Cover of Björk's Homogenic (One Little Indian, 1997); image courtesy of slantmagazine.com

Cover for Björk's Vespertine (One Little Indian, 2001); image courtesy of harmony-korine.com

When I began conceptualizing this blog in the ol’ brainspace, one of the first sections I came up with was “Records That Made Me a Feminist.” I knew Björk was going to get at least one entry. Homogenic and Vespertine each played a vital part of shaping my politics. So, I figured out I’d probably have to write about them together.

Pairing albums for this section of the blog is something I originally wanted to do this when covering Erykah Badu’s Mama’s Gun, which I started listening to around the same time as PJ Harvey’s Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea. I liked the idea of dialoguing seemingly dissimilar work by female artists with one another, but I feared covering those two albums together would short-shrift the artists who made them. However, talking about two distinct pieces of work by one woman seemed easier. And essential. So here we go.

I must admit that covering Björk’s 1997 and 2000 full-length releases present its own political challenges that makes me think critically about how I understand and practice feminism. Both of these albums made me a feminist largely because of the boys I was preoccupied with at the time.

But while my initial reception and resulting connections to them were tied up with potentially normative feelings around romantic angst and heterosexual coupling, I feel the albums speak to my development at the time as well as transcend it. In other words, Homogenic and Vespertine may remind me of boys I used to date, but they speak to larger, more overtly feminist issues as well.

Of course, being a feminist doesn’t mean you can’t like boys or be hung up on them from time to time, so long as you don’t let them run your life. Which I don’t think Björk endorses in either of these records, even though she herself has an ambivalent relationship with feminism (though not with calling out the music industry’s sexist practices of attributing male engineers and instrumental songwriters).

Importantly, as both albums were prescient to my development, they also went over my head when I first listened to them. Debut and Post were more accessible and, as a result, I liked them almost immediately. It was hard for 10-year-old me not to fall for the girl dancing through New York City on a flatbed in the music video for “Big Time Sensuality.”

But Björk’s next two albums took more time to process. Both albums mark advances in the artist’s production sensibilities, approaches to music-making, and interest in electronic instrumentation. Thus, just as Björk had to evolve as a musician before creating these albums, I had to mature a bit as a person before liking them as a fan.

So, Homogenic came out just as I was starting high school. I don’t exactly remember when I bought it, but I think it was sometime toward the end of junior year. I completely ignored it at the time. Or rather, I listened to it once, went “ooh, so angry!” and put Post back on.

The particulars I’ll keep to myself for the sake of decorum. Suffice it to say that I dated someone for a little while, fell in love, we broke up, and I spent a little over a year trying to get us back together. It didn’t work out. Eventually I got over him and whatever I thought we were, but not without some pain and denial and then serious personal re-evaluation. The healing process involved some righteous anger, loud parties, several bottles of wine and other goodies, and burgeoning feminist development. After a rough start, 19 turned out to be a pretty okay year. Homogenic was its soundtrack.

Now, I have no problem acknowledging that this guy was a total jerk to me. But feminism isn’t only about recognizing and calling out chauvinistic bullshit. It’s also about self-empowerment, personal accountability, and un-learning heteronormativity and patriarchal co-dependence. It isn’t always just the guy’s fault, even when it is.

Thus, I also have to own up to being really needy and delusional at the time. I pinned my worth on whoever I was dating without questioning whether being with them was actually good for me. So I projected my own big feelings and insecurities on someone who clearly didn’t want to be with me. I was ignoring the reality of the situation and, as a result, my own well-being. I finally recognized what I was doing when confronted with the lyric “How could I be so immature to think he could replace the missing elements in me — how extremely lazy of me.” 

Kinda appropriate that a break-up record got me over mine, no? Apparently, Björk made the album after breaking up with drum’n'bass musician Goldie while they were working on their own project. Hence lines like “So you left me on my own to complete the mission, but now I’m leaving it all behind.” But it pretty much hit all the right notes of melancholy, indignation, rage, and feisty recovery for me. I’m a quarter Norwegian on my mother’s side, so even the line ”I thought I could organize freedom — how Scandinavian of me” in “Hunter” applied.

