Can You Really Eat & Drink For Free In A Casino?

October 30, 2020 The Silo Leave a comment

The short answer…yes!

But, of course, there’s always something you are missing. Nothing is ever really free, especially in a casino. But hey, before we take any firm stand on the issue, why not examine the mechanics of it?

Both land based and online casinos are a great place to entertain yourself with gambling and other thrills offered at the cards table or the roulette wheel. It’s all a matter of picking your game and playing it to the best of your ability and relying on a generous amount of luck.

If you are getting some drinks and food out of it, even better! Right?

The Customer Is Royalty

The customer-centric sentiment is true for any business and more so in a casino. When they are not looking through the cameras to find some ‘Rain Man’ type gambler, they are studying you, and they found out that people who stay in the casino longer gamble more.

When in a casino, you are seeking the thrill of gambling and possibly winning something. You can do this for a while, but then, at some point, you’re going to be hungry and thirsty.

It’s a great night out; you need to get some drinks and some food to round out the fun. The casino is not a restaurant. If you have to leave the casino to eat somewhere else, chances are, you are not coming back.

If you are just a local having fun, maybe you might come back. However, if you are holidaying, once you leave the casino, that’s probably it.

Complimentary Drinks and Cheap Meals

Gambling needs you to pay attention. Drinks cause you to lose the ability to pay attention effectively. If you are dulled out, you will probably gamble more and be looser with your wallet. Complimentary drinks might seem like a nice thing to have at first, but could they be your downfall?

Alcoholism and Gambling Addiction - Alcohol Rehab Guide

It is not an inevitable outcome, though, as you could be very lucky or very good at the game you are playing. But most of the time, the casino will recoup the money spent on complimentary drinks, in the form of what you spend on the casino floor.

Drinks can only get you so far. At some point, you have to eat something.

Why would you pay premium prices to eat at a restaurant somewhere else, when you can take a few steps and be at the casino restaurant where they have meals with great discounts and offers?

The thinking here is, the casino does not want you to leave. If you stay for as long as possible, you will spend more under their roof, even though there are some guides that try to explain how to win money on online casinos.

Not So Free After All

As it turns out, casinos are not big on being charitable to their patrons. You are the source of income for a casino. They are not there to help your financial situation. So, as you gulp that complimentary drink to wash down the meal on offer you just had, pause for a second and ask, ‘what am I getting out of this?’

Art

Electronic Opera Uses Physical Spaces To Connect Narrative With Sound

October 28, 2020 The Silo Leave a comment

Pullitzer Prize winning composer Lewis Spratlan.

Back in 2005, composer Lewis Spratlan and I began work on an opera inspired by Louis Kahn. Kahn, who excelled in music and once considered becoming a composer, was especially cognizant of how sound works in a physical space. “Space has tonality,” he often said. Kallick, a professor of music at Amherst College, made recordings of the “acoustic envelope” at several Kahn buildings, which were employed in composing the work’s prelude and interludes.

Key elements from Spratlan’s music were integrated into this electro-acoustic music, creating a seamless connection between the narrative world of the characters and the sounding spaces that ﬁlled their dreams. Opening in the ruins of Rome and ending with the healing waters at Kahn’s Salk Institute, ARCHITECT: A Chamber Opera narrates the dramatic arc of Kahn’s journey from dreamer to master builder.

Click the link below to read about Spratlan discussing the project with Frederick Peters, board chairman of New Music USA, which supports composers, performers, and audiences of new American music. For the Silo, Jenny Kallick- Amherst College.

Click here to read the full PDF article.

Gaming

National Conference On Gambling Addiction & Responsible Gambling To Be Held Online

October 24, 2020 The Silo Leave a comment

It has been announced that the National Conference on Gambling Addiction and Responsible Gambling is to be held online this year. The event, which is organised by the National Council on Problem Gambling, has been rearranged with dates for both November and December with the event being held entirely on a digital platform for the first time.

This year marks the 34^th such event from this organisation, which has become the largest and longest-running of its kind in the United States. The event is designed to bring a range of industry professionals together, and this includes counsellors, researchers, government officials, gambling industry executives, and a variety of other professionals.

Supporting Harm Prevention and Reducing Gambling Addiction

As the name suggests, the conference is designed to help push forward measures to support harm prevention and reduce gambling addiction in the United States and North America. With gambling facilities and legalization increasing rapidly across the nation, the need to have proper measures in place has become all the more vital.

By bringing together officials from all aspects of the industry, the conference has been helping to tackle this problem for many years. The needs of those that require support have changed over the years as have the measures and tools available to help and support them. The conference helps to ensure that professionals in the industry can collaborate and innovate in order to provide the most effective support possible.

One of the directors of the NCPG said, “The familiar forms of in-person support from both professionals and 12-step programs for people and families affected by problem gambling have been sharply curtailed this year. And opportunities to gamble have changed, with more online gambling occurring, which poses some new problems.”

The conference was originally scheduled for the summer and was meant to take place in Washington DC. However, in the current climate, organizers had to delay the conference so that it could be rearranged as an online event for this year. It will be headed by Loreen Rugle Ph.D., a well-known training expert and counselor with a global reputation for her work.

As part of the conference, many Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be available for those attending the digital event. Dates for the main conference are now scheduled for 5-6 and 12-13 November between midday and 4.00 pm. There will also be recordings of the sessions available for up to 30 days following the main conference events.

In addition, the dates of Master Classes have also been changed and will be taking place online on 2^nd, 3^rd, and 9^th December between 1.00 pm and 3.00 pm.

