eBay is my savior!!!

Yes you read it correctly... eBay is a gift!
But as our pal from the T.V. series "MONK" would say, it's also a curse.

Why my savior?

It's being known that I buy a lot of stuff that usually stays picking up
dirt in a closet or a room. I'm kind of a hoarder for technology, games and all that stuff. And although I had used eBay before, lately I've been wanting to "clean up" the house and this auction site has been a great help!

What have I sold?

As of today, these past few months have basically been tech stuff and games.

1) Kodak Pocket Zi8 HD Camcorder
2) Super Nintendo Games Bundle (including Super Metroid, Actraiser 2 and bonus)
3) GameBoy Advanced RPG bundle (Golden Sun series, Final Fantasy series)
4) Michael Jordan Basketball Cards with RARE BUNDLE!

etc.

Why is it a curse?

Come on... simple... I'm a compulsive buyer and eBay is the perfect place to lure people like me in! ;-) I have sold all that stuff but I have also bought a couple of things. Thing is that I'm being more careful and I'm only buying stuff that I KNOW I WILL USE!!!! It seems I'm learning right?!? Right?!? Better late than never!

What I'm currently selling?

Couple of things:

Sony Handycam DCR-TRV460 Camcorder with EXTRAS



I bought this camera to transfer old 8mm tapes and once I did, I didn't used it anymore... maybe a couple of times but not enough to warrant staying with me... so.. IT NEEDS TO GO!

Miscellaneous PC parts --> Hard Disk Drive



This "pull" was from an old Dell Precision that was sold from work. I used it a lot actually but once the Power Supply from those big ass machines went out, I didn't wanted to spend in PSUs (proprietary PSUs BTW)... so out the PC parts go!!! :-p

Sony Playstation 1 Games



Sold a couple of games locally but still have a couple lying around so.. THEY NEED TO GO. Final Fantasy VIII was good but not great (I actually enjoyed Final Fantasy IX more than this one) and Crash Bandicoot was entertaining enough...

Old PC Game LOT



Who didn't use to play PC games?
All geeks did (do!).

Here I put up for auction a bunch of old games including favorites like: Entomorph, Full Throttle, etc.

Anyway, as you can see, I have stuff I wasn't using and was not going to use so, eBay, I LOVE YOU!!!!!


;-)

Bye

Monoprice MHP-839/Kicker HP541 DECALS!!!

Hello...

Remember my review from a long time ago (like 10 minutes ago!?!) where I talk about how the Monoprice headphones are really CLONES of Kicker headphones? Well, since they are so similar, there are decals that go right with it and I did buy one of those just to test them.

Decalgirl offers a bunch of decals for kicker headphones. I decided on a weird looking one:



If you remember long ago (a couple of years), I did buy decals from this very same company for my Playstation 3. I liked it a lot so I went with the same company and I can safely say that the quality is still top-notch, easy to use and looks great.



Pretty straight-forward to "install" on the cups... and the end result.



Gave it a bit more life than a boring "Monoprice" or "Kicker" logo would have.
Quite satisfied.!

:-p


See ya!

A bit more active...

Yeah I know...

I'll try to post a bit more, I just need to find the time to do so.
Hopefully with all the movies I have lying around and all the things I've been buying and selling, I can probably have content to keep on talking/writing shit!

Talk to youse later!

Monoprice MHP-839 Pro Headphones == Kicker HP541 ?!?

STOP RIGHT THERE!!!!

If you are thinking of buying Kicker HP541 headphones, DON'T DO IT! Why? Because, why waste $50 bucks if you can spend $21 and get the same cans!?

Yes, that seems to be the conclusion over at head-fi's! So I decided to give these budget cans a try.



As you've probably seen from my other mini reviews, I love mid-centric headphones. The Shure sound seems to be something I crave whenever I listen to ANY headphones but that also limits me because some genres just don't sound as great. The Shure 940s are my main headphones now and general conclusion is that those are bass-shy/light cans. I concur of course. So I needed something with a bit of punch, with a warmer signature, so I decided on these (Ed. Note: I just ordered another pair of cans which are much "bassier" so I'll probably sell/give these). Also, those will be connected to my work laptop and my Shure's to my MP3 player.

Anyway, let's continue.

