Simple Living

Another year, another review of my personal collections.  My last review was in 2021.  I've dropped the Whisky collection as I'll treat it as consumables. Headphones -- 10 Tech -- 9 Watches -- 6 Swiss Army Knives -- 34 Sneakers -- 6 Fountain Pens -- 4 I. Total Value ~ $10,700 The value of my collections is actually modest as only a few items make up the bulk of the monetary value primarly my Rolex, Omega and iPhone 14 Pro.  Remove those and its about ~$2,400 value of rest of my 'stuff'.   This may change as I'm contemplating a major purchase in 2025 and finally acquire either a Rolex Submariner 14060 or an Omega Speedmaster Professional budgeting ~$4,000 to $8,000 for such a major acquisition.  This would double the value of my collections.   II. Full Collection 1. Headphones -- 10 Decreased by -1 as I chucked the AKG’s and can’t find a 3rd pair of old Apple earbuds, while same time adding several wireless options as well as a Lightning Apple Earbuds. I also cleared

I hit my weight goal of 170 and decided to splurge on a pair of Airpod 2nd Gen.  They were on sale and got them for $60.  I also scored a free pair of PowerBeats 2 from a friend so I wanted to compare them after several weeks of use. In short, they are very different form factors so hard to really compare them as they serve different purposes.  The PowerBeats are more rugged and designed for outdoors and exercise, while the Airpods are more for casual and indoor use.  Airpods are packaged nicely in their carrying case making them easy to slip into a pocket or backpack. The Power Beats are more substantial in size, but that is the benefit of having it on a wired cable that you can hang around your neck and also manual inline controls.  Perfect for outdoor exercise, especially my daily morning walking sessions. 1. Battery Life - Power Beats wins I only use the Power Beats for 30-60 minutes at a time, but don't charge them for several days and know they outlast the Airpods that requir

I had bought some items on Temu and had some credits from a refunded purchase so I decided to give one of their bluetooth headsets a try.  I settled on a pair of Voulao V8 headphones in black. For $16, its an excellent deal and in first few hours of use have worked perfectly.  Paired with my iPhone and I was able to control the volume buttons and so on.  The sound signature is on the softer side vs. the JBL 510's, but it feels more accurate representation and I'll keep trying them. They have Type C charging (same as JBL 510) and also permit use of a 3.5mm jack in event it runs out of power, but these are supposedly rated for 80 hours of battery life, which is impressive if true. I've fully charged them up and will evaluate if they live up to the hype. Review - 1 week I’ve had a chance to try the V8’s and they seem to clearly segment music especially in the mids and remind me of Grado SR80’s.  Bass is not as punchy like on the JBL 510BT. The only unpleasant sensation, it fee

For $5 you can buy a pair of wireless Bluetooth earbuds from Target Stores. Vivitar brand is known for basic headphones and you shouldn’t expect more than something that just works in the model WE-ES62-WT headphone earbuds. It’s shaped and designed to look like a pair of Apple AirPods and from a distance can be mistaken for a pair of AirPods. Pairing Process — follow instructions These are not AirPods, so don’t expect Apple experience in pairing.  This is one of the few times you must read the instructions to avoid frustration. A lot of negative reviews are because people don’t bother to read.  For cheap tech, it’s cost of buying cheap. Design & Form Factor — Good Vivitar wins.  They look and feel decent and actually amazing for the low price of $5.  Makes you wonder how much Apple marked up their earbuds? Sound Quality - Poor, but Ok for $5 How did they sound?  Tinny.  Harsh at times for treble heavy music.  Bass is almost nonexistent. Honestly, they sound awful.  But remind yours

Scored a deal and got the JBL 510BT Bluetooth Headphones for half off and paid $30.  They are decent and so far suit my needs as a cheap pair of wireless headphones. AirPods are awesome, but the charging case is an additional thing you need to carry and I sometimes have to move quickly that causes earbuds to fall out. For $30.  I’m not worried about knocking about the JBL. I’ll need to use them for a few days to give them a proper review. One Week Review - Buy this headphones for $30. Buy them for $30.  The JBL 510’s are worth it at that price, I wouldn’t get them at full retail as there are many other choices in the $60 range. What makes it good at $30?  Sound quality is decent and pleasant; remind me of wired Sony ZX310s. Battery Life - Good Battery life is excellent.  I haven’t tested its claim of 40 hours but have been able to use it for a week without recharging.  Typically, I use them 30-60 minutes music listening or several hours when streaming movies and shows.  Probably racked