Attention must be paid to the album’s sound and how it marked a musical departure for Björk. Post was an eclectic mix that boasted songs like “Army of Me,” “Enjoy,” and “Headphones,” that opened up her sound to include state-of-the-art aggressive digital distortion and serene electronic minimalism.

While this was evident in the production work Tricky and 808 State’s Graham Massey did on Post, it wasn’t the focus. It would come to define the artistic work she began doing with producers like Mark Bell on Homogenic and would continue to do with Matmos on Vespertine. But I’d hedge that most casual listeners just remember Post’s ”It’s Oh So Quiet,” which was produced by Björk’s then-mainstay, Nellee Hooper, the man responsible for all the production on her breakthrough Debut. He was also responsible for “Hyperballad,” which I’d argue suggests the artist’s shift, which is fully evident on her next album.

Man, I wish I could post the music video, but WMG has apparently disabled the audio. All the more reason to check out Michel Gondry’s Directors Label DVD, or any of the other myriad DVD titles that have documented her videography.

So Homogenic marks a transition from being a pop star to an artist who challenges her listeners’ ears and expectations with each release. By 1997, we also heard alternative pop stars like Beck and Radiohead establish themselves similarly with Odelay and OK Computer. We would hear Radiohead do it again in 2000 with the mind-blowing Kid A, where they really demonstrated their love for electronic instrumentation and experimental production techniques.

Björk was already on this path in 1997, but while Radiohead looked outward toward the fallabilities of modern life, Björk looked inward at the seductive pleasures and wobbly peculiarities of domestic life and partnership on her next record, rapturing at her voice’s clicks and finding percussive possibilities out of shuffled decks of cards. I don’t think these innovations went unnoticed when Radiohead went to work on In Rainbows. To me, Vespertine’s influence is all over a song like “Nude,” which was originally an outtake from OK Computer. This is further confirmed by the band’s rendition of Homogenic’s ”Unravel” as a tip of the hat. As if lead singer Thom Yorke’s backing vocals on “Náttúra” aren’t enough.

Hmmm. Maybe at some point, I’ll consider Yorke’s duets with Björk and PJ Harvey. Yorke is one of my favorite vocalists, a fact confirmed by a recent revisit of Hail to the Thief. If one of my friends ran a blog on male masculinity and music culture, I’d pen a guest entry in a second.

But I was afflicted with a troubled mind when Vespertine first came out. In addition to boy heartache, I was going through some considerable familial strife. I was also starting my first semester of college, so a tackier person might blame 9/11.

After seeing the music video for “Hidden Place,” I dutifully bought the album, along with My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless, another at-the-time inscrutable release, at the Tower Records by campus. I listened to the album a few times, but my head was not in the right place for it. It was too contented and quiet. I couldn’t hear it. And then for a little while all I could hear was Homogenic at full volume.

Stills from the video that convinced me to buy "Vespertine"; image courtesy of unit.bjork.com

To be blunt, Vespertine didn’t really make sense to me until I started having sex. Critics like Ryan Dombal would seem to concur. I remember seeing her performance of ”Cocoon” on Jay Leno and thinking that it was really quiet, but totally not getting how micro-embodied intimacy is the song’s entire purpose. While I had a good understanding of mechanics and had engaged in related activities before going into my first listen, I don’t think a song like “Cocoon” makes sense to a person unless they’ve experienced it, to speak euphemistically, in a corporeal sense.

BTW, yes that is Bill O’Reilly adjusting his tie. If he was actually listening to the song, I’m sure he’d be appalled by how delightfully, defiantly sexual this song is and that it was performed uncensored on network television. Watching it now, I can’t believe I wasn’t really listening. Maybe I should have been leaning into the television.  

Again, the particulars here aren’t really important. I was a week or so into being 20 and, frankly,  didn’t want to be a virgin anymore. The guy was someone willing, it was fun, and didn’t last very long.

In short, the romanticism and emotional connectedness that is often built into such an experience was not there, nor do I regret that it wasn’t. I would find that later, which would make my understanding of those aspects of Vespertine more profound and further develop my feminist principles.

