E_Schaaf
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E_Schaaf

MOT: E.T.A Headphones, from Staten Island, NY

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What are some of your earliest memories regarding noticing good or bad sound quality? Jan 16, 2024

    1. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      What are some of your earliest memories regarding noticing good or bad sound quality?
      1. Claritas likes this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. YMO
        YMO
        Bigger and longer is always better on R2R, just like you know what.
        Jan 16, 2024
        Vansen likes this.
      4. roshambo123
        roshambo123
        Tarantino said for cinephiles DVD's are like marijuana but when you start collecting film prints that's heroin and I think R2R is that for audiophiles. When you're paying $500+ per recording you're shooting smack.
        Jan 16, 2024
        Vansen likes this.
      5. Thad E Ginathom
        Thad E Ginathom
        I think that my first experience of real stereo was when I left home and spent a lot of time with a bunch of hippies, a house that I later moved into for a couple of years.

        That was great. But one of my friends had a dad who used his living room as a pro recording studio. His Quad-plus-Tannoy system was amazing.
        Jan 17, 2024
        mediumroast likes this.
    2. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      Always pondering how the same graphs can sound different just by rotating a driver in place (position of vents and filters vs ear parts?)
      1. Jinxy245 likes this.
      2. E_Schaaf
        E_Schaaf
        Just one of the many variables unaccounted for in the discourse of how graphs and perception align... Sometimes I wish physical analysis of design features were more of the focus than abstractions of performance output. Sound is categorically mechanical after all.
        Dec 22, 2023
      3. E_Schaaf
        E_Schaaf
        Every driver will sound best at critical damping and at the appropriate distance and angle vs the ear according to the dispersion pattern. This may look like a wildly different FR curve in every case. Better to let the driver tell you how it should be tuned than force-tune to a target while disregarding all other variables
        Dec 22, 2023
        Case likes this.
    3. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      Headphones are like lenses. Damping is like moving glass elements to achieve focus. Dispersion + earpad interaction is like stopping down
      1. Tachikoma
        Tachikoma
        Driver size is max aperture?
        Nov 29, 2023
      2. E_Schaaf
        E_Schaaf
        @Tachikoma that's a thought! I can see driver surround compliance (perhaps related to impedance response?) also being akin to max aperture. I'm sure there are many points where this analogy falls apart, but it scratches a particular brain itch
        Nov 29, 2023
    4. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      If FR targets have to exist, among all the other numerous confounding variables shouldn't the acoustic impedance of a design be factored in?
      1. Lyander
        Lyander
        That's why I still really appreciate the "free-air" measurements @purr1n sometimes does, haha. It does reveal issues that greater acoustic impedance couplers might mask
        Nov 22, 2023
        E_Schaaf likes this.
    5. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      1. Azimuth
        Azimuth
        Nice pics! The 5D is great. Easy to use and has excellent color and contrast. My only gripe was the slow and somewhat inaccurate focus. And of course only 12MP.
        Oct 30, 2023
        E_Schaaf likes this.
      2. E_Schaaf
        E_Schaaf
        99% of the time I use manual lenses and shoot JPGs. I don't edit much, it's a very casual thing for me - I could probably even get away with less :)
        Oct 30, 2023
        Jinxy245 and joch like this.
    6. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      Spent 3 hours at a record shop. Demoed a bunch of used plates under $10 on the table they had set up. Brought my own phones. Fun
      1. Qildail, Merrick, Deep Funk and 7 others like this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. Gazny
        Gazny
        Did you get that Mind Fuzz album?
        Oct 22, 2023
      4. E_Schaaf
        E_Schaaf
        They didn't have Mind Fuzz, just some other tapes I hadn't heard as much about and priced a bit high (there was no way to demo tapes there, just records). The headphone I brought was similar to an O2, just with a couple flavor tweaks
        Oct 22, 2023
        Jinxy245 and Gazny like this.
      5. wbass
        wbass
        Great way to discover music! Especially at well-curated shops. I often take photos of what I leave behind and listen later. Have also been finding good recs on various collector feeds on IG. Though, of course, it also drives up the price of records all around.
        Oct 22, 2023
        E_Schaaf likes this.
