25Hz to 50kHz and is over two feet tall. Each speaker is listed at $9,100.
How much plasma can a person donate per week before it starts becoming a problem?
I know it's been a month since your post, but I've had the chance to listen to the A7x's next to the T7v's and the T7v's sounded like dogshit in comparison.
Oh, that noticeable? The price difference is pretty hefty so I'm not too surprised. What's bad about them? Muddy low end? Undefined mids? Harsh highs?
I'm not great at describing things and I'm going on memory here, but I'm going to say all of the above, yeah. My memory is that A7x has both more and better-defined low end and low mids, and is less harsh. Flipping the switch to go from the A7x's to the T7v's felt similar to switching from $300 studio monitors to $30 computer speakers. The best way I can describe it is they just felt cheap sounding in comparison.
My monitors of choice are Adam Audio. I have a 3.1 setup using three A5Xs and a Sub7.
In the past couple of years they stopped producing the A3X/A5X/A7X, so in case I need to replace anything I decided to see what their current lines are like. The T-V/H series seems to be a pretty well reviewed budget line. The current A-V/H series is pretty on par with the previous A-X series; if I had to re-do the system I'd want to splurge on some A7Vs and a Sub10. And then there's the S-V/H series. The S5V measures from 25Hz to 50kHz and is over two feet tall. Each speaker is listed at $9,100.
How much plasma can a person donate per week before it starts becoming a problem?
I know it's been a month since your post, but I've had the chance to listen to the A7x's next to the T7v's and the T7v's sounded like dogshit in comparison.
Oh, that noticeable? The price difference is pretty hefty so I'm not too surprised. What's bad about them? Muddy low end? Undefined mids? Harsh highs?
I'm not great at describing things and I'm going on memory here, but I'm going to say all of the above, yeah. My memory is that A7x has both more and better-defined low end and low mids, and is less harsh. Flipping the switch to go from the A7x's to the T7v's felt similar to switching from $300 studio monitors to $30 computer speakers. The best way I can describe it is they just felt cheap sounding in comparison.
Yikes, that's rough.
My A5Xs are actually the only monitors I've ever used (outside of the few years I worked in a studio, I think those were Yamahas or Mackies). It couldn't hurt to try something else, but these have treated me so well and they're pretty much the sweet spot for where I've been wanting to spend.
Just ordered a new amp/DAC setup so pm me if you might want an older magni 2/modi 2 schiit stack.
Oooh what did you get?
Fiio K9 pro ess as I needed better spatial audio processing and I just got my bonus. Just hooked it up and can actually already tell a difference in depth/complexity (running to Hifiman HE5XX's, will try on the sennheiser HD598CS later.
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webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
Just ordered a new amp/DAC setup so pm me if you might want an older magni 2/modi 2 schiit stack.
Oooh what did you get?
Fiio K9 pro ess as I needed better spatial audio processing and I just got my bonus. Just hooked it up and can actually already tell a difference in depth/complexity (running to Hifiman HE5XX's, will try on the sennheiser HD598CS later.
Just ordered a new amp/DAC setup so pm me if you might want an older magni 2/modi 2 schiit stack.
Oooh what did you get?
Fiio K9 pro ess as I needed better spatial audio processing and I just got my bonus. Just hooked it up and can actually already tell a difference in depth/complexity (running to Hifiman HE5XX's, will try on the sennheiser HD598CS later.
Ooooh thats a sexy beast right there.
It's chonky as hell too, love it. I love when electronics are just shithouses. It's hilarious that one of the reviews is like "everything about the engineering is complete overkill, but that's fine - it will never overheat, it will never be taxed by anything, ever."
Also, seriously if anyone wants their first hit of a schiit stack, I just want this stuff out of my house so it'll be cheap as hell. I take no responsibility for any future financial debilitation audio-equipment wise.
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
Also, seriously if anyone wants their first hit of a schiit stack, I just want this stuff out of my house so it'll be cheap as hell. I take no responsibility for any future financial debilitation audio-equipment wise.
I can vouch that a modi/magni stack is more than enough for 99.99% of people. It’s an amazingly good setup.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
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webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
Also, seriously if anyone wants their first hit of a schiit stack, I just want this stuff out of my house so it'll be cheap as hell. I take no responsibility for any future financial debilitation audio-equipment wise.
I can vouch that a modi/magni stack is more than enough for 99.99% of people. It’s an amazingly good setup.
Same here. I love my stack. If anyone is looking to take the plunge, go for it!
