[shigzeo]

I've had an excellent run here at Head-fi: I've bought a lot of stuff, thrown stuff away, sold stuff, lost stuff, and broken stuff. I've gone through reams of review paper, met some cool people, and listened to a LOT of great music.
 
I've got a few review earphones on my plate for now and will finish them in the next few weeks. But, in February, I broke my arm and wasn't able to get earphones in my ears! Since then, I've just sort of gone 'eff this' and done other stuff like read and write. My life is much more productive now, but perhaps less passionate.
 
I've taken up croquet and bumping fists with blokes much larger than I am. In short, I've become a real man.
 
And thanks to my steadfast personality, I am still with my all-time-favourite, the CK10 from Audio Technica that I discovered almost three years ago and bought with the feckless abandon of a 27 year old at a keg party. After the a lot of great earphones and customs, I've heard it 'all'. But, I am just not all fun and happy about reading loads of reviews, arguing about headphones, and reading the same old same old "Bose/Monster/Apple (next consumer hit) suxors" comments day in day out, week in week out, month in month out, year in year out.
 
Headfi is cool, but it is an old boys club; newbies come in with something to prove. The fastest way to prove their are cool is to bash something like the above.
 
I get tired of it.
 
And, I've discovered that I my three year old investment is all I need. In fact, it is the metric by which I judge all other earphones for: comfort, sound, build, and ergonomics. Headfi, I'll post in your picture thread and do my reviews, but I think that my love/hate relationship with the forums, with arguing, with heckling the heck out of idiots and geniuses alike, is over.
 
Thank you.
 
P.S. 
 
I'll miss a few names here for sure, but I want to say special thanks to: DFKT, James444, JokerL, Average Joe (others to come) for raising the bar. You are ALWAYS behind true enthusiasm for the hobby. You do real research, make great threads, and gain whuffie the right way. I respect you very much. Joker and Joe, I think you two are the height of headfi's positive role in the earphone market. Keep up the good work. If I ever had a hand in helping you out, I feel privileged in having been able to help. DFKT, you are a genius among reviewers. No one is perfect, but you do a great job of putting on the 'realist' hat while enjoying the debate and the hobby. I was a fan before I was a headfier. James, you are incredibly gifted at bringing peace to the forums, and very giving. Thank you for giving me the CK10 that replaced the one I stupidly sold! What a giver of life! I love your reviews and look forward to more.

 

[SirBenn21]

It's called "THE END OF A PHASE"
 
The cycle of your interest always changes. It's normal. Good luck and enjoy your new interest. You'll find it.

 
My'n has just started with audio.
 
Ben

 

[shigzeo]

Not the end of a phase, the end of a pedantic interest in 'the perfect decay' rather than the perfect album or song, or artist. To say that I got sidetracked by sound, is like calling the 2011 Japan Tsunami a 'ripple'. 
 
I hope all of you enjoy this forum for what it CAN be and not for what it often ends up being: an endless river of recycled marketing and rivalry. 

 

[rymd]

So that's where you've been... I've been missing your reviews 

 
Everyone will have been a newbie at some time. I remember when I was one of those Apple-Bose-Monster-bashing idiots (still a newb, though). But without people like you and other experienced head-fi pros who have stuck around, I and other newbies wouldn't have got the sense knocked into us and wouldn't have had a chance to step out of newbie-dom. You may have gotten tired of it, but your arguing, heckling of idiots, and presence on the forum helps and has helped shape the next generation of headfiers. 
 
So thanks, and looking forward to your reviews. 

 

[SolidVictory]

Hey shigzeo, I definitely understand where you're coming from. I started a few years back and now I have all this gear that I never thought I'd have. It was a fun adventure, and I still enjoy coming to head-fi to just help out others, not really to argue over which headphone is better than another.
 
Thankfully I am usually busy with college and such, so I come on the forum, browse, post a little and then run off. Hopefully you'll continue to come around to just post around!

 

[KimChee]

I know where you're coming from, I went through the same loss of interest with working on cars.  It used to be about half my life, but now I don't even think about it at all.  

 

[Uncle Erik]

Shigzeo, thank you for your contributions here - you really helped a lot of people and have been a solid contributor.

Picture threads aside, I hope to see you around the Member's Lounge. I'd like to see you stay a member of the community.

 

[shigzeo]

Thank you Uncle, and everyone. I WILL stick around Headfi, but I am quite glad to be moving out of active on/off at every site update. 

 

[goodvibes]

Glad to hear that you're still hanging around. I really liked you reviews and input. I read somebody on the board say that a certain IEM doesn't have anything to offer over it's brothers other than better resolution (and slightly different balance) like that wasn't an important aspect. Sometimes it boggles what folk's priotities are other than the even more bass than the last bass heavy offering.

 
 It's my understanding (haven't listened) that the CK10 is as informative as anything and pretty even sounding. Doesn't surprise me one bit that more complication didn't improve things for you if hearing intent and inflection is what matters. At some point of personal IEM goodness, the package of files, player and fit become the bigger issue unless you have a particular sonic bent. 
 
 
 

 

[tk3]

See you.
I haven't talked to you, but I think you are one of the worthwhile posters on this forum.
 
I feel the same way about the forum after having been here for awhile, most of the threads here are inane and contain a lot of nonsense, but once in awhile an interesting thread pops up.
There's a lot of bad stuff here, but also some good, because of that I feel it's good to stick around even if you don't post much.

 

[RADI0HEAD]

I too have been wondering where you have been sir. Maybe it is just a phase in change of interest. I get like that too every so often but then I get the bug again and come back with vengeance. I've had the privilege to hear a few good iems lately but to me the CK10 have the most "life" in them. Thank you for all your great contributions at head-fi & touchmyapps, I put you in the same league as the members you mentioned. Your informative posts are going to missed.

 

[james444]

I always thought your literary talent was wasted on us.

 Of course your photography isn't bad either and I'll continue to follow that thread with pleasure. So thanks for everything (including your kind words here) and take care my friend.

 

[ljokerl]

Shigzeo,
 
Thanks for the shoutout. You are certainly among those to whom I owe my beginnings here at head-fi. The quality of your writing, level of experience, and of course passion for everything audio have been an inspiration. The effect your articles have had not only on the earphone market but on the reviewer scene really cannot be overstated!
 
Good luck in your future endeavors and please drop in on us from time to time.

 

[frenchbat]

And just the other day I was wondering where you'd been in the last weeks (no new post on TMA or here). Seems like you've been enjoying your time with a different hobby. Sounds good and that is definitely a good thing, no one needs to have an OCD to enjoy music. I'll miss you're reviews though (always a good read).

Well if you're around Tokyo, you're still welcome for a chat around a drink. We'll keep the chat out of audio promise

 

[average_joe]

Shigzeo, thank you for all of your contributions to head-fi and the mention above.  I owe a lot to you and have enjoyed your input as I have tried to climb up the ranks here; you are royalty and will be missed!