Sennheiser RS 170 Surround Sound Review (VS Dolby Headphone)

Hi guys

So I sat down and reviewed the Sennheiser RS 170 Surround Sound option along with Dolby Headphone of my Asus Essence STX sound card.

MOVIES

In order of decreasing/(better to worse) surround sound effect:

RS 170 Surround + Dolby Headphone (both enabled)
is much better than
Just Dolby Headphone
is much better than
Just Sennheiser RS 170 surround

All the above three are noticeable and distinct compared to regular stereo settings, at least at the right time. However, the Sennheiser RS 170 surround isn't always noticeable except in moments when it is really powerful (not too powerful either though). Also, even with Dolby headphone enabled, enabling Senn RS170 surround has a huge difference and is easily noticeable in most situations.

Needless to say, the sound quality is the cleanest and sharpest in stereo mode. However, I seldom watch my TV serials, movies or play games without having both enabled, when using my headphones. The difference is BIG.

Both play a nice role, neither is a perfect home theater. But when combined together, they easily come close to a entry level Sony or Philips home theater as an overall experience with much better sound, and badly positioned speakers give worse surround sound that these headphones when the right software/RS170 settings are used.

RATING
RS170 7
Dolby 8
Both together 10/10 assuming that as reference point. Of course in absolute terms it will be more like a 8 instead of 10.

MUSIC

In order of decreasing/(better to worse) surround sound effect:

RS 170 Surround + Dolby Headphone (both enabled)
is much better than
Just Dolby Headphone
is much better than
Just Sennheiser RS 170 surround

The most noticeable option is just enabling the latter, however, that isn't clear and too overwhelming without absolute clarity. However, just enabling Dolby Headphone along with it takes it to a whole new level which you would really miss if you only had Dolby Headphone without the Sennheiser surround option. Both together work like a tank, but if you have to choose only one alone then Dolby headphone is a better option. Though, I see no reason why you can't have both if you are going for surround headphones.

The Sennheiser surround is a bit more wholesome sound without having the impact and power or Dolby headphone. However, this definitely has its advantages. To those who have never tried Dolby headphone, Senn RS170 surround is a big deal. And to those who only listen to Dolby headphone, enabling Senn RS170 surround takes it to a whole new level. However, neither of the two alone is as good as when they work as a team.

Honestly, Dolby headphone is good, but Sennheiser RS170 is better in some ways while worse in several others, but both have their merits. Both are good for their purpose and when used together they are indeed awesome.

Bottomline:
Surround sound is not a marketing gimmick. No matter which of the two products we are talking about! It ain't perfect but far from a gimmick.

The truth about Sennheiser wireless headphones (Review of Sennheiser RS 170)

                                                                 Review of Sennheiser RS 170

                                                                Wireless Audio Tech Perfected!

Sennheiser RS 170 is a mid end wireless headphone set. It retails for Rs.16990 in India or $279 in USA. It comes with a transmitter Sennheiser TX 170 (the headphone is called Sennheiser HDR 170) which needs to be plugged in to play. It uses Kleer wireless transmission technology which indeed ensures that there is no hiss due to wireless. I can vouch for this.

I will cut the fluff right here. And move straight to the point. I will compare these to my Audioengine A5 powered bookshelves and Monster Turbine (base) earphones.

Setup:
Audioengine A5 with DS2 stands through Asus Xonar DX sound card
RS 170 through Asus Xonar DX sound card
Monster Turbine earphones through FiiO E11 amp and ipad 3
I know this isn't exactly Apples to Apples but this is how I regularly use them. So this is a more practical approach.
The speakers and earphones are a couple of years old. So properly burned in. The headphones are brand new.
Also, these are my first pair of headphones though I have owned several speakers and earphones in the past.

Mids/Vocals
RS 10
MT 9.5
AE 8.5
The mids are the strength of these wireless headphones by Sennheiser. The mid range is awesome compared to my Audioengine A5 speakers.  The vocals are crystal clear and ideal for low volume as well as high volume listening.