Hey, non-audiophile here so no idea what folks' opinion of Sony's "360 Reality Audio" service is, but I've had a code for a one-year free trial sitting on my desk for a while and figured I might as well pass it on.
Fire Retro Rockets! (cheap ebay score from JP arrived today)
A bit more for that retro feel.
I still use the one on top once in a while when traveling. Just likes its older siblings it is handy as it is easy to carry using headphones that also comes with a leather neck strap (Not sure Sony makes headphones with straps anymore),
The one on the bottom is from when players using just memory was something very new, it is one I bought i 2001 and paid and as the sicker says it cost me £209.29 back then (the equivalent of $570 in 2023 money). With its 64 MB memory there was just enough for an hours music in good quality and on a AAA battery it would play for 5 hours.
Note the specs and the requirement for the PC needed to transfer data to it.
Also, here is the box of the one in the middle. It is one from 2006 and as with all things digital there had been lots of progress, so 1 GB memory, 50 hours of playtime on a charge and 3 minutes of charging gave 3 hours of playback. Plus as opposed to the first one it would play MP3 files, so no need to convert music files to ATRAC which was time consuming back then.
I can't recall exactly what it cost, maybe something like $200 or so.
I haven't kept the box of the black one. Compared to the old ones it is again improved, no need for special Sony software to interface with it, it has an FM radio build in and you can even record the radio, the display is OLED... I think it cost about $150 when I bought it in 2009 or 2010.
Sadly Sony doesn't make those small chewing gum size players anymore.
i forgot that they made ATRAC players that weren't minidiscs.. that is sweet.
the MD made me realize how much i missed having well designed physical controls that i can use while it's in a pocket.
it's also nice that it's not generating all kinds of heat like a cellphone ;p
Any recommendations for a usb-c to 3.5mm converter that actually works for TRRS devices on windows? I was falsely lead to believe apple's usb-c to 3.5mm dongle would work (it won't even recognize the TRRS headphone plugged in), but any other headphones with no in-line mic/controller it works fine. I have an older google pixel 2-era one, but the output gain in windows is so low no one can hear the mic output and there's no driver level option to push it.
If it also works with Android too, great, but I just want something for this headphone to work with my work laptop on the road.
edit: someone in SE pointed out it's likely some sort of issue with the inline controls and a fucked up TRRS standard, which I have no idea which one they used and obviously its not "apple's" version of it.
webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
Nothing too much new with the setup, but got a bunch of new records from a friend's parents who were getting rid of their collection. Enjoying an evening with Boston right now.
When I first got into vinyl I made a conscious choice to not be an asshole about caring for the actual records. Like I wasn't going to wear gloves and shit. But, I've seen how dusty some of them are and I should probably clean them.
What do you all use to clean your collection?
I am in the business of saving lives.
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webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
When I first got into vinyl I made a conscious choice to not be an asshole about caring for the actual records. Like I wasn't going to wear gloves and shit. But, I've seen how dusty some of them are and I should probably clean them.
What do you all use to clean your collection?
If the dust isn’t caked on, I’ll lightly use a swifter pad to get the worst of it, then use one of the brush/velvet pad combo cleaners to get the rest. Ive never tried washing a record, though i know it can be done.
I also swap out the paper sleeves for mofi plastic anti static sleeves. It really cuts down on the dust accumulation.
When I first got into vinyl I made a conscious choice to not be an asshole about caring for the actual records. Like I wasn't going to wear gloves and shit. But, I've seen how dusty some of them are and I should probably clean them.
What do you all use to clean your collection?
No gloves here, but I only ever touch the edges and the center plus keep dust away from the turntable.
I have washed a few records that I acquired which were downright dirty, for doing so I did pretty much like I do when cleaning fragile glasses, except I don't let the records soak as I do not wanna wash off the labels. So water with detergent*, a soft brush (bought a separate one for the records) and to dry them off I don't swipe just touch with a soft towel and then leave them to air dry ie. carefully lean the records against something so only the edges touch anything.
Once included in my collection I have never had to wash any. I keep all the albums in plastic sleeves, this though is mostly about protecting the covers and I then case where the original inner sleeve seemed abrasive to me I have move the record to some like those @webguy20 also mentioned.
I use I keep a record brush at hand to remove dust if I see some before putting the needle down, but it is rarely needed. I also have a tiny brush to swipe the head of the needle, only that I use even more rarely. I think the trick is to always keep a lid on the turntable, be it playing or not, and never ever to touch anything but the edges and the center of the records. I no leaving the records laying around, they go in a inner sleeve right away.
