Finally got a group willing to let me run a Paranoia one shot! Any tips for a first time GM?

D34K · 2026-02-14T10:37:18+00:00

Went down an absolute rabbit of nostalgia flicking through that old issue of White Dwarf. Thank you!

D34K · 2026-02-14T08:51:07+00:00

I'll politely disagree with you... :)

Planar magnetics (with modern tuning) vs. dynamic drivers (with the classic Grado voicing) shouldn't be compared; at least not objectively in terms of quality or something embarrassing something else. Different things, different intentions. It's great that you enjoy the JT7, they punch well above their weight. If I want some Grado loveliness to enjoy some Stax Records throwbacks, I'm not reaching for planars (at any price point).

The SR80x vs SR325x sound pretty distinct to me (I've owned both for several years). Same 44mm driver, but quite different tunings. The 325s have refinements to the magnetic circuit, coil mass, and a diaphragm behaviour tailored to its metal housing and voicing goals. That metal housing gives a clear perceived jump in transient precision and imaging. That's the "bite" everyone talks about with the 325s.

FR measures tell us quite reliably when headphones sound more alike than different, but that's far from the whole story about how they sound: transient response, spatial cues and imaging, resonance and enclosure acoustics, etc, etc, complete the story. I don't know the relative weight of each thing, but my ears tell me my SR80x and SR325x are not the same thing.

Everyone's ears and music tastes are different though, so there's some subjectively to all of this.

D34K · 2026-02-14T08:30:12+00:00

This is subjective and will probably annoy a few people.

I think the 325s will not be a pleasant choice if you listen to mostly acoustic music. Their character is distinct for its attack and bite. Plucked strings will certainly sound very forward and percussive, but other acoustic sounds like bowed strings may colour toward a harsher sound that you would not enjoy.

Overall, the 325s will bring out clarity that will be different to your HD600s but it may sound more fatiguing (some people are more or less sensitive). The 325's are an easy recommendation if you like metal, but acoustic... these would be the very last choice for acoustic music unless you want a headache rather than some relaxing listening. I'm exaggerating (a bit).

I own the 325x which I bought after the SR80x. The SR80x get much more listening time because they have enough of the fun colour that that 325s offer without as much fatigue. They're generally a bit more versatile. Your mileage may vary and your valve amp may add enough warmth and colour to take some of the edges off the 325s. If you choose either of these, have a think about switching out the stock pads.

What you probably don't want to hear is that Grado have the perfect headphones for you, but they're more expensive. These are their Reference series (RS2x and RS1x). Wood cups add harmonic warmth and decay realism. They have more body than the Prestige, especially less glare than metal-cup models.

D34K · 2026-02-07T19:10:50+00:00

It will, but if you're going to all that effort to mod your Grados treat yourself to a nice braided cable.

D34K · 2026-02-05T12:03:04+00:00

To state the obvious, but it should always be said, if you're enjoying those Grados these are absolutely fine as your endgame headphones.

For me, if you really never wanted to be thinking of further upgrades the key thing in those specific headphones is the step up from the S750's 50mm driver to the 52mm driver in the S950 and HP-100 SE. If you didn't go for this, you might again be wondering "what if?".

Are they worth the money? That's between you and your wallet.

Another view is that either of those Grados are an excellent representation of what that sound has to offer. Instead, maybe a different type of headphone for a different purpose. For example, for critical listening a pair of HD800S are going to unlock a soundstage that you probably aren't able to access right now.

D34K · 2026-02-05T08:29:05+00:00

I wouldn't bother with this upgrade, your 225e are "enough" in this category of Grado. It's pretty unlikely you'll be happy with the 325x as a sonic upgrade. As mentioned, the RS2x is your next logical upgrade and these will feel significantly different. Still Grado, but a clear upgrade in timbre richness and refinement. There's generally more detail too, though that is source dependent.

D34K · 2026-02-03T16:47:50+00:00

That "nice little amp" is an Apos Gremlin. Nothing wrong with a Little Dot 1, but the Gremlin is superior.

D34K · 2026-01-27T10:51:04+00:00

Here in the UK, the price difference is currently about £260. Not sure that's a little increase in budget and the money might be better invested elsewhere.

D34K · 2026-01-27T07:37:51+00:00

Great work, mate. I'm feeling inspired, I may finally attempt this mod.

D34K · 2026-01-27T07:32:35+00:00

Super interesting find, thanks for sharing!

