Earphones I hate

Disclaimer: This blog post is written fully from my opinions, and my opinions only. Please write any disagreements as comments!

I thought it would be in order to blog about the earphones I despise, since my previous post was about earphones I love.

The pair of earphones I hate the most are:

The Bose In-Ear Headphones

<http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Bose_Unveils_in_Ear_Headphones/551-80430-615.html&gt;

These, unfortunately, are the earphones I hate the most. The name In-Ear headphones may be misleading, because they don’t provide the noise-cancelling feature a customer might expect. Bose decided to be all fancy and create silicone ear tips, shaped to fit almost nobody. They (from my experience) barely cling on to the inside of your ear, succeptable to falling out at any time. The sound quality is nothing special. The only positive to these particular earphones is the name value. Bose should stick to speakers and headphones, because those are definitely great.

P.S.: An upgraded model named Bose In-Ear 2 has been released, but I can still safely say that it is disappointing. The silicone tips have become even more deformed and the sound quality is a little better if not the same.

Earphone Recommendations

Are you looking for some good earphones? Well, before you purchase your next ones, take a look at this list I compiled of my personal favorites:

1) Ultimate Ears Triple.Fi 10 Pro

These badboys are originally around $400, but now you can find them new for the $200 mark. I am currently using these, and I’ve got to say these are definitely the best ones I have ever used. They have replaceable cables, so if your original cables go faulty, you can renew your earphones for a cheap price!
For iPhone/Smartphone users, there is a separate cable that can be purchased for talking whilst on the phone.

<http://www.pocketables.net/2008/12/quick-look-ulti.html>

2) Klipsch Image s4i

At $100 a pair, the Klipsch Image s4i comes in a close second. The price may be cheap, but you get the maximum value for your money. . I have used these personally, that is until I purchased the earphones above. There are two versions, one has the mic while the other one does not. There are different colors available.

<http://www.techdigest.tv/2010/04/klipsch_image_s.html>

3) Apple In-Ear Headphones

These are just a little cheaper than the Klipsch Image s4i. Apple has done a great job of improving their previous In-Ear Headphones, which are one of the worst earphones I have ever used. Their new one though, is extremely comfortable to use, and the sound quality is on a par with the higher end models of other brands. There is also a built in microphone available. The only problem may be that their white cable might get dirty over time.

<http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/07/14/apples_in_ear_
headphones_receive_a_subtle_upgrade.html>

Which of Slash’s bands is the best?

Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver, Slash’s Snakepit — all three of these bands have on thing in common, and it is that each of these bands at one point included the legendary guitarist Slash. But which of these are the best?

Without a doubt, this entire blog post is opinionated. There will be disagreements.

The order in which Slash was in is Guns N’ Roses, then Slash’s Snakepit, then Velvet Revolver.

<http://blog.naver.com/PostView.nhn?blogId=icej10&logNo=60113820772&viewDate=&currentPage=1&listtype=0&gt;

If I were to compare the modern day Guns N’ Roses with any of the two other bands, it would be ranked the lowest, hands down. But if I were to compare the time in which Slash was in Guns N’ Roses, it would be ranked the highest, hands down. Comparing bands is a difficult task, but the solos Slash did in Guns N’ Roses are so much better than the ones he did elsewhere. Primarily the ones in Paradise City (outro), Nightrain, November Rain (outro), the riff in Sweet Child O’ Mine, etc.

<http://www.last.fm/music/Slash’s+Snakepit/+images/28202069&gt;

Next would be Slash’s Snakepit. Slash was least known for his time in this band, but his solos were definitely up there with the ones from Guns N’ Roses. The band did a good job utilizing their gift that is Slash. Some songs to listen to are Been There Lately, Neither Can I, Monkey Chow, Take It Away, etc.

<http://mediafire-albums.blogspot.com/2010/07/velvet-revolver.html&gt;

Last is Velvet Revolver. Don’t get me wrong, I love Velvet Revolver. But unfortunately, they are nowhere near the levels of Guns N’ Roses and Slash’s Snakepit. The vocals is better than Slash’s Snakepit’s, but the solos are not. The band does not do a good job of emphasizing Slash’s presence. Their songs are still good; ones to listen to are Let It Roll and Slither.

The reason I wrote about this is because my concerts for the Slash concert in Korea have arrived! Two weeks later, I will be watching the master performing some of his greatest works from all three bands. The final setlist for Koera is not published, but this is what he performed in Australia a couple days back:

<setlist.fm>

This setlist, in my opinion, is almost as good as it can get. The lack of Snakepit songs is disappointing but it is still all good.  Paradise City being their last song is a great idea, for its outro is truly a great way to end a concert. I can’t wait!

Helloween and Eagles coming to South Korea

The German power metal band, Helloween, as well as the American rock band, the Eagles, have announced a couple weeks ago that they will come to Korea in March 2nd and March 15th, respectively.

http://ticketbuzz.listeasy.net/eagles-implement-dynamic-ticketing-service-to-fill-seats-gain-revenues/

Both bands epitomize their genres of music. Without a doubt, the Eagles are much more popular here in Korea. Big name, classic artists such as Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder are popular here, while lesser known bands such as Iron Maiden and Helloween are not.

I like them all, but it would be great if tickets for the latter concerts sold more…numerous concerts in the past had to be canceled due to the lack of sales in concert tickets. And considering I prefer metal over classic rock, it saddens me to see such poor ticket sales.

http://terarock-d.blogspot.com/2009/10/helloween.html

The Iron Maiden and Helloween concerts are in critical condition, and are on the verge of canceling. Not to mention that metal and alternative rock concerts are much more exciting than classic rock pop concerts, because the former have standing areas. Sitting down and watching a concert may be fun, but standing up and watching is a million times more worth the money and the best experience one can have at a concert, and so that is what I recommend to anybody wanting to go to a concert.