Music. Hi-Fi. Apple. Food. Beer. Code. Science. Elitist Prick. (not a Portland-based singer/
songwriter)
My first contribution to a scientific paper in a while.
I got brought into this one late, but the material is really interesting to me, particularly as it relates to evolution.
These have a lovely neutrality that’s not often seen at this price ($75), but they can sound a little boring sometimes. You really have to spend a lot more to get the extra detail that makes a neutral sound come off really, really well. But if you’re tired of bloated bass and grating highs, the A151 is a great fit.
The A151 is available direct from MEElectronics, or, if you want to support my blog, the A151 is available at a significant discounts from Amazon through this affiliate link.
Smart advertising. (Taken with Instagram at George’s Restaurant)
Marco mostly talkes about advantages/disadvantages of closed versus open headphones, which is an important distinction to consider when buying full-size headphones, and a distinction that Marco feels this New York Times piece on headphones doesn’t draw starkly enough.
Marco also points out that the article doesn’t actually recommend specific models, which is an excellent point. Marco provides his recommendations, and of course, Macworld has some great headphone recommendations.
The biggest criticism of the Times article I would like to add is that Mr. Grobart implies that in-ear headphones1 are somehow inferior to on-ear versions. There’s a case to be made that high-end in-ears are every bit as good (or potentially better) than high-end full-size headphones.
Some people distinguish between “headphones” and “earphones”, but I don’t think the distinction is particularly useful since there’s lots of variation within these two categories. So I just stick to “headphones” to keep it simple. ↩
Nice piece in vanity fair on air security from the perspective of a computer security expert (Bruce Schneier).
I’d be happy if I could pack my carry-on full of beer (for transportation, not for drinking on the flight, although…) and listen to music during takeoff and landing…
You wouldn’t believe how hard it is being right all the time.
Thank God. That was embarrassing.
Sadly, though, Jester King did not succeed in convincing the judge that TABC’s laws prohibiting breweries from making retail beer sales were likewise bogus. Sounds like TABC barely won that one, though.
(Source: blog.chron.com)
Nice piece on a hugely influential artist (I think her role and work surpass being a “designer”.
Ms. Kare designed the icons for the original Mac, among other systems, sites, and applications. I find the economy, expressiveness, and effectiveness of her work particularly impressive.
Ms. Kare sells prints of her work on her web site. I can personally attest that they’re beautiful. I own one of her pieces (naturally, the Happy Mac), and haven’t quite clicked the “buy” button on a second (the absolutely perfect bomb icon).
Fast becoming my favorite cocktail (well, the Sazerac is putting up a good fight, but really, there’s only one proper way to make a Sazerac, and whereas the old-fashioned is pretty much a drama). It’s a great way to get the character if a liquor (whisky, in particular), in an easier-to-drink package.
I think the best I’ve had so far was from Anvil a few weeks ago. I watched the bartender make the drink and I don’t know what made it so special (sugar cube and bitters muddled, Wild Turkey rye, served on the rocks with a lemon twist).
I’ve developed my own take, which I like quite a lot. Orange peel (no pith) muddled with a pinch of granulated sugar (used purely mechanically), topped liberally with Angostura bitters and simple syrup (muddling a sugar cube is way too much work), and stirred with a shot (or even two ounces) of bourbon or rye. I generally let the orange peel steep in the drink for ten minutes or so, which extracts some lovely flavors from the peel, including very nice vanilla notes. Then I top with ice and enjoy.
I need to establish the proper amount of bitters and syrup, and the ideal steep time for the orange peel. But it turns out pretty nicely.
The list is a bit unfocused, but it’s not really a buying guide for picking out the best possible headphones for your needs, it’s more a list of products in the headphone realm that would make good gifts. Everything on the first two pages is a great product that’s inexpensive enough to be worthy of your consideration.
The third page has good stuff too, but it’s out of the price range of things I would actually consider giving as a gift. If you’re looking for a more comprehensive guide that sticks mostly to items priced suitably for gifts, there’s another great headphone buying guide.
