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Alright, so I got a couple of these from the last drop. For $5, you better stock up.
Use them as stocking stuffers, use them as emergency headphone supply (I bought three pair and have only one left because my coworkers needed a set of buds) use them as prizes... Because holy shit they're worth it. They're $5, so don't expect the comfort of a loving embrace, but the sound is SO POWERFUL... I was shocked, to be completely honest... I was expecting something on par with $10-$15 sets from radioshack (RIP in peace) or equivalent to the older apple buds, but no. No no. These have intense sound that rivals some of the pricier $50-$75 buds/iems that I've used.
Take that with a grain of salt, though; I am not a hi-fi head. I do not own thousands of pairs of headphones, nor do I have thousands of dollars of audio equipment. I appreciate good sound, but I'm a little too broke to really dive in to being a full-fledged addict. Don't get me wrong, I'm prepared; my music library consists of approximately 25 tb of mostly FLAC files, but for the most part I'm running just from my phone or ipod so I'm not using huge files. I'll be getting an amp/dac at some point, but probably not until I can afford a much nicer set of cans.
So... End verdict from a not-so-real audiophile? Buy all of them.
Generalqwer
3
Aug 9, 2016
RidevaDemocritusYou have 25 tb of FLAC files, but you run them off your phone or ipod? I literally scratched my head as I was reading that part.
alkoy
3
Aug 9, 2016
GeneralqwerMaybe he's not so much an audiophile as a music collector
alkoyA lot of it has to do with that... Like... I recognize that FLAC is a more pure format and even though I don't necessarily have the capabilities to run them in the best way now, I will at some point. And I don't like having to go back and try to get something again; what if I can get a FLAC album easily today but in 3 years when my set up can run it, the album isn't available anymore? No one seeding, can't find in stores... Etc.
I mean, I shoot RAW and keep every single RAW file. I'm over 30 tb there and I only ever really print 8x10 or smaller, or I don't print at all and just upload it to the web.
GeneralqwerNormally when I'm looking for anything (movies, music, whatever) I get the highest quality that is available at that moment. So I have a bunch of blu-ray rips that I got way back before I had an HDTV, because I knew that at one point I would have the tech to run it. Same goes for my music; if I can get FLAC I'm going to get FLAC. I want to be able to listen to music in the highest possible quality even if I can't do it at that precise moment. I look to the future when I'm building stuff, be it music collections, my photo hardware, the construction I'm doing to my back yard's landscaping... I plan for expansion.
apastuszak
56
Aug 10, 2016
RidevaDemocritusQuality is not why you want FLAC. Freedom to convert to any format is.
apastuszakThat's another reason. If I get a FLAC album as my base, I can drop it on anything else super easily. I used to have a RIO300 PMP that wouldn't play mp3s right unless they had been encoded a specific way. Had a hell of a time getting music for it. I mean, it was called an MP3 layer but it wouldnt PLAY mp3s! It also took SmartMedia, which was some unholy precursor to CF and SD. Oh, and the next generation, the RIO500, had what LOOKED like USB mini but was actually proprietary.
Look how far we've come haha... But if I wanted super good quality, would you say to go with OGG? Like I said, I'm really not that much of an audiophile, I just believe in future-proofing... But if I wanted to start, what format would you recommend?
ggendel
7
Aug 10, 2016
RidevaDemocritusFLAC is a lossless format, because of this it compresses at 2:1, possibly 4:1 at best. It also handles 24-bit and 196kb+ sampling rates if your DAC can handle it. It's one of the reasons I use a Fiio X1 as my portable music player and use FLAC whenever it's available. The only phone I owned that had a really good DAC and output stage was the HP pre 3. But the 11 hours of play per charge and 128G SD capability sure beats the Pre 3 handily.
AceDuff
20
Aug 10, 2016
apastuszakSeems to me quality is exactly why one would want to get flac. It's the standard format for 1:1 rips from cds and vinyls. Unless you're thinking that "true quality" only belongs to ultra hi-fi formats like dsd. If that's the case, those kinds of formats are way too restricted in terms of ease to get them to be truly considered by anyone, also because in several music genres they're not considered at all. ;-)
AceDuff
20
Aug 10, 2016
RidevaDemocritusFlac is probably the most future-proof format, since it is the commonly accepted format to rip from cds and vinyls. As long as those two supports will exist, flac will exist (and probably even longer). Therefore unless you're planning like 20 years ahead, you shouls stick to flac, imho. You should also consider that flac can go as high as 24bit/192khz, so there's plenty of room for you to enjoy hi-fi music with this format, since adequate equipment for such rips to really shine wouldn't cost less than say a couple thousand dollars.
