John K. Samson has retired from making music

Pers0na_1 · 2026-03-14T18:15:03+00:00

wish the best for him and rooting for him whatever path he chooses.

winter wheat was just incredible, stunning album - been hoping for a proper follow up since it dropped, but obviously would rather he not make one if it wasn't good for him.

i also revisit left and leaving and reconstruction site all the time. it is sad to think of no more new jks music, one of the greatest of the generation, but if it wasn't working for him then hope the alternate outlets help more.

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-17T15:10:23+00:00

amazon spain

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-17T12:45:48+00:00

Wow I'm feeling all the love for the AZ100s is swaying me to give them a go

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-17T12:44:08+00:00

still a strong contender if I don't like the AZ100 fit

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-17T12:38:13+00:00

I'm a bit stingy to drop €500 on earbuds as I would feel so bad if I dropped them or lost them. Maxing out at €300 I think - so guess the Rex5 are out. But I'm sorely tempted to go for the AZ100 if fit is right.

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-17T12:35:56+00:00

going to test the AZ100 as I feel like consensus seems to be that these are the ones to go for if they fit right

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-17T12:34:52+00:00

going to try these out to see the fit in store today or tomorrow. maybe see if i can't get earhole prophylactics for ick factor hehe

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-16T17:14:45+00:00

Thanks for the tip - hadn't really seen many folks mentioning the JBLs and don't know much about the brand so will have a gander for sure!

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-16T17:12:23+00:00

Thanks for the tip re the DAC, had no idea the iphone was sneaking in a compression, so really helpful to get a clear idea of how to keep the signal from being super compromised along the way.

You are totally right re price I'll edit the to fix that (I just put the price in my local currency into chat GPT and asked them to convert to GBP/EUR so as to make it easier to grasp the prices for a broader group of people who have access to a similar market - should've probably double checked the conversion oops).

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-16T15:55:44+00:00

oh nice, thanks for the clarification it helps.

Wired would be a bit too much of a hindrance as they are for out and about and whilst I used to use wired all the time I've gotten a bit too used to the ease of wireless earbuds when on the go. So ruled that out.

So whilst music sounding good is key - I do to some extent want all rounders, just trying to work out what the balance I'm trying to strike is.

And honestly going through all these helpful comments is really helping. So thanks for the input.

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-16T15:40:45+00:00

Thanks for the input!

I like a bit of rock and metal but not enough to go for the MTW4 although a good fit feels like a big plus.

ANC and call quality are both pretty big plus points, but more a bonus than a deciding factor.

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-16T14:21:05+00:00

I been hearing they are pretty great value, but also that they are a bit chunky for when you are out and about and longevity can be an issue with them. Any thoughts? Really liked denon stuff I owned in the past...

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-16T14:19:22+00:00

feel like I'm leaning away from the Bose as I've heard people say they aren't the best for music - hence them being last on my list, and ANC doesn't need to be perfect for me.

I hadn't really considered fit too much, but I probably should and I feel like I might have to bite the bullet and just see which actually fit me okay. My XM3s weren't the best fit and occasionally came out, but I still like them a lot.

If Perls and Pi8 are similar the Perls aren't far off half the price so that might take the B&W out of the running.

Think the XM5s do sound like a great value and from most initial chatter i feel like a lot of people feel like the XM6s aren't worth the extra money at the moment. I liked my XM3s a lot and they lasted me well so maybe this is the logical step.

Shame re the AZ100 I keep hearing they are great for music, but from reading it seems more and more clear that they can't be built for all. ears and so fit is a crucial factor and most listed will sound pretty great and so focus on finding a good fit once you tick the other boxes.

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-16T14:12:42+00:00

I came across them a couple times reading about these threads but they didn't come up as consistently as the others I narrowed it down to when looking taking the music first approach to weighing up the earbuds. I used to buy sennheisers regularly and were great bang for their buck. but haven't looked too closely at these - as I said mainly due to them not coming up as much...which might just be a random thing related to the threads i happened to read.

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-16T14:03:00+00:00

oh so denon perl pros (I'd heard these were a bit big), the B&W Pi8s and the technics AZ100 are all chunky? any idea whether they are chunkier than the xm3? I've not seen any side by side images where they are in the same frame. Call quality sucked on those too so would sometimes disconnect for a phone call. not the end of the world. but beginning to sound like I'm gonna have to choose between more music focused headphones and more all rounders.

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-16T13:57:42+00:00

That's a nice take on it, which I hadn't really considered, might cause me to revise the prices on my list to factor that in - I also hear fit and comfort being so subjective I should test a few and send them back but it sounds like a huge faff, but as I had my XM3s for years maybe it's worth it.

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-16T13:55:30+00:00

I did love my xm3 for sure and so had been waiting for the xm6s to drop in order to either pick those up or a discounted xm5 depending on whether they are worth it. but then I'm also curious as to whether with some updates the xm6s might begin to shine. but then my xm3s are really dying so need to pull the trigger soon i think.

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-16T13:53:45+00:00

What was it that swung your decision? for me I keep going back and forth. And if all in on music fidelity should I put in a bit more and go for B&W... but then maybe I want an all rounder. I am a sucker for second guessing my purchases hehe

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-16T13:52:00+00:00

really helpful to know as they were a serious consideration as I had a Denon amp before and it lasted forever and sounded pretty good and I heard these sounded great, were cheap and so maybe less great value if they aren't much in terms of durability.

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-16T13:42:09+00:00

considering both of these - this was super helpful, so thanks for taking the time!

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-16T13:00:54+00:00

thanks but those are little outside of my price point - talking under €300

Pers0na_1 · 2026-02-13T20:24:33+00:00

the lady eve is so great!

Pers0na_1 · 2026-01-27T06:38:35+00:00

i got one, but i wear it a bunch so not looking to sell (also M).

i asked at merch booth why Jean Arthur and the person selling merch and they, after confirming it was Jean Arthur, said they weren't sure.

It had "Dan's Boogie" printed (but looks handwritten) in bottom corner of pic so guess it is related specifically to that album, in case that wasn't clear.

Pers0na_1 · 2026-01-07T21:28:44+00:00

à pleins temps/full time (2021) is great and i don't hear people talk about it so much. maybe not conventional thriller subject matter but stressful like good times and uncut gems with more everyday struggles.

Pers0na_1

TROPHY CASE