My record brush:
Lots of versions of these, the main thing is soft short hairs and anti-static effects as else you charge the record making it attract dust.
*I am sure some will call me using water and soap a crime, there is such a thing as special machines made for cleaning records and some will also say using isopropanol is the right way.
PS. Boston is cool. I have their Third stage album, just the cover alone is something special.
i'd reccommend something like a ZeroDust . mainly used AFTER each play instead of before.
wipe pads and washing are okay.. but really the best "cleaner" of your records is your stylus ;D
if you don't have a vacuum style cleaner, then i'd think twice about involving water in the process unless you know you can get some good quality distilled water.
When I first got into vinyl I made a conscious choice to not be an asshole about caring for the actual records. Like I wasn't going to wear gloves and shit. But, I've seen how dusty some of them are and I should probably clean them.
What do you all use to clean your collection?
If the dust isn’t caked on, I’ll lightly use a swifter pad to get the worst of it, then use one of the brush/velvet pad combo cleaners to get the rest. Ive never tried washing a record, though i know it can be done.
I also swap out the paper sleeves for mofi plastic anti static sleeves. It really cuts down on the dust accumulation.
Wait, what kind of sleeves do I need?
I am in the business of saving lives.
0
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
When I first got into vinyl I made a conscious choice to not be an asshole about caring for the actual records. Like I wasn't going to wear gloves and shit. But, I've seen how dusty some of them are and I should probably clean them.
What do you all use to clean your collection?
If the dust isn’t caked on, I’ll lightly use a swifter pad to get the worst of it, then use one of the brush/velvet pad combo cleaners to get the rest. Ive never tried washing a record, though i know it can be done.
I also swap out the paper sleeves for mofi plastic anti static sleeves. It really cuts down on the dust accumulation.
Wait, what kind of sleeves do I need?
Paper sleeves do genuinely scuff up records. Those Mofi plastic ones are great, but pretty much any decent plastic inner sleeve is a nice upgrade.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
When I first got into vinyl I made a conscious choice to not be an asshole about caring for the actual records. Like I wasn't going to wear gloves and shit. But, I've seen how dusty some of them are and I should probably clean them.
What do you all use to clean your collection?
If the dust isn’t caked on, I’ll lightly use a swifter pad to get the worst of it, then use one of the brush/velvet pad combo cleaners to get the rest. Ive never tried washing a record, though i know it can be done.
I also swap out the paper sleeves for mofi plastic anti static sleeves. It really cuts down on the dust accumulation.
Wait, what kind of sleeves do I need?
Paper sleeves do genuinely scuff up records. Those Mofi plastic ones are great, but pretty much any decent plastic inner sleeve is a nice upgrade.
And just so I have my vocabulary down, inner sleeves go over the actual record and are put into the record jacket, which then could have an outer sleeve?
I'm not buying an outer sleeve for the record.
I am in the business of saving lives.
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
When I first got into vinyl I made a conscious choice to not be an asshole about caring for the actual records. Like I wasn't going to wear gloves and shit. But, I've seen how dusty some of them are and I should probably clean them.
What do you all use to clean your collection?
If the dust isn’t caked on, I’ll lightly use a swifter pad to get the worst of it, then use one of the brush/velvet pad combo cleaners to get the rest. Ive never tried washing a record, though i know it can be done.
I also swap out the paper sleeves for mofi plastic anti static sleeves. It really cuts down on the dust accumulation.
Wait, what kind of sleeves do I need?
Paper sleeves do genuinely scuff up records. Those Mofi plastic ones are great, but pretty much any decent plastic inner sleeve is a nice upgrade.
And just so I have my vocabulary down, inner sleeves go over the actual record and are put into the record jacket, which then could have an outer sleeve?
I'm not buying an outer sleeve for the record.
Yep, you got it.
And yeah, while I use outer sleeves, it’s fine not to. If you’re only going to shell out for either nice inner or outer sleeves, definitely go with inners.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
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webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
edited April 2023
yup. It goes Record ->Plastic record Sleeve->Outer Jacket for me. All my jackets are scuffed up anyways, so I don't really have a horse in the race for extra special care in preserving them with a jacket sleeve.
As far as the paper inner sleeves, if its got cool art or lyrics or something, I'll slide it back into the outer jacket, and slide the plastic covered record in over the top. If its just a generic ass paper sleeve though, it gets tossed.
Also, beyond the whole scratching thing, paper sleeves just generate a lot of dust, and in my incredibly limited experience new modern records are WAY worse for it, even compared to some from the 80s that were still sealed that I've opened.