P.S.: Ogg is a lossy format as much as mp3 and aac, so it can't compete with flac or other lossless formats
apastuszak
56
Aug 10, 2016
AceDuffNo I'm referring to the fact that you can't hear a difference in 99%+ of music between a 16/44.1 FLAC and a 256K or higher AAC or Ogg file, or a v0 LAME encoded MP3. Don't even get me started on hi-res music.
AceDuff
20
Aug 10, 2016
apastuszakI trust my ears before anything else when it comes to music, so I assure you I don't care about sound measurements any more than you might do, but I can tell you that I can tell the difference between mp3 files (which I've been using for several years before getting more interested in sound quality) and flac files. Then again, I don't care about super hi-res files that weigh something like 2-3Gb each. I've switched my whole library to 16/44 flac a couple years ago, so I have lossless precise rips from cds and that is all. I occasionally get some 24/96 or 24/192 when the cd rip doesn't satisfy my ears and I keep them only if I can tell there are improvements. Being a metalhead, that can happen, since sometimes the same album gets recorded into the cd and the vinyl at different times. I'm happy this way, I leave worries on hi-res music to audiophiles. Anyway, he asked for a hi-res future-proof format and I think we can agree on the fact that lossy formats are not in that category. ;-)
ggendelLet's not talk about the Palm, okay? First, I refuse to acknowledge it as an HP; second, I had my Pre/Pre2 for four years before finally admitting defeat and getting an HTC One M7.
I love playing FLAC, I used to have a PC with winamp but it died and I got a free macbook pro and haven't bothered with using it as a sound source. Now I just stockpile music, waiting for the day when I can invest in a good desktop DAC/AMP (I'm looking at a Schiit stack for my first, but still waiting on the dollars to fall from the sky). I've considered getting a Fiio, but the past few years I haven't had as much of a reason. I was in a call center role on the phones, so that's 8 hours a day or more that I wouldn't use it. I drive to work, so it would be useless as a commuter device (car stereo just isn't that great). Now though I'm off the phones, I have a desk, I might start that process... We'll see.
AceDuffSince you're a metalhead I'm going to take a stab in the dark... How did you feel about the 2013 remaster of YOB's "The Great Cessation"?
ggendel
7
Aug 10, 2016
RidevaDemocritusI totally agree with you about HP and Palm. After the WebOS debacle I convinced my company not to buy or recommend HP servers. That cost them a couple million dollars of sales per year. It's not the same company that Hewlett and Packard started. I'm still using my TouchPad running LuneOS (a branch of WebOS). Since WebOS, running iOS or Android feels like working with a hand and foot tied behind my back.
AceDuff
20
Aug 10, 2016
RidevaDemocritusUnfortunately I only know YOB by name, doom is not my thing... I'm more into prog, prog death, avant-garde, math... I like it when things get technical, so to speak. Remastered versions in general I've often found pretty useless, unless it's done because the original album was recorded on low budget or stuff like that.
AceDuffI only got in to metal during hte Scion Metal Fest in 2009 because I was hired to shoot it as a second shooter for my dad... I could enjoy metal but never 'got' it. I brought some sonic earplugs with me and dude... My life changed. YOB closed down the night at Skullys and the last song they played was the title track from that album and man I tell you what... Holy shit. Saw a bunch of other acts that night, including Cannibal Corpse (they were the big big headliner, YOB was the second billing but it was one night spread across 4 venues) but YOB stuck with me. I've gotten into it a bunch more because of that night, but The Great Cessation is by far one of the top (if not THE top) songs I've ever experienced live, bar none. IIRC, they actually had broken up for personal reasons and reformed with a new bassist for that concert. Blew me away, man. But the remaster has gotten mixed reviews... The original album wasn't necessarily low quality but it was lacking a bit. The remaster added some stuff for the benefit of all mankind, but kinda muddied up the highs AND the bass... Weird stuff.
ggendelI bricked my damn touchpad trying to put LuneOS on it. Broke my damn heart. I still have it but cannot get it to do ANYTHING. I also still have my launch day Pre, but HTC was going to give me $150 trade-in for the Pre2. Sent it away, never got the check. Pissed. I loved WebOS, it was ahead of its time. I still berate iOS users for thinking that the cards are 'another apple innovation!!!' when WebOS did it and HP sold the patents. I mean, I don't blame them; they bought a failed mobile platform for a billion dollars, they needed to recoup. But... I hate how they took it, made these promises and then killed it three months later. I'm STILL bitter about that. Wireless charging? Palm. Cards? Palm. Freakin home app drawer? PALM. And oh MAN do I miss the touch bar, being able to drag up and select a home app... That was so fluid!!!!