I bring sex into the discussion because I, to borrow briefly from Arrested Development’s George Michael Bluth, find Vespertine’s complex eroticism one of its most key contributions to what made me a feminist. Though perhaps a stretch and certainly not without its own distinctions, I tend to think of this album in accord with Audre Lorde’s wonderful essay “Uses of the erotic: the erotic as power.”

And while I don’t know if this entry’s subject has read the essay, something tells me that the same woman who identifies as bisexual and recognizes the erotic potential in mundane activities would concur with much of the theorist’s thesis.

Of course, feminists must also have the wherewithal to recognize that eroticism, even ephemeral evidence like orgasms, are luxuries to some women and girls. Not everyone is given a space, a country, or a political system that allows them the safety and freedom to enjoy and explore these possibilities.

But eroticism isn’t about cataloging who did what to whom for Björk. As David Fricke gestured toward in his review of the album for Rolling Stone, it might be everywhere, at once tangible and theoretical.

This is where I think it’s important to consider the album’s production sensibilities and Björk’s particular uses of her voice. In addition to non-conventional practices like sampling and turning seemingly non-musical domestic items into instruments, the singer’s voice is the album’s real focus. Because of how closely she’s miked, you can hear every tic, breath, whispered turn of phrase, and any other sound coming out of her mouth. As a result, her voice becomes a varied and vital instrument, an idea she has continued to develop and that has continued to stay with me.

iPod Shuffle 2nd Generation

It was last year when I was offered an iPod Shuffle 2nd Generation. I refused because I didn’t want it at that time. Then months elapsed and Apple introduced the new iPod Shuffle 3rd Generation. This time I am not offered it so I am going to ask it myself. iPod Shuffle is part of my wishlist for this year and the demand has been formally forwarded but it would take a few months before I’d be able to own this beauty.

So why iPod shuffle instead of iPod Nano? The answer is simple I want Shuffle for strictly audio purposes. Its audio quality is great. Besides, it is small, light and sleek.

iPod Shuffle 3rd Generation

iPod Shuffle 3G is available in 2GB (500 songs) and 4GB (1000 songs). The design has been totally different from the 2G. In the previous generation all the buttons were on the surface. While in this one except for the on and off button which is located on the top corner the rest of the controls are on the headphone wire. The plus and minus buttons are for turning up or down the volume. If the button is hit once it plays the song, hit again for pause, hit twice and the next song is played. If you hold the button down for a second it tells which song you are listening to.

Many people, who have been using iPod 3G says that the buttons on the earphone wire is convenient because one doesn’t need to dig hands in pocket again and again for turning off or changing the song.

For those who don’t like bud style earphones and prefer the bigger ones, the third party headphone adapters are available.

iPod Shuffle 3G was initially available in black and silver colors but later on it was introduced in three more colors. So all in all this new iPod Shuffle 3G is smaller, thinner but a little longer than the 2G. I hope it would be a nice experience with my first ever Apple product.

In the Box

• iPod shuffle
• Earphones with Remote
• iPod shuffle USB Cable (1.8 inches/45 mm)
• Quick Start guide

For other technical specifications please visit Apple

Welcome to the world of Luxury Entertainment. I-AudioVideo.com is home to some of the most needed Entertainment solutions.

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At Audio Video we are committed to providing solutions for all your Audio & Video needs.

Author:
Mike Adams
11/24/2009

In this episode, Mike takes a look at the special deals you can get at the TechHub this holiday season. Following that, we show some highlights from our SkullCandy event we held in the store, where people traded in their old headphones for a free pair of SkullCandy ones. But stay tuned, because after that we show you how to take a screenshot on your Mac and Windows PCs.

In the home recording studio.

A wears: headphones, jumpsuit, guitar, optimism.
B wears: jeans, intense expression

A: B, how about if you fit the rhythm track around the vocal? Because the vocal is good, y’know, and the guitar is really hard to do.

B: No

A: Go on, B, it’ll be fun.

B: Ummm. No.

A: Please?

<5 minutes>

B: Ok, listen:

A: B, you’ve made it all out of time.

B: ..

A: B?

B: ..

A: This is lyrical song, B, it doesn’t conform to structuralist ideas of tempo.

…B?

B: .. You want me to turn the click up in the headphone?