Specifications:

Driver Unit 50 mm
Impedance 40 ohms
Sensitivity 100 +/- 3 dB / 1mW (S.P. L at 1 k Hz)
Frequency Response 20 Hz to 20 kHz
Wire Length 3500 mm (11.4')



What's in the box?

Pretty bare box. Contains:

* 1x MEP-839 Pro Headphones
* 1x 11.5 ft long 3.5 mm M/M audio cable
* 1x 50 inch long 3.5 mm M/M audio cable
* 1x 3.5 mm F to 1/4" M adapter plug

and that's it. Oh yes... you noticed that right?
DETACHABLE CABLES!!!! (for $20 cans, this is a great addition!!)

Sound and my views.

First of all, I don't find these all that comfortable. Pads are too little (and NO GUYS, I don't have GIANT ears!! LOL :-p), headband cushioning is not that good, and it's a bit flimsy. Of course, these are $20 headphones so I wasn't expecting the feel of my beloved Shure's nor the most comfortable headphones ever the Audio Technica's AD700.



Sound-wise though I was REALLY surprised.
These $20 cans actually comes close to the sound reproduction of the Shure 440s.
Ok ok before you bite my head off, the clarity is not at great NOR are the highs and mids, but these budget cans are good. What's best than my 440s though is BASS RESPONSE and ATTACK. These Monoprice headphones are really bassy but they don't drown out the mids nor highs. I've been listening everything from acoustic to DnB and they perform well! They WONT take the place of the Shure 440s at home, but for something you can carry everywhere without worrying of breakage, etc. these are awesome.



If they were a bit more comfortable, it would be hard to suggest headphones like the Shure 440s and even the Audio Technica's M50s! (which I know for a fact have more recessed mids than the monoprice cans!).

The main thing here though is... VALUE!

Kickers HP541 == $50
Shure 440 == $70
A-T M50s == $120

You might be questioning my sanity when I say these $20 headphones do a better job than higher priced cans but I can safely say that... I'M NOT INSANE!!! (I think! :-p). Yep, they sound quite good but...

Are they for me?

If you:

1) Are looking for closed-cans with Ok isolation...
2) Looking for cans with detachable cables
3) Looking for bassy/warm sound reproduction without sacrificing mids/highs

then definitely $20 will go a long way.

Now, if you:

1) Value a more balanced sound
2) NEED comfortable headphones
3) Don't care to spend more than $50

then definitely look for different cans.

I tell you, what KILLS it for me is the feel of the headphones and the lack of pad! If they were bigger and more comfortable, I would be selling my 440s... but they are not so they are relegated to budget-abuse status.


Hope you enjoyed the mini-review!




You can buy these from monoprice.com at: Monoprice

PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset -- Short Impressions/Mini Review

Hello.

It seems I just like to spend money... but I SPEND IT WISELY... I think... lol
Anyway, amazon.com had a MEGA deal not long ago with these "cans". Now, I had my eyes on them but when I saw the price on the deal I HAD to jump on them.

Suggested price: $99
Amazon Deal: $65

Yep, I bit!
And I'm glad I DID!



Introduction:

I have to confess, I don't play too much online. Although I have an Ok amount of online-enabled games, I rarely play them, not because I don't like it, I sometimes don't feel the need to do so (plus I usually suck! LOL!) Still I've always had a thing for having a cool headset. Not any type of headset, but wireless. As everyone knows, there's a few companies out there that have their offerings, in fact, I have tried Turtle Beach X41 cans long ago and found that:

1) They popped and clicked like crazy (even though my router is on another room and I had fresh rechargeable batteries!)
2) They sounded "tiny" EVEN with the bass boost
3) They weren't all that comfortable
4) Movie watching with them wasn't too much fun
5) Mic didn't work with PS3 (it did with Xbox)

So I definitely looked to other brands but dismissed all of them due to price! But Sony has just stepped up!



Specifications:

Sony SUCKS!!! I don't know why they didn't provide any specifications OTHER than functions/features.

* 7.1 digital surround sound (wireless).

* Built-in rechargeable battery delivers seven hours usage on a single charge.

* On-screen headset status updates.

* Easily access headset volume and microphone mute controls.

* Retractable microphone for use only when you need it.

* Enjoy your wireless stereo headset on your PC or Mac®.

COME ON!!!!
Where are the driver sizes? Where are the frequency responses? WTF?!?!
Disappointed!



