Audioengine A2 Speakers

I've been meaning to pick up a set of speakers which don't sound like a dead rabbit being beaten with a 3 ounce hammer and, after looking for several days and weighing my options on a set of studio monitors I got quite drunk, decided that I very much needed good music and, late one night, ordered a set of Audioengine A2 speakers.

It took the fedex truck showing up on my doorstep for me to remember that I had ordered them but after two days of listening I'm glad I did. First of they're f-ing tiny. Smaller than your average computer speaker. I was a little dismayed upon opening the box and having their dimunitive form factor wave their 200$ price tag in my face while giggling impishly. Despite my initial fears I opened box, figured out how to plug them in and subjected them to a wide scale of music types. Everyone else feels the need to extend their reviews of a product beyond what's necessary. Actually I think I've done that a little too but, hehe, once again I'm not exactly sober. Pardon my diatribe.

Basically these speakers are wicked. The sound is crystal clear, they hit surprisingly low and don't distort anything but music at levels which will hurt your head. I'm not suggesting that you go out and pick a pair up but if you do, like me, in a fit of drunken E baying, you won't be disappointed.

I've added a Boston Acoustics 6.5" subwoofer to drop the range from 65hz to 45 but that's just because I like a little junk in the trunk with my music.

Goodie. Go forth and listen. I'm on Handel's Messiah right now and it's melting my face.

Canon 17-35mm f2.8L

I bought this poor bastard off my old photo editor who had used it for a couple of years. Journalist owned lenses generally aren't the best cared for however this one was in fair condition. The focus motor went out after a year of my owning it, probably three years of daily use into its working life.

I replaced that and, shortly thereafter, while taking a lovely drive up to Alaska I happened to forget it on the roof of my car. I noticed that I had done so when I saw it and my 20D bouncing down the road in my rearview. That of course left it quite broken. I did some extensive repairs replacing several main parts inside the lens and another focus motor and ta-da, it was back and alive for another day.

I still use the damn thing as my main lens. It's never been terribly sharp and I'm sure the 70mph fall didn't help that. It is however a very solid lens and has done me well over the three years I've owned it.

I'd suggest anyone interested in a wide zoom check out the 16-35, much sharper, better construction and weather sealing.

Don't buy the Sigma, I've had two of them, both died very very quickly.

Olympus WS-311M Voice Recorder

I bought the WS-311m recorder with hopes of using it as a very small means of creating audio slideshows. Wrong tool for the job. It's very small and easy to use but there's massive amounts of background noise which it seems unable to filter out even slightly.

I tested it in a coffee shop which, although probably slightly louder than a monestary, certainly should not have spiked the recorder levels constantly. I wouldn't even attempt to use it with the built in mic and with a Sony ECM-DS30p external the sound quality was better but the noise just gets worse.

If you're looking to dictate this might work well. If you're looking for a tool to create online media etc. Look elsewhere, I'm currently trying a Sony ICD-70sx recorder which, although still not cd quality, is miles better as far as noise and levels control goes.

A sample slideshow with the Sony ICD-70sx can be viewed here. That was at an extremely loud halloween party/fashion show, noise and levels control was outstanding. It did have a nasty habit of blipping once in awhile and creating dead spots in the track, not sure what that was about, will have to try some more tests.