OK, there are many different ways to approach your current setup.
Wired vs wireless isn’t that much of an issue as you can get very affordable Bluetooth adapters for your computer.
Also the goal of what you want your headphones to do is going to come into play here as well because you may want a stationary setup vs mobile.
Then there’s the microphone requirement…
Actually rather than fill an unrelated thread with headphone advice I’m going to DM you.
Anytime!
If you want to extend the life of your XM3’s you can get some high quality upgraded cushions from “Wicked Cushions” for $30. They have a couple of different styles other than just straight black.
America’s Test Kitchen is one of the only apps I pay a subscription for. It’s pretty phenomenal. I usually try to find something from Kenji Lopez-Alt, Binging with Babish, or Claire Saffitz first but I ALWAYS know I will find something good on ATK.
YouTube recipes have gotten hit or miss for me and I blame TikTok. They have become super short without lots of relevant information. If you’re lucky they will display the ingredient quantity on screen for a second before moving on.
I recently was looking for a new recipe to try and found so many YouTube “recipes” that read like a Great British Bake Off Challenge.
Step 1: Gather ingredients Step 2: Make dough Step 3: Cook. Enjoy! Like and subscribe, check out my Patreon, TikTok, Instagram, tumbler, Etsy, Nebula, floatplane, and OnlyPans!
Okay so this provides an interesting set of restraints as they are traveling headphones. I have yet to find what I consider the perfect traveling headphones but there are a couple I have found that come close.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 and the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra’s
Bose has some remarkable ANC, after all that is one of the things that really established their name in the market. My main two complaints with the Bose is the sound signature isn’t always the best (IMO) and that the app can be finicky at best bordering on terribly annoying.
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra’s are really amazing for the ANC and their sound is improved with their new processor but if you are on an apple device you will miss out on this feature. Only devices with a snap dragon 888 or newer can take advantage.
One of the caveats is that the microphone quality is not the best I had some complaints about call quality when using the Bose.
One pro is that they collapse into a smaller form factor with a slightly better carrying case.
For the Sony XM5 I really preferred the sound signature and styling is just Chefs Kiss. They fold flat enough which makes packing them easy enough even if they aren’t as small as the Bose. I also prefer that the XM5 has a 3.5mm audio jack instead of a 2.5mm on the Bose. It feels more likely to last longer. Also because they are slightly older you can probably find a better deal.
The Sony does a remarkably good job at rejecting background noise when making phone calls and has a much wider band of frequencies captured. The Bose sounds very tiny and scratchy.
The Sony also has a longer battery life which is nice.
I know you said that outrageous good noise cancelling is key but if you are willing to compromise a little on the ANC quality the Focal Bathys have far superior sound.
The frequency curve on the mids to low end is practically flat, it does fall off the tiniest bit on the upper mids and lower highs but for me this means you get a really accurate sound reproduction that isn’t tiring and can be listened to all day long. The soundstage is really wide especially given that they are closed back.
The looks are a bit odd and they are a bit on the larger side. They still fold flat and they have a superior amount of cushion and I think the build quality is better.
Oh if you are a bass head that just wants super punchy powerful bass go for the Sony’s over the Focals. The Focals are more accurate but less present.
Lastly is my currently traveling setup. Its… non-traditional. I am using a pair of Samsung Galaxy Pro 2 buds which really fit my ear well and already have some pretty remarkable ANC. Not nearly Headphone level but still very good. Here is the non-traditional part: if I REALLY need to block out outside noise IE on a construction site or in the shop I wear the buds underneath a pair of passive cancelling earmuffs. Specifically the Peltor X5 Earmuffs.
It’s not stylish but the Earmuffs + Buds + Comply Foam tips feels like you are in a void. Barely have to touch the volume to hear your music as clear as day.
Genuinely looking for new headphones?
Wired or wireless?
I kind of love headphones.
I’m always curious about these crashes and bugs people are talking about.
I’m on my fourth complete playthrough with just short of 700 hours played and have not had any crashes that weren’t my own fault. I used the unlimited carry weight mod on a playthrough. Turns out if you select the throw option when you have 1000 items in your inventory the game doesn’t like that.
