RTHKI
mmmf mmmf mmmf
+1,736|6707|Oxferd Ohire
That's plenty of room for your 4K porn
https://i.imgur.com/tMvdWFG.png
SuperJail Warden
Gone Forever
+634|3690
And it is all thanks to Uzique for putting this evil in my head.
https://i.imgur.com/xsoGn9X.jpg
uziq
Member
+492|3422
you're a moderator on a porn subreddit. don't blame me for your self-molestation.

Last edited by uziq (2020-12-15 14:15:00)

unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,053|6742|PNW

Mac, I picked up my copy of office 19 for practically pennies here:

https://www.greatamericancomputer.com/shop

Windows 10 Pro is $30.
SuperJail Warden
Gone Forever
+634|3690
Never heard of the site before but I will check it out. Thanks.

I wouldn't mind paying full price for Office if Microsoft operated like Steam does by keeping a copy of MS Office in the Microsoft account you are forced to open. The one key/one install system is exploitative.
https://i.imgur.com/xsoGn9X.jpg
unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,053|6742|PNW

In other news I guess ms store offered a free copy of the w10 version of minecraft to people who owned the classic. Since I go for like a year and a half without checking out minecraft news, I missed the deadline. So now I can't try out the RTX beta. But wait, some articles tell me, I can still check out other kinds of ray tracing in the game! With a paid texture pack. /fwp

SuperJail Warden wrote:

I wouldn't mind paying full price for Office if Microsoft operated like Steam does by keeping a copy of MS Office in the Microsoft account you are forced to open. The one key/one install system is exploitative.
I guess I'll get to that when I get to that. I understand it, but don't much appreciate products like that either. This is what people were afraid of when online activation and other drms started increasing in frequency and draconic measures.
tazz.
oz.
+1,338|6145|Sydney | ♥

Same boat. Missed my free copy. 😠
everything i write is a ramble and should not be taken seriously.... seriously.
unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,053|6742|PNW

Hopefully they have another account update event that doesn't last like two days or whatever, but probably not.
unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,053|6742|PNW

Anyone have input on decent earbuds currently? Spent some of the morning browsing comparison articles and list but don't usually seem as as helpful as separate reviews.

For - music listening (chip, synth, jazz, classical; few vocals)
Should have - bluetooth functionality, sweat/water resistance (indoor workout, maintenance/chores)
Nice to haves but not required - android functionality & phone calls; won't easily pop out during high impact stuff (I don't do much of that)
Don't care - noise cancelling
Preferred - $100-$250
Will up to - ~$300-ish, more if there's a perfect option

Going to be doing a massive indoor decluttering-to-storage next year as well as maybe repaint. Wireless headphones would probably get in the way and I don't want to blast the neighbors with my large JBLs.
Larssen
Member
+99|1858
I'm very happy with my galaxy buds 2. As far as bluetooth buds go those are a great pick.
uziq
Member
+492|3422
the answer is probably shure 535's, but you get considerably better earphones if you leave the bluetooth functionality out of it. bluetooth earphones just aren't very good.
unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,053|6742|PNW

@larssen, The Galaxies are definitely on my low budget selection.

@zeek, That's kind of disappointing news for bluetooth. What about without that functionality? I could probably make do without as long as they're not going to get destroyed during jumping jacks or an uphill bike ride.
uziq
Member
+492|3422
the better solution is to get something with a replaceable cable, like the 535s. every earphone that offers a bluetooth option tends to be more expensive and measurably worse. i’m just not sure that a cable was ever such a great impediment.

if you're dead set on wireless, these are good. but if it's engrossing sound quality you want, you'll get a lot more for your money with a cable.
https://www.rha-audio.com/headphones/wi … -anc?c=150

Last edited by uziq (2020-12-26 13:32:07)

unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,053|6742|PNW

I'm not dead set on wireless/bluetooth, so I suppose I could have moved that to the nice-to-haves.

Mainly I want it to not die to sweat (or rain) and not gouge my eardrums with wrong playback. Without the bluetooth option, I can keep a wire under my sweatshirt if need be if it means better sound. The Shures are tempting but pretty up there. I'd probably pick it up here where I've gotten most of my synthesizer stuff.

Being able to use it with my note 10 (no headphones jack, would need a usb-c adaptor or wireless) for phone for calls would be nifty, but I can get a cheaper unit for that.

Regardless, I'm going to order something today and try not to spontaneously add a macbook pro on top of that, lol.
Larssen
Member
+99|1858
Ever since I switched to bluetooth, I'm not looking back. Never have to untangle a wire anymore and it doesn't get in the way during training and so on.

Sure, the sound quality may not be the best possible but it's still good. If I did have much better buds I'm also not sure spotify streaming would utilise them to their max potential.

Either way imho if fantastic sound is your priority get headphones, wire if necessary. If you need to do something/go somewhere/train, can't beat the convenience of bluetooth buds.