What's in the box:

Pretty simple:

1) Headset with attached mic
2) USB dongle
3) Small instruction booklet

and that's it! This headset is rechargeable via USB and they didn't include a USB cable.



Functionality:

I do have to say, this headset is pretty much complete! Although, it's a "budget" stereo headset, it includes a couple of functions that are included in more expensive sets, not only that, they are extremely accessible and within reach.

I'm not going to list all of them but as you can see on the pictures below, you get an idea of what it offers...









There's no sound customization though (i.e. if it had some type of equalizer settings or even PRESETS, these would have KILLED!)

Also, be prepared to be frustrated a bit: YOU CANNOT LISTEN TO YOURSELF OVER THE HEADPHONES!!!! Mic sound is not routed to the earpads!!! Or is there a setting hidden somewhere?!?!?

Feel and Sound Reproduction:

Based on my short time with these, I can surely say that MUSIC reproduction SUCKS ASS! Too boomy, not enough details, I don't even know how a frequency graph would look like. It doesn't matter if surround is off or on, I can't enjoy the sound coming out from them. Maybe I'm spoiled! I mean, I have "real" headphones which cost hundreds of dollars and greatly reproduce details from all over the spectrum but when I say that my MONOPRICE DJ HI-FI CANS SOUND BETTER (their cost is $20) that's saying something!

Headband is flimsy but it's comfortable and so are the pads. They are big and cover up your whole ears. Although they look like monsters, they don't weight that much. The fit is great and it looks good too!



Gaming sound reproduction though it's another story. The boomyness is not as palpable, you can actually hear the details (highs seem to be the emphasis but bass response is quite alright.), speech is crystal clear, etc. I haven't played any first person games or things of that nature so I'm not sure if the simulated "surround sound" actually works but I wouldn't be surprised if it did.

Have not tested it with movies yet... (maybe I'll update this post once I do so!).

Conclusion:

Though it sounds like these are a waste of money from my views, actually they are quite alright... FOR GAMING. You get good sound reproduction (gaming), you get a mic, all wireless, integrates great with the PS3 and as a bonus you can use them on your PC and the cost is less than $100. It's a good bargain but I wanted these to be all-around headsets. I wanted to enjoy them with music also!

Should you get it?

If you are looking for:

1) Wireless cans, no fuss, no setups
2) Integrated microphone, good functionality (i.e. control the music/chat volume, don't have to deal with external batteries, etc.)
3) PS3 integration, easy to use
4) Ok sound reproduction (best for gaming)

Then I say you will be pretty much set with these.!
If you can find a good deal on them ($80 or less) I'd say JUMP ON THEM QUICK!



At $100 I still think they are good but I wouldn't buy them.
If you already have a good set of headphones, you might want to look into the Astra Mixamp. Though, you will lack microphone, if you are looking for great sound reproduction, that would be the way to go!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5


Bye.

"I Saw the Devil" --> Mini Review

I will just flat out say it... THIS IS THE BEST REVENGE MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN!!!!

Simple!



Notes about myself:

1) Love horror and black comedy movies
2) Like gory/bloody movies
3) Lately loving Korean cinema

Plot

So there's a psychopath on the loose (played BRILLIANTLY by Min-sik Choi -- Oldboy) taking women, raping and killing them. The police don't have a fucking clue until one day this serial killing machine spots a woman stranded on a snowy road. This woman is the wife of our main star, a police detective. The killer takes the girl, kills her for his own pleasure and throws the body in a creek. The body is found, police are called in and you learn that not only was this the wife of the detective but that her father was chief of police.

Now, this first death is graphic as heck but expertly executed. Is not gore or blood for gore or blood's sake! Director Ji-woon Kim is really a master when dealing with these scenes!



Back to the plot, the husband in his grief vows (to himself and his father in law) to look for the killer and this is where it gets interesting! He doesn't want to bring in the killer, HE WANTS TO PUNISH HIM! So the hunter becomes the hunted!!!

Without getting into any spoilers, this movie is full of fun. You get to see how the "good guy" catches up to the "bad guy", inflicts some pain and lets him go only to catch onto him again, inflict more pain, etc. Why did I use quotes? Because you really can't believe that this detective is doing what he is doing! It really blurs the line between good and evil!

