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A Plea FOR a Connected Life
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Jul 06, 2012  | 

It seems a growing number of people - or at least a growing number of op-ed contributors - have latched onto the idea that technology is bad, scary, and limiting our lives to ones and zeros. "The Flight From Conversation" and "The 'Busy' Trap" being two notable examples. It's something that Nathan Jurgenson calls "The IRL Fetish" (thanks Brian Lam of The Wirecutter for the link).

Jurgenson breaks down the idea better than I can. What I want to do is present the other side. I want to voice my strong and eternal support for the wonder that is the modern connected life.

Because, dammit, it's awesome.

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A Visit to Sound+Vision Radio
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Apr 13, 2012  | 

If you haven’t listened to the brilliant Sound+Vision Radio program, you’re missing out. I say “brilliant” not in a self-serving, egomaniacal way.

Wait, of course that’s why I’m mentioning it. But don’t let my ego prevent you from enjoying the witty banter and in-depth discussions of all things A/V, music, movies and more.

Links to local affiliates where you can hear us, plus podcast links and such, after the jump.

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Tech2
ACS ER-25 Custom Earplugs
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Jul 18, 2011  | 

Ever left a concert with your ears ringing? How about after mowing the lawn? Working in the shop? Listening to your in-laws?

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Alien Isolation on the Oculus Rift
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Nov 14, 2014  | 

As I wrote about a few weeks ago, I bought one of the Development Kits for the Oculus Rift VR headset. It was a bit of a hassle to get running (and still is), but when you do… damn.

One of the standout games that currently works (more or less) with the Rift, is the new Alien Isolation, a sort of survival/horror/action game set in the Alien universe.

My advice to anyone trying this combo: wear diapers.

Here’s why.

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Tech2
Alien: Isolation… Not on the Oculus Rift
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Nov 29, 2014  | 
A few weeks ago I wrote about the experience of playing Alien: Isolation on the Oculus Rift. It is, without a doubt, incredible.

However, it is a bit of a hassle, and as awesome as the Rift is, it’s still pre-production and lacks the sort of seamlessness I hope to find in the final product.

So I switched over and started playing Alien on my regular gaming rig: A 102-inch screen and 5.1 surround system. So this is about the game. Because it’s worth talking about.

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An Interview with Indie Band Just Off Turner
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Jul 20, 2014  | 

From songwriting to touring and recording to shows, we sit down with Just Off Turner, an LA-based indie rock band, to talk about making music in today’s world of Spotify and iTunes.

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Tech2
An Open Letter to Headphone Manufacturers
Lauren Dragan  |  Oct 24, 2013  | 
Dear Manufacturers of Headphones,
As a headphone tech reviewer and avid consumer for several years now, I’ve gotten a chance to witness great triumph and tragedy in headphone design and functionality. We’ve come such a long way from the giant forever-alone-in-my-room over-ears of the ‘70s or the foam-and-plastic-electro-shock-hazards from the walkman fueled ‘80s. But there is always room for improvement. I know it, my readers sure know it, and they let me know about it. So I wanted you, dear Headphone Companies, to know it too. Here are some features that seem really obvious, but are sorely lacking in the marketplace. If you could see it in your hearts to add them to products that also sound really great, well, we’ll all just throw our money at you. Promise.
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Are True Wireless Headphones Worth It?
Lauren Dragan  |  Feb 17, 2017  | 

By now, you’ve probably heard all the hype surrounding “True Wireless” headphones. If you’re not familiar with the term, you’re likely familiar with the category’s poster child: the Apple AirPods. You know, the cordless in-ear headphones that some have described as looking akin to “soggy cigarettes sticking out of your ear.” Weird looking or not, the category is booming: at CES 2017, dozens of companies were scrambling to tout their own version of the format. From Monster to Motorola, more True Wireless are on the way. So… are they worth a look?