Last edited by Larssen (2020-12-26 15:04:24)

uziq
Member
+492|3422
wired earphones are still the best choice in many, many use case scenarios.

headphones are terrible for taking out, they're not portable, they seldom noise cancel, and the very good ones (i.e. open-back design) will also audition your music to just about everyone in a 5 metre radius. headphones are much harder to drive from a mobile device without benefit of a (pre)amplifier. headphones are the choice if you're sitting and listening to music at home/work, in front of a hi-fi or as part of a desktop/office set-up.

"never have to untangle a wire anymore" as if that's a life-breaking thing and not, oh, er, having to charge earphones continuously just about every single day you're using them for fear of them running flat or petering out during a session. that's not annoying at all. no, a kink in a cable!

Last edited by uziq (2020-12-26 15:36:08)

Larssen
Member
+99|1858
The bluetooth buds I have last for 12 hours or so. Like with all bluetooth buds the case itself functions as a charger. They have never run out of battery, not even close. There's no instance where I'm continuously wearing them for 6+ hours. As soon as they're in the case they charge really fast too.

Tangled wires are annoying as hell. It happens every time you put them away and esp. if you're in a hurry it's a hassle. I also train 4-5x a week and they frequently got in the way. Wires are also prone to breaking, esp. at the connector end if you move around a lot. I usually had to replace the wire or change to new buds like 3x a year so having bluetooth ones now has actually been cost saving to me.

The only downside I can see is that if you're forgetful and don't bring your case with you, you have two tiny buds that you can't store securely. Happened once or twice with me but they held up no problem, so they're durable enough. Also dropped them once or twice, still work like a charm.

Last edited by Larssen (2020-12-26 15:58:22)

unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,053|6742|PNW

Rolled in the Aonic 4s to compare with the 535s. Cheaper than the 535s if just the wired variety, and still well received, and much cheaper than the Aonic 5s (which I've seen noted for having a more neutral quality, which I'm fine with but don't specifically need). Just paging through opinions right now.

I'd definitely want some longer cables though.
DesertFox-
The very model of a modern major general
+794|6655|United States of America
I've stuck with wired peripherals for everything because I don't want to deal with the inconvenience of charging at all. I do get annoyed when my phone earbuds get all twisty, but that's a smaller price to pay to me to have them just ready at a moment's notice.
unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,053|6742|PNW

I guess I'm pretty meh about it. Wireless would be a minor convenience, but I've dealt with portable cables for so long that it's a non-issue. So I get to focus on sound quality.

Shure does seem to have a wireless adaptor for its earbuds in case you have a wired model for an extra $180, but w/e.
uziq
Member
+492|3422

Larssen wrote:

The bluetooth buds I have last for 12 hours or so. Like with all bluetooth buds the case itself functions as a charger. They have never run out of battery, not even close. There's no instance where I'm continuously wearing them for 6+ hours. As soon as they're in the case they charge really fast too.

Tangled wires are annoying as hell. It happens every time you put them away and esp. if you're in a hurry it's a hassle. I also train 4-5x a week and they frequently got in the way. Wires are also prone to breaking, esp. at the connector end if you move around a lot. I usually had to replace the wire or change to new buds like 3x a year so having bluetooth ones now has actually been cost saving to me.

The only downside I can see is that if you're forgetful and don't bring your case with you, you have two tiny buds that you can't store securely. Happened once or twice with me but they held up no problem, so they're durable enough. Also dropped them once or twice, still work like a charm.
tangled wires every single time? frequently break at the connector? what? no good cable dies that easily. stop buying cheap trash is my best advice to you. sounds like you've been a paradigm example of that 'cheap shoes' fallacy.

any pair of earphones >$100 comes with their own carry case, should you need it. if you can't coil a cable in all of 5 seconds when you're done with something, then i don't know what to say to you. earphones in the >$150 bracket often come with fully modular designs and replaceable cables. you shouldn't be throwing $300 or $500 earphones into the bottom of a rucksack, anyway. this is really simple stuff and honestly a non-discussion.

'i refuse to buy the best earphones possible for my audio experience because cables get tangled'. that's like someone refusing to buy the very best amplifier because it comes in black and shows dust easily or something.

the simple fact is that bluetooth earbuds are still relatively new tech. they've rushed into the market spurred on by the rollout of apple buds, which has finally given the tech some flotation on the wider market where before they were niche, expensive, and just Not Very Good. bluetooth earbuds have come a long way in 5 years, i'll give them that; but they're up against classic earphone and headphone designs that have been staples, sometimes even for 20 years. a sennheiser HD600 has been around for decades and is an industry standard, a classic in its price bracket. some new bluetooth earphone lasts about 12 months before they find some revolutionary new codec or battery technology and you start all over. the sound comes second fiddle in most of these design decisions. the bluetooth earphone, after the apple air bud, comes in an era when people are listening to streamed, disposable music on their phones, constantly taking phonecalls, and generally are too ill-disposed to ever use their hands for anything. it's for apple advert la-la-land, in other words.

