[Yarbles]

Please don't take this too personal but may I kindly suggest not turning the Watercooler into a [enter your brand name here] hate page? There's plenty of those elsewhere already, and most here would prefer keeping the Cooler for sharing love for our gear instead. Any brand hated by some is loved by plenty of others - and the other way around. Tnx a million...

drftr

Fair point. My apologies.

 

[drftr]

Fair point. My apologies.

Much appreciated bro. Sharing love makes this rock a better place.

drftr

 

[o0genesis0o]

Due to philosophical discussions being an inherent part of the Watercooler ecology, I wanted to share a series of abstracts in podcast form that is called Philosophize This.

These are made by a guy called Stephen West and he talks about his summarized interpretations of certain philosophers and their viewpoints.
In the playlist I will share here, the main topic revolves around Slavoj Žižek, from whom I had listened to some talks about certain current political topics before and I felt like he had something to say that is interesting to me.
After listening to the episodes regarding Žižek, I did get some better insight into my own thinking, however my overarching belief of the absolute absurdism was not shaken too much. I am also not sure if I agree with Stephen Wests conclusion of Žižek's philosophy because of my own belief.

Maybe this will be interesting to listen to for some of you as well.



Trigger Warning: There is a lot of capitalism critique in here and also the word capitalism will be said many times.

The dude behind this podcast is quite amazing in terms of how much he taught himself and got started from nothing.

I can’t stand him when reaching the modern philosophy though.

 

[maegnificant]

The dude behind this podcast is quite amazing in terms of how much he taught himself and got started from nothing.

I can’t stand him when reaching the modern philosophy though.

Why not?

 

[Pelilin]

Fair point. My apologies.

I actually get where you are coming from, but you should not easily brush off a brand or gear easily, why? It is all synergy you know a warm iem matched with warmish source like Hiby will be too much it might even sound bloated and too much in the low end. You see for example DC Elite paired with Feiwan or CCA trio sound like hell but DC elite with neutral or warmish tuned IEM it sound amazing. Hiby tend to have warmer or darker sound presentation. I used to dislike a certain gear pairing and accuse the brand for making bad product but actually it is not the case its all about synergy and finding the right pair. It is why we have to demo the gear before buying.

 

[o0genesis0o]

Why not?

Idk. Maybe it’s not him but postmodern philosophy itself. Something icky that stopped me from following that podcast. Good to know that he is still making a living do those podcast though. The guy is very enthusiastic.

 

[maegnificant]

Idk. Maybe it’s not him but postmodern philosophy itself. Something icky that stopped me from following that podcast. Good to know that he is still making a living do those podcast though. The guy is very enthusiastic.

I think it could be that modern philosophy is less about those big questions and more about modern day life. Less grand, more mundane. Could that be?

I can still recommend listening to these episodes, Žižek is quite interesting. But I cannot guarantee that for you, of course.

 

[warrenpchi]

A mirror for you then my friend.

Very unique sounding IEM by Tangzu -

Xuanwu GATE​

That looks very pretty! I can already think of a few cables that I'd pair with it visually.

Does anyone have any ideas for some nice accessories to showcase your IEMs, kinda like jewelry stand style? Thinking it would be a nice piece in any video reviews similar to a headphone stand. That Canpur stand above looks nice but I can't seem to easily find any like it, at least for a reasonable price. At this point, I'm considering the IKEA pegboards haha.

I looked for some stuff, like jewelry stands, a while back - but that was mainly for product photography reasons. I didn't find a whole lot that wasn't ugly. I've since decided that I'll probably hit up some antique stores like Peter McKinnon does. It'll take more work, over a longer period of time, but I'll probably get a better result that way.

Niiiiice, in all honesty I would not buy a cable if it aesthetically does not fit the intended IEM.

Even if it sounds better

Ha, I didn't even bother unwrapping the stock cable so I have no idea how it sounds different, if it even does. But they definitely look like they were made to go together.

 

[Simpeler]

I actually get where you are coming from, but you should not easily brush off a brand or gear easily, why? It is all synergy you know a warm iem matched with warmish source like Hiby will be too much it might even sound bloated and too much in the low end. You see for example DC Elite paired with Feiwan or CCA trio sound like hell but DC elite with neutral or warmish tuned IEM it sound amazing. Hiby tend to have warmer or darker sound presentation. I used to dislike a certain gear pairing and accuse the brand for making bad product but actually it is not the case its all about synergy and finding the right pair. It is why we have to demo the gear before buying.

This is why comparisons and gear combinations in describing gear is so important.

It makes it possible for us to Identify if we like the same sound profile/ experience the same. Then use that as a baseline for the rest of the description.