Ugh.
I want my Pre back. Too bad they went up against apple and google at the same time... Even their ads (which in hindsight are what caused the abysmal launch; they were just too weird!) were ahead of their time, because now EVERYONE is doing weird-ass, what-the-hell-did-i-just-watch commercials.
ggendel
7
Aug 10, 2016
RidevaDemocritusI thought I really bricked mine too but I managed to recover using the TP Toolbox _http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=52765126&postcount=2
I had Palm everything from a Palm II, Treo 270, and Pre Plus. I built a Franken-Pre 2, until I got my Pre 3. My last of 3 units died about 6 months ago so I got a BB Z30, followed by a Priv. I'm anxious to try the new LuneOS that claims it brings the OS very close to beta quality.
ggendelI had a frankenpre2 (verizon -> Sprint) and loved it. Fun process. The sprint rep who helped me activate it thought i was insane when I explained the phone to him (I still remember that call 5 years later)
You wouldn't happen to be in Ohio near Dayton would you...? Because you sound exactly like my buddy JK who ran the same things...
But I'll give that a shot, I havent pulled it out for awhile to try anything new. Can you run the toolbox on mac or is it PC only? I might have to requisition my wifes old HP laptop since my burner windows laptop has... ah... burned.
Thanks for the discussion!!!
AceDuff
20
Aug 11, 2016
RidevaDemocritusMmm, you got me curious now... I think I'm going to look for their albums, I see they have quite high reviews on metal sites I usually check. Definitely will give them a listen! As for remasters, most of them just play with loudness and it also happens that the guy who originally mastered the album is not the same remastering, so getting a bad remaster gets pretty easy. Unfortunately in the metal scene remasters are pretty common since many bands start in the underground scene and record their first couple of cds (which often happen to be the best) on low budget. I personally gladly accept remasters if done correctly, but more often than not they do worst so...
AceDuffI went back to check my stuff; Catharsis was remastered, not The Great Cessation. Mixed reviews. I liked it still; it was done by Tad Doyle, and it didn't suck. I still use The Great Cessation (both title track and full album) as my benchmark. Seeing them live, ending on that 20 minute masterpiece, will haunt me for the rest of my days. Plus, my shot of Mike was in color, front-page of the Arts section that week.
Still, I get the hesitation on doom metal; there isn't too much of the genre I can really get absorbed in, but give that album a shot (twice minimum, just cause.)
What would you recommend to broaden (or sharpen) my metal horizons?
AceDuff
20
Aug 12, 2016
RidevaDemocritusI briefly listened the title track of The Great Cession yesterday... Sounds really promising! I'm going to get the full album and give it a couple serious listenings! From what I've heard of it, I couldn't recommend enough this album: Thoughtscanning, by We all die (laughing). It's avantgarde metal but it's not that distant from Yob's doom (take it with a grain of salt). It's a 33 minutes one-track-only album and it's one of the best things I've heard in the last couple of years. Like I said, I'm not really into doom either... I don't know, its atmospheric slow movements don't match my taste I guess, although I've not digged much into it. Between the bands I can recommend there's of course one of my favourite, Ne Obliviscaris. Portal Of I, their debut, is pure gold. I categorised it under progressive death, but it's a very limiting definition, especially because they have a damn violinist in the band...! ;-) Some other recent random records I would suggest: - Affinity by Haken (progressive) - Ursa by Novembre (death/doom) - Head First Into Shadows by EchO (death/doom) - Sistere by IZAH (Post metal) - The Plague Within by Paradise Lost (gothic/doom) - Derivae by Nero Di Marte (prog death) - Pelagial by The Ocean (prog death) - Volition by Protest The Hero (mathcore)
AceDuffBaller. I'm starting at the top and working my way down. Thank you!!!
AceDuff
20
Aug 12, 2016
RidevaDemocritusMy pleasure! ;-)
AceDuffCurrently absolutely in love with Novembre. Thank you so much for this. I think I'm halfway through their discography at this point. Didn't even realize it was Spanish and English for almost an hour.
AceDuff
20
Aug 12, 2016
RidevaDemocritusWhoa, that's a surprise! I wouldn't imagine Novembre would get the most appreciation! Anyway, actually it's not Spanish, it's Italian (and English). They're italians, as are EchO and Nero Di Marte. I can tell you because I'm italian too. ;-) They're not as famous as other bands from that genre (gothic with some doom) but they're one of the best metal band we have here. On their albums' reviews in metal sites guys often argue on what their best album is because their discography is great. Classica and Novembrine Waltz get the consensus most of the time anyway. Since you like them, you might be interested in checking Katatonia, My Dying Bride and... both the acoustic albums like Damnation and the prog death ones like Blackwater Park by Opeth.
