From: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org (fegmaniax-digest) To: fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Subject: fegmaniax-digest V10 #40 Reply-To: fegmaniax@smoe.org Sender: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk fegmaniax-digest Monday, February 12 2001 Volume 10 : Number 040 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Jeme's headphones [Carole Reichstein ] Re: tech weenie question [Mark_Gloster@3com.com] Re: dissing aardvarks [hbrandt ] Re: tech weenie question [Eb ] sony [dmw ] Re: tech weenie question [steve ] Re: But what are their favorite colors? ["brian nupp" ] give my regards to moose-stick [Christopher Gross ] mob ["brian nupp" ] SXSW question [Jeremy Mathews ] Quotables [theodius ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 18:05:35 -0800 (PST) From: Carole Reichstein Subject: Jeme's headphones Jeme sweetly said: (See, if I'm up and > doing chores, then Vivien will let me play whatever I want... anything to > keep me doing the chores. And if I'm just schlepping around and want to > hear some music, I should either keep it low or put on earphones so as not > to interfere with her repeated listenings of Elvis Costello outtakes, > Beck's Mutations, The Apples in Stereo, or The Minders. This is not an > indictment. You all know I love her with all of my being.) Hmmm. Maybe I should get *my* boyfriend some headphones! Heh! Or could I just borrow Jeme to clean my apartment? Viv? ;) Carole ps: Just talked to Randi; told her about the Soft Boys Toronto show. Her computer had been disconnected for months (she's moved), so she's understandably thrilled to find out this great news! ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 18:46:04 -0800 From: Mark_Gloster@3com.com Subject: Re: tech weenie question Here's my view: I use Sennheisers, Grados, and Sonys. Sony makes some very good headphones and in the under $100 range tend to be good price performers. A knock against all Sonys to me is that the bass seems slightly flabby and slightly pumped up- typical of most general consumer electronics ware. A great thing about some Sonys is that some have closed back designs, so you can have a little more relative signal than room noise. I have had many MDR*** models and they have held up fairly well. Headphones are almost the only Sony products I would ever consider purchasing (TV's and professional microphones being the others.) I have a pair of Grados which are nearly perfect, but have slightly annoying ear pads. These don't cup against your ears- rather, they kind of sit next to your ears like close speakers. The pads also eventually start breaking down. I have slowly and grudgingly been switching to Sennheisers for technical stuff, replacing broken Sonys with them. I wouldn't bother with Sennheisers cheap stuff. If your budget is over a hundred, you can get a nice pair. I have a pair of HD580s which are as good as any pair of headphones I have used. I also bought a pair at Guitar Center on sale for about 1/2 off= $85, but I don't know the model number, but they are very good. I don't recommend most other brands. Most headphones have one or another trait that make them intensely annoying. Usually it is pronounced frequencies: a saddle-shaped curve which violates a good mix, or some lost frequencies that do terrible things as well. Of course, the other objection is how they feel. Mostly icky. I like the idea of wireless headphones- it doesn't seem likely to me that they are carcinogenic, as they are not transmitters, but I really am not qualified to speak with authority. I haven't tried any that sound good to me, though. I hope this is hellful. - -Markg ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 20:32:42 -0700 From: hbrandt Subject: Re: dissing aardvarks Aaron: > when i read Sim's own commentary on Cerebus i usually > discover that he holds some totally appalling belief > he's obsessed with gender -- and it's led him to say > some cruel and shitty things about women. No more "cruel and shitty things" than some women say about men on a regular basis! If Sim has any "agenda", it's probably one of Balance. > hal's defense of him I'm not defending *him*. My position is that CEREBUS is as unique a comicbook experience as there is. Like it or not, its craftsmanship is undeniable. Besides, Dave does a fine job defending himself in his writings (some of which I used to illustrate the point that, in my opinion, he isn't an Evil Misogynist). I don't think he gives a damn whether his readership agrees with him or not. For the record, as I stated previously, I don't hold many of Sim's expressed views. But that certainly doesn't stop me from enjoying CEREBUS. /hal ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 19:39:32 -0700 From: Eb Subject: Re: tech weenie question Mark: >Sony makes some very good headphones and in the under >$100 range tend to be good price performers. A knock >against all Sonys to me is that the bass seems >slightly flabby and slightly pumped up- typical of >most general consumer electronics ware. A great thing >about some Sonys is that some have closed back designs, >so you can have a little more relative signal than room >noise. Mmm...what exactly do you mean by "closed back design"? >I have had many MDR*** models and they have held >up fairly well. Headphones are almost the only Sony >products I would ever consider purchasing (TV's and >professional microphones being the others.) Sony's MDRs are looking pretty good, based on my research up to this point. They seem to dominate the <$100 territory. I'm kinda hoping to spend something in the $50-$80 range, unless I discover that everything in this range sounds like doo-doo. I am a bit concerned about what you said above about pumped-up bass, because my preferences seem to steer a bit more "trebly" than some other folks'. Did Jeme or someone mention