Highs
AE 10
MT 9
RS 8
The highs are there. But they don't have the same impact as my audioengine speakers. Some people may find this laid back flavor to be more appetizing to their taste, especially those who listen to a lot of highs, but I don't because my music has few highs and I want them really sharp and to stand out. Perhaps these are even more neutral than my bookshelves, but I can't exactly talk about it. But the highs are definitely there, clear and crisp but laid back to some extent. Good but not ideal for my tastes. But for music with a lot of highs this will mean fatigue less listening for hours!

Lows depth
AE 10
MT 9
RS 8
RS with bass boost 7
Being bookshelves Audioengines have deep bass unlike these headphones. RS 170 is definitely not heavy on bass, but the bass is definitely there. It shouldn't make that much difference because the other plus points cover it up. Also, it may be tough for headphones to compare with other audio solutions. The bass is there, but definitely not prominent unless you turn on bass boost when it doesn't become prominent but still isn't tight nor deep. Bass is a let down for a basshead but not a deal breaker unless you are a bass head.

Lows tightness
MT 10
AE 9.5
RS 8
RS with bass boost 7
The bass isn't tight nor punchy but it does compliment the music without overpowering it. So if you want mid range focused music which has everything else laid back and balanced, then these are ideal for you. But don't expect thumping bass.

Lows Quantity
RS with bass boost 10
AE 8.5
MT 7.5
RS 6
With bass boost turned on the bass is there. The mid range is still clear. But the emphasis is on bass and mid range equally. However it isn't tight or thumping bass. But compared to other wireless headphones in the market I doubt there is much to complain. Even compared to other wired headphones under $200 few others will probably satisfy everybody. And bass from most bassy headphones will probably be bad as well, so these are much better in that respect.

Clarity
MT 10
RS 9.5
AE 8.5
The clarity is very good. Something which sennheiser can boast of these being wireless. It is much better than my speakers in this regard.

Clearness
MT 10
AE 9 
RS 8
There is a certain clearness which the headphones just perform average at. Compared to my speakers and earphones the music just doesn't sound as clear but these are my first pair of headphones as I said earlier, and it terms of clarity they are awesome, especially for vocals and midrange.

WOW factor
AE 10
MT 8.5
RS 7.5
Now this is something which speakers naturally do better at. However, I have read online that the RS 180 has a certain wow to music which the RS 170 lacks. Although I haven't heard the 180 I guess I still agree. There is a certain wow factor which is missing, it does become better with a few hours burn in, so who knows. They do a good job for headphones but lack a certain X factor in their texture and music. Maybe burn in might help. But I am not sure. Nevertheless, these are great headphones and AE have a wow factor only with high volume listening which isn't allowed at home. For low volume listening these compete or even beat my AE which is what I do most of the time. This is subjective though based on preferences and reference points. Some people like flat or natural music or even studio monitors while others like Bose :)


RS170 ( HDR170 + TX170 )

Without amp directly from iPad
Pretty bad, don't like them one bit, but that was with zero burn in, now they might be a bit better.

With E11 amp from iPad
Pretty decent, worth it.

With my sound card
Great job, but not perfect due to above reasons, but definitely good.

Virtual Surround Sound Feature
There is an awesome surround sound feature which converts stereo to surround sound. I love it.

Movies 11/10
A perfect home theater experience IMO! Can't be better for the price I guess. Besides, this is virtual surround sound but certainly doesn't feel like it.

Music 8.5/10
Doesn't work that well with music but some songs do perform much better with it switched on. Certainly a nice addition to the package.

Bass Boost Feature
This is something I haven't experimented too much with but have been dissatisfied with whenever I tried. For one, the bass becomes overpowering which I don't like. Secondly, the bass is still not tight or thumping bass so that doesn't help in anyway. I usually keep this on. But reviews online rave about this feature and most bass heads are satisfied with it. Even the mid range stays clear though.

Surround Sound
I would like to emphasize that the surround sound literally feels like a home theater within your head. That is perhaps the best thing that has ever happened to headphones IMO!

Overall features 9.75
Overall performance 8.75
Overall 9 because volume controls are awful, in fact unusable.