The second act of the movie is EVEN WEIRDER!
Serial killer goes up the mountains to a cabin to seek shelter with ANOTHER serial killing friend which, on top of being a serial killer, HE'S A FUCKING CANNIBAL! (and no, it's not really a spoiler... or maybe it is... OOOPPSS).

Intense scene after intense scene, this is what the movie is about!

Will you like it?

Ask the following questions:

1) Do you like blood?
2) Do you like derange psychopaths?
3) Do you like suspense?
4) Do you like being on the edge of your seat for 2+ hours?

If you answered yes to all of these, then yes, this is definitely a movie to watch! I actually did find it kind of excruciating due to not only the violence but the way the director shot it. Sometimes it feels so intimate that you feel "trapped" with the victim and want to get out!




DVD Contents

It's alright. Nothing too fancy.
Some interviews and a Making Of.

Conclusion

This is already an INSTANT CLASSIC for me! I didn't think I would be able to watch such a great thriller, a great ride coming from Korea, but those guys keep impressing me with every movie they make. Hollywood should take notice and start doing some creative thinking! I heard they are "remaking" Oldboy!! COME ON U.S.A!!!! START BEING CREATIVE!!!

Anyway, 5 stars out of 5!
Highly recommended!

Yep... I have more headphones! :-p

Hello...

So like I mentioned on the previous article (Shure SRH940 Review), I have gotten a few headphones or cans these past few years. I haven't written anything on those (not sure if I will), but I'm going to post a couple of pics of the equipment I have here right now.

Audio Technica ATH-AD700



Mini Overview: Open Headphones, big soundstage, extremely comfortable. Sound is kind of lacking for music as it really lacks in the low-end spectrum. At least treble is not harsh and mids are Ok. A bit "airy". For the price is not bad but you can get the Shures 440s at a similar price! (I have a review of these here as well... Shure 440 review

Sennheiser HD600







Mini Overview: Open cans, soundstage is good (AD700s I find it to be bigger), but sound makes a difference. They excel mostly on everything. Goes low enough, treble is smooth but I find that mids are a BIT recessed... not sure if they will sound better with "burn-in" (or if my ears will get used to them) or if it's my headphone amp! (Icon HDP at the moment). We'll see. These are barely new.

JDSLabs CmoyBB amp









Mini Overview: THESE ARE AWESOME! I haven't really used them a lot (less than 20 hours) but they actually made a WHOLE lot of difference alongside my Shure's 940! The 940s are known to be bright (I mentioned this on my review below!) but the Cmoy actually adds warmth and the bass is more present now! Haven't tested it with other cans but this will definitely be my 940s amp! Got this with the "charging module" so I'm actually waiting for the wall plug to arrive and keep on using it! Love the synergy of this with my 940s (not so much with my Icon HDP which is way expensive... go figure!)

And I still have another set of cans arriving plus a couple of other things. Maybe I'll post these later.

Also, I plan to post a couple of movie reviews soon to see if I can keep this page active!

Anyway, see you soon!

Shure SRH940 – My Headphone Kings

Pros: Great mostly balanced sound for recording, great package that includes all you need, removable cables, best “mids” I have heard out of any headphones
Cons: Not very portable, not the best isolation, no handle on box that encloses the cans and accessories, still bass-light (or too treble friendly ;-))

Introduction:

After a whole lot of browsing, reading, testing, etc., a couple of years ago I decided on getting new cans. This resulted in me acquiring the Shure SRH440s. At the time I had not listened to such type of headphones, meaning quite balanced with great mids providing a complete package that actually made you want to keep listening and enjoying music. (I.e. most headphones I had were cheap Koss or Sony’s, etc.) These cans opened up a new world for me. Yes I had good audio equipment, cheap but good sounding, for my home theater, “recording” room (I’m not a musician, it’s just a hobby to create some song snippets.), etc. but never thought much about headphones. It all went “downhill” after that… Started buying headphones just to compare but still I was attracted to my 440s. When I read that Shure was planning on releasing an updated pair, I quickly jumped on them.



My main concern with the 440s in the start was what I praised them for now. Mids were kind of anemic… I don’t know if it was “burn-in” or my ears getting used to the sound but after a while I couldn’t get them away from my ears, I loved the mids! Bass was something that quite never settled with me. They were kind of lacking (when compared to a couple of other closed cans) but the upgrade to 840 pads made some sonic changes for the better (especially bass region!). So for the 940s I was expecting more great things (including better bass…). I was wrong… (more in a bit :-p)

SRH-940

First let’s talk about the headphones.

