Simptech Wood Earbuds In ear Headphones

So, here we go.  My first headphone review.  I'm not sure I would have ever really chosen headphones to review on my own, but a friend of mine in Germany gave me the opportunity to experience sound during my visit.  I was of the adage that you can get by just fine with XXX, but after really seeing the difference between low end and high end headphones, I have to say, it was something I wanted to explore.  So, because I am poor, I went with a lower priced product, that appealed to me in terms of looks first.  Wood. Not florescent green, pink, or purple.  Not sporty rubber.  Wood. So, here it is: Simptech Wood Earbuds In ear Headphones - With Microphone,Noise Cancelling,HIFI Stereo Bass,Crystal Clear Sound,Ergonomic Comfort-Fit Design Best for iphone 7 and Android Phones  

 I love the wood accents.  These earbuds are very classy looking, with neutral tones, earthy. The packaging was presentable, gift worthy, though when I received mine, one corner had been “smashed” a bit, so it must have had a rough trip.  

The cord is very flexible and “rubbery” not at all noisy like cheaper earbuds are when they rub over the fabric of your shirt or move around.  “Wire noise,” is what I describe that phenomena.  These buds do not have wire any noise.

The connections seem sturdy and well made, with a flexible rubber connection into the buds and the actual headphone connection is one solid piece.  The jack is advertised as “gold plated” though I have no way of testing that other than, through use.  If it does not corrode, then I suppose it is. 

The wire going through the accessory port, sadly,  was not reinforced in any way however, and I found it a bit disappointing that the care that went into all the other aspects of the headphones were not associated there too, especially since the cord will suffer some abuse when answering the phone or adjusting the volume. 

What I was particularly interested in was the Y connection.   This is a very sturdy area, with distinct separation of the wires-encased, right at the split, with flexible rubber reinforcements.  This is wonderful and the result is a very sturdy, yet flexible connection there. 

The sound itself was good.  I am not a sound nerd, so I can’t go into specifics that way; however, I do appreciate clear sound and always find it impressive when I can hear subtle noises that inadvertently pop up during a recording. I don’t, however, like excessive base.  Balance is the key with me and I was very skeptical when I read that “deep bass” was a selling point. I was happy when I heard a clear, balanced, pleasant sound.  Powerful, but not overpowering.  These could very well be a go-to everyday favorite. When reading the sales pitch, I was particularly looking for a better resonance due to the “wood.” In a side-by-side test with several other earbuds, I heard no difference there. 

They are comfortable.  The buds themselves are very squishy and fit securely to the earpiece and in your ear.  I had recently suffered a very long 10-hour flight with a very uncomfortable pair of earbuds.  After only a few minutes, I could tell these would have been infinitely better.

Taking a call, I had an issue, which I describe below in that section of the review.  The call itself sounds clear, with no crackles or skips. Alternately, the person I was talking to could hear me very well too.

Issues:  I will take 2 stars  away for a couple of issues.  The fact that, these are not what I would consider complete noise cancelling.  Not in the way as I have experienced in other, high end headphones.  I went through and tried all sizes of ear bud that were included to make sure I had the correct fit (this is actually a big factor) and then tried them first without music, sitting in a room where my family was having a conversation.  Aside from the fact that I had something in my ears muffling the noise, they were not noise cancelling.  After turning on the music, I was not able to hear the conversation at all with mid-to-louder volumes, but with the volume on the lower side, I was still able to hear what was going on around me.  The sound was still clear and the music close, and outside noise was brought to a lower level when the music was playing, though I can’t say if it was an electronic anomaly, or simply the music playing in my ears.

I was unable to answer or hang up the phone remotely.  While I could use my headphones while talking on the phone, I was unable to use the accessory button to answer the phone, or hang up or pause the music.  All of these things needed to be done on the phone itself, which resulted in fumbling with the phone, yanking it out of my pocket, and pushing buttons.  For the record, I am using a Huawei phone with an android system.  Since the earbuds clearly state that they are compatible with an android system, I am unsure why all the features weren’t working. 

Lastly, and this is personal preference, but I have always preferred Bluetooth headphones to wired headphones simply because they never make the cord quite long enough on a wired set.  IF I am to carry my phone, I prefer it in my back pocket.  Unfortunately, there I run into problems with strain on the cord, earbuds popping out, pulling apart, or the jack coming unplugged.  If you must have a wire, an extra 2 inches would make a world of difference.   

#notetoself

Homeless Bunnies, No more

For my daughter's birthday, she got a sweet little Netherland Dwarf bunny.  While we were equipped with a hutch for said bunny, it was in no way made for being outdoors and was not weather proof.  It was actually a depressing little enclosure overall.  Mr Bunny was indeed, homeless.

Of course, if one had time, a very nice little house could be made with scrap lumber and bits of the depressing cage, but frankly, I had no time to invest in such shenanigans.  I went on Amazon looking for a deal.

I found the Advantek The Penthouse Rabbit Hutch and after staring at it for a couple of days, I decided to go ahead and chance the price-vs-quality ratio and buy the thing.  I was pleasantly surprised!!

