While Halloween now is more closely associated with finding a (slutty) costume and drinking Halloween inspired beverages, as a kid, there was nothing better than going door to door loading up on enough candy to last you till the 4th of July.Only problem is, my mom – the smart woman that she is – knew her life would be torturous through July if she let her three hyper children keep that much sugar around.

So every year, my two older brothers and I would have to dump all of our coveted, prized candy into the middle of the table. My mother then carefully separated the candy into piles – Milky Ways in one pile, Twix in another, Candy Corn in another, and so on. She then handed a bucket to each of us and, one by one, we would go around taking our pick and filling our buckets.

Once they were filled, the rest of the candy went to inner-city kids whose neighborhoods were too dangerous to trick-or-treat in (which now I see was a very noble thing but at the time I couldn’t understand why they deserved my candy gold. After all, I spent three long hours in the cold with clown makeup on my face, saying stupid poems at people’s doors while they filled my bag up with all that deliciousness).

Going around that table, each taking our turn, made our piles of crack candy like a game of Monopoly. 100 Grand (because of its rarity) was like Park Place, while Apple Sauce (I mean really WHO GIVES OUT APPLE SAUCE ON HALLOWEEN?!) was like Baltic Ave. Having spent so much time pouring over every. last. piece of candy, I think I’ve become somewhat of an expert. So, I bring you my list of the all time Top 5 BEST Halloween Trick-or Treat Treats.

1) 100 Grand: It’s like a Nestle crunch bar meets a Milky Way meets Amazingness.

2) Peanut Butter Twix and Peanut Butter M&Ms. No explanation needed.

3) Double Stuffed Oreo’s with the Bright Orange Frosting. I’m not even sure if they make these anymore, but nothing says childhood like playing the Oreo game.

4) Skittles. The non chocolate version of M&Ms. Note to self: Don’t stick them up your nose…

5) Whatchamacallits. Mainly because I love the name and still find it slipping into my vocabulary. You know, while playing games of Concentration or jumping around on my Skip-It.

And an honorary spot has to go out to any big candy bar given. Those houses were the BEST. They were few and far between, but they were total jackpots. I bet if you drove through your old neighborhood now you could point out the houses that gave out the full sized Snickers.

Oh and I totally ate those before I got home, or hid them in my room… it took too much room up in the bucket and there was no way those other children were getting their paws on that treasure.

What are your favorites?

Here’s one good review of the Audio-Technica ATH-AD700, one of AT’s premiere open-design, circumaural headphones. Also, the AD700 is offered in the U.S. unlike other Audio-Technica Japan-only imports. The review is by Andrew Kliem of Good Gear Guide.

The review

Many people underestimate the differences between closed and open headphones, pegging both models in a certain series as having a similar sound. Audio Technica produces a both a closed and open variant of each model (the A900 and AD900), and whilst they definitely have a trademark sound across the range, often other elements couldn’t sound more different.

Take the AD700 for example. Many people would simply look at the model number and slot it somewhere between the A500 and A900 in terms of sound quality – big mistake! The AD700 has a noticeably lighter sound that really lends it a different sonic signature altogether.

We would describe the AD700 as the perfect classical headphone in this price bracket, but it is also wonderful for jazz, acoustic guitar and piano pieces. It is an open model, which means bass tends not to be as booming and powerful, (on a closed model there is room for echo) so on heavy metal and dance tracks, bass fanatics will probably miss the extra punch. That said, the bass is incredibly quick and tight on this model – a case of quality over quantity – so it really depends how you like your music to sound.

The upper mid tones and highs are the real strengths of this model. The AD700 has some of the most exquisite detail and separation you will hear without spending several hundred dollars more. Instruments flow from one to the other with a beautiful layering effect that brings out the full sound of a large performance (eg: Orchestra). Some people will find the highs a little too bright for their tastes, but we absolutely adored the sound.

The mid range was rich and slightly warm, with a lovely, smooth texture. Our acoustic guitar rock, songs such as Patience by Guns and Roses sounded simply amazing.

The other real strength of this model is the soundstage. To put it simply, we haven’t heard anything as immersive as the AD700. The power and positioning of the individual instruments is mind boggling, surpassing pretty much everything we have seen in this price range (including the A900). Soundstage is paramount to a proper listening experience. If you can close your eyes and visualise the sound in the appropriate place it goes a long way towards creating that spine tingling feeling we strive for when listening to our favourite tunes. The massive soundstage is also perfect for positional audio. We’d venture that in terms of un-amplified headphones, it doesn’t get much better for games than the AD700s.

The AD700 sports the classical Audio Technica Design that has served them so well with this series. Large cups padded with velour and supported by two padded wings that rest on the top of the head. Stretching over that are two thin strips of plastic which appear quite flimsy but feel strong to touch. All of Audio Technica’s headphones are incredibly comfortable, and this model is no exception. As an open headphone, the AD700’s cups merely rest against the ear, rather than enclosing it, which made it easy to listen to even during sessions of up to six hours. They are however rather large, so wearing them around the streets will earn you the odd confused stare.

The open design of course leads to the inevitable problem of sound leakage. The AD700s do not isolate well, but that is to be expected. If you plan on using these in an office, ensure you invest in some ear plugs for those around you.

Check Audio-Tecnhica ATH-AD700 prices.

Here’s the full product description and specifications of Audio-Technica’s ATH-AD1000. Reviews coming soon.

Description

The Audio-Technica ATH-AD1000 is Audio-Technica’s second to top-of-the-line luxury open style headphone. Featuring a sound only an avid audiophile could appreciate at half the price of its superior brother, the ATH-AD1000 represents a good price/performance point in Audio-Technica’s line. Like the rest of the AD line it is also very comfortable, an important variable when considering a headphone. Due to it’s open design, large body and high price tag, the ATH-AD1000 is not a good option for travel or listening on the go. Rather, it is much better suited for use in a quieter environment for things such as gaming, watching tv or listening to music.

Specifications

• Impedance: 40ohms
• Frequency Response: 5-40,000Hz
• Connector: 1/8″ mini, 1/4″ adapter included
• Weight: 250g
• Isolation: 0dB
• Open air dynamic element headphone
• Aluminum matte housing with soft leather earpads
• 53mm drivers
• Copper clad aluminum wire (CCAW) voice coils
• Neodymium magnets