These are the MOFI sleeves I use. They just feel nice.
It's still humming along fine, but the volume knob has gotten pretty noisy/scratchy; it thankfully only acts up when I'm turning it. Is there a recommended way to remedy this? Open it up and use contact cleaner?
It's once again that time where I start wondering if I should replace my onboard audio with some form of dedicated audio stuff for my headphones.
Realistically, I know my only meaningful gain will be tinnitus and/or a ruptured eardrum from the added power I don't need but won't be able to resist abusing.
But like, what if it's awesome and I can get that high of a solid upgrade without dropping like $400+?
It's once again that time where I start wondering if I should replace my onboard audio with some form of dedicated audio stuff for my headphones.
Realistically, I know that all my only meaningful gain will be tinnitus and/or a ruptured eardrum from the added power I don't need but won't be able to resist abusing.
But like, what if it's awesome and I can get that high of a solid upgrade without dropping like $400+?
Schiit stack is cheap and honestly most DACs will be demonstrably better simply from being distanced from all the EM noise in your box. What's nice is typically you have a lot more fine grained volume control as you have volume knob+system volume+app volume.
Not to self promote but I have a DAC/amp magni/modi that no one has jumped on for best offer.
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Don't get me wrong, dad's Sonos Fabers sound incredible on both of his McIntosh* systems. They just aren't 5x better than the Klipsch he replaced.
*Yes he has one for analog and one for digital and a fancy switch for them. This is what happens when a man of moderate success isn't getting the grandkids he hoped for.
I years ago realized that I was not the type that should have kids. Despite having shed loads of disposable cash and a not so bad career path. But largely I run the risk of getting killed at any moment in spectacular fashion. Which, when you find a woman who's sort of OK with your crazy ass job is freeing. You can spend money on fun stuff, like vacations, dinners, and audio stuff. This makes life... interesting.
So anyways about 15k later https://www.swanspeakers.com/product/index?cid=1 and good lord almighty you have not seen or heard such a thing. The cops will come, neighbors lose their minds. The sound is jaw dropping. It's on another level. After the initial shock of the entire thing and the police visit we went out and bought an old timey style popcorn popper and a gumball machine because reasons. It's awesome, it's also stupidly dumb but oh well. I get the nieces and nephews to be hanging out over here cause I'm that crazy ass uncle with all the fun stuff and when that uppercut lands in Mortal Kombat people feel it and cringe from the sonic impact.
So when we take a vacation it's a feeding frenzy on who has first dibs to stay here and take care of the animals. Plus it's fun to be the fun uncle.
I am not familiar with Swan, but their starting prices don't look bad at all! I'll have to keep them in mind in the future.
On the kids front its a combo of me not meeting my wife until age 35 and her health issues. She's had migraine struggles her whole life that are made tolerable by oral contraception and she was recently diagnosed with hashimoto's disease (a thyroid autoimmune disorder) so the idea of pregnancy is understandably terrifying to us.
As a result, we have evolved into the fun-aunt-and-uncle combo for her sister's kids. They spent a weekend with us last year playing PS5 and Switch on our big screens with big speakers and we cooked them crab legs and shrimp alfredo. They bring that up every time we see them and ask when we're gonna do it again which is a pretty great to hear. At one point during that weekend the nephew whispered to their mom "Is it like this every day here?" Almost, little buddy. Almost!
I know it's been a month since your post, but I've had the chance to listen to the A7x's next to the T7v's and the T7v's sounded like dogshit in comparison.
Oh, that noticeable? The price difference is pretty hefty so I'm not too surprised. What's bad about them? Muddy low end? Undefined mids? Harsh highs?
Swan is odd. Pro tip if you are competent they started off selling components before shipping finished products. So you can DIY anything they have or go even more gangster on the whole thing and shatter your sliding glass doors. You'll save thousands if you go the DIY route. But then you have to, you know, DIY. Also as stated, their basic ask isn't that bad for what they are selling. I got into them with a DIY kit and it was good enough I said "fuck it I'm going to let them build it" and it was good.