AceDuffIs it?! Damn! Don't I feel a fool. I recognize a lot of it; I did learn Italian at one point but that was years ago and I've migrated to Spanish just because of how much more it's spoken in the States. Also, I started with them from your list and havent gotten past it yet hahaha. I'm definitely loving it though and really REALLY happy to have new music!!! This is seriously fantastic. Thank you, man.
I know Opeth, but I'm going to check out the rest of the list you gave me.
Fucking. Thrilled. Thank you! Viva Italia!
AceDuff
20
Aug 13, 2016
RidevaDemocritusHa ha, no problems man! A lot of English native speakers mistake Italian with Spanish and Portuguese. ;-) I'm glad I gave at least one good suggestion, I hope you'll like the others as well! Enjoy! ;-)
AceDuffAlright, you've ruined me. I've been hooked on prettttty much the whole list you gave me. Ne Obliviscaris is my new addiction. Good lord is it amazing...
I need more now. I've been scouring the internet for more excellent music like this. Thank you again!!!!!!
AceDuff
20
Sep 1, 2016
RidevaDemocritusAhah, glad you're digging it! XD Well, you might want to take a look at these then: Akroasis by Obscura, Arktis by Ihsahn, Autoatheism by The Faceless, Bilateral by Leprous... All pretty much in the genre of prog death/avantgarde. If you want something different but damn funny (still Avantgarde), you can check The Stench From The Swelling by 6:33 & Arno Strobl (Arno is the same guy singing in We All Die (Laughing)) and 6:33's Deadly Scene. Bad news is I have yet to find a band that gives me the same vibe as Ne Obliviscaris, which might also be good since it means they're unique. ;-) Avantgarde is a very broad definition so it's not easy to find something that really resembles something else inside this genre. I'll keep looking though, I too want to find something live NeO, I've listened to their cds so much that they're wearing out! Anyway, you're welcome! ;-)
AceDuffYeah with the latest xbox update, I have NeO, Katatonia, Novembre and a bunch of others that I play as background music while playing xbox. Rocket League + Forget Not / And Plague Flowers The Kaleidoscope = suuuuuperfuntimes
RidevaDemocritus@AceDuff Alright. It's been a while. I've got some recommendatiuons for you:
Anabiosis - their self titled is pretty solid. Angel Vivaldi (no vocals, just shred prog metal) Universal Language is excellent, short (Vivaldi's 4 seasons, no joke) but great intro. Amon Amarth - With Oden on our Side (Viking metal?) Revocation - Deathless
Now that's just the metal. Do you get in to hip hop at all? Cause if so... bruh. I've got REQs.
AceDuffTook me a while to find this comment thread but I had to circle back. I've gotten heavy into a bunch of metal stuff, and it's branched out into the prog scene as well... Divinex and Sithu Aye are ridiculously great, as is Plini. Dunno if you get into that at all but man, great great great stuff. Set Course for Andromeda is an amazing album, start to finish.
Just wanted to say thank you again for helping reintroduce me to the metal genre! Your recommendations spurred a revival of my library.
AceDuff
20
Aug 14, 2018
RidevaDemocritusHi man! Sorry for answering back after so much time, I haven't checked Massdrop in a long time! I'm really glad this exchange helped you get into metal more! ;) This year is revealing to be a tough one, lot of work, not enough free time unfortunately so I don't have time to research new music... so I'll take advantage of your suggestions! :D I can advise on a couple records though: first of all, since you enjoy Ne Obliviscaris so much, I hope you listened to their new record, "Urn". Oh man... "Portal Of I" remains unmatched for me but this last one is really damn good. And then, I also listened to some Post-Hardcore, so I might suggest "Waiting For Morning To Come" by Being As An Ocean. Completely different genre from everything we talked about above, but who knows, you might like it. If you wanna dive into something more atmospheric (and way less heavy), I rediscovered "All is violent, all is bright" by God Is An Astronaut. Finally, "Dictator", the new record by Scars On Broadway (S.O.A.D. guitarist side project) sounds pretty solid.
AceDuffI have either already listened to or have on my list all of your suggestions :)
Urn is definitely fantastic. I agree that Portal of I is hard to touch, but Urn has 100% grown on me. SO good.
Thanks again for your suggestions! Be well, friend!
AceDuff
20
Aug 16, 2018
RidevaDemocritusAwesome, thank you too! Se you around! ;)
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