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Attack of the Megasub
Brent Butterworth  |  Jul 06, 2011  | 

While on a swing through Vancouver this week to check out the vintage audio scene, I stopped by to say hi to the guys at Vancouver Audio Speaker Clinic, an old-school speaker repair shop of the type I haven’t seen since I was a kid in the 1970s trying to resurrect the shredded speakers from my

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Tech2
Audeze iSine 10: Weird Looks With a Wow Sound
Lauren Dragan  |  Feb 10, 2017  | 
Let’s face it; the vast majority of open-backed planar-magnetic headphones are far from portable. They’re huge, (most vaguely resemble Princess Leia’s hairdo) weigh so much that you can’t comfortably keep them in place while walking at a brisk pace, and usually require an amp. But what if you like going outside, and don’t have a Sherpa to assist you with a ton of audio gear? Audeze says they have the answer with the iSine10. They are … wait for it… in-ear open planar magnetic headphones. I know. I was skeptical too.
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Headphone ReviewsTech2
Audeze Sine Planar-Magnetic Headphone Review
Lauren Dragan  |  Mar 19, 2016  |  First Published: Mar 18, 2016  | 
Over the last few years, Audeze, known for their acclaimed LCD series headphones, have expanded their lineups of entry level enthusiast-grade headphones. In 2015, they released the EL-8, a line of portable planar-magnetic over-ear headphones. This year at CES, Audeze announced the launch of not only their most affordable, but most wearable offering yet: the Sine; lightweight, closed-backed, on-ear, planar magnetic headphones. Additionally, the Sine are available with Cipher: a lightning cable with remote, mic, and, oh yeah... an integrated amp, DSP and DAC. Needless to say, I needed to get these on my noggin as soon as possible.
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Audio Technica ATH MSR7 Headphones Review: "Hi-Res" Moderate Price
Lauren Dragan  |  Feb 20, 2015  | 
Brand new to the US market, the Audio Technica ATH-MSR7 are closed-backed, over ear monitors that are designed to be high-resolution headphones for listening on the go. With 45mm True Motion drivers and a claimed frequency response of 5-40,000 Hz, the MSR7 want to pack all the detail and depth of professional headphones into wearable cans that even offer a removable cable with a single-button remote and mic. They sounded pretty good (from what I could tell, anyway) on the CES show floor, but how did they hold up under scrutiny in a decidedly better listening environment?
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Tech2
AudioTool — the Ultimate Audio App for Android
Brent Butterworth  |  Jul 11, 2011  | 

I haven’t tried every audio-oriented app for Android phones, but I’ve tried a bunch. Not surprisingly, the one I like best by far costs $6.99, which for an Android app is a truly Rolls Royce price. Yet it’s also the most insane deal of all time for DIY audio measurement software.

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B&W C5 Series 2: Once More, With Feeling!
Lauren Dragan  |  Sep 19, 2014  | 
Bowers&Wilkins have become known for their innovative takes on aesthetic design. (Remember the Zeppelin?) Sometimes weird, and often wonderful, B&W have a love-it-or-hate-it style that is distinctly their own. No exception is the C5: in-ear headphones with a bullet-like shape and a unique stabilizing loop that have been recently revamped and released this week. The C5 Series 2 have a few deviations from the originals, while still keeping a similar form factor. I sat down to compare version one to Series 2 to get a better sense of what’s new.

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Tech2
BAFX OBD II Bluetooth Adapter and Torque App
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Apr 25, 2013  | 

With no small amount of irony, about a week after I installed the ultra-high-tech Parrot Asteroid Smart, my SVT lit its engine warning light.

I know the sound and feel of my car really well, and it sounded and felt fine. Since a dealer would want $75 just to tell me what's wrong, I figured it was time to invest in an OBD II scanner. This device plugs into the OBD II port that every post-1996 car has, and gives you a code to tell you what's wrong (along with a lot of other data).

But wait! Now you can get a "scanner" that talks to your tablet or smartphone via Bluetooth! Now that's some app awesomeness.

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