Amp'd Mobile XQS-109 Noise Cancelling Headphones

I'm on CompUSA.com's email listserv. I am hesitant to order anything from them because they have already gone out of business once. I wonder if I purchase something from them at a substantial amount and get a protection plan if I will really be protected or for how long. I could buy an $800 item from them with a $100 service plan then next week they are bankrupt and out of business again. The odds on having to use the plan so quickly or ever at all is probably slim to nil but it's still nice to have the option because the company is still around for that 2-yr plan or whatever.

Well, they finally got me to give them a chance with their advertisement on 3/23/10. They had these headphones listed: Amp'd Mobile XQS-109 Noise Cancelling Headphones. It's not that I had to have this particular brand. I've been looking for some new full-size headphones for a really decent price. I'm not so into the "noise-canceling feature as I really don't see much of the point of it other than the companies being able to charge more for saying their product has this feature. My thought is that if the ear muff fits snugly on the ear and the music is loud enough then it kind of cancels out other noise anyway, right? I would think that's the reason for having an headphone or earbud to not hear the outlying noises. If you have noises that are heard over normal earphones and the music playing through them, I think you should look into moving your living quarters or changing your listening venues. Personally, I have not had any issues with hearing unwanted noises with non-noise-canceling earbuds.

Anyway, these Amp'd headphones were advertised for $19.99. According to the CompUSA website, it is a $30 savings. My little brain starts churning and I figure that if these things are originally $49.99 that they must be at least somewhat good and worth $20. I read the reviews and most agreed. Again, I'm no audiophile but I know what I hear or don't hear and what I like and don't like which is I don't like spending a lot of dough on minimally used things.

That being said, I got these things on my front porch Friday, 3/26/10, by the time I got home at 5pm. That's basically three days of processing, shipping and delivery. After ordering, the price was like $28.67 which included tax and shipping. I don't know why the hell I had to pay tax (probably because they have a store in Plano) but it wasn't really that much. Again, I figured that I started out cheaper that $9-$10 extra wasn't that big of a deal since I didn't have to drive to Plano to pick up in the store. It probably would have been a good cost-savings but I wasn't in the mood to drive.

I opened the box up after the wife went upstairs to bed. No, not because she didn't know that I purchased them (which she didn't) but because I was cleaning up some of my stuff I had in the dining room and I found the box. When I picked it up off the front porch, I didn't have time to open and play with them so I just place the box on a bag of my stuff.

So, I opened the box, carefully removed them from the Fort-Knox-like plastic wrapping. I was first confused at the headphones having no cord attached to either or both of the ear pieces. Turns out, the cord that connects from the player to the headphones is a male-to-male type cord where you have to plug it in the play AND the headphones. No big deal, just wasn't expected. The package contained the headphones, the cord mentioned, a couple of adapters for like plane (don't know for sure because I don't fly that much...at all), cell phone (why when you can only listen and not speak and there a much smaller form factor "speakers") and something else. It also came with batteries and a carry-all bag. It seems for the noise-canceling feature of headphones it is required to have some kind of power supply for them to noise-cancel. Again, new to me.

Once, I had the batteries in and the cord connected to both my Zune and the headphones, I packed everything else away. I turned on the music and I must say that I was very impressed. I have DJ-style Sony headphones that are pretty good but the ear muffs are either too soft and they start to irritate/itch my ears or I'm just an all-around sissy. It could be a little of both. Anyway, the sound comparison between the Amp'd and Sony headphones is minimal but definitely heard by my inexperienced ears. The Amp'd phones played the bass with a much cleaner, lower tone. The trebles are pretty good too even on the high notes similar to but way better like I previously mentioned with the Wicked Ear Buds. Also, what's nice about the Amp'd compared to the Sony headphones is that there is a volume control dial on the back of the left ear muff. This is awesomely convenient. I can turn my Zune up to level 10, 15 or even 20 and then use this volume dial on the headphones to turn it up or down. Now it doesn't control the Zune volume, just the volume of the actual headphone output.