Though still always thrust your own ears

 

[Simpeler]

Very unique sounding IEM by Tangzu -

Xuanwu GATE​

https://tangzu.net/products/tangzu-...-0-78mm-3-5-4-4mm-cable-hybrid-driver-headest

They look beautiful

 

[Valrhona]

Haha, me too! Nothing gets left out the case now, and it's so convenient to have it with me so I don't have to go back and forth if I want to try something else.

Yes indeed. The 'secret' to this case that all others don't have is height. It's 10cm tall (still very compact), but this means you can stack DAPs sideways inside, and also have the height you need for IEMs in pouches with thick third-party cables.

See pics below:

1. Generous lid section. That's a CMA-18 Portable in the top left pouch, along with all my USB cables, adapters, some tips, and even a 'spare' IEM cable.

2. The fabric zippered divider protects the main section, keeps the items in both sections from bumping against each other, and serves as a 'tray' for gear while you're listening.

3. The main section can be divided in different ways. I have it configured for 3 full-size DAPs, 8 IEMs in pouches with cables attached, and two small gaps for silica bags to keep humidity out. The added height over most cases makes this possible. You can also buy spare dividers, along with medium dividers that let you split the bag vertically as opposed to how I have it configured.

​

This is the Watercooler, of course you're holding back!

Seriously though, stock is fine, but there are better cables that can shape/scale this brilliant IEM. I currently have a ddHiFi Nyx Pro on mine, which gives it some extra body. Not too pricey either at $500, with swappable adapters and connectors at both ends.

Is the custom Sony/Miter case still around?

 

[maegnificant]

Soon we'll pay flagship IEM prices for handmade music. And live perfomances will rival stratos-fi stereo systems. (Besides the underground movements of course) Mark my words.

 

[Scubadevils]

Niiiiice, in all honesty I would not buy a cable if it aesthetically does not fit the intended IEM.

Even if it sounds better

Yes agreed, and likewise when I’m happy with the stock cable… as is the case with the X4 for me, I love the matching colours and passed my out walking test this morning with flying colours - minimal microphonics and didn’t drag the IEMs out of my ears!

Aune M1P pairs very nicely too.

 

[Scubadevils]

Lunchtime music - what was a lost gem of IDM / ambient techno from the mid 90s brought back to life in 2020 by the brilliant R&S / Apollo label.

I love the blurb behind this release too…

Apollo / R&S are delighted to welcome back The Primitive Painter, aka the duo of Roman Flügel and Jörn Elling Wuttke for a timely reissue of their 1994 lost classic self-titled album of sonorous IDM.

Growing up in Frankfurt, in the 80s and 90s the duo met at an indie rock club in their home town of Darmstadt, bonding over their shared obsession with the first wave of acid, Chicago house and early Detroit techno as well as their patronage of now iconic Frankfurt club nights like The Omen or Dorian Gray or the infamous Delirium Record shop run by scene stalwarts Ata (Robert Johnson) and Heiko MSO (Playhouse).

Taking inspiration from the likes of The Black Dog and Transmat as well as seminal compilations such as Planet E’s Intergalactic Beats and Warp’s Artificial intelligence compilation the duo honed their inventive take on the Detroit techno blueprint under the monicker Acid Jesus, debuting on their freshly minted Klang Elektronik label. The label was started in conjunction with Ata and Heiko after Fluegel & Wuttke (regular patrons of the Delirium store) pressed a demo on them, muttering the immortal line; “Please listen to the tape, we are big Mr. Fingers fans.”

Through the mid ’90s the project flourished giving rise to a classic album and a brace of singles that number amongst the best of the era’s techno, winning them a influential fans most notably Sven Väth, David Holmes and Andrew Weatherall who invited them to play live at one of the legendary Sabresonic parties in London.

Alongside the success of the Acid Jesus project, the duo found great inspiration in outside of the club, including an ambient happening when the KLF came to play Frankfurt; “There were live sheep eating grass on stage while they played at Mark Spoon’s club XS”, as well as cinematic influence from the likes of Jim jarmush and Wim Wenders. It was however the euphonic IDM grandeur of Apollo Recordings self titled compilation of 1993 that really got their creative juices flowing:

“It was a ten track compilation with artists like David Morley, Model 500, Aphex Twin which still sounds so good today,” Jörn enthuses. “ It was really the trigger to go away from the Detroit sound and more towards the big melodies of B12 etc.”

Deciding to make their tribute to this style of music the duo turned out 10 tracks of gauzy, melodious electronica in a white hot fever, one after another over the ensuing months. Settling on a name for the new project they picked ‘The Primitive Painters’ taking inspiration from the band Felt. “We are both children of the C86 movement,” explains Jörn. “this attitude of noisy art school influenced rock like Primal Scream, MBV, The Jesus & Mary Chain really inspired us to take a DIY approach to our music.”

