Although I might be swinging by MM sometime next month, I'd dare not attempt The Silent Method lest it may degenerate into The Silent Movie Method.
Re: Chinese New Year and its effects, I suppose it takes personal experience and a keen insight into the ways and means of Chinese manufacturing to really get a grip on such things. I simply wait. Perhaps Clear or others more familiar with it could profer valuable input on this.
And, Clear's **** would provide that distinctively different sound character I'm looking for, I believe, much more than the other one.
Btw did you download the AliExpress app?