Above the volume control dial, there is an ON/OFF switch. Without reading the instructions, I turned this on assuming that's what the batteries were for. The volume level basically doubled. With headphones from the days of old, this would be called something like "x-bass boost," "boost," or "turbo." Pretty cool feature if I really wanted to drown the world around me out but I'm not sure how often I would do this at home with a family or at work. After reading the instruction manual, this ON/OFF switch turns on the noise-canceling feature. For me not knowing what other noise-canceling headphones do or sound like, I will just call it as it seems to me..."boost." It's a great sound. It doesn't just raise the decibel of the volume because there is no crackle or distortion. It's almost like overclocking a CPU--increasing the output without effecting the actual quality.

I've been using them since I opened them last night to see how I like my $29 investment. As mentioned, I think the sound is great! I think the functionality of the in-headphone volume dial. I even appreciate the occasional use of the ON/OFF noise-canceling switch. Oh yeah, I haven't used it yet, but they also fold for easy storage within the included storage bag.

Overall, this has been a pretty good purchase for me. I'm not sure how much I'll walk around the block or to/from work with them because even though I see many other people around using similar headphones, the size of them makes me kind of self-conscious...like people are saying how dorky I am for not using a smaller headphone or ear buds like I think when I see them.

Oh, the only thing that I have found that I don't particular like is the lack of sound insulation. What I mean is when I'm listening to the headphones with or without the "boost," people can hear the music depending on the actual volume level. Not a huge deal but I don't have this issue with the ear buds and I don't recall this being an item I notice while wearing my Sony headphones. I think it's normal for headphones like the behind-the-head wrap-around style or the ones of old. I just wasn't expecting it with today's technology. Not really a drawback but just something my kids noticed and then I tested for after they told me.

Is the quality good? In my opinion, yes, very. Would I buy them again? At $19.99, yes. In fact, I think that's still the listed price at CompUSA.com. I'm not sure what the $149 noise-canceling headphones sound like but I can tell you that they are overpriced for anyone who doesn't have a trust fund. I do know that Bose quality is really good but the price is outrageously high for the every day consumer.

So, there's my two thoughts on the Amp'd Mobile XQS-109 Noise Cancelling Headphones.

LogMeIn

I just wanted to make a quick shout out for this software/website called LogMe In. It's basically a remote desktop program. I've used the free version for about 2-3 years now and have been pretty satisfied. I did accidentally download and install the Pro version when adding a machine. I thought they changed their offerings where the free version came with more of the pro functionality but found that you get a free 30-day trial of Pro and then it reverts to the Free. Did you get all that?

Anyway, the Pro version allows you to drag-and-drop files from the remote computer to the local computer as if you were copying from a C: drive to another drive on the same machine. Pretty cool. That's the extent of my knowledge of the differences other than the cost...which is really high for my personal use but may not be for actual businesses.

The Free version is pretty basic. Again, I haven't investigated the full functionality but what I use it for it works great. I mainly use it to remotely access one of my machines to either email a file or whatever to me. Sometimes I may just view this file on the remote machine because I need to know some quick information within the file and not the actual file.

What's nice about LogMeIn versus the remote desktop in Windows or some similar software (similar to the Windows remote desktop) is that I can list and access all my machines from one interface. I don't have to remember or find out the different IP addresses. I just click the name I gave the computer and I'm prompted for whatever username and password is required (if any) for the remote machine. If you have a fast enough machine or decent enough video card, you can adjust the display settings from functional to exactly what you see if you were physically on the remote machine. This is kind of nice but not really necessary if you aren't dealing with images. It also supports multiple monitors on the remote machine. I currently have a desktop that has two monitors and LogMeIn Free will allow me to switch between the two if needed. The really good thing that impressed me was that I was able to access my work computer through my work's firewall which I was unable to do through the Windows remote desktop after a firewall upgrade they made.

That's about the extent of my usage of LogMeIn. I really liked the drag-and-drop feature of Pro but the license pricing for a year is way out of my random-usage justification. I know there are plenty of remote desktop-type softare out there but I was looking for a very functional free version. At the time I was searching, most of the software was free-trial and then done unless you pay for the full version. LogMeIn was not and it's definitely worth checking into in my opinion.