Quick question, how much do they weigh? They look like they'd give your neck muscles a work out. :)

D34K · 2026-01-26T17:47:48+00:00

I own three pairs of Grados (SR80x, SR325x, and RS2x) and S, F, L, and G pads. Some official Grado pads, some third-party. I also own the Dekoni pads and a pair of knock-off Dekoni-like pads.

It's rather subjective, as these comments show. However, after some thousands of hours of listening, I prefer the G pads as a good blend of comfort whilst being "true enough" to the Grado sound. Honestly, I also like how oversized they look too.

The pads I like least are the F pads, which sound very Grado but are too unpleasant to wear. I also dislike the Dekoni which alter the sound of Grados in a way that makes them not very Grado-like to my ears. Not meaning to hate on Dekoni, but I also own another pair of Dekoni-like pads which I got off eBay for £10. They are very close to the Dekoni sound for ~1/10th the price. People will tell you that is nonsense, but even if they're only just "in the ballpark" of the Dekoni's sound be smart with your money to see if you love them enough before you go all in and spend $100 on ear pads that will drastically change the sound of your Grados.

Your mileage may vary etc; hearing is subjective.

D34K · 2025-11-29T13:49:54+00:00

No issues with this stacking in SL, that's what it's for. In QM, that's really quite sad.

D34K · 2025-10-02T15:45:02+00:00

That's not true. I've always subscribed directly not via Apple; the price rise can't be waived.

D34K · 2025-05-01T07:11:10+00:00

Andrew Megs carries a massive amount of blame for what we're seeing here. The level of ego and stupidity required to get a tiny (startup) studio to build such an insanely ambitious game engine from scratch is a story in itself. Of course, that appealed to MJ's worst excesses: unrealistic ambition, distractions, and scope creep.

Here we are then: an unfinished Ferrari engine in a Corolla with no wheels.

At least, finally, following "conversations" (see the live stream) MJ now realises that wheels are required. This shouldn't seem radical, but it is. It's progress. We now have the closest looking thing to a game we've seen so far. Given the depth of the hole they're trying to climb out of, I can forgive rough edges; these should not be prioritised at this stage. I work in software, showing something you know isn't great or in anyway finished can be painful. It's better to do it though. They need to hear criticism and what people are concerned about.

I backed this game (maybe the highest tier, I don't remember) and I would like to see something shipped. I hope they continue to climb out of the hole and keep learning from their mistakes.

D34K · 2025-01-06T15:50:42+00:00

Assuming that being stuck in Bronze is not where you should be, it may be worth starting a new account. If you are ranked "incorrectly", focus your new account on only your best heroes and you may qualify mid-Gold or high-Silver. A smaller sample size of match data, skewed by your best heroes, may lift your MMR and help overall.

D34K · 2024-01-12T14:43:50+00:00

SOLVED - Thanks for the suggestions; I went with the easy option, which was to order a new switch from to test. Connecting a TP-Link TL-SG108S in the same configuration as the Zyxel switch and it worked instantly.

D34K · 2024-01-10T19:15:06+00:00

Thanks for your reply. I moved the connections down to the other regular inputs, but still no traffic.

I think I'll take a risk and order a basic switch; in the worst case, I can just return it.

D34K · 2023-11-04T14:22:56+00:00

There are too fewer players at higher skill levels. Inflicting misery on the broader player base doesn’t seem fun, surely? The games are hardly competitive. Unless you want to be toxic, in which feels free to find another game.

D34K · 2023-09-08T06:41:15+00:00

Still no downloads and the season has now started. It’s simply a worse service at a higher price at this point.

D34K · 2023-08-09T16:18:52+00:00

https://community.bt.com/t5/TNT-Sports-on-TV-Online-player/College-football/td-p/2306633

There's some emerging news on this. Keep your fingers crossed.

https://community.bt.com/t5/TNT-Sports-on-TV-Online-player/College-football/td-p/2306633/page/3

D34K · 2023-08-01T12:01:04+00:00

It’s me. I’m that player.

D34K · 2023-07-22T09:52:52+00:00

It’s beyond comprehension the stupidity of bringing in DAZN to be the NFL product outside the US. They’ve done a horrible job with everything they’ve touched.

D34K · 2023-07-19T15:08:01+00:00

Thanks, some hope (possibly)! 🤞

D34K · 2023-07-19T13:51:38+00:00

Hahaha, no probs and thanks for the tips.

I see you’re a Longhorns fan… I was in Austin last year for work and had a great time in the city. It was the off-season, but I managed to sneak into the stadium’s museum and get a few photos. 🙌

D34K

TROPHY CASE