Audio Technica M40x - Review (Final Thoughts)

Somehow, without warning, my internet service provider has cut off access to the internet for the houses in my area until the 1st of November (cries) and has also managed to not inform us that it was going to do so. Like no heads up or official letter. Not even a "Hi, we're the people responsible for your internet service, yes the people you (your parents) throw your money at every month so you can binge watch YouTube videos all day, yea, just sending this letter to you to let you know that the internet will be down for sometime because *insert cleverly thought out excuse here* and sorry for the inconvenience caused (although we all know how sorry you are, since you are the only internet service provider in Malaysia so basically you can do anything you want and people will just have to live with that). But at least TELL US!!! Don't make us go up to one of your technicians and ask them what is actually happening. A simple letter would suffice, you can use the example I posted up there. Doing so shows us that you actually care about your customers and that you actually have the decency to inform your customers on the current situation of the service in which you are providing them.

TM... ughhh (While I'm basically using their service right now, irony~)

So going back to what this post is supposed to talk about, I've spent quite some time with the ATH-M40X's and here are my final thoughts on the headphones. I'm not calling this a review because I highly doubt I am qualified enough to judge these like a reviewer would since I both lack the experience and also amount of headphones to give you an accurate comparison. The Audio Technica M40x are Studio Grade Closed Overear headphones that have a balanced sound, meaning the equalizer's flat, it's older brother, the M50x's have a V-curve to the sound meaning the treble and bass are more prominent. So here's what I have come to love about these headphones so far:

The Audio Technica M40x

The detail is impeccable, you really have to listen to these headphones yourself to truly appreciate the extent of detail you can hear using these. And anyone should be able to tell the difference because I've asked my siblings to try them on and at first they were skeptical but after a quick listen, it was unanimous, these really do make a difference when in comes to sound quality. Another thing I'd like to add is that 'detail' in this sense does not only mean how well it reproduces the sound, but also in a sense that you can distinguish each and every instrument playing, be it the main instruments or the ones in the background. You'll be able to hear when the sound starts playing (for example a snare roll) and when it ends. Basically, nothing can hide from these earphones, another experience that you will only understand if you try these out yourself.

The amount of quality you're getting, that's a gold plated 3.5mm headphone jack

Continuing on the fact that it can simultaneously, accurately reproduce rich and detailed sound, these headphones don't hold back on intensity either. Intensity here means that for example, when a singer sustains a high note, (like in Whitney Houston - I will always love you) the sound should resonate in your skull, the reason why singers sound better in real life than in recording (usually, the good singers). Another example is in the drums, you can sort of 'feel' the force at which the drums are struck, not just the sound the drums make when struck (it will all make sense if you listen to them). So the fact it can deliver detail and not skimp on intensity really amazed me. Something I'd like to add here regarding intensity, usually when people are listening to music on headphones or earphones, there are times when you keep increasing the volume but you still feel like something is missing, that's usually intensity, which can be achieved also by raising the volume. The only problem here is that the listening to music too loudly for long periods of time can damage your ears, so remember that, sometimes it's better to splurge a bit on a better pair of headphones for the sake of your ear health if you are an avid listener (I know I am).

That grin you have when the sound just hits the spot

I've touched on detail and intensity, so now let's talk about the sound it produces, singing voices sound incredible (although these are the easiest to reproduce so they amazed me the least when using these earphones). Voices with a touch of husk like Sara Bareilles sound so much better and Sia's rasp just sounds so beautiful~ Treble sounds like the acoustic guitar, chimes and cymbal crashes are delivered wonderfully. I was really impressed by the chimes, you can hear each ring to the point you can imagine the person's hand running through them. The only complaint I have so far is that very high-pitched sounds can sound a bit over-sharpened that I couldn't recognize them anymore, they just sound like they were digitally produced. These headphones do not slouch on producing the lower end sounds as well like bass, the bass is forceful with the right amount of intensity that it sounds pleasant and not overbearing. The thump is direct and precise, which I really loved cause I hate it when the bass sounds overblown and muddy. Sounds at the end of either spectrum are harder to reproduce given their nature so when I used these headphones, there were times where I could hear instruments I've never heard before. I tried using my old headphones to relocate those instruments and they were there all along, but they were so recessed that you had to know they existed to look for them. Which I have to applaud Audio Technica for, their cans managed to deliver sound from every single instrument without needing you to look for them, everything was there front and center. Another thumbs up for these headphones!

