Mini-Review: Sennheiser MX 365 Earphones

No, you're not misreading that title. This is not gaming related. I've been shopping for replacement earbuds for my SanDisk Clip Sport Plus. It came with earbuds that fit inside your ear canal, which I can't stand. I spent some time poking around Amazon and discovered there are approximately 8 billion headsets for mobile devices and cell phones available. However, most of these have the same design and features I don't want (namely, microphones). I went looking for what I guess I'd call classic earbuds and ended up with the Sennheiser MX 365, which currently lists for $13-15 US on Amazon. I've been using them for the last couple days and here are the highlights:

• Extra-long, symmetrical cord. I measured it at a hair under 50 inches from the top of the earbud to the audio jack. As a really tall dude, I appreciate being able to stick my music player in my pants pocket without stooping to accommodate a short cord.
• Right-angle 1/8"/3.5mm audio jack. This is personal preference, but I always find straight jacks catch on clothing.
•  Foam earbud covers. These fit over the speaker side of each earbud and provide a little cushioning and a better grip than the smooth plastic shell. They were a tight fit and a little hard to get on, so I don't think they'll be coming off.
• Minor concern: the cord is pretty thin so durability may be an issue. For a product costing about $15, I can live with that.

The earbuds themselves are a bit larger than original Apple earbuds. They fit my ears well snugly but might be a little big for some people. I measured one of mine with the foam pad on and it is approximately 11/16"/17.5mm. Note that these headphones do not have a mic or integrated volume control. They are just earbuds.

For lightweight earbuds, the sound quality pretty darn good. I listen to classic rock, metal, folk, electronica, and ambient music. This headset delivers plenty of volume and solid bass without losing the details of the music. I'd call the overall sound warm, accurate, and well-rounded. Available tech specs are limited:

• 20-20,000 Hz frequency response
• 110 dB sound pressure level (1 kHz/1 Vrms)
• 32 ohm impedance

Bottom line: Thumbs up. I'm pleased with this purchase and, barring sudden failures, would buy Sennheiser's MX 365 earphones again. I chose the white option (easy to spot in a bag), but there are other color options available (the manufacturer's page says six colors, but I've only seen blue, red, and white). These earphones have a 2-year manufacturer's warranty.

Full disclosure: This post uses Amazon affiliate links.

Firefall - Firefail

This is a hard review for me to write. I really dislike being completely negative about a video game experience, because there's a ton of work behind what I'm experiencing. Sadly, my recent time with Firefall has provided me very little to work with in the plus column.

Grim Dawn - First Impressions

Grim Dawn is a PC action-RPG created by Crate Entertainment, an indie studio staffed by veterans of Iron Lore, creators of Titan Quest. It's available via the Steam early access program, and is still in active development. I picked it up during the Steam summer sale, and I've put about eighteen hours into the game, mostly on a Soldier character.

Grim Dawn, a bad place for horses

MechWarrior Online - A Newbie's First Impression

One of my gaming friends has been a long-time fan of the MechWarrior video games. He finally convinced me to give the latest incarnation MechWarrior Online (MWO), a spin a couple weeks ago. I've been resisting, because I was never a huge fan of giant stompy war robots (a.k.a. juicy targets), but I finally suspended my disbelief and joined up. Pacific Rim may or may not have had something to do with that.

Avoid laser to the face, if possible.

Gaming Paper - Better than Expected

During my last Daruna game session I finally had the opportunity to use the roll of Gaming Paper I had received as a gift a while back. If you're unfamiliar with the product, it's a one-inch grid printed on coated paper in a 30-inch wide, 12-foot long roll. It has the same feel as a nice-quality wrapping paper.

Path of Exile - Beta Weekend Thoughts

Path of Exile is an online action RPG for Windows, being developed by Grinding Gear Games. They recently held an open beta weekend, and since my friends have been playing, I decided to check it out. I didn't have a huge amount of time to play, so this is really a quick look, not a detailed review.

Torchlight 2 - A Wrap

A final post concerning the Torchlight 2 beta experience. There's nothing new here, just a wrap-up with all the links in the right order for easy reference:

• My first impressions
• A review of the beta
• Final thoughts

That's it! Now that the beta is over I can fixate on something else, at least for now.

Final Impressions: Torchlight 2 Beta

The Torchlight 2 beta winds down today at 4 PM Pacific time. I've been spending too much time playing, so it's probably a good thing it's over. I've already wrote a couple things about the game:

• First Impressions
• Beta Review

Here are a few more thoughts based on the last couple days of play.

Torchlight 2 - Beta Review

This is a more detailed look at the Torchlight 2 beta experience. I've already posted a brief first impression, but now I've spent more time with the game. I've completed the beta with the Outlander and the Engineer, and have spent some time with both the Berserker and Embermage.

Torchlight 2 Beta - First Impression

This game wins. I knew it within the first few minutes, but after a couple hours, I can confirm it. Even though I'm trying to judge Torchlight 2 based on its own merits, it's hard to avoid comparison to Diablo 3, a game I was less than impressed with. Here's why Torchlight 2 is better than Diablo 3:

New Belgium - Dig

This is a spring brew from New Belgium, who have become one of my favorite brewers. It's a very crisp pale ale with a very Spring-friendly hop profile. Lots of citrus, a hint of flowery, and a nice sharp and clean finish that leaves just a hint of malt behind. This is a great example of a well-hopped beer that doesn't fall into the OMG MOAR HOPZ trap. Pours clear and coppery with a floral / citrus aroma and a thick, creamy head that sticks around for a while, leaving moderate lacing. All in all a very nice brew, crisp and light enough to drink on warmer spring days, and with a great profile to pair with, say some good BBQ.

An Author You Should Read

I just finished reading Michael Van Rooy's two novels, An Ordinary Decent Criminal and Your Friendly Neighborhood Criminal. If you like books of the action / crime genre, you owe it to yourself to read these two. I picked up the second book at the library on a whim, started reading, and finished it in a day. Then I went back for the other volume and did the same thing with that. Sadly there aren't any further novels forthcoming, since the author died suddenly in 2011.

Diablo III Beta

I've been playing around in the beta for about a week now. Here are some thoughts in chronological order, oldest first. I culled these reactions from email messages I sent to friends as I was playing. To anyone that's been following other sources, there are probably not many surprises here. Just the viewpoint of a grumpy old video game player.

Review: The Name of the Wind: Patrick Rothfuss

Have you read this? If not, you should. Yes it's the first book of a series that's not finished, something I absolutely hate recommending because of what I call the Martin Effect (if you read fantasy I'm sure you can guess what that is). I'll make an exception in this case though, for two reasons:

• Patrick Rothfuss actually seems to have a trilogy in mind, and claims that it's pretty much written. All that's left is the editing and revising.
• It's a very very very good book.