A: Yes please.

Sony MDR-DS7100 7.1 channel wireless headphones system included a surround processor DP-RF7100 and wireless headphones MDR-RF7100. It is a 2.4GHz virtual 7.1 channels digital surround system. The DS7100 adopted a new Virtualphones technology PT?that can produce a 7.1 channel from a 5.1 channel sound source. Also the driver unit has been upgrade to a 50mm driver unit with 30% increased 13 hours of battery life. The wireless technology gives you the freedom to move around in a distance of 30m (95feet) from the processor. The MDR-DS7100 enables an easy connection to your home audio system, TV, PC, DVD player or VCR. Hear the difference. Available in Black color only.

Here are the Specs of the MDR-DS7100
Virtualphone technology to produce a 7.1 channel from a 5.1 channel sound source
Can enjoy the sound source of a multi channel by the sound field feeling of virtual 7.1ch by installing new Virtualphones Technology corresponding to Dolby NR professional logic IIx.
It corresponds to Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital surround EX, DTS, DTS-ES matrix, discrete DTS-ES, and MPEG-2 AAC.
Equipped with game mode prepared under the supervision of sound designer of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Transmission range of up to 95 feet (30m).
Closed dynamic type.
50mm CCAW drivers unit.
Frequency: 6-25,000Hz.
Lithium-ion rechargeable battery included.
Battery life: 13 hours (Battery fully charged), 4 hours (Quick charged for 30 minutes).
Headphone weight at 300g excluding the cord. The processor unit weight 285g.
2 x Optical input and 1 x Analog input.
Processor unit at 146mm x 36mm x 146mm in size.
Package included 2 x 100-240V power adapters, 1 x optical connector cable. 1 x Japanese User Manual.
Optional MDR-RF7100 additional headphones can be purchased for multiple headphone enjoyment
Available in Black color only.

You can check it out at AccessoryJack.

Sony MDR-DS7100 7.1 Channel Digital Surround Wireless Headphones System

Jack
24 November, 2009

Are you ready to find a new pair of headphones for your iPod, MP3 player, stereo, or even you’re TV but don’t know where to look? Don’t fret! There are manufacturers coming out with new headset options on a regular basis, which leaves your options wide open. One of those manufacturers is Sony. They have been in business for many years as a leader in electronics and have plenty of options in headphones for their consumers. So without further ado, let’s take a closer look at Sony headphones!

About Sony Headphones

The Sony Corporation is broken up into various segments that manage varying areas of economic growth. Their Sony Group segment manages financial services, entertainment, games and electronics – and electronics is where you can find their headphones. They offer tons of variety in their headsets, including noise cancelling and wireless. So let’s take a look at the options they have to offer so that you can better decide what Sony headphones would be a good match for you.

Over the Ear

Over-the-ear (or circumaural) headphones are popular for those who want to block out noises around them to strictly tune in to their music. There are several different Sony headphones models that come in this style. Here is one:

MDR D777LP Altus Headphones – These headphones are said to offer great passive noise blocking. They will work well for those who travel often and need to block out the sounds of babies crying and engines revving up. Feature-wise, they offer 80 KHz frequency response, earcups that are leather-padded and fold up into the headband, and a switchable diaphragm that either can block out noise from the outside world, or let a little in depending on the position it is in. One of the negatives of this product is that the cups tend to fit rather tightly (I guess to seal in the style). This can be problematic for those with slightly larger ears for they can offer a rather uncomfortable fit. Also, the bass in these phones are said to not be as present as in other brands. Remember to take all of the pros and cons of this product into consideration – including its $150 price tag – when making your decision to buy.

On the Ear

On-the-ear headphones sit right on the ear and are often good for allowing you to hear the music well, though they may not block out as much outside noise as the over-the-ear style. Here are a few Sony headphones that offer this on-the-ear style:

DR-BT22 – This model is Bluetooth-enabled, which means it is wireless so if your cell phone is Bluetooth compatible, you can answer your phone with this headset then switch over to listening to music on your phone if you like. It also comes with a remote that allows you to control the headset’s basic functions. When you’re not using it, you can charge its rechargeable batteries and when you’re ready to store it, you can fold it up easily and pack it away.