Pros
Good sound quality
Comfortable
Light
Wireless
Better priced that competition
Has awesome surround sound
Has bass boost
Long battery life
Pretty looking
Upgradable with other Kleer headphones. The TX 170 transmitter can be used with other Sennheiser headphones which use Kleer wireless transmission which include HDR 160 and HDR 180. They still retain the Surround Sound and Bass Boost features, however the sound might be a bit different (slightly I guess) as compared to that with their native transmitters which are TX 160 and TX 180 respectively.
Similarly, the HDR 170 headphones can be used with Sennheiser wireless transmitters TX160 or TX180 as well, but then they don't retain their surround or bass features.

Cons
Transmitter is too light, thus need two hands to use
Both the transmitter and the headphones need to be switched on individually each time
Awful controls
Average bass and bass boost

Sheesha

Yeh duniya ek ruhani sheesha hai
Eshe tumhare hi khawabon aur khayalon ne seencha hai
Yeh Tumhare hi karmon ka nateeja hai
Janm na hua mahavatar aisa
Chuda sake ense jo tumhara peecha
Maafi milti nahin yahan pe
Zakham bharte nahin kisi ke
Marna chaho bhi agar
Maut bhi gale lagati nahin
Darr main jeete log yahan
Parivar hai jhute yahan
Chakravyu na ye khatam hoga
Es duniya ka dard
Kabhi na kam hoga...

Meditation to Manifest

Meditation to Manifest

People often talk about the Law of Attraction, the Laws of Wealth and Abundance etc. But rarely do people focus on what sometimes can help the most in life. Meditation is a highly overlooked tool which is often over rated but mostly under rated by most.

Meditation can help you manifest your wishes even without the wishes being thought in your conscious mind. I can vouch for this fact from my personal life. I won’t share the exact incidents, but I can definitely vouch that such an event isn’t impossible through meditation. I am not saying that meditation has always helped me, but there have been times when it has indeed.

Of course, it is imperative that meditation be done on a Gurumantra or Naam Jap based on the teachings of your Guru. For instance I took the Naam nearly a decade ago from Saint Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insaan of the Dera Sacha Sauda at Sirsa in Haryana. I am not saying that you should go to him, feel free to try out anybody and everybody who you can before you decide to follow anybody 

But the point is that meditation is a secret way to manifest without even revealing your wishes to yourself. I am not saying that it happens all the time, but it does happen at times and I would definitely rate it above the Law of Attraction or other techniques. I am not saying that you shouldn’t follow the Law of Attraction, I am saying that you can consider meditation as an option as well if you want.

Take care!

Aakshey

This is why you shouldn’t lie: EVER!

It is said, that those who speak the truth, come what may, the truth starts speaking itself in them. Jesus said, if I am in your words and your words are in me, then they will come true.

Now, coming to the explanation. If you always speak the truth, and nothing but what the truth is as far as you are concerned, then a time will come when whatever you speak casts itself in the realm of reality and indeed becomes the truth. And no, this isn’t the only reason why you should only speak the truth.

The above mentioned explanation is the cause of the action, or a reaction as they say. The reason is simple, God wants you to speak it, and thus you must. And the reward of that obedience is a tongue of gold. Nope, it won’t happen overnight, and is unlikely to happen even over a lifetime. But as time passes and as events unfold, the sun will rise and your words will one day come true. But.

It may take several lifetimes to reach that stage. And by that time, chances are most such people would know what to speak and what not to. But all that you say will be answered then, whether sooner or later. And you would have moved a notch up in the realm of spirituality. And of course, you would have received blessings of people in the name of being honest, truthful and pure.

This is the kind of tapasya Lord Shiva did (not the same tapa though) for thousands of years before he finally ascended to Godhood. He was born a man like you and me, but he never died and death or life is forever redundant to him now.

There are probably numerous other cases in history and especially in mythology when practicing something diligently leads to being benefited with certain rewards. Although in the present age, these rewards might not appear at the surface as often, and often might be subtle to see, nevertheless, it is far easier to attain nirvana today as compared to what it used to be in the Golden ages. Trust me, this is what saints today yell. Earning spiritual points today is easier, despite the fact that most of the world is studded with Cyclops of the disguised Satan.