    7. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      Thought: would burst response readings change in extreme cases of high or low amp output impedance with a particularly reactive driver?
      1. Lyander and joch like this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. purr1n
        purr1n
        probably. on my list of stuff to look into.
        Oct 1, 2023
        joch and edd like this.
      4. Serious
        Serious
        1: Yes, very likely
        2: Not sure I understand, but I don't think there's much there
        3: It definitely changes with damping, etc. What I'm most interested in is how much nonlinearity we can see with headphones. At maximum excursion in either direction, how does the impedance change?
        Oct 2, 2023
        joch likes this.
      5. Serious
        Serious
        3: They do this stuff for speaker drivers regularly and that's one of the advantages of low inductance designs (copper cap). Low inductance -> less of an impedance change. Less distortion.
        Oct 2, 2023
        joch likes this.
    8. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      I've been sleeping on Ragnarok for too long. Totally entranced by this v1.5 since the moment it arrived
      1. Azimuth, Cryptowolf, M3NTAL and 11 others like this.
      2. rlow
        rlow
        Couldn’t get into Rag 1.5. Must have been a synergy thing, was too sharp and steely on HD650 and Elex (no surprise on the 2nd one). Always felt fatigued by it. Similar feelings I had with Jot 1 as well. Only way I could tolerate it was to put Freya+ in between in buffer mode and set the rag on low gain and turn the volume all the way up (unity gain).
        Aug 27, 2023
        Cryptowolf likes this.
      3. Ksorota
        Ksorota
        If not for the size I would have a Rag 1.5 on my desk right now, also no need for the speaker outs. But the Rag is what the Mjolnir 1 grows up to be! The endgame moniker fits in my mind. It was great pushing the Genesis G, and also the PM-1!
        Aug 27, 2023
        Azimuth, M3NTAL and Jinxy245 like this.
      4. zonto
        zonto
        Have owned one for 5+ years. It's a solid amp, but didn't mesh well with HD600/Utopia nor did it have enough juice for Maggies. I also could only tolerate low gain with most headphones. The unit is so versatile I can't bring myself to sell it, so it's in a closet for now in case I need a backup amp for anything.
        Aug 28, 2023
    9. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      I've only been using a 35mm prime lens on 35mm film for a while. Worth it to get a 28 or 50 as a second lens, or go farther for a 21 or 85?
      1. View previous comments...
      2. Mdkaler
        Mdkaler
        Since you're shooting film, I'd suggest find a more special lens which flavors match your taste, and also spend some time on Flickr lens groups. Leave the generic duties to the cell phone.
        Aug 12, 2023
        Cryptowolf and E_Schaaf like this.
      3. joch
        joch
        Think your 35 is already a winner. If you plan to do indoor shoots, 21 might be a good addition. If you’re planning to shoot portraits, the 85 is good.
        Aug 13, 2023
        Cryptowolf and E_Schaaf like this.
      4. Qildail
        Qildail
        I always liked the 85mm for walkabout/street photography. 28mm was my "sunsets" lens for all those film years, but I am not sure it'd be worth picking up if you already have 35mm in the bag.
        Aug 13, 2023
        E_Schaaf likes this.
    10. DarthVader
      DarthVader
      I have sent you a couple unanswered questions regarding my ESX900. Appreciate if you could give me a response
      1. E_Schaaf
        E_Schaaf
        YGPM :)
        Jul 22, 2023
        Jinxy245 likes this.
    11. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      It's been a long time since I've felt as hype for a new gear acquisition as I am for my incoming Aiwa HS-P202.
      1. View previous comments...
      2. bobboxbody
        bobboxbody
        I mostly agree with @bixby and @Thad E Ginathom but I think something good that was lost with cassettes was everyone making mixtapes. I'm grateful to my Dad for giving me a Kenwood receiver, Sansui tape deck, and some big woofer 70's speakers around age 9 and saying that music would become very important to me soon, so I should start finding what I like.
        Jul 16, 2023
      3. E_Schaaf
        E_Schaaf
        There's nothing competitively hifi about cassette sound quality in general but I deeply enjoy it for certain genres of music where the sense of pumping and saturation enhances the textures in the mix. House, lofi of various kinds, hip hop, reggae, dub, rnb... I do have some jazz cassettes that beat some lemon vinyl pressings of the same music. Give and take
        Jul 16, 2023
      4. E_Schaaf
        E_Schaaf
        Also helps that cassettes are often 1/3 the cost and a fraction of the size of a record. Plenty of nice sounding tapes of contemporary music still being released in Japan and Europe
        Jul 16, 2023
    12. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      (request fulfilled, disregard)
