E_Schaaf
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E_Schaaf

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

Friend BWC

I've been sleeping on Ragnarok for too long. Totally entranced by this v1.5 since the moment it arrived Aug 27, 2023

    1. 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
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. 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
    5. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      (request fulfilled, disregard)
    6. 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.
    7. 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.
    8. 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
    9. 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.
    10. 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. Wilson
        Wilson
        Your curiosity and work ethic are a delight to behold!
        Jan 18, 2023
    11. 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.
    12. 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.
    13. 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.
    14. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      Spending a week in rural TN really gave me a new appreciation for quiet listening. There's never a truly black background in a big city.
      1. 9suns, atomicbob, ext1 and 15 others like this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. E_Schaaf
        E_Schaaf
        @Azimuth bout halfway between Knoxville and Chattanooga. My parents place.
        Dec 19, 2022
        Azimuth likes this.
      4. Azimuth
        Azimuth
        Between the Cumberland Plateau and the Smokey Mountains is a nice place to be.
        Dec 19, 2022
        Tchoupitoulas and Qildail like this.
      5. Wilewarer
        Wilewarer
        This is why almost every headphone I've ever considered is closed. Spending some time with one on and no music playing helps appreciate just how valuable good isolation is, even if it can't block everything.
        Dec 19, 2022
    15. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      Comparing magnets, diaphragms, and voice coils as independent variables has been quite an enlightening (and expensive) journey.
      1. 9suns, zottel, Jinxy245 and 7 others like this.
      2. E_Schaaf
        E_Schaaf
        Shoutout to all of the ETA supporters for funding this research. Hope y'all can reap the benefits with our next launch... If there's one thing I've decided its that none of the variants are unequivocally best. It's truly like flavors of ice cream.
        Dec 18, 2022
        obsiCO, Jinxy245, Gazny and 2 others like this.
      3. E_Schaaf
        E_Schaaf
        I've noticed a trend in the market towards constantly using lighter, thinner, more efficient materials across driver technologies. It makes sense on an intuitive level, but it's been refreshing to explore the opposite approach too. Lots of novel textures and sounds I never thought I'd hear from a headphone.
        Dec 18, 2022
        9suns, zottel, obsiCO and 3 others like this.
      4. nishan99
        nishan99
        Aside from the obvious duller transients and lesser macro dynamics I have a speculation that stiffer surrounds yeld more plankton and texture and vice-versa (soft surr> less plankton/texture but more clarity).

        Would love to build headphones in the future just to play with those interesting variables.
        Dec 18, 2022
        E_Schaaf likes this.
    16. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      Touch-sound synesthesia (?) seems common but not often discussed. Damping and pad materials sound just like they feel to my fingers.
      1. 9suns, Cryptowolf and zottel like this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. Justin S
        Justin S
        Yes of course - it is a wiring thing. From what @E_Schaaf is describing, this could be what's going on, or it could be simile as you put it.
        Dec 2, 2022
        Thad E Ginathom likes this.
      4. E_Schaaf
        E_Schaaf
        I do have a sense of the sound of a material through my fingertips even when sound isn't playing through a transducer. The transducers in this context are my nerve endings, and they're inputs instead of outputs. Either the wires are crossed or I've just trained myself deeply enough that I can't separate my expectation bias from my immediate perception. :Shrug:
        Dec 2, 2022
        Justin S and Thad E Ginathom like this.
      5. JayC
        JayC
        I think it shows experience and maybe some special cross wiring - but it seems like what good artists/engineers/specialists in a specific field experience with intuition. You just know what could work to solve a problem/where it comes from/what would be good design just by looking at it, way before running a simulation or measurement. Just hours and days and years of time spent and its a good thing!
        Dec 5, 2022
        Justin S and E_Schaaf like this.
    17. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      Mini C/S lead times will increase by a few weeks til I return from travel mid-Dec. [update, last set shipping before 12/17 sold]
      1. atomicbob, Qildail, Jinxy245 and 2 others like this.
      2. E_Schaaf
      3. E_Schaaf
        E_Schaaf
        Most orders placed while I'm away from home should still ship before Christmas.
        Nov 30, 2022
        Jinxy245 and Gazny like this.
    18. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      I get why some folks won't ever consider them, but I'm charmed by the clarity and immediacy of supraaural headphones. RIP comfort and stage.
      1. E_Schaaf
        E_Schaaf
        That being said, a new ETA over ear may also be coming soon ;) This one's been quite a journey...
        Nov 25, 2022
        Claritas, Qildail, RKML0007 and 14 others like this.
      2. Thad E Ginathom
        Thad E Ginathom
        I'm sure many people find these comfortable. Compared with speakers, I find /all/ headphones uncomfortable ;) but I'd rather have the whole ear type.

        (also, although it's not great for music, over-the-ear feeds my hearing aids too. This is good for you-tube videos with speech.)
        Nov 26, 2022
    19. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      I see Al/Mg, titanium, and beryllium coated diaphragms often, but what about other metals? Nickel, bronze, copper? Poor material properties?
      1. zottel and Cryptowolf like this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. Cspirou
        Cspirou
        Voice coils generate magnetic fields which is directly due to the current. This means you want as low a resistance possible. So coils are made from aluminum, copper and even silver. Nickel is used for magnetic lamentations but don’t conduct any current. I don’t think you would really see it used for transducers unless it’s a field coil
        Nov 20, 2022
        Biodegraded and E_Schaaf like this.
      4. Tachikoma
      5. E_Schaaf
        E_Schaaf
        LCP! I've tested one or two of those... Perhaps not genuine zylon though. PEEK and PEI seem like great polymers for use in diaphragms too
        Nov 20, 2022
    20. E_Schaaf
      E_Schaaf
      The more I narrow in on my preferred tuning on a proto headphone, the more cable differences matter as the final touch. I wish they didn't!
      1. Jinxy245, Merrick, zottel and 2 others like this.
      2. zonto
        zonto
        Please share impressions!
        Nov 18, 2022
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    Home Page:
    https://www.etaheadphones.com/
    Location:
    Staten Island, NY
    Occupation:
    Sonic Optimizer

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    skunkworks headphone enthusiast - discovering new sounds