Banner Woes …

Posted on August 12, 2010 by Roker

I started this blog to talk about technology and entertainment, but then it dawned on me, this isn’t what I’m about.  I like talking about my experiences in life and also my love and frustration with technology. My current frustration is developing a banner to end all banners.  I’d like to use the same font as one used in the Blade Runner poster and maybe a crazy picture of me, a coney dog, Coney Island, the Verrazano Bridge, God Save Flint, etc. etc. etc. etc.

A mess of things all glued together to form my metaphor on this website.  But I have no freakin clue how to use Photoshop or  Gimp or other similar programs.  I think I’ll spend the next few days teaching myself these things because I want to start writing again on this blog.  It’s been too long since the last post and I just renamed it (again).

This time I think it’ll stick … I hope.

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Eyes on Fire: the Book Review [aptly titled I'm afraid]

Posted on January 13, 2010 by Roker

As I mentioned before, I’ve been planning out a new writing project using the 1967 riots of Detroit as a backdrop.  What I was searching for were first hand accounts of what had happened during that event.  During my continued research I landed on a book entitled Eyes on Fire: Witnesses to the Detroit Riot of 1967.  Now prior to this, I spent my time on web forums reading posts about that day.  I was also fortunate enough to get some first hand accounts from some Detroiters themselves.  I though this book might help, but there weren’t any reviews so I had no idea if it would be sufficient or not.  Unfortunately, I found this book was very unpolished and filled with amateurish writing.

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A Tale of Two DACs

Posted on January 3, 2010 by Roker
I finally did a grueling Keces vs uDac comparison using my Little Dot I+.  It took me a little while to match the volume output of the Keces to be the same as the uDac because it did distort at higher volumes.
I’m using the following headphones:
Grado SR-125i
Grado SR-225 (classics)
Denon D2000
Songs (everything is in ALAC unless otherwise noted):
Bobby Darin – More (2004 Remastered) [253 VBR]
Blondie – Heart of Glass
Pete Rock & CL Smooth – TROY
Average White Band – Pick Up the Pieces
Boston – More Than a Feeling
Common – Be (Intro) [320]
Beatles – I’m Looking Through You (remastered)
Beatles – Get Back (remastered)
Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child of Mine
Nas – Nas is Like (PREEEEEMO)
So far, the biggest difference is the way the Keces accurately replicates bass notes better. A difference I heard using the two Grados, but I was more acutely aware of using my Denons.  The Keces also has better separation, I felt the uDac put a little too much emphasis with putting the vocals ahead of everything else.
That being said, I still like the uDac.  It almost seems as though the biggest strength is highlighting the mids of most of the songs you listen to.  It also is a bit more bright than my Keces.  The only thing about it, is that when I switched between them rapidly, I’d notice that the Keces gave me a more balanced and fuller sound.

Another unrelated tidbit, I didn’t find the pairing of the HP out of the uDac particular strong with my D2000.  I felt the bass was sloppy and unnerving.  I’d much prefer outputing the uDac to my LDI+ if I’m using my Denons.  The Grados sound good either way and I don’t mind using the uDac as the primary wayto my Grados.

uDac (left) vs Keces 151 (right)

uDac (left) vs Keces 151 (right)

I had some free time and spent the better part of the last three days comparing two Digital-to-Analog (DAC) convertors.  I’d like to note that I chose to compare a portable DAC to a desktop DAC only to see if the term “giant killer” can stick with the small wonder known as the uDac.  I’d like to note that sound can be difficult thing to review because in the end it’s subjective.  What may sound good to me, may not sound good to others.  I tried to cover a variety of genres, but ultimately I don’t listen to everything.  Some of my favorite songs (punk and rap) were recorded in lo-fi, so I can’t possibly review everything I want.  I fed each DAC to my Little Dot I+ headphone amplifier.  A nice little audio budget-file product.

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Sunsoft is back!

Posted on December 15, 2009 by Roker

Sunsoft, the videogame developers of hit NES titles like Batman, Adams Family, and Blaster Master are back!  Ok … not back as in making a comeback, but this week brings us the release of Blaster Master on the Wii Virtual Console for the NES.  I remember drooling over pictures of the game in Nintendo Power.  I knew I had to have it.  Finally after begging, my mom bought it for me and barricaded myself in my from until I could finish … uh oh.  It never happened.  Unfortunately it fell into the pile of games I was never able to clear: Ninja Gaiden (I don’t even want to reattempt it) and Kid Icarus (beat it this year on Virtual Console).