And truth is something which will get you honor and respect more often than not. And if it is done from the heart, then all else becomes secondary.

Law of Karma and Law of Attraction

Law of Karma and Law of Attraction...Do the two go together?

Well, as a matter of fact they do. Both the law of karma and law of attraction are two sides of the same coin. Both these laws cease to exist in isolation.

Let me explain.

We all know that the Law of Attraction says that Like attracts Like. So if you attract something to yourself then you must get it. Of course, that is exactly what the Law of Attraction says, at least to the best of my knowledge. But does the gratification happen instantly? Well, no, almost never, if at all.

Law of Karma and Law of Attraction explained further...
There is a time lag. This is the time it takes for the law of attraction to attract desirable circumstances and opportunities in your life which you can use to wipe out the past karma to make way for what you attracted. So, essentially the Law of Attraction attracts whatever is required for you to change your Karma, it doesn't go around the Law of Karma, never does that happen.

Similarly, when you attract something (law of karma and law of attraction) by your thoughts, it still takes the requisite amount of time gap for the Law of Karma to turn favorable to you. The amount of time required is driven by the Law of Karma and nothing else, assuming Law of Attraction is already favorable to you and is attracting positive elements using the Law of Karma and Law of Attraction to benefit you.

There is absolutely no way that you can circumvent either of the two laws, the law of attraction and law of karma. Both are essentially twin sisters or like two sides of the same coin. One can only help convince the other to help you when they get together as a team. However, neither will be able to solve your problems magically on its own.

Similarly, when you do good deeds according to the law of karma and law of attraction, then you essentially manifest good karma which makes way for positive thoughts and a positive lifestyle which is in accordance with the law of attraction and law of karma and together they encourage each other to benefit you in all spheres.

Of course, it is possible that somebody has a medium score in the law of karma according to God and high score in the law of attraction, his karma points, that is. Such a person is likely to be better off than somebody with a similar karma but lesser faith in the law of attraction. But when you look at it at an even deeper level, that means beyond the seven planes of existence then the Law of Karma essentially equals the Law of Attraction and one can't have a different point system for the two. However, this is beyond the scope of this blog post.

The point is that the law of karma and law of attraction are inter-related and inseparable and work together to make a person what he finally becomes!

Dil Se OR Not?

I was very young. SRK was my favorite actor (and still is, of course!). A new Bollywood flick came out, Dil Se, a SRK movie.

It was a flop all over, and A rated, over a decade ago I guess, so I was like 10ish or something. My parents wouldn't take me to the theater to watch it.
Finally, it was no longer in the theaters either. I waited weeks, maybe months to watch Dil Se.

Everybody said it was shit, but it was a movie I wanted to watch more than I had ever watch any movie in my life.

Perhaps I haven't wanted to watch any movie as badly till now, after over a decade since then. I was crazy, I just wanted to watch it and there was no major explanation why.

Finally, in my nanu's place I managed to get that movie shown over the local cable. As I told you, I was still very young and had never stayed alone at home, or at nanu's home.

I agreed to watch it even when nobody was available to be with me. I was damn scared and kept standing near the door after a while, but I went ahead. I sacrificed my fear, forgot everything and finally watched it. And for what?

 For NOTHING! By the time I reached mid way I realized that neither then nor even now have I watched something as boring nor detested any movie half as much. I hated it.

Besides, the lack of interest only feuded by loneliness and fear fear at being alone at such a young age, from my standards, that is. What I had wanted more than anything else in my life, turned out to be a punishment for me.

I didn't want to watch that movie, I thought that I wanted to watch that movie. I didnt like it at all and all my wishes were finally even in vain despite them being answered.

 True, had that wish not been answered it might have been worse, but it taught me a lesson which I had forgotten till a few days back.

I was not to get any happiness from watching the movie, it was a mistake on my part that I thought that it would make me happy. No, it didn't, not at all. Anyway, God Bless!