Wicked Little Noise Isolating Stereo Earbuds

I purchased these little guys from Woot. I am always a little hesitant purchasing stuff like this whether it is at a store or especially online, although the store is a little easier to return the item to. I'm always wondering if I'm going to get my money's worth.

I'm not a huge audiophile in the sense that I don't need that extra crisp sound or perfectly toned low, mid and high ranges. I just want something to produce a pretty good sound with a fairly small price tag. I know brands like Bose are exceptional sounding products but $25, $50, $100 or more ear buds/phones are just a little ridiculous in my opinion for the every-day consumer. These products may be great for DJs or music producers but I think the layman that buys these is just flaunting their money. Again, I don't listen to my music much outside of my computer and when I do, I often have to keep the volume at a certain level to be able to hear my wife and/or kids if I am needed. The rare times I've been alone to enjoy my music are great but they are so rare that again I can't justify a high price tag.

They were being offered three for $9.99 and I could select three different colors, all different colors or two of one color...you get the picture. Although this seemed a great bargain, I was concerned about the low, low price reflecting the quality of this product. After reading some of the comments on Woot, I decided to take the plunge. I figured that $9.99 for three was better than for one. In the end if they weren't that great, they'd be acceptable enough and I didn't lose much money on the test try.

It's funny how karma works because a couple of days later I get an email from Buy.com for their daily/weekly deals. They had these earbuds listed for $19.99 which was a supposed savings of $20. There is another model that is showing for $9.99. I didn't pay too much attention to the exact model I was getting from Woot but either way, I feel I made out with a better deal.

The factory buds that came with the Zune were a tad too big with the smallest sized bud for my ears. They'd fit but they weren't comfortable having to be almost stuffed into my ear canal. LOL! They sounded pretty good but the comfort level just wasn't there. That's why I've been looking for new buds.

So, I got my order in a few days ago. The box looks pretty cool (inset) and the colors I chose were silver, blue and purple. They are a metallic sort of finish. The cord seems more durable than other buds I have had. It's more of a nylon cord. Well, it is a nylon cord but I think the nylon is wrapped around/over the normal plastic cord. I'm not totally positive. I'm not sure how this nylon cord is secured inside the bud part, like is it attached to the hard plastic of the bud or is it just attached with the thin copper wires sodered to the speaker part, I just don't know without taking it apart or breaking one for investigating purposes - not happening.

Anyway, I've only had a chance to test out one set (silver). All in all, I must say that I am impressed with the sound and product quality. I have a 30GB 1st gen Zune refurb that I bought on Woot about 3-4 years ago and it's still going strong [knock on wood]. I have a WIDE range of music (disco, pop, rock, new age, jazz, classical, country, rap, etc.) on this thing and the earbuds played all of them beautifully (in my non-audiophile-expert opinion). I'm using the smallest rubber condoms on the buds which allows it to slip snuggly and securely within my ear canal. This alone cancels a lot of background noise for me. I'm not sure if this is what they meant but it's almost like using those spongey orange ear plugs when shooting a gun.

Some of the bass was really impressive (again, to me). I couldn't believe that it was coming from such small speakers. By no means is it earth shattering or table rumbling but it was a very good sound. The treble wasn't ear-piercing. Some of my 80s hair band songs where the guy screams a long high not were not painful and I didn't hear any distortion from any other sound ranges.

The only thing that I don't like and it's not this product's fault is the quick, temporary "storage" of the buds, any buds, when I'm not using them for a brief moment or two. It's almost like I want the headphones of old but with the simplicity of the ear bud. Know what I mean? I can't take them out of my ears and have them hang around the back of my neck or anywhere for that matter comfortably and easily. I basically have to put them in a pocket, wrap them around the player, or whatever. Then when I want to use them again, I have to pull them out of the pocket or unwrap them from the player. It's kind of a pain. If it's a pain for me - a person that doesn't use an MP3 player all that often - then it's got to really suck for those others that are regular users of their MP3 players. I used to have some behind the head wrap-around head phones back in the 90s but I haven't purchased new ones since the CD player went out of style and the pricing has gotten outrageously high for a decent product. I am looking into getting some again but I have to find that good price tag for decent quality deal like I did with these earbuds!