That moment when you discover other instruments in your favourite song

And lastly, comfort. Let me just say that these aren't the lightest pair of headphones, so you'll certainly recognize their presence. You won't get lost in the music and the whole world disappears, no, you'll get lost in the music while you have two giant foam cups stuck on your ears. That being said though, they aren't headphones I'd call heavy as well, they just have a heft to them which works in their favour cause it makes the product feel more premium despite the all plastic build. At the same time, these won't tire you out after using them for a long time. The foam cups are very soft, not the softest but soft enough to ease them onto your ears without much pressure. The foam cups don't prevent your ears from breathing too, but they can build up heat over time, so I'd recommend you use these on a cold day or in an air-conditioned room especially since its really hot now in Malaysia. The grip they have on your ears it strong enough to keep them in place, but not so that it hurts. They did, however, hurt after using them for 2 hours after I just took them out of the box but now they're ok. The part of the band that sits on your skull is padded and it didn't hurt after using the headphones for 4 hours straight when I was playing games. Seriously though, use these to play games, I never thought ice crashing to the ground could sound so nice. And hearing the scrunch shoes make when walking on grass was so crisp it entertained me while I was laning, haha (dota 2 reference).

Those foam cups, I'd sleep on a pillow made of them

I seem to have forgotten about isolation. These appear to isolate noise only partially when I wore them without any music on but when I started playing music, you won't be able to hear the person next to you or the ceiling fan spinning so I don't recommend wearing them while walking around om the street (be safe people, that's where your ears come in handy) but if you're on a plane and would like to make that crying baby go away, you can imagine the baby flying out the window while listening to Taylor Swift hate on her ex-boyfriends (you know, cause you won't be able to hear it? You evil person you~) These block out sound pretty well so use them with caution. And remember that when you're showing these to your friends so that you don't make a fool out of yourself while they're listening to them to see what all the fuss is about. (I'm guilty for this one too many times)

Whatchu say?

I repeat what I have said again and again in this post, in the end, you really have to listen to these yourself to really understand what I've been going on and on about in this post. If you don't like them, that's fine, these are balanced headphones and maybe you like a bit more punch in the bass and treble sections. But I must add that I've read many reviews while searching for the perfect pair of headphones, and there are very few headphones that cost this little while still being able to deliver the detail and clarity these headphones are known for. And since these headphones are meant to be worn for long periods, they don't tire your ears or your eardrums in long sessions but manage to do so while pumping out the desired intensity, so these are a good consideration if you want to listen to music but also not risk damaging your hearing. A quality all Audio Technica buds seem to have, they don't hurt your ears =)

If you don't know already, I really love these headphones and don't regret buying them.
I've posted my unboxing and first thoughts before this here
I bought mine at Lelong.com, from CastleIt here, they have a lot of good reviews and they've delivered mine on time so no complaints from me~ Although I bought mine for cheaper, the price seemed to have gone up (I bought mine for RM330+RM15 for postage, compared to RM400++ when buying from a shop, so I could save around RM50)

As an end note, have fun listening to music and enjoy discovering new ones, but sometimes you might just need the right pair on your expedition =D

New Xperia, THE SONY XPERIA Z5!

