I’m always interested in this group’s opinions, both individually and collectively. I need to replace my over-the-ear Bluetooth headphones. I had a relatively inexpensive pair made by JBL. They worked fine, until they didn’t. I’ve looked at Sony and Bose and would like to spend less than $200. Any recs?
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I have a pair of Grado GW100, which I love, love, love. Two things though…1) they are open back, so they are not noise-cancelling and you hear everything else around you while you’re listening. I personally don’t mind, but if you want isolation, they are not what you want. 2) they are more than $200, coming in today at $275. And a thrid bonus drawback…unlike other Grado headphones, they are not 100% sourced and made in good old Brooklyn, America.
For under $200, you’ll likely find the usual offerings from JBL, Sony, Sennheiser, etc. I’m also a fan of Audio-Technica, though I’ve never listened to their wireless offerings. Just stay away from things like Beats. Those are absolute garbage, both in build quality and more importantly, sound quality.
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I am essentially looking for something to wear when I’m doing yard work like mowing, weed whacking, and leaf blowing. But also chain sawing or table sawing. My air buds work okay but they fall out of my ears too easily
And the over the ear style fit snugly. I didn’t want to pay too much for that amount of usage.
For your use case, if you were happy with JBL then stick with JBL, Sony, or Soundcore in the ~$100 price range. I like Audio-Technica headphones for certain uses but in the Bluetooth world they are a bad value (~2x the price, no ANC). Sennheiser kinda sucks now. Also, obligatory reminder that headphones even with ANC are not adequate hearing protection for using power tools.
This caught my attention. Why not? When I use my AirPods while I’m doing yardwork, it sharply and significantly cuts the noise. I never get sound warning notifications either.
AirPods are a little different because Apple actually does list a noise reduction rating (NRR) for AirPods, even though it’s only 10 dBA. Most manufacturers don’t. Most “hearing protection” is going to provide a 20-30 dBA NRR or more. Also, operating a lawn mower outdoors is a very different noise exposure than operating a table saw in an enclosed garage or shop.
Headphones and ANC are useful for reducing noise exposure, but using it as the only source of “hearing protection” is risky depending on what you’re doing.
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I would agree with this. If you’re just looking for something to wear while working around the house, the typical JBL or Sony models you order off of Amazon should do the trick. And I agree about Sennheiser. I used to be a real fan of them, but they’ve gone completely to shit in the last few years. They’re only slightly better than Beats. Which is pretty fucking bad.
I just bought the Sony WF-1000xm5 for $198 plus tax. I’m very happy with them. They are my first noise-canceling pair, so I don’t have experience with any other brands/models for the sake of comparison.
I enjoy music but am not a audiophile. I purchased these to be able to listen to music and podcast while using yard machines and they worked great for me.
PROHEAR 037 Bluetooth 5.3 Hearing Protection Headphones with Rechargeable 1500mAh Battery, 30dB SNR Safety Noise Reduction Ear Muffs 120H Playtime for Mowing, Workshops, Snowblowing - Black
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Anyone have experience with a portable plug-in AC unit for a small space?
This Danby unit works great.
WiFi connected so you can have Alexa or Google turn it on for you and set schedules for it.
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Do you have a nearby window for venting?
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Sellers insurance for real estate:
Yay or nay?
A lot depends on your appetite for risk. On the basis that you report the condition of the property accurately - and say “don’t know” as the answer to questions you don’t know - in theory you have no exposure.
The problem is that you cannot control a buyer who might just be a dick and sue you anyway. Even if they ultimately lose, you still have to shell out for legal defense, which is something that Seller’s insurance would take care of for you. An insurance company being involved can not only provide the legal defense, it can shorten the whole affair because rolling the dice against an individual is one thing, against an insurance company is quite another.
Having said that, I am an insurance agent and my ex-wife is a real estate broker; while we were together we sold 3 properties and we never purchased Seller’s insurance.
ETA: All such E&O policies require the insured to have been honest. If you lie and say, for exmple, that all the lead piping was replaced with Pex but it wasn’t, the insurance company will cut you loose faster than if you were a child diagnosed with cancer.
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Mattress recs for a side sleeper?
The best one we have had was i- something from mattress firm or one of those similar stores.
Supposedly made in Italy and supposedly the same material/construction as Serta but cheaper.
It’s firm but not the firmest.
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I’m a side sleeper, I like a 3 to 4 inch memory foam mattress topper.
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I have a bed purchased through Marriott hotels, it’s the same one they use in their high end hotels and resorts. I believe it’s made by a company called Jamison Bedding. It’s the most comfortable mattress I’ve ever slept on. We’ve had it 10 years and it’s still going strong. We also have a mattress made by Texas Mattress Makers for a guest room. I’m told it’s pretty comfortable too. Sorry, I don’t know the exact construction or firmness, but they have lots of options, and you can even get one custom made any type, any oddball size.
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Well, hello Mr. Fancy Pants
I’d never heard of Jamison before, they sure look legit. This is probably the last mattress I’ll ever buy so price is not really a concern. My quality of sleep, however, is of utmost concern.
Also, looking at their website, being a “mattress quality tester” sounds like a hell of a job.
Need to up my pillow game, too.