    13. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      Several ETA O² built and ready to ship! Anyone feeling inclined to pick one up - feel free to DM me and I'll see about sweetening the deal.
      1. Philimon
        Philimon
        How sweet? ygdm
        May 4, 2023
      2. M3NTAL
        M3NTAL
        Sweet like a man at sea. Luckily I'm pretty taxed on bills, so this wont be happening HA HA HA. One of the headphones on the top of my list that I'd like to hear.
        May 4, 2023
        Philimon likes this.
      3. Philimon
        Philimon
        Bills are high and nigh but for half off Ill make due and take the opportunity to purchase now at great discount.
        May 4, 2023
        M3NTAL likes this.
    14. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      Kind of have an itch to play with a AKG K700-800 series. Anyone have one to sell or lend?
      1. Cryptowolf, Jinxy245 and Biodegraded like this.
      2. Jinxy245
        Jinxy245
        I always liked the 7xx series for what it was, but sold mine ages ago. Curious what you'd come up with!
        Apr 28, 2023
      3. Biodegraded
        Biodegraded
        YGPM.
        Apr 30, 2023
        Philimon likes this.
    15. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      RIP Ahmad Jamal, I always appreciated his eloquent and understated style.
      1. CEE TEE, Jinxy245, DigMe and 5 others like this.
      2. jowls
        jowls
        Apr 17, 2023
        Jinxy245 likes this.
      3. jowls
    16. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      Got a cat from the shelter. He's so nervous! Already fell and knocked suitcases off a high shelf in the closet trying to hide. Poor lil guy
      1. View previous comments...
      2. caute
        caute
        when i got my cat from the local shelter, she was haughty and i could tell thought little of me, bit and scratched both me and my partner, but for some reason, i was like "this is the one" and she turned out to be the most affectionate, if sometimes a lil saucy, cat ever.
        Feb 19, 2023
      3. Wilewarer
        Wilewarer
        Our cat was super nervous at first too, but also wanted to be around people all the time... so for a while she spent all her time hiding under chairs and couches, but always in a room with somebody else.
        Feb 19, 2023
        Kernel Kurtz, Tchoupitoulas and caute like this.
      4. Deep Funk
        Deep Funk
        When the new cat brings back a mouse or a bird for you, you know enough. You have a new friend.
        Feb 19, 2023
        Kernel Kurtz, Tchoupitoulas and caute like this.
    17. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      Just found some Acoustic Research speakers by a dumpster in great shape. Not worth much, probably just ok, but I'll have some fun with em.
      1. Case
        Case
        Your curiosity and work ethic are a delight to behold!
        Jan 18, 2023
    18. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      I prefer watching most films and shows sped up 30-50%. Shaky cam makes that a nauseating experience :(
      1. View previous comments...
      2. roshambo123
        roshambo123
        With the exception of 2x on boring work training videos, I don't understand "speed reading" content that's intended to please us emotionally. Why would I fast forward through enjoyment?
        Jan 13, 2023
      3. E_Schaaf
        E_Schaaf
        Sometimes the speed adds enjoyment for me, or rather, reduces the opportunity for distraction, which in turn makes it a more immersive experience. I am definitely ADHD and was medicated for several years (I was a good kid and took my meds as directed), but had to stop for cardiac reasons.
        Jan 13, 2023
        JK47 likes this.
      4. roshambo123
        roshambo123
        That makes sense. I'm not ADHD and rather prefer obsessive thinking and high anxiety.
        Jan 13, 2023
        zottel likes this.
    19. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      1. Joshvar, Jinxy245, likearake and 14 others like this.
      2. M3NTAL
        M3NTAL
        Yeah Buddy! You'll be seeing my money sometime this year. Still love my Mini-S very much. Keeping me tied over for a while
        Jan 3, 2023
        Gazny and E_Schaaf like this.
    20. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      Who doesn't love hearing new things in familiar recordings? Having one of those nights...
      1. 9suns, Jinxy245, rfernand and 15 others like this.
      2. Jinxy245
        Jinxy245
        Using the O2 or some other unnamed super secret beauty?
        Jan 2, 2023
        E_Schaaf likes this.
      3. E_Schaaf
        E_Schaaf
        O2. Familiar driver, but new and exceptional flavor ;) some breakthroughs with various nylon meshes applied to the back of the driver and fancy kinetic coupling definitely helped.
        Jan 2, 2023
        Jinxy245 likes this.
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  • About

    Home Page:
    https://www.etaheadphones.com/
    Location:
    Staten Island, NY
    Occupation:
    Sonic Optimizer

    Signature

    skunkworks headphone enthusiast - discovering new sounds