They sent the resulting demo cassette to Renaat at R&S / Apollo. “We really had no expectations,” Jörn explains. “So we were shocked and delighted when we received a fax saying that he wanted to release it”

The resulting release was bungled by an R&S mix up that attributed the album to the duo’s own Klang Elektronik label which confused both fans and distributors alike, denying the release the critical boost and attention that it so richly deserved. Accordingly the release slipped out without much fanfare, with a chastened Fluegel & Wuttke returning to their Acid Jesus activities which would eventually lead to their blockbusting success as Alter Ego.


Over the ensuing years the reputation of The Primitive Painter album has only grown, with second hand copies (only 500 vinyl were pressed) changing hands for exorbitant amounts on Discogs, leading us to this opportune moment of a richly deserved ‘first’ release on the label for which the project was started, Apollo / R&S.

“This really brings us full circle,” says Jörn. “Apollo / R&S meant and means so much to us as artists and so it was bittersweet to not have the official release - to put that right all these years later feels really good.”

This new vinyl release comes in re-created original gatefold artwork and includes all original 10 tracks (Stoned Soul Picnic was previously on the CD only). It also contains an exclusive previously unheard track ‘Testing’ on the digital release.

 

[Yarbles]

I actually get where you are coming from, but you should not easily brush off a brand or gear easily, why? It is all synergy you know a warm iem matched with warmish source like Hiby will be too much it might even sound bloated and too much in the low end. You see for example DC Elite paired with Feiwan or CCA trio sound like hell but DC elite with neutral or warmish tuned IEM it sound amazing. Hiby tend to have warmer or darker sound presentation. I used to dislike a certain gear pairing and accuse the brand for making bad product but actually it is not the case its all about synergy and finding the right pair. It is why we have to demo the gear before buying.

As you've asked (and remember you've asked - and as I've already said I don't like it, so I don't want any crap thrown at me & I'm certainly not getting into debates)

I'll say it once, I'll say it properly and I'm not going back into it at all - so please have the courtesy not to ask me any more on it, because it is absolutely a negative conversation... and as someone had already said, it's better that we keep it to love.

I grew up going to & then doing events & dj-ing with real analogue rigs driven by old valve amps. Dubplate/soundclash culture, all of that. This is all really important stuff to me.

I have a Cayin HA-1A MK2 tube amp & I enjoy it from time to time with old 60s & 70s rock, certain jazz, reggae/dancehall/dub.

I love warm sound for certain genres when it's done properly. To be honest when I hear warm sound coming from a dongle or a DAP - to me, it sounds half baked & sounds like it lacks authenticity - it's akin to one of those filters people use on smartphone videos to make it look like it was recorded on an old camcorder. I'm aware it's not a totally artifical sound and that some analogue bits are used, like ifi using those horrible Burr Brown chips. As Rob Watts from Chord says - the guys who make Burr Brown chips are just scientists. They don't really known anything about music or know what sound good. This isn't a word for word quote, but it's absolutely to that effect.

It muddies up the sound with a layer of fuzz, totally dials down the imaging & seperation that I love so much with modern TOTL IEMs (if we're going to spend all this dough on IEMs with fancy & v expensive EST drivers & then run it through a fuzzy device - what's the point of buying these IEMs that have the aforementioned with incredible detail & clarity?

I know a lot of guys like myself who have the same sort of background. None of us are audiophiles, many of us made music (I'm the only one who spends time on forums & keeps up on gear because it interests me - partly due to my disability which keeps me lying down most of the time).

Most of us have accidentally bought a warm sounding source at some point. I'm not going to name names, but some of these guys are big artists, household name types, some still up there, others in the past - one thing that anyone has said about these warm sounding bits & pieces, wether they made jazz, house, hip hop, drum n bass, house or if they were a vocalist - 'I don't want my music sounding like that. That's not how I intended it to to be heard at all' - this is a very common statement that I've heard.

The collective opinion with warm sounding sources, is generally speaking - is that it's go big or go home.

The source should be a reasonably blank canvas. The recordings can provide some warmth & the IEMs or headphones in a way can too... but not in this horrible 'faux anologue' sounding way that portable sources do.

I know what I like, I feel content in what I've found, I have most of my bases covered (aside from wanting a different bass heavy premium IEM to the Maestro SE) & I enjoy keeping up with new gear because it interests me & occasionally I stumble upon something that sounds like it might be able to dethrone am IEM or headphone that I have.

I know a lot of you will not agree with this at all & I don't think my opinion is above yours. We all like different things & that should be respected.

Please just let that be the end of it

Have a good weekend everyone & enjoy your music... on whatever you choose to listen to it on!