Another year has gone by and I’ve accumulated quite a bit of new stuff from clothes to tech.  2022 was a banner year for me. 2023 is a time to improve the quality of my wardrobe and invest in a new computer. My planned purchases: Tech - $106 Dell Precision 7530 - $250 - Sold JBL 510BT Headphones - $30 - Done Vuolao V8 Headphones - $16 - Done Apple Airpods 2nd Gen - $60 - Done Shoes - $311 Jordan 1 Mids 9.5 - $110 - Done Jordan 1 Lows 10.5 - $130 -Done Air Force 1’s 10 - $71 - Done Clothes - $323 Uniqlo - Clothing Haul - $150 - Done Northface - Winter Jacket - $173 - Done Hobbies - $0 Swiss Army Knives - $0* - Done Total expenditures $ 740 Keeping it simple.  For the Jordan 1's...I'm considering the Black & White Panda colorway or Green/Black/White.  I want something a bit more subdued than my current pair. Added a pair of cheap Bluetooth headphones.  While I love the Airpod Pros.  I’m finding it easier to have headphones. Update - 5/13/23 - Dell Laptop Wanted a project and

The Apple Airpods have been around for a number of years and they are now selling the 2nd Generation.  I've had my 1st Gen for about 5 months now (December 2018). Overall, I like them primarily due to their convenience.  I derived this based on 5 categories: Good Battery Life Ease-of-Use Build Quality Average Sound Quality Form Factor The Good Like most Apple products, the Airpods are well made and designed to work perfectly with most other Apple products.  They sync with my iPhone effortlessly and they can last me several days (roughly 8 hours of listening time daily). The Not So Good Where the Airpods suffer is on sound quality, while decent, they don't sound as good as wired headphones.  Even the standard wired Apple Earbuds sound better. The other problem is form factor.  While it fits in a small case that is very portable, it lacks any way to latch onto anything and I'm constantly paranoid I'll lose them; I did purchase a case with keyring, bu

At a company party I got two (2) surprise gifts...a bluetooth Sony speaker SRS-XB10 and a pair of Apple AirPods.  I'm quite happy as I've been wanting some bluetooth audio gear.  The Sony is fairly decent for its size and will be useful at outdoor parties and events with its 12+ hour battery life. The AirPods are more interesting and after several days of regular use I'm finding them very convenient vs. conventional wired Earbuds due to the freedom from tangled cables.  I ordered a silicone case with clip for added security and convenience as I didn't feel comfortable carrying the charging case in my pocket.  A clip or way to securely tether the AirPods is almost a necessity. A very nice Christmas.

I scored a pair of Beats Urbeats Earbuds as my friend switched to bluetooth only headsets.  I was naturally skeptical as I used to own a pair of Series 1 Beats Studio headphones and was quite disappointed with them. But when I tried on these Beat Earbuds, I was surprised and impressed.  The bass was toned down (unusual for 'Beats') and the mids/treble are tuned to be a bit brighter.  I immediately had to compare them against my Klipsch R6i's. Environment Sound Source - iPhone 6s Volume - 50% Klipsch R6i Specs: Drivers -- 6.5mm Frequency Range -- 10 ~ 19,000 Hz Sensitivity -- 110 db/mW Impedence -- 18 Ohms Noise Isolation -- -22 3.5mm Plug (Gold) Flat Cable (Tangle Free)  Microphone In-Line Control (Volume Up/Down, Start/Pause) $60 @ Amazon Beats Urbeats Specs***: Drivers -- 9mm Frequency Range --10 Hz ~ TBD Hz Sensitivity -- 112 db/mW Impedence -- 18 Ohms Noise Isolation -- -20 3.5 mm Plug Flat Cable (Tangle Free) Microphone) In-Line Contr