DR-BT21G/B – This model is also Bluetooth-enabled (which is definitely what’s hot nowadays). Similar to the DR-BT22 model, they allow you to move about freely without being held back by wires – always a bonus. They also have rechargeable batteries that, when fully charged, allow you to have up to 11 hours of playback time. They are of a slightly different style than the BT22s, however, because they sit behind the neck instead of over the head. This can be good for some and not-so-good for others – it truly depends on our preference. But at least you have tons of options, such as remote control and built-in microphone that allows you to record your own voice.

In the Ear

In-the-ear headphones, or earbuds, are very popular among those who enjoy taking their music outdoors with them. They are lighter, easier to wear (in most cases) and allow you to hear more around you (also, in most cases). There are many in-the-ear Sony headphones available. Here are just a few:

DR-EX151 – These headphones were created largely to be used with the virtual world. They can work well with internet telephone service, internet chat, internet meetings and even your phones voice recognition. They have an EX design (hence the name) that is said to help reduce surrounding noise, which creates a clearer sound. The earbud itself, or inner ear headphone, is 9 mm in size, which means it should be able to fit in the smallest of ears. While they are very versatile in their use, they do not provide the mobility many might want for they are not wireless. But for the price tag – $14.95 – some people might say the lack of freedom is worth it.

DR-BT10CX Bluetooth® Stereo Earbud Headset – Where the DR-EX151 may have been lacking (in mobility, mostly) the DR-BT10CX Bluetooth Stereo Earbuds definitely pick up the slack. They don’t do it at a cheap price however (average cost is $99). But before you run away screaming, let’s see what you get for your money. The first thing is freedom of movement. Because they have Bluetooth technology they allow you to link them to your favorite Bluetooth-enabled A2DP device, whether it is your cell phone, PC, iPod, MP3 player or stereo. With these Sony headphones, you get up to 11 hours of talk or music listening time and when you’re not using them you get up to 100 hours of standby time on a full charge – impressive! Most importantly, if you want to go out and exercise or jog, you can wear these earbuds while listening to your mobile device without having to worry about getting tangled in wires, or wearing some awkward contraption on your head.

No matter what style or model of Sony headphones you are interested in buying, there is no doubt that you have a ton of options to choose from (many more than mentioned in this article). The best way to choose which ones are the best for you is to go to your local store and test them out for the best fit, sound quality, and which give you the features you want. After that, you will be able to bring your Sony headphones home to enjoy them with the knowledge that you found the best ones for you.

This Illustration Friday submission for “Music” is pretty straight forward. Music is such a broad topic and pinpointing what to illustrate is somewhat challenging.  To some it is about poetry, to others a way of escape. I find comfort in listening to music with my headphones for a number of reasons including both poetry and escape. Not only is the subject wearing headphones (an obvious indicator of music), she is having a personal experience with music. Something I find myself doing often. Seems worthy enough reason for an illustration.

I started with a vector illustration based on an image I had tucked away. I then took the vector artwork into photoshop and added some water color texture and then played with blurs and blending modes. Simple really. Enjoy and all comments are appreciated!

Vector illustration before photoshop work.

It has been a while since I took a decent shot with my camera. So yesterday, I put myself up to the task and this is what I got!

Skullcandy Ink’d Earbuds. Dead. About 3 months of use. LIGHT use. Like I listen to music while in transit and that’s about it. Something wrong with the jack I think. Need new ones because I don’t want to die a slow and painful death on the bus every day. Not being dramatic. I’m serious. Recommendations? Hook-ups?