Ahhh, I remember the first time I met my phone, it was a cold night (the aircon was on) and I was getting ready to go to bed. My life felt empty so to entertain myself, I thought I'd watch some Youtube before bed. And because I liked the Xperia Z so much I actually subscribed to the Xperia channel (fanboy alert!). So I was browsing through my subscription feed and there is was, the new Xperia Z1 advert has just gone up, the phone that had a 21mp camera! The whole room lighted up as I played the video (I turned on the lights), I was like, naw man, this deserves to be watched in 720p, so I willingly turned off my wifi and used my mobile data to watch the video, cause my mobile data is faster than my home internet... LIFE (fast forward two weeks later, and I regretted playing back the video 2-3 more times). I told my twin and we excitedly watched the video together (he said "oh" and resumed looking at his phone, I had to force him to watch it with me, shoving my phone in his face a couple of times in the process). And BOOM, if its one thing Sony is good at doing, it was ads, and this one was great for me, really up to my taste. So the Z1 became my favourite and also dream phone.

Here's a list, (haha, I can imagine you guys sighing)

Xperia Sola

The first was the xperia sola, I like clean, sleek, understated, slate like designs which might be boring for some

Xperia Z

Then came the Xperia Z, which was a dream come through cause I've always imagined of a phone that would be all glass!

Xperia Z1

Then the Xperia Z1, which was so awesome with its waterproofing and camera and lowlight performance (fangirling right now)

Xperia Z5

Then came the Z2, which was like ok an upgraded Z1, and the Z3 which yeah ok they came up with a rounder Xperia Z2 and THENNNNN, they came up with THIS!!!! Yeah, I know the design didn't really change much but LOOK AT THAT COLOUR! GOOD GOD I MIGHT JUST BUY THIS FOR THAT COLOUR!!!

So yeah, (don't facepalm at me, you know we all have that moment) sure, the camera was upgraded (21mp to 23mp, what's that like a 2mp bump?) The processor's faster, it has 3gb of RAM instead of 2gb. But let's look at this from an innovative stand point, they made xperia's with purple and gold and even turquoise but let's face it, this has got to be one of the best colours they've come up with! (I'm joking, you should really be able to tell by now). I'm excited for the phone, but I have never thought a phone could look so good with a non-typical colour before! And it has a fingerprint scanner, just dropping that in for ya ;)

I'm not going to talk about the Xperia Z5 Premium, cause it hasn't come out yet but also because I care about you, my fellow readers (my fellow non-existent readers, after reading this post I presume) but lemme just say something, I never thought the colour mirror, would look so appealing no matter how ridiculous the idea of simply touching the phone would leave the phone all grimy and oily.

Xperia Z5 Premium

Dat reflection doe, so good

And thus concludes, my fangirling session, in which you all had to sit and read through, for which I thank you, for you patience, and......

HAVE A GOOD ONE!

Blog Updates

In case you were wondering is this still the same blog you were reading the last month or so called "Open Mind", then yes this is still the same blog. It's been going through a lot of changes because I never felt like the blog looked the way I would like it to. SO first there was the background with Sinnoh Badges from pokemon.

Yeap, this one

Then I was like "I love scenic views, maybe I'll use that as a background!" And hence the mountains.

Another picture I liked, after searching through the internet

 And then I thought, the background's kind of distracting and its quite hard to read (to be honest). So then I opted for changing it to a much more flatter coloured background, I switched between a couple of pictures, but what looked good as a wallpaper for my laptop screen did not look nice as a background for a blog. I stumbled across a few gems along the way, and these were all candidates~

I like pictures that give you a sense of depth but at the same time appear endless

Boundless

Serene with a touch of contrast to really draw you into it

A picture that makes you stare at it, for even just a second longer

But alas, these are good as desktop wallpapers, not blog ones. Plus, it might just be my opinion though, but they kinda look tacky (just my opinion). And also I was posting about anime yet the blog had this profound picture as a background so it didn't quite match. I ended up settling with the pokemon wallpaper again only this time, it's updated to the Kalos Gym Badges, which is more recent and the colour combinations are wonderful.