Over a year ago in 2016 I invested in a pair of Klipsch R6i Earbuds .  They've proven quite useful on short transit and plane trips.  While not true 'noise isolation' they perform much better than the stock Apple Earbuds or A KG EO-IG955's that come with Samsung's Flagship Galaxy S8's. After scoring a free pair of AKG IG955's and spending some time burning them in I've been able to both appreciate the AKG's and compare them to my Klipsch R6's.  I actually like them both, but for different purposes & reasons. First the specs for each: Klipsch R6i Specs: 6.5mm Drivers 10 ~ 19,000 Hz 110 db/mW 18 Ohms -22 Noise Isolation 3.5mm Plug (Gold) Flat Cable (Tangle Free)  Microphone In-Line Control (Volume Up/Down, Start/Pause) $60 @ Amazon AKG EO-IG955 Specs*: Driver Size? 20 ~ 20,000 Hz* 93.2 db/mW 32 Ohms 3.5 mm Plug (Non-Gold) Partial Braided Cable (Sorta Tangle Free) Microphone In-Line Control (Volume Up/Down, Start/P

I own both the Audio Technica ATH-M50x and ATH-MSR7's and wanted to wait a few months before doing a proper comparison between the two models of headphones. In many ways the MSR7 are the successor to the M50x; rather than the M70x.  The M50's became a legendary headphone in their own right because of the amount of value they offered relative to price.  While it's too early to know if the MSR7's can take that place, they are a worthy contender. Price (M50 wins) M50's MSRP around $169 USD (Amazon usually has them for $130 ~ $150) MSR7's MSRP for $249 USD (but have seen them for about $200) Sound Quality (MSR7 wins) Both use 45 mm drivers.    MSR7 5 ~ 40,000 Hz 35 Ohm 2,000 mW M50x 15 ~ 28,000 Hz 38 Ohm 1,600 mW The MSR7's do sound better in terms of tighter response, definition and overall clarity of sound.  Switching back to the M50's things sound muddled and it's quite surprising as when I first bought the M50's it was

By happenstance I own several Sony ZX Series Headphones: ZX-100 ZX-110 ZX-310 Build Quality (ZX-310 Wins) They use mostly a Plastic Build that is quite durable; the ZX-100 I've had for over 2 1/2 years and been thrown about in my Backpack & Car.  The ONLY issue with the lower model ZX-100 & ZX-110 Series are the crappy Earpads that disintegrate and create a flaky vinyl mess.  Those flakes then get stuck to your ears & hair.  The ZX-310 wins in that regard with much better quality Earpads. Cost (ZX-100/110 Wins) ZX-310's cost about twice that of the ZX-100/110 and I've been able to find several 310's for about $18 at Discount Retailers.  ZX-110's should go for about $10. Specs They are all 30mm Drivers.  The ZX-310 has a wider Frequency Range of 10 ~ 24,000 Hz and a Gold 1/8" Plug.  The ZX-100/110 are roughly identical going 12 ~ 22,000 Hz. Sound (ZX-100 Wins) Surprisingly, I prefer the ZX-100's Sound Signature vs. the 110 and 31

My Headphone Collection has grown in leaps & bounds.  I've since dumped my Skullcandies & Beats in favor of Audio Technica & Grado.  Hindsight is 20/20 and had I known then what I know now...I would have straight away purchased a pair of M50's many years ago... Anyway...here in all their glory [From Left to Right]: Audio Technica -- M50x [Purchased 2014] Audio Technica -- MSR7 [Purchased 2017] Grado -- SR80e [Purchased 2016] Future Plans? Not sure...I have the Closed & Open Reference Cans covered...I'll either go upmarket to say the $1k Range of Fostex & Ultrasone or the tier below that with the ATH M70x , Sony MDR1a or some other brand (Beyerdynamics, Sennheisers, AKG, etc). By all seriousness it'll likely be another pair of Audio Technica's and either the M70's or an Open Reference (R70 or AD700)...

I picked up a pair of Sony Earbuds model MDR-EX15ap over a year ago.  They were on sale for about $5 and couldn't resist.  These are not great, but not terrible either and I leave them in the car as an emergency backup pair of headphones when I'm outside the house and in a Study Session Mood. From what I could research there are two (2) sub-models of EX15's with designation 'AP' being for Android Compatible and 'LP' is Standard.  I think this is reference to the single push button on the in-line Microphone that is likely for On/Off functionality during phone calls or during music playback. Basic Specs 9mm Drivers 8 - 22,000 Hz 100 dB/mW 16 ohms 3.94 ft Cable w/ inLine Microphone

