Interests

Music of all kinds; target shooting with air guns; reading; annoying my wife and my dogs.
I enjoy reading about high-end home audio systems and, especially, the esoteric hypotheses and quasi-mystical "research" underlying some of them! Sorry, but I'm a statistician and a cynic, so I'm never impressed by pseudo-scientific claims that, in fact, defy scientific logic and the fundamental requirements of acceptable experimental designs. However, I'm a great believer in well-explained opinions that invite dialogue and expression of differences. My favorite critic/reviewer in the headphone arena is Tyll Hertsens at Inner Fidelity. I admire his efforts to combine careful measurements with clearly stated subjective impressions.

Headphone Inventory

Full-size: Audio Technica ATH-M50x, Shure SRH1540, Shure SRH840, Shure SRH 550DJ, Sennheiser HD598, Sennheiser HD518, V Moda XS, Skullcandy Grind, Sennheiser HD 239, Beats Solo 2, Sol Republic Tracks Air, Sony MDR-V6, Sony MDR-XD300, Phillips Fidelio X2/27.
In-ear: Etymotic ER4S, Etymotic ER4-PT, Etymotic HF5, Etymotic HF3, Audio Technica ATH-CKR9, Audio Technica ATH-CKR10, Audio Technica ATH-CKS99, Audio Technica ATH-CKS1000, HiFiMan RE-400, Sennheiser Momentum (IEM), Thinksound MS01, Xiaomi Piston 3, and too many generic earbuds (for workouts, where I drown them in sweat!) to list.

Headphone Amp Inventory

Schiit Audio Magni 2 Uber & Moda 2 Uber stack; HeadRoom Micro; Fournier HTA-2; AudioQuest Dragonfly V2; Teac HA-P50; and Oppo HA-2.

Source Inventory

For serious listening, I use a NAD C 516BEE cd player. For casual listening, i have an iMac, a 128gb 6th generation iPod Touch, a 64gb 5th generation iPod Touch, two iPod Nanos, an iPod Shuffle, a 128gb iPad Pro and a 64gb iPad Air. Yes, I have drunk deeply from the never-empty punchbowl of Apple Kool Aid!

Cable Inventory

For home system: AudioQuest Evergreen and Schiit Audio PYST interconnects; OEM, Moon Audio and AudioMinor headphone cables.
For portable systems: OEM interconnects and cables (and comparable quality aftermarket stuff).

Power-Related Components

None, aside from a stout APC surge protector on my home system.

Other Audio Equipment

I do my rare instances of "open listening" via a set of Bose 901 speakers, a McIntosh MA6450 integrated amplifier, a Yamaha CDC665 compact disc player; and a TEAC receiver. The system is connected via a set of custom cables produced for me 20 years ago by Hi Fi Fo Fum in St. Louis, Missouri. [Why are such instances "rare?" Because our dogs like to "sing" along with the music!]

Audio-Related Tweaks

None.

Music Preferences

I enjoy listening to all types of music, with the exception of those forms of modern jazz and experimental/noise artistry that lack a readily discernible rhythm and melody. My one musical "addiction" is the Allman Brothers Band. I'm also attracted to music where there are lots of layers and lots of background activity in a wide soundstage [such as Thompson Twins, Chemical Brothers, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, etc.] - and to simply staged solo violin and piano performances (by the likes of Joshua Bell and Maria Joao Pires, for example) - and to chamber music - and to electronic dance music - and to bluegrass - and to big band music (vintage and contempotary) - and to male and female vocalists who can make the great American songbook come alive - and to Broadway show tunes - and to country and "roots" music - and to, well, just about anything that makes my ears happy, involved, and excited.

Gender

Male

Occupation

Retired teacher