Other than that my experience has had no gameplay issues or bugs. The only complaint I’ve had is some characters don’t have any dialogue referencing things that occurred in the game that they absolutely SHOULD have something to say about. Sounds like this patch might just fix that issue.
Two slipped discs. Not happening.
I love that he brought Wilson with him.
Music. I can play close to a dozen instruments with enough skill that I could sit in as a stand in player for a large variety of genres. I do everything in my power to avoid letting people around me know.
I make music as a way to meditate and relax. I can throw down a synthesizer drone and spend an hour+ noodling on the piano, guitar, cello etc without doing any recording or writing down stuff. I've got probably 100 or so short 4-12 bar ideas saved on my computer. I probably will never do anything with them but I like going back and rediscovering where I was musically/emotionally.
The dubstep phase was, in a word, terrible.
Any microphone or better yet audio interface with an "instrument in" jack will work with the game. I'd personally rather not rely on a single use type computerized cable from a game company that doesn't support the game anymore.
I drive for UPS and the pick me up I get from taking a quick cat nap in the back of the truck cannot be overstated.
Great ingenuity but if falling into the inventor trap of "I've figured out one part of the equation and am neglecting the rest of it"
The inventor says "Some additional off-the-shelf systems – brake and steering boosters, as well as e-heating and air conditioning – would also be added under the hood." While also stating all the original components are remaining untouched.
Does he have any idea how cramped the majority of modern engine bays are? I used to work on saburbans, bucks, chevys, and ford's where you could literally stand in the engine bays. Modern cars though? Good luck having enough space to even get your tool let alone your hand where it needs to go.
Also "Off the shelf" systems?
Heaters are a nightmare. Resistive heaters, while being the most common, cheapest and easiest to access, use obscene amounts of energy and would put a huge drain on the tiny batteries he is proposing being used. PTC heaters are a possibility but Heat pumps would be ideal. Heat pumps take up space and are best designed into a car from scratch.
E-brake boosters are definitely a thing but are not a one size fits all and ABSOLUTELY require the removal of the existing system.
Finally the AC… The best electric units I've seen are retrofit kits for classic cars. Once again those require significant removal of existing infrastructure in order to be installed. More of an issue though… they cost 2-4 thousand dollars! That's certainly going to eat into the project 4-5 thousand dollar estimated installation cost.
Side note: These are effectively motorized wheel spacers and I have seen a ridiculous amount of damage to vehicles from wheel spacers that are just simple chunks of metal.
Innovation is always encouraged of course and hopefully his work leads to something applicable. As it stands right now it's a bit of a pipe dream.
Two I surprisingly haven't seen yet:
"I haven't given a shit about anything in a while"
and
"I'll just cancel the free trial"
That's actually pretty interesting. I started with minimalist footwear once I was old enough to start making shoe decisions myself and apparently that was partially causing some of the problems I was experiencing.
Five Fingers were my go to's (once they came out) for most days and Vivobarefoot's / Nike Free's for when the social side of five fingers was in questionable taste.
It's always fascinating to me how wildly different solutions are the exact remedy needed for different individuals. It's why I always get a little irritated when you read someone saying "Use this thing AND THIS THING ONLY! everything else is junk and dumb and you will be a worse person for using it." such a close minded approach to the world.
I've been out of the minimal shoe worlds for a bit minute, anything cool to come about recently?
I had this exact stance until I won a pair of $200 running shoes in a raffle. My occasional backpains and joint problems disappeared almost immediately. I started buying the best footwear I could afford and my quality of life went measurable up after that decision.
The BIGGEST changes were going to a reputable podiatrist and getting shoe recommendations based off of my arch shape, weight and gait. They put me on a treadmill with highspead cameras at the sides and rear to record how my stride landed both walking and running. That and custom molded insoles.
Now Shoes are a part of our yearly budget to make sure we have good condition, supportive shoes at all times. Also re-soleing if applicable.
Side note: Dress shoes can die in a fire.
Seems like to correct solution is to sell the kid for more bionicles.
I feel enlightened. When's your next talk!
There is absolutely nothing good that can come from this.
Yeah, my blocked website list is growing everyday with websites that are literally just a 4 paragraph summary of a reddit post. 3 of the paragraphs are usually just "user ‘spezcocksucker’ says this but another person disagrees. Here’s the reddit link and 27 ads.