There is my brief and non-expert review of the Wicked Little Buds Earphone. I hope it helps from a laymans view. As I mentioned there are two versions on Buy.com, they are the WI-2301 and the WI-2302. I don't know if there are more but that's all I found/saw at Buy.com. I also don't know what the difference other than price is between the 2301 and the 2302.

Spring Creek Barbeque - Richardson (US 75)

Took the kids to Spring Creek Barbeque in Richardson for dinner tonight. I got one of those ValPak mailings and it had a BOGO rib dinner for Spring Creek so I thought it was worth the investment for a taste test. I was still kind of wishy-washy because I didn't know how much one rib dinner cost and didn't want to make the drive to find out it was a lot more than I expected. Then I started thinking that even if the one dinner was like $15, I was getting 2 for $15 because of the coupon.

Anyway, we got there and it was kind of weird to see how they prepped it. Apparently the rib dinner is a hot item (I'm sure because of the coupon), and as such, we had to wait for our ribs to be "cooked" because of the demand and just how they "cook" them.

It seems that the ribs are pre-cooked, pre-smoked, or pre-whatever. They bring an ice chest, as just a carrying-type container because the ribs are hot and not on ice, from the back kitchen to a grill at the start of the order line. It's kind of cafeteria style where you order at one end and pick up your entree, sides, desserts, drinks while sliding your tray down towards the cashier. Think Luby's but with only barbecue.

Anyway, they pull the ribs out of the ice chest and put them on the grill. They slather something on it, a light baste for added flavoring and to prevent drying out during reheating...maybe. About 5-10 minutes later, they move the ribs to the chopping block and you get six decent sized ribs.

Now, because I'm a conscious shopper and a tightwad, I would not regularly pay about $11 for 6 ribs. $11 for 12 ribs is better but I still don't like spending that much on a set amount of ribs when I can get all-u-can-eat ribs at some place like North Main BBQ in Euless for $12 or Risky's BBQ in downtown Fort Worth for $9.95 + tax. I chalk it up to experience and because the kids were craving (one at least) ribs. Also because I'm in Dallas, North Main is in Euless and open only Fri-Sun and Risky's is in Fort Worth.

The ribs were pretty good. They weren't spectacular but the sauce was good and the meat on the ribs was a respectable amount. The ribs weren't cold but they weren't really hot either. I can't say for sure how hot they started as the kids ate them first while I ate a sliced beef sandwich. They may have cooled while I was eating my entree but I didn't see the kids wait to pick them up with their fingers nor hear them say something about them being too heated to handle.

On the topic of the sliced beef sandwich...I'd have to say that the meat was a tad dry. Dipping the meat or edge of sandwich into the sauce helped with the dryness but I would have expected a little more from a place with "BBQ" in its name.

Also, the economy must be affecting their business practices. I researched online before going and found that the bread rolls were excellent and they used to have a plethora of them being offered by someone walking the restaurant continuously. They did have a girl walking with a basket of rolls from table to table asking if patrons wanted hot bread but it was only after she had just freshly baked them. Once she was done, she headed back to the "baking" area and put some more rolls into the large ovens. By the looks of it, she probably cooked two dozen at a time. Being mindful that I was there around 7pm, a reasonable time for many people to have dinner, many of the patrons had to wait for bread after the initial offering of one roll during the order line.

The kids thought the ribs were pretty good and the bread was extremely good. They couldn't wait for the bread girl to come around the 2^nd and ^3rd time.

All in all, being a Spring Creek BBQ virgin, I'd have to say the food wasn't too bad. It wasn't awe-inspiring but with the help of the coupon, it was definitely worth the trip for a first-time tasting. Like I mentioned about a few other BBQ places in the general vicinity of my living abode, I wouldn't make the extra drive (about 7-10 minutes down the road depending on traffic and such) on a regular basis when Baker's Ribs or Peggy Sue's is just around the corner for about the same price. However, I would return to use the BOGO rib dinner coupon that lately seems to come regularly (I think they are celebrating something but not sure) in the ValPak.

Sent on the Super Jay Network from Super Jay's BlackBerry®