MDR-V300's? Those seem to be very popular.... And what's so wrong with Sony's CD/tape players, etc.? >I have a pair of Grados which are nearly perfect, but >have slightly annoying ear pads. These don't cup against >your ears- rather, they kind of sit next to your ears >like close speakers. The pads also eventually start >breaking down. I was reading Audio Review comments on Grados...seems like folks consistently complain about them being uncomfortable. And here, you say the same. It sounded like they're also kinda ungainly-looking? (My Sennheiser pads needed to be replaced twice, too....) >I have slowly and grudgingly been switching to >Sennheisers for technical stuff, replacing broken Sonys >with them. I wouldn't bother with Sennheisers cheap >stuff. Hrm. I reflexively thought of Sennheiser, but they do seem a bit pricey. I don't suppose Sennheiser would offer some lovely trade-in value on my old headphones, would they? Would they bend over backwards to reward a 18-year user? ;) >I hope this is hellful. Paging Freud.... Here's a webpage I was examining, last night: http://www.audioreview.com/reviews/Headphone/index_byprice.shtml . Any further comments? E. Bro ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 23:04:22 -0500 (EST) From: dmw Subject: sony the low-mid consumer-focused Sony stuff is plagued with their 'mega bass' feature, an unruly low frequency boost of the type that gives 'equalizers' a bad name. i assume it's aimed at the people who like the whole block to vibrate when their car drives by? it's not aimed at me. i find nothing unpleasant or unnatural about the bass response of my 7506's, and if you're thinking of spending as much as $80 anyway, I urge you to audition a pair and see if you think it worth the extra few dollahs. i listened to about six different phones in the hundred-and-a-bit range; there was no question in my mind that the 7506's had more clarity and handled variation in volume more smoothly. - -- d. 4/9ths of the record mixed, as of an hour ago. woo! tomorrow we should pass the half-way mark. - - oh no, you've just read mail from doug = dmw@radix.net - get yr pathos - - www.pathetic-caverns.com -- books, flicks, tunes, etc. = reviews - - www.fecklessbeast.com -- angst, guilt, fear, betrayal! = guitar pop ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 00:10:22 -0600 From: steve Subject: Re: tech weenie question Eb: >Here's a webpage I was examining, last night: >http://www.audioreview.com/reviews/Headphone/index_byprice.shtml . Any >further comments? Nothing is going to feel as "not there" as your old pair, because they weigh next to nothing. Grado's page says that they have improved the comfort level on all their models, but you might want to find a place where you can try a pair. It's likely that any place that carries Grado will also carry Sennheiser. I know that they both make replacement parts, and Sony probably does as well. Whatever brand you choose, you're far better off spending more to get a pair that you really like, because they should last for years. Back from federal jury duty this week - Steve __________ Take her to the Pitt! Go, Bigboote. Use more honey! Find out what she knows. - Lord John Whorfin. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 11:28:16 -0500 From: "brian nupp" Subject: Re: But what are their favorite colors? This has gotta be a joke. Where did this come from? There's no way Andy, Morris, and Kimberly are 5'11''! A fun read though. Brian Nupp >From: Eb <> >I stumbled upon this curious old blurb, and typed it up for you folks.... > >E. Bro >------ >The Soft Boys > >The most beautiful aspect of the Soft Boys is brotherhood. They really like >each other. Quoting Robyn: "If we weren't bandmates, we'd be the best of >friends." They are not phonies and they are not imitators. The Soft Boys >are real people. Their music is real and as lifelike as their >personalities. The Soft Boys did not need gimmicks nor stimulants to take >them to the top. No, they are not super-people. They are realistic people. >They have reached the top on sheer talent. People can say it can't work. It >has worked. > >The pictures in this album do tell a story. The Soft Boys have come to the >top. Hopefully, the Soft Boys and this album will make the music field a >better place for everyone. > >Now, meet and hear the Soft Boys: Robyn, Kimberley, Morris and Andy. > >Andy is the soulful leader of the group. He has a singing quality that any >lead singer would strive for. Andy is the bass player and probably the >fastest in the business. Andy is a talkative person. He can talk to anyone >on just about any subject, and is always eager to learn something new each >day. He is the optimist's optimist. If there is a half-empty glass of milk, >Andy sees it as half-full. Andy's best quality is happiness. Anyone that >meets him goes away with a little better outlook on life. He makes you >happy that you are you. Andy is the trend setter in fashion, dance and >song. He loves to experiment... > >As for Andy's vital statistics, he is 5'11", 140 pounds, has brown hair and >hazel eyes. > >Morris is the unbelievable drummer of the group. Offstage, Morris jokes a >lot. He is the one that has one-hundred different ideas coming all at once. >But on stage, Morris is the premier drummer in popular music today. If >there were a way to describe Morris (you really can't -- Morris is Morris), >you would have to list his laughter as his best quality. When he laughs, >the whole group laughs. It must be his personality that makes him this way. >But whatever it is, the whole group is thankful for Morris. > >Morris is 5'11", 135 pounds, has brown hair and brown eyes. > >Kimberley is the quiet member of the group. It is not that he is shy, but >he talks only when he feels it is necessary. Kimberley is a very spiritual >person. If anyone can make you feel wanted at times when you are not