For us, I'm former military with a job now that's very complex but mostly consultant/advisory. Still dangerous as fuck and when you die under water it's not some Jamacan crab singing at you it's bad. My SO and I are also both cancer survivors, our reproductive organs are nuked. While I personally never wanted a kid she desperately did at one point. It's a sore topic. But we rescued some feral cats. Who, despite an odd initial phase, figured out they got it good and are stupid lap cats, hump your foot cats, play fetch cats, sleep in the bed cats, and behave more like and overly friendly golden retriever than a cat. With the cat side of just randomly ambushing and attacking people at will. The matriarch of the group will rush up to you, then give you the ass to face, then bite you, then stand on her hind legs and hold your hand and drag you over to the treat jar and make sure all the others get fed. The ferret is, well, all the cats are girls and so is the dog so the ferret is the younger brother of our brood and a constant menace. You also get the odd moment of a cat riding a dog fleeing from said slinky with teeth. It's constant chaos and anarchy but I wouldn't have it any other way. Everyone is a rescue. Cats feral, dog bit someone, ferret was just well, a ferret.
There are funny moments where the rotweiller comes trotting through the room looking very upset, pack of cats follow him freaking out, and then as always the damn ferret comes after and just randomly fangs the first human and goes back to chasing the rest of them.
We also do the good food thing. We are in DC so it's easy to get a few dozen oysters and shuck them, grill some wagyu, make a lobster mac and cheese, and then duck fat up some french fries and just let things go crazy. The oddest thing we did was haul the older ones off to the rocky horror show. At which point they got to see my brother in drag singing in front the screen (Time warp again!!!!), me crack open a bottle of tequila and pass it to them (don't give me crap kids in high school drink and I'm no prude).
We also get the "is this how it is all the time" sort of ask. Her sisters are all out in the exurbs and have filled their heads with the horrors of living "in the city". And then it's all "uncle lives in the city and it's fucking awesome. They have midnight movies, bars, clubs, food everywhere and it's all good. There is a comic books store. Also his tiny apartment is full of fun.. Then he got rip shit drunk and took us scuba diving in a rock quarry with his navy buddies, and I learned to shoot a shotgun. I got reamed for taking someone sky diving. I guess, I should have asked? But I've jumped from a lot of planes and they were strapped to me so whats the harm? You left them with me for a week, you fucked up!
It's odd as her sisters are very Christian and very conservative so my style of jackassery and not giving a damn does not go over well. To me though. They are all gearing up for college and they are going to see the world sooner or later you can't stop that. And it's better to have a loopy aunt and crazy ass uncle you can talk to through it. It's not that sitting on the couch and talking to someone fixes an issue. It's that there was a couch and someone.
I'm not great at describing things and I'm going on memory here, but I'm going to say all of the above, yeah. My memory is that A7x has both more and better-defined low end and low mids, and is less harsh. Flipping the switch to go from the A7x's to the T7v's felt similar to switching from $300 studio monitors to $30 computer speakers. The best way I can describe it is they just felt cheap sounding in comparison.
Yikes, that's rough.
My A5Xs are actually the only monitors I've ever used (outside of the few years I worked in a studio, I think those were Yamahas or Mackies). It couldn't hurt to try something else, but these have treated me so well and they're pretty much the sweet spot for where I've been wanting to spend.
Oooh what did you get?
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Fiio K9 pro ess as I needed better spatial audio processing and I just got my bonus. Just hooked it up and can actually already tell a difference in depth/complexity (running to Hifiman HE5XX's, will try on the sennheiser HD598CS later.
Ooooh thats a sexy beast right there.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
It's chonky as hell too, love it. I love when electronics are just shithouses. It's hilarious that one of the reviews is like "everything about the engineering is complete overkill, but that's fine - it will never overheat, it will never be taxed by anything, ever."
I can vouch that a modi/magni stack is more than enough for 99.99% of people. It’s an amazingly good setup.
Same here. I love my stack. If anyone is looking to take the plunge, go for it!
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
A bit more for that retro feel.
I still use the one on top once in a while when traveling. Just likes its older siblings it is handy as it is easy to carry using headphones that also comes with a leather neck strap (Not sure Sony makes headphones with straps anymore),
The one on the bottom is from when players using just memory was something very new, it is one I bought i 2001 and paid and as the sicker says it cost me £209.29 back then (the equivalent of $570 in 2023 money). With its 64 MB memory there was just enough for an hours music in good quality and on a AAA battery it would play for 5 hours.
Note the specs and the requirement for the PC needed to transfer data to it.
Also, here is the box of the one in the middle. It is one from 2006 and as with all things digital there had been lots of progress, so 1 GB memory, 50 hours of playtime on a charge and 3 minutes of charging gave 3 hours of playback. Plus as opposed to the first one it would play MP3 files, so no need to convert music files to ATRAC which was time consuming back then.