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The Denon AH-D2000 Headphone Review

Posted on December 10, 2009 by Roker

Big Comfy Pads

The Denon AH-D2000 Headphones with JMoney Leather Pads

Plenty of times we try to cut corners and enter the realm that only the rich or lucky get into. Most of us try to take the easy road but usually end up with results that are  frivolous and shallow … except in this case!  You see, for the low price of these headphones, you finally get a taste of true audio extravagance, filet mignon at a budget price!

The Denon AH-D2000s are some of the most refined headphones I’ve ever come across that don’t cost an arm and a leg. There’s something about the sound and build that just screams quality. It doesn’t matter what you’re playing either. It can easily be enjoyable playing hip-hop and electronic as it is playing rock and jazz.

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The Detroit Riots in 1967

Posted on November 11, 2009 by Roker

As the fate of my previous work remains in limbo, I’ve been siting around trying to plan out my next writing project.  One of the more interesting topics I’ve never dove into was addressing the city of Detroit and the ghost town it’s become.  I wanted as many first hand accounts as I could get.  I found a couple of books, but if you’re interested in learning a bit more, here’s a few recommended links:

Detroit: The History and Future of the Motor City

Best quote:

… Governor Romney dispatched the Michigan National Guard to Detroit. This was a tragic mistake. These men were almost exclusively white, were extremely poorly trained and were so frightened by being in the riot area that they used massive fire power leading to excessive deaths.

12th Street Riot by Everything2

Best Quote:

” Today we stand amidst the ashes of our hopes. We hoped against hope that what we had been doing was enough to prevent a riot. It was not enough.”

1967 Detroit Riot-  Then and Now by Phil Cherner

Phil Cherner’s site has some pictures of the areas that were destroyed by the riots and their present day status.  I don’t want to repost his pictures as I’d do a disservice to the work he put into setting up that page.  Give it a visit, you won’t be disappointed.

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Another Reboot

Posted on November 3, 2009 by Roker

Well it’s time to start another blog.  This is probably my 3rd time.  The first time was unmemorable and I’m pretty sure it read like a casual sex personal (I have issues, fuck off).  The second time I thought it’d be a good idea to be introspective, talk about my wants, needs, and reflect on my failures and successes (mainly my failures, who am I kidding?).  But all of that is very superficial and doesn’t give you the full picture.

Generally, I’m a light-hearted man with a good sense of humor.  I love old videogames (though I don’t play as often as I’d like to anymore), good music, a beer or 7, my friends, inner city struggles, and of course, writing.  I’m also a total gadget junkie.  If I could afford it and justify it, I’d have several DAP (fancy acronym for mp3 players), a couple of smart phones, multiple laptops and several TVs.  I used to work at a big box electronics store.

So with a little bit of tom foolery and shenanigans mixed with some Midwest sensibilities in the Big Apple (NYC), I bring to you another blog (perhaps it’s best iteration).

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Taking a Stroll on the Rough Streets of Bay Ridge or The Streets Are All About Survival

Posted on May 20, 2008 by Roker

I wake up.

My phone was ringing, I didn’t bother picking it up. What time is it?

9:49 PM

Lame. I would’ve been better off staying asleep. God, it’s nearly ten. I must’ve passed out after work. All I know is the day before I went to Manhattan, had a few drinks (okay, more than a few), almost got into a fight at the bar, wiped my roommates puke from a cab window, and got into a small argument a vocally challenged subway employee because I bothered to ask her what she said on the microphone. You see, in NYC, all of the employees who make announcements suffer from a physical condition called your-mouth-is-too-close-to-the-mic impairment.

It would probably have made for an entry on it’s own, but instead it sets me up for the events that follow. I came home from that mess, slept for 3 hours, drank a red bull, walked into work dragging my feet (4th day on the job, mind you). Thankfully it was slow and I didn’t have to wait on people much. I was still a little hungover and hungry. I got a slice of pizza from one of NYC’s generic pizzerias on my way home, inhaled the slice, sat on the couch, blinked once, blinked twice, and now it’s 10 o’clock.

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