sure, >Kimberley is the person that can do it. He is content that he is doing his >best possible job. Kimberley's most important quality is spiritual >contentment. Kimberley is always himself. He feels the same as the other >members: "It's just too hard to act 24 hours a day." Kimberley plays rhythm >guitar and he plays it expertly. Like the other boys, it is not unusual for >Kimberley to be called to do someone's studio session. > >As for vital statistics, Kimberley is 5'11", 150 pounds, and has brown eyes >and brown hair. > >Robyn is the leader of the group. He's very concerned about "now" things. >Like all the members, Robyn is a very peaceful and sensitive person. He has >a place in his heart for almost anything. He is the type of person you like >to call your friend. He's understanding, brotherly, and a warm person. That >is Robyn's most important quality -- warmth. Perhaps Robyn's warmth has >rubbed off onto other people. After meeting Robyn and the Soft Boys, you >must think twice before doing anything wrong. > >Robyn plays lead guitar for the group. He has attained perfection on this >instrument and can play many instruments with an expert touch. > >As for vital statistics, he's 6'1", 160 pounds, brown eyes and has dark >brown hair. > >Now you have met the Soft Boys. They are professional in every sense of the >word. In the 1950's it was a man who wriggled his way to stardom who became >a phenomenon. In the 1960's, four long-hair lads from England invaded the >world and became a phenomenon. > >And now, in the 1980's, four boys from Cambridge are going down that same >golden path. Their era has just begun! _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 12:28:14 -0500 (EST) From: Christopher Gross Subject: give my regards to moose-stick On Sat, 10 Feb 2001, Motherfucking Asshole wrote: > <> peace, justice, liberty, community, dump the fucking bosses off your > backs... what's not to agree with? > I'm sure everyone here would agree with that, as far as it goes; but we can > and do disagree over *how* these laudable goals can be achieved. And > when your goals are that general (not to say vague), the how is really what > politics is all about.> > > fair enough. but do you think they're so vague as to preclude a general > decoding of lies and questioning of authority? No, not at all. But I'd urge you to recognize that even in factual questions, who's mistaken or lying and who's not is very often a judgement call -- hopefully based on careful examination of the evidence and reasoning offered by each side, possibly based on ideological bias, but at any rate judgement some sort. Something may seem simple and obvious to you, but someone else might honestly doubt your evidence or the conclusions you draw from it. So if someone says they disagree with you politically, you can't assume they're just ignoring what you say and closing their eyes to the light of Pure Truth. And rather than question authority, I advocate questioning *everyone*, including both authority and noble saintly questioners of authority. > for example, how seriously > can you take any sort of rhetoric regarding the first coming from a country > which allocates half its budget to the military This assumes that in addition to the publicly declared military budget, a large fraction of the rest of the budget consists of hidden military funding. I've heard this argument for years -- indeed, I used to repeat it during my high school anarchist days -- but I can no longer remember the details of these concealed military costs, if I ever know. Can you recommend a good source? - --Chris ps: My spell checker and paper-based dictionary both accept "judgement" as a legitimate spelling. ______________________________________________________________________ Christopher Gross On the Internet, nobody knows I'm a dog. chrisg@gwu.edu ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 15:26:01 -0500 From: "brian nupp" Subject: Paging Mike Hooker I know Mike just posted his new email address, but I didn't save it. Does anyone know the mics he uses to record live shows? I think they're mics that fit on to your eye glasses. Where do I get 'em? Thanks Brian Nuppy _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 15:34:47 -0500 From: "brian nupp" Subject: mob Anyone else notice the connection between the answering machine message about Goodfellows at the end of JfS and RH quoting that Married to the Mob is his fav movie? I Wouldn't expect RH to be a mob movie fan, but I wouldn't expect a lot of things out of a lot of people. I guess Raymond Chandler might fit in there too. Hmm, maybe I'm just bored this Sunday Afternoon. I think I'll go play in the sunshine... Nuppy np: Fegmania! Rhino reissue. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 18:24:30 -0500 From: Jeremy Mathews Subject: SXSW question Hi, I plan to travel to the land of Texas for SXSW's Soft Boysshow, as well as the film fest (side note: Eric Schraeder, one of the worst writer/directors ever has a new film there). Skillfully, I've been too busy to read the list lately and also managed to look at the pass prices two days after they went up. As a student, I get a discount on film and interactive media, but not music - and the music pass costs $500. Does anyone know how to buy an individual ticket to the Soft Boys show? Sorry if this was covered already, Jeremy Mathews ________________________________________________ Get your own "800" number Voicemail, fax, email, and a lot more http://www.ureach.com/reg/tag ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 04:49:55 -0800 (PST) From: theodius Subject: Quotables http://books.dreambook.com/theodius65/quotes.html ===== http://www.theos-place.com Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35 a year! http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ End of fegmaniax-digest V10 #40 *******************************