I can't recall exactly what it cost, maybe something like $200 or so.
I haven't kept the box of the black one. Compared to the old ones it is again improved, no need for special Sony software to interface with it, it has an FM radio build in and you can even record the radio, the display is OLED... I think it cost about $150 when I bought it in 2009 or 2010.
Sadly Sony doesn't make those small chewing gum size players anymore.
the MD made me realize how much i missed having well designed physical controls that i can use while it's in a pocket.
it's also nice that it's not generating all kinds of heat like a cellphone ;p
If it also works with Android too, great, but I just want something for this headphone to work with my work laptop on the road.
edit: someone in SE pointed out it's likely some sort of issue with the inline controls and a fucked up TRRS standard, which I have no idea which one they used and obviously its not "apple's" version of it.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
What do you all use to clean your collection?
If the dust isn’t caked on, I’ll lightly use a swifter pad to get the worst of it, then use one of the brush/velvet pad combo cleaners to get the rest. Ive never tried washing a record, though i know it can be done.
I also swap out the paper sleeves for mofi plastic anti static sleeves. It really cuts down on the dust accumulation.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
No gloves here, but I only ever touch the edges and the center plus keep dust away from the turntable.
I have washed a few records that I acquired which were downright dirty, for doing so I did pretty much like I do when cleaning fragile glasses, except I don't let the records soak as I do not wanna wash off the labels. So water with detergent*, a soft brush (bought a separate one for the records) and to dry them off I don't swipe just touch with a soft towel and then leave them to air dry ie. carefully lean the records against something so only the edges touch anything.
Once included in my collection I have never had to wash any. I keep all the albums in plastic sleeves, this though is mostly about protecting the covers and I then case where the original inner sleeve seemed abrasive to me I have move the record to some like those @webguy20 also mentioned.
I use I keep a record brush at hand to remove dust if I see some before putting the needle down, but it is rarely needed. I also have a tiny brush to swipe the head of the needle, only that I use even more rarely. I think the trick is to always keep a lid on the turntable, be it playing or not, and never ever to touch anything but the edges and the center of the records. I no leaving the records laying around, they go in a inner sleeve right away.
My record brush:
Lots of versions of these, the main thing is soft short hairs and anti-static effects as else you charge the record making it attract dust.
*I am sure some will call me using water and soap a crime, there is such a thing as special machines made for cleaning records and some will also say using isopropanol is the right way.
PS. Boston is cool. I have their Third stage album, just the cover alone is something special.
wipe pads and washing are okay.. but really the best "cleaner" of your records is your stylus ;D
if you don't have a vacuum style cleaner, then i'd think twice about involving water in the process unless you know you can get some good quality distilled water.
Wait, what kind of sleeves do I need?
Paper sleeves do genuinely scuff up records. Those Mofi plastic ones are great, but pretty much any decent plastic inner sleeve is a nice upgrade.
And just so I have my vocabulary down, inner sleeves go over the actual record and are put into the record jacket, which then could have an outer sleeve?
I'm not buying an outer sleeve for the record.
Yep, you got it.
And yeah, while I use outer sleeves, it’s fine not to. If you’re only going to shell out for either nice inner or outer sleeves, definitely go with inners.
As far as the paper inner sleeves, if its got cool art or lyrics or something, I'll slide it back into the outer jacket, and slide the plastic covered record in over the top. If its just a generic ass paper sleeve though, it gets tossed.
Also, beyond the whole scratching thing, paper sleeves just generate a lot of dust, and in my incredibly limited experience new modern records are WAY worse for it, even compared to some from the 80s that were still sealed that I've opened.
These are the MOFI sleeves I use. They just feel nice.
Record Sleeves
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
It's still humming along fine, but the volume knob has gotten pretty noisy/scratchy; it thankfully only acts up when I'm turning it. Is there a recommended way to remedy this? Open it up and use contact cleaner?
I got this beauty a thrift shop. Haven’t had a chance to test it out yet, hopefully tomorrow.
Seems to be in pretty solid condition.
Realistically, I know my only meaningful gain will be tinnitus and/or a ruptured eardrum from the added power I don't need but won't be able to resist abusing.
But like, what if it's awesome and I can get that high of a solid upgrade without dropping like $400+?
Schiit stack is cheap and honestly most DACs will be demonstrably better simply from being distanced from all the EM noise in your box. What's nice is typically you have a lot more fine grained volume control as you have volume knob+system volume+app volume.
Not to self promote but I have a DAC/amp magni/modi that no one has jumped on for best offer.