I scored a pair of AKG Headphones Model EO-IG955 that come with the Samsung Galaxy S8+ Phone.  A friend bought the phone, knew I love headphones and gave them to me, very generous! Basic Features It's a fairly nice pair of 'free' headphones and while Specs are hard to find online the best I could gather: In-Line Microphone Volume UP/DOWN PAUSE/RESUME The cabling is also braided cloth up until where the Earbuds split and that portion is all rubber.  The braiding is a nice touch as it reduces chance for a tight tangle, although it would have been better if they made it 100% braided. Sound They are about par with the Apple Earbuds with a slight edge in possibly Upper-Mids and Bass.  They are certainly more secure as they have flex tips you insert into your ear, but not so intrusive like on my Klipsch R6i's. The R6i's are more Bass Heavy tuned and beat the AKG's, but I did notice a slightly wider soundstage with the AKG's so certain music felt a bi

Brand:   Audio Technica Model:  MSR7 One of my objectives on my visit to Japan was to sample some headphones and by chance the airport had a decent selection from Sony and Audio Technica.   Unfortunately they didn't have the M70x or MDR1a,  but had the ATH SR5, MSR7 and new SR9!  I was hesitant to try the $449 SR9 and truthfully they did sound better than the MSR7, but felt like they required an amp to bring out its full potential.  The MSR7 was my main audition and after sampling tracks for 15 minutes purchased a pair.   True, Amazon sells them for the same price, but I felt it makes more sense to support the airport stores so they continue stocking cool stuff to check out on future layovers. Specs Speakers :    45mm closed back drivers Sensitivity:   100db/mW  Frequency:   5 - 40,000 Hz Max Input Power:   2,000 mW  Impedance:    35 ohms Weight (w/o cable):   290g It has similar specs to the ATH M50x with just greater frequency range and input power capacity.

To complete my headphone collection I needed a good pair of earbuds and selected the Klipsch R6i Earbuds.  I tried to look for the now discontinued prior model S6i, but couldn't find any for a reasonable price.  Other contenders included the Jaybirds, but I wasn't ready to try bluetooth just yet. The R6i's are quite nice and little touches like the anti-tangling flat cable and in-line volume control make it useful.  This will be for traveling as I want to keep things light. Basic Specs: 6.5mm Drivers 10 ~ 19,000 Hz 110 db/mW 18 Ohms -22 Noise Isolation 3.5mm Plug

I've always wanted to try a DAC (Digital Audio Converter) and Amplifier for my headphones.  It's difficult at first to pick one and I settled on the Fiio model e10k Olympus 2.  In hindsight I should have gone with a model that's portable and accepts an audio line in...but the e10 proved okay when hooked up to my laptop. And I have plans to build a 'soundbook' with the Netbook. How's it sound? In some ways it improved the sound quality.  Certain frequencies are clearer and I do hear things that were not as noticeable before.  The music sounds more 'forward' if that's what they call it.  It's a bit overwhelming at first, but after a while I kinda like it and getting used to the refined soundstage.  Another thing I noticed was how awful sounding some of my cheaper headphones are with the e10.  I was hoping with increased power they might sound better, not so.  The exception were the Sony ZX100's...not bad. Overall For the price I paid

By luck I was at a thrift shop and saw a pair of Sony MDR-ZX310 for sale.  I scooped them up as I've heard so many positive online reviews that they are great for the price point of $18. Basic Specs: 30mm Drivers 10 ~ 24,000 Hz 1,000 mW -- Max Input Power 98 db/mW 24 Ohms 125g -- Weight 1.2m -- Cable Length I  also own the lower end model ZX100's and can compare the two. Sound Quality The 310's have a wider response range than the 100's and I can both feel and hear it on the bass.  Mid and treble are almost the same to me, but due to the weaker bass on the 100's it feels more pronounced on the Mid and Treble, but with deeper listening the 310's are at least on par with some frequencies coming through more that were not as clear on the 100's.  If you like vocal and mids the 100's might be better. Even with EQ bass reduction the 310's sound tinny and need the full bass to sound decent.  Overall the 310's are tuned for bass

Surprised I never discussed in more detail my pair of Audio Technica ATH-WM77 on-ear headphones.  I got these two years ago from Yodobashi Camera in Shinjuku Tokyo for $40 in Yen.  They are a fun pair of headphones and one of my favorites.  The one downside has been the plastic housing on the left speaker popped out of place and I had to use krazy glue to fix it.  They work just fine, but the left speaker has lost the ability to swivel making it no longer convenient to stash into my backpack. Basic Specs: 38mm Drivers 10 ~ 23,000 Hz 500 mW -- Max Input Power 103 db/mW 36 Ohms 133 g -- Weight 1.0m -- Cable Length