if someone said to me 'i have $300 and here are my music genres', i would start on a long list of recommendations. a bluetooth earphone would be way near the bottom. if you want to get the most of out a genre like jazz or classical, you're talking about a level of nuance and detail that bluetooth earphones just barely scratch. they aren't made for it. you can get an in-ear monitor design with three or four audio drivers for $300. the level of detail and audio separation there is just not comparable to a bluetooth device that lets you, ohh, bark commands at Siri or Alexa or whatever whilst lifting weights at the gym. simply. not. comparable.

i don't know why it's always the case that 'larssen likes it' or 'larssen has it' seems to be its own imprimatur. oh, larssen has some so the galaxy buds must really actually be Good. you have a hard time admitting that, actually, your taste is a bit shit or your chosen gadget is a bit Meh. if someone has $300 then the galaxy buds are about position #75,872 on the list of best purchase.

Last edited by uziq (2020-12-26 21:33:30)

uziq
Member
+492|3422

DesertFox- wrote:

I've stuck with wired peripherals for everything because I don't want to deal with the inconvenience of charging at all. I do get annoyed when my phone earbuds get all twisty, but that's a smaller price to pay to me to have them just ready at a moment's notice.
right, precisely. plus audio cables, you know, can connect your devices to amplification equipment. cables have better impedance. cables drive audio better! unless you want to carry a decent-sized bluetooth receiver and small DAC amplifier around your neck like a fucking bridled horse, or something.

it's insane to me you have to charge earphones every 10-12 hours. current-gen iPhones and Macs have better charge cycles than that and they're fucking computers. a MacBook with an 8-core processor - including its own in-built audio chip and output - lasts longer than a pair of bluetooth earbuds. i mean, how is that good? i can go and work from a cafe for a day without taking my power adapter, but i'll need to remember my black presentation tray charge-carry case for my fucking earphones?

'it lasts up to 12 hours!' right, so, on a given work-day at the office, when i am listening to music for 5 or so hours, plus any given commute on either side, i already have to think about remembering to charge my earphones ready for the next day? great, another device with an almost daily risk of crapping out on me.

'having no cable is so convenient! you just have to remember to carry a case and charging station with you wherever you go'.

fucking lmao. i'm used to taking my earphones out with me whenever i go anywhere in the city. they can be coiled and slipped into my coat or jacket pocket. why the fuck am i going to take some egg-head charging station with me wherever i go, to ensure that my earphones actually have enough charge to work, or that i don't lose one of the damn things like a piece of spare change? it's literally like someone who wears glasses having to carry a glasses case or cleaning kit with them whenever they leave the house. who does that?!?

for anyone who actually wants to use them intensively, listen a lot, get the most out of it, etc, bluetooth earphones are a horrible solution.

Last edited by uziq (2020-12-26 21:50:14)

uziq
Member
+492|3422

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

I guess I'm pretty meh about it. Wireless would be a minor convenience, but I've dealt with portable cables for so long that it's a non-issue. So I get to focus on sound quality.

Shure does seem to have a wireless adaptor for its earbuds in case you have a wired model for an extra $180, but w/e.
the bluetooth versions of the renowned mid-range shure buds are measurably worse sounding in terms of audio performance. they're one of the cases in point i had in mind. you pay more and you get measurably worse sound. people almost universally recommend getting the wired versions if you care at all about getting decent sound for the privilege of your $250.
Dilbert_X
The X stands for
+1,810|6076|eXtreme to the maX
My Bose QC25s are still going great, although at some point I overloaded them and might have damaged them or my ears or both.
They seem better now.
Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй!
unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,053|6742|PNW

Re: $250 wired SE525

tl;dr can't seem to find for $250 atm, would probably have to wait for some flash sale I imagine.

Aonic 4 ($300) is around the 535, but is supposed to be a replacement for the "lesser" model than 535. Aonic 5 ($500) is supposed to be the "replacement" for the 535. But its price is within the custom fitting range, which I might consider going to get done if not for covid-19. Interesting nozzle swap option though. Some reviewers prefer the 4s. I wish I could find more on the new Shure Aonics earbuds.

The bluetooth-capable 535 is $350, but the wired (seen only as low as $300 for SE Red today) isn't in stock on Shure's site (or on Guitar Center; back-ordered on B&H Photo). Will probably have to get notifications or keep looking tomorrow. The SE clear is like $400, same with red at sweetwater. No. Scalped on Newegg for $600-$800. $450 at the music & arts stores I browse now and then, but not even in stock online.

I've read elsewhere that earbuds have "moved past" the 535. I'm not sure about that argument, Shure apparently still makes them because the sound is recognizable and people still want them. Additionally there are legendary headphones that have been around for even longer that are still in use, so obviously tech features aren't everything. I've replaced the ears on my old beyers for years before they finally broke down, then replaced them with a new model of beyers (liked the sound) with a replaceable cable. An old K99 is my backup, but it makes opening doors in video games ridiculously loud. Fun for shotguns though.

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