When I saw them I was surprised. The industrial-like silver/gray color was great looking and a departure for the whole black-motif of the earlier series (except the “DJ” one). The velour pads were another departure (I live in hot-ass Puerto Rico and I was just thinking of sweaty ears/head lol!!) which I wasn’t sure about (after getting used to the 840 pads). The complete package was complete enough that gave me the security I made a good purchase. But it all hinged on the sound…



Stats:

* Transducer type: Dynamic neodymium magnet
* Driver size: 40 mm
* Sensitivity (1kHz): 100 dB/mW
* Impedance (1kHz): 42 Ω
* Max. input power (1kHz): 1000 mW
* Frequency range” 5 Hz - 30 kHz
* Net weight (without cable): 11 oz (320 g)
* Length of cable: Coiled: 9.84 ft (3 meters), detachable, Straight: 8.2 ft (2.5 meters)
* Type of cable: Detachable oxygen-free copper
* Plug: Gold-plated 1/8" (3.5 mm) stereo mini jack

Package Contents:

* Replaceable velour ear pads
* Two included detachable cables (coiled & straight)
* Zippered hard travel case
* 1/4th adapter



Sound:

And we got here… even though I was expecting more low-end presence on these headphones, it was actually the opposite. I have to say that high-end band and mids were more forward than the 440s (or any other I have ever heard) and still bass light (even more so than the 440s with 840 pads!). Was I disappointed? Shure! ( ;-)) But I also had to keep in mind that these were “recording” headphones. Started breaking them in and using them everyday and then I started noticing.

* Crisp sound! Crystalline in fact!
* Mids were even tastier. Vocals on this thing were surprising (women performers in particular!)
* Even though it is a bit bass-light can (compared to AT-M50s, 840s, some Senns) the low-end extended well and was pretty clear!

Began modifying my playlists, added a couple of Jazz, techno, electro-pop, etc. and felt in love back again! Highs were not fatiguing, mids were the best I have heard (still is! Love vocals and acoustic guitars on this thing!), and the bass… it does goes low but it depends… and that’s my other point. These headphones LIVE OR DIE BY THE SOURCE!!! If a recording is poor, these will be a pain to use and listen to all day. Due to the high-end being so forward, you will not be happy when you start listening to hiss, distortion, etc. Again NOT the headphones fault, but take note! Finally, soundstage, it’s great for a closed headphone. It will definitely not beat HD600s nor cheaper AD700s soundstage but it’s good. Tested with indie and jazz you can actually pay attention to the music and instruments without being disappointed in them being panned way to your left or right, etc. (unless the recording is actually like that! Lol).

Overall, I grew to like them and it’s now my preferred “portable” cans!



Conclusion:


I really think that for music recording these are a great addition to your arsenal since you will be able to clearly listen to any defects you might have (being brought due to those forward highs!). If you play your cards right, you can even mix a bit with these just have in mind that these are not bassy so don’t overdue the bass quantity! Isolation is not the best ever so I wouldn’t record vocals with these on just in case any sound leaks. But I was really surprised with how “listenable” they are. Yes they are a bit heavier than the 440s but sound is so tasty that you’ll forget about them being in your head and start rocking out.

I trusted Shure and I was not disappointed!


If they break apart, would I buy them again?

HELL YES!! (along with Hifiman HE500s… yes… these hobby is like a drug! Lol ;-)).


Hope you liked this mini-review.

Some bonus pics…








Thanks.


Update: Just testing out with JDSLabs CmoyBB amp and… WHAT A GREAT COMBINATION! Soundstage a bit expanded, and I HEAR MORE BASS!! Is it my mind?!? Naaah, made some notes, time coded, on a couple of songs. Bass presence is definitely there!

Update 2: If you are wondering what I used to drive the headphones: Archos 7, Archos 605, my main PC through Icon HDP and Lexicon Omega Recording interface.

Update 3: Have I adequately burned these in? Although I don’t believe in burn-in (to me is just your ears/mind getting used to the sound signature) yes, I have had a couple of months using these for 6 or more hours 5 days a week so… hundreds and hundreds of hours! ;-)