Torno da casa di Claudio dopo una folle serata con i ragazzi, dopo aver fatto casino fino a notte fonda, semplicemente stando insieme e ridendo e scherzando su qualsiasi cosa. In testa il casco, dietro di me Melania che mi parla della sua intenzione di voler fare il militare, intorno la notte. Lascio Melania davanti alla sua porta, ci salutiamo con una risata, riparto. Le mani intorpidite dal freddo, poche luci, solo il rumore del mio scooter. Mi fermo all’incrocio buio, la lampadina del lampione è fulminata: intorno a me soltanto l’oscurità che distorce le sagome delle case addormentate, l’unico suono è ancora quello del motore quasi soffocato dal freddo. Sento che la città è nelle mie mani. Vado piano, cerco di ridurre al minimo il rombo del motore, taglio l’aria gelida e umida quasi con solennità, stupendomi dell’aura di irrealtà che mi avvolge mentre procedo verso casa, come se fossi l’ultimo sopravvissuto di una cittadina che sembra dormire anche di giorno. Arrivo davanti a casa, spengo il motore e resto un po’ fermo ad ascoltare lo strano silenzio che invade la città. Osservo la luna che mi occhieggia da sopra il tetto dello scheletro della casa che veglia alla mia destra, ormai, da tanti anni , celata appena dal mio fiato condensato. A sinistra la strada continua, gialla per i malinconici lampioni che vomitano schivi la loro pallida luce, e s’interrompe contro il muretto, dietro cui si staglia la sagoma minacciosa della scuola magistrale. Un gatto mi passa davanti di corsa, dopo aver fatto cadere un sacco dal secchio dell’immondizia: mi risveglio dal mio breve torpore, apro il portone del garage e accendo la fredda luce al neon, che non fa altro che aumentare il forte senso di isolamento. La falsa paura che qualcuno possa rapinarmi dentro casa, a quell’ora della notte, mi fa sorridere mentre spingo lo scooter dentro il box. Mi fermo davanti alla soglia, ripenso a quanto possa apparire inerme e magica la mia città, Vittoria, di notte, riprovo la sensazione del freddo contro la mia faccia, che adoro. Chiudo il portone. Nell’aria, “Headphones”.

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

Everyone should learn how to store their ear buds correctly.  As you probably know, ear buds can be very expensive pieces of audio equipment, and they usually don’t last very long because regular use tends to wear them out quickly.  What you may not know is that there are several easy things that you can do to dramatically increase the lifespan of your ear buds.  Click the following link to continue reading about how to properly store your ear buds to ensure that your personal audio equipment lasts for the longest time possible: How to Store Your Ear Buds Correctly.

QotD: “I have no pity.”

I watched Red Dragon earlier in the day rather than tonight and I did go out with friends. I have some money left but not a lot. Not as much as I’d like. But, I made sure to trade it well, for precious liquids.

So, I’m typing this in Word so that I can fix spelling mistakes, for once. Liquids and spelling do not go together all that well. Tomorrow night promises to be even more damp, but that isn’t costly. It also promises to be smokey, considering the crowd, not my usual conspirators, but friends of friends who I approve of, some of them. Not all.

At the moment it is late into the dark and I am enjoying Lou Reed’s relaxing songs of violence and menace, sitting in the darkness of my room with the light coming from my screen and from the window, which, for once, isn’t creating an “artificial night”, but letting in the real one. Melbourne nights are bright, which I like. I enjoy slow walks home, relaxed by drink, a cool breeze, light enough to see everything but dim enough to not need sunglasses. But you still wear them, of course.

Someone has taken my lovely headphones, so I’m using my speakers. I don’t usually do that at this time of night, as I’d prefer to have it louder, but my housemates aren’t about like me tonight. The moon is away so most of the monsters are away. I can barely hear this, fuck it, it’s going up.

I feel like sitting outside, I might go do that now.

(break)

It’s nice outside tonight; I wish someone else was awake. The sun is around the other side and there’s a breeze. No stars, but the sky is always nice to look at. Cicadas can fuck off elsewhere though. Or I’ll go where they aren’t, I’m not a fan.

I’ll write more on Red Dragon another time.

I met some alright people tonight, some I knew already. Not everyone impressed me, but nobody was too bad, it was a comfortable crowd.

I want another drink, but I don’t know if I need one.

(break)

I got one.

The problem with nights like these, they have the potential for being great, long nights with friends, but there are no friends around. I’m often fine with solitude, but when I’ve been with people and I’m still in a people mood, then they’re not there. I’m just here, by myself, making incomplete sentences in the dark.