So cleverly put together =D

I've got to give props to the artist, not only is he/she good at making these but also keeps up-to-date with new gym badges. Something I definitely can't say about myself. If you want to know more about the artist, I've put the link on the right side of my blog, so you can check them out and see exactly what I mean! =)

Have a good one and probably, look a little longer if you're still searching for wallpapers, you might get what you want.

First Month into Practical Training

The first month into my practical training and I must say, work is one of the things I think about less often than other things. I'm happy that so far (emphasis on SO FAR), work is work and your life after that is up to you, segregation. It's nice when your boss and colleagues all treat you like you're still a human being. It's funny when you think about all those stories about bosses demanding their employees devote their whole life and soul to their job, when the very reason you've started working is to sustain your own life. Suddenly instead, your life revolves around work and everything else is secondary. SEGREGATION, please. So I'm thankful, alhamdulillah, that so far, I'm still a human in their eyes. *sniffs* And they also happen to be some of the nicest people I've met, humans are humans, they can never be perfect, but I'm glad when you boil everything down, at the end of the day, the one thing I can truly say is that, these are nice people I'm working with.

And that's that, I think about work at work, not to mean that I turn everything off at home, but I don't feel obliged (forced) to continue working after I get back home. Which is way different in university, the lecturers demand that you work constantly, I wonder how I'll do when I get back there to continue my semester 7 and 8. Maybe its also because I'm not taking any other subjects? (We have to do our research papers while we do practical training). Which brings me to what I think about mostly, how working changes people, I mean, I've only just started a month ago and I'm just doing my practical training (which is different as I've been reminded constantly) but there's something about spending 8 hours straight with a one hour break for lunch that really tires you out. Not sure why though. The first two weeks, I would fall asleep after I got back from work.Thankfully by the third week I've adjusted to the new timetable , but it still takes a toll on you, cause I can't seem to make it past 12 midnight without my eyelids starting to close without permission.

But that's not the worst part, oh no, the worst part is that, since you start work early in the morning, you start looking forward to weekend mornings! Seriously, I was shocked, as soon as work on Friday ended, the only thing I could think of was how I was going to spend my weekend mornings having a good breakfast. Which reminds me, you'd think sitting at the desk all day without exercise would make you less hungry but what happens is otherwise, you have so many reasons to feel hungry now. You feel bored, what should you eat? You feel stressed out, any comfort food? Need to stretch you legs? Maybe I'll go down and get something to eat. And being sedentary does not help. I vowed to start exercising but we all know a promise to yourself will never go any further than just making you feel guilty of the way you're living from time to time. ANYWAYS, I actually looked forward to waking up early. When you days are limited to two, you really start trying to make the most of them.

Which brings me to my blabber for this post, a sudden realization, not the first of its kind, but a first for my mind, remember how we cared so much for sleeping in and that 9 o'clock was too early a time to get up from bed?  Well, since you wake up early all the time for work, you just kind of get used to waking up early. On top of that, add the guilt you would feel if you slept in because you just wasted one of your weekends. Plus, you're too tired to ever stay up, so instead of the teenager sleep late, wake up late routine, it changes to sleep early, wake up early. So actually your parents are just like us, but because they've started working, they're forced to become morning people. I remember my parents talking happily when we go out for breakfast and I would just keep quiet, secretly wondering how could anyone be happy waking up this early, god, even their eyes are wide open whereas mine can barely STAY open. Parents, you were just like us, but the evil nature of work has forced you to adapt and you became the people you are today. The people teenagers hate because they wake up early and drag those sleepy teenagers to have breakfast with them. I FINALLY UNDERSTAND.

But it still does not explain the fact that they persist going for breakfast when its clearly raining and the weather's perfect for sleeping! Or maybe I just haven't worked enough?

All I could muster to keep this blog afloat...

Have a good one and enjoy (and appreciate) weekends better!

Here's a picture of a cat if this post bored you, also an accurate representation of myself when I can finally lie down when I get back from work (oops, sorry practical trai- who am I kidding it's work)