First of all, the construction side of it could not have been easier. I tend to throw all caution to the wind and go with my instincts always, so there could have been a lot of swearing and sweating here.  Of course, there wasn't.  I didn't even need to throw anything--caution or otherwise.   All the holes are marked and drilled for you, so you can easily set this pen up in less than 30 minutes with just a screwdriver.  All the hardware is included with very clear and easy-to-follow picture instructions.  You don't even have to know how to read!!!

Look Ma!  I'm a carpenter!!!

The wood is very thin and light, my guess is it is pine (indeed the description says fir!), but the entire structure was not all that expensive, so you kind of get what you pay for.  It is stained a pretty reddish brown with white painted trim.  The wire cage is black and sets off the white and red very nicely.  The cage bars are actually a nice sturdy material and is featured at the front and along the right side of the cage.

The front cage door

The nesting box door or, as Mr. Bunny insists, 

the bathroom area.

Shut the bloody door!  Can't a bunny poop in peace!?

There are 2 doors in the front.  One on the left is a rustic boxcar-siding-type door with white trim.  A simple heart screwed to the front serves as a very cute latch.  On the front right, the wire cage also opens with a secure latch. (see photos above)

I think my favorite part of the Advantek The Penthouse Rabbit Hutch has to be the top, which is hinged and easily opened with a support bracket that holds it in place during cleaning, giving you 3 different entrances to the cage.
Inside, the bottom is a plastic drawer, or litter pan, that is easily cleaned, but to follow the theme of the hutch, is trimmed in white painted wood.  There is also a removable, wood “room divider” with an opening to easily allow your bunny to go into his own private room (nesting area-er...bathroom) to the right side of the hutch.

The roof, with the solid shingle feature and white wood trim

The single propping hinge that holds the roof up for cleaning

The removable room divider leading into the nes...bathroom.

We are almost done sweetie.  I promise. 

I have the Advantek The Penthouse Rabbit Hutch sitting outside and so far it has weathered well.  The roof is a solid shingled area and the unit does not leak at all.  Of course, you would want to have the wire cage part turned away from the weather; however, with half of the unit being enclosed, your bunny can easily hide in the more enclosed side of the unit if he/she needs to.  If you do use this as a winter enclosure, I would suggest keeping the snow off of it as much as possible and giving it a good paint job every spring to ensure the wood stays protected, otherwise it is a very cute, very good and comfortable little hutch for your bunny.

I have also gotten Mr. Bunny a heated water bottle and warming pad, to further make his winter home comfortable.  This being a farming community, he is a very spoiled bunny compared to most.

I am seeing all the wild bunnies showing up in the yard just so they can pick on him and call him a sissy.  I don't care.  We love him and if that makes him a sissy, then he's a sissy.  Look at that cute little sissy bunny boy...awwww

Kay's Crochet Edge Fleece Blade for Making Perfect Holes for Crochet Edge Projects

My niece, now a mother of 5 boys, had recently undergone the birth of twins after the conversation with her husband that they should try one more time for a girl.  You can imagine the shock and awe when she found she was having twins, boys no less.  <insert maniacal laughing here>

Since they were born so near Christmas, snugly blankets were requested and I set out to buy somewhat manly fleece, in which I decided a simple crochet edge would be appropriate.  

The chaos started when I sat down to cut tiny little holes, by hand, in the edge of the fleece, in which to stab my hook through to begin this endeavor.  Sadly, my cutting was much like a drunken sailor and, after a rousting bout of curse words, a declaration of, "There must be a better way!" was decided upon.  My Google search commenced.  

This item was perfect for what I needed. I had been trying unsuccessfully to poke holes in fleece to crochet a lace edge--impossible to get an even cut on my own. My freehand is far too free and artistic for the rigid constraints of fleece edging, obviously. I was thinking that a blade that was made for in a rotary cutter would be perfect and I was told by my more sew-savvy friends that such a thing existed, but what it was called...they had no clue.
Some very interesting google searches brought me here.

Now, I am aware as to how deeply sheltered I am, realizing far too late that this "wheel" invention has existed far longer than I could have imagined...

This little wonder invention fit perfectly in my Fiskars rotary cutters, it is super sharp and within a few minutes I had perfect, even holes, a modest 1/2 inch consistently from the edge of my blanket. I could have cried. Best thing ever! I'm absolutely certain, the babies who received such perfect blanket edging will grow up to be life-saving doctors and Pro bono lawyers now...

Welcome

With every new thing being the next big thing, how often have the reliable been forgotten for the substandard, plastic, disposable, garbage?  Here is where I want to express quality over quantity, an attribute that has been forgotten in new age society.  What ever happened to pride?  Where is the humanity?  What happened to taking your time, slowing down and appreciating what you have?This blog will be dedicated to ideas and products that may just be the Renaissance of what we once had...quality, pride, durability, human concern.

Please note:  As I am approached to do reviews on products, let it be known that I will be happy to do a review for you; however, I will not do anything but an honest review in exchange for your product.  Do not bother emailing me with please don't give us a bad review or please change your review to 5 stars.  You will be instantly ignored.  My goal is to weed the bad from the good, so that online shoppers can get what they need the first time, at a good value the first time.