Tomorrow will be better, the words that get you through today,

Goodnight cow, goodnight moon, goodnight cow jumping over the moon,

Your damp, smoked song of violence and menace,

TDE

Paul Smith headphones

No fashion without music I guess. Even listening to music can be a fashionable thing to do, with a little help of Sir Paul Smith. If you like headphones with a touch of gold, then these are the ones for you!

Paul Smith collaborated with Audio-Technica for a pair headphones with a gold aluminium housing. The ATH-A50 full size stereo headphones are inscribed with Mr Smith’s signature.

You can find them in the Paul Smith online store for £140,- Maybe a nice Christmas gift for someone?

So a lot of us listen to music on iPods and such, in the car, and attend concerts where the music is loud etc. and with time everyone loses a certain amount of their hearing. But just how bad is it? If you don’t have the time or can’t be bothered to get it tested, you can just try this (unscientific) test out to get an idea of how bad your ears might be:

http://www.noiseaddicts.com/2009/03/can-you-hear-this-hearing-test/

I’m including the sound clips here so they’ll be easier to play, but before you listen to them reset your equalizer (if you have some sort of program for your sound card, like Realtek, otherwise just listen) and don’t turn up the volume too much, keep it at a natural level. At one point you will stop hearing anything, just let me know which point that is.

(warning: the lower frequencies are loud, turn the volume down as I said before)

At one point you’ll just “feel” the sound, this is basically the value that I want to know, after which you won’t really hear anything. I can hear up to 18 kHz, and I can “feel” 19, the rest are just… well… nothing. I listen to music pretty loud, my headphones go up to 115db, and my mp3’s play at 98db, so I should probably step it down a bit. If you stop hearing early then you should probably go get it checked to be sure. Remember, this isn’t a scientific test, you can also try this one here: http://www.rnid.org.uk/howwehelp/hearing_check/take_online_hearing_check/

Happy hearing!

Fones Skullcandy NBA series.Wish list pro Natal, aqui tu acha pra vender esses e outros modelos super hypes…

via : dailydrop

Ecco le nuove realese di Skullcandy per NBA Player Series sono attese come nuovo orgoglio per tutti i tifosi del globo. Questa nuova serie di cuffie sarà disponibile dal mese di dicembre: inizialmente la serie delle NBA Player sono state lanciate con la firma di Deron Williams e Andre Iguodala. Skullcandy ha ottenuto la licenza per prodotti NBA e che include stilose headphones per alcuni dei più famosi players di oggi: Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Garnett Dwight Howard e LeBron James.
State connessi per eventuali firme di nuovi giocatori nei mesi successivi, tutti gli 8 headphones sono disponibili in nuove versioni colorate.

Riders, se gradite qualche accessorio davvero sofisticato e di qualità ecco a voi l’articolo giusto: il designer Paul Smith ha collaborato con Audio- Technica per un paio di ATH – A50- full size di stereo headphones. La serie, ovviamente limitata, è stata realizzata con rifiniture dorate di alluminio con impressa la firma di PS sull’esterno delle cuffie. Le headphones saranno distribuite all’interno di un packaging disegnato da Paul Smith.
Già disponibili presso gli stores PS e online.
Ecco a voi alcuni dettagli:

The Sony MDR-XB500 Extra Bass Headphones – 40mm

Pros: Comfortable, Extremely Lightweight, Sound quality is very precise, Cord is a decent length

Cons: If music is played too loud, audio escapes the headphones

This is the best purchase I have made all year. I used to own a pair of zune 2 earbuds which in my opinion has great bass and audio quality. They stopped working however and I decided to get headphones instead of earbuds. When I made my purchase and bought these, they immediately blew the Zune v2 earbuds and anything else I could have bought out of the water! They are extremely comfortable! The “King Size” sofa cushions are definitely softer than you will ever expect and they ear easy on your ears, making long usage comforting. The sound quality is amazing and the bass is killer. For those worrying about size, any over the ear headphones one buys is going to be big, but these are just right. Also, the volume is so audible that you won’t need to play anything at more than half the volume. If you do this, you will block all sound around you without need to deafen you. However, if you do like to buck the volume on your device then yes, you will get amazing deafening sound. The only problem with this is that if you are playing something really loud and there are people around you they will hear what you are listening to. That is my only gripe.

I give these headphones 5 out of 5.