Covering a Range of Topics

A wide range of gambling-related topics will be covered as part of this year’s event. This includes some of the topics that have to be discussed and updated each year such as prevention, recovery, and treatment. Sports gambling is thought to be a particular concern this year, and this will be discussed in detail as part of the conference.

One of the things that may raise additional concerns this year compared to previous years is the rise in the number of gambling states in the country. Since the Supreme Court overturned PASPA (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act 1992) in 2018, more and more states have been jumping on board.

In addition, many states are now keen to aid their economic recovery, and for some this has resulted in a closer look at the viability of sports betting and casino gaming. With a lot of states legalizing online gambling and sports betting, this could lead to a sharp increase in the number of problem gambling cases across the country. For the Silo, Filip Cakic.

Sci-Tech

Audiophile Release Ups Ante With Innovative Mix Mastering

October 22, 2020 The Silo 2 Comments

Octave Records Releases Temporary Circumstances by Clandestine Amigo, Recorded in Pure DSD Hi-Res Audio

PS Audio label’s second release featuring singer/songwriter Jessica Carson is available on SACD and via download, with limited-edition vinyl to come –

Boulder, Colorado, October, 2020 – PS Audio’s Octave Records label has released its second album, Temporary Circumstances by singer/songwriter/pianist Jessica Carson and the band Clandestine Amigo. Featuring Jessica’s reflective songs about lost love and resilience, Temporary Circumstances is recorded in pure high-resolution Direct Stream Digital (DSD) and mastered using Octave Records’ DSD Direct Mastering process, where the mastering occurs at the same time as the mixing, thereby eliminating a generation of audio processing to maintain maximum sonic purity.

Limited Release

Temporary Circumstances is available in a limited-edition release of 1,300 hybrid SACD discs that have a master DSD layer and a CD layer, and as a download bundle including DSD64, DSD Direct Mastered 192kHz/24-bit, 96kHz/24-bit and 44.1kHz/24-bit PCM formats. The album will also be offered as a 2-disc 45 RPM virgin vinyl edition limited to 500 copies, in December, 2020.

Temporary Circumstances was engineered by Gus Skinas, mixed by Gus Skinas, Giselle Collazo and Jessica Carson, and mastered by Gus Skinas. The recording was made using a Sonoma digital audio workstation (DAW) in pure one-bit DSD. The C24, DPA 4006 and Sony C-100 microphones were fed into Forsell SMP-2 and Grace m108 mic preamps and an EMM Labs/Meitner ADC8 A/D converter, then to the Sonoma, and mixed on a Studer 963 console.

Bit Wars

Currently, most DSD recordings have a short fall in that they must be converted to PCM and back to DSD a multitude of times in order to perform post production such as mixing and mastering. This is where PS Audio ups the ante- by mastering during the mixing phase, the back and forth conversion which results in noticeable degraded listening experiences is avoided.

The ‘old’ PCM pulse code modulation system.

The ‘new’ DSD direct stream digital system.

The musicians include songwriter Jessica Carson (vocals and piano), Michael Wooten (drums), Giselle Collazo (vocals), Chris Brunhaver (bass), Kyle Donovan (guitar, vocals), Miguel Ramos (violin, viola), and “The Burroughs” horn section featuring Alec Bell (trumpet), Scott Flynn (trombone), Hayden Farr (baritone saxophone) and Briana Harris (trumpet, horn arrangement).

Jessica recorded her piano parts on a Yamaha 7-1/2-foot concert grand piano at Animal Lane Studios in Lyons, Colorado. Next, the vocals and other instruments were tracked at Octave Records’ recording facility at PS Audio. Jessica’s lead vocals and Giselle’s harmony vocals were recorded simultaneously using a single Tim de Paravicini-modified AKG C24 stereo mic and a Bock Audio 507 mic. Temporary Circumstances’ sparse but full-bodied arrangements let the personality of each vocalist and player be heard with stunning clarity, presence and dimensionality.

Audiophiles Take Note

The goal of recording and producing Temporary Circumstances was to combine musically accurate, state of the art sound with inviting and compelling music. As Jessica Carson notes, “I know what the songs mean to me but I think they’ll mean something different to every listener.”

For the Silo, Frank Doris.

About PS Audio

Founded in 1973, PS Audio has earned a worldwide reputation for excellence in manufacturing innovative, high-value, leading-edge audio products. Located in Boulder, Colorado at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, PS Audio’s staff of talented designers, engineers, production and support people build each product to deliver extraordinary performance and musical satisfaction. The company’s wide range of award-winning products include the all-in-one Sprout100 integrated amplifier, audio components, power regenerators and power conditioners. www.psaudio.com/octave-records www.psaudio.com

Supplemental-

Paul’s Daily Posts
PS Audio Community
Copper Magazine

Culture

Why It’s The Best Time Of Year To Try Laser Hair Removal

October 22, 2020 The Silo Leave a comment

The temperature is dropping and the leaves are changing color, which makes it the perfect time to get this cosmetic procedure: laser hair removal. It sounds counter-intuitive to get rid of body hair when you’re going to be wrapped up in wool scarves and thick fall jackets, but it’s not. Find out why fall is the best season to start this treatment.

The Results Take Time

One of the biggest reasons why fall is a great time for laser hair removal is that it gives you enough time to get your sessions done before the next summer arrives. Laser therapy doesn’t work in a single session. You will need to book multiple appointments to get the results you want.

On average, people have to undergo five to seven sessions of laser hair treatment to get smooth, hairless skin. The number can vary depending on your rate of hair growth and the area you are targeting.

You will have to take breaks between sessions to go through a new hair growth cycle — this can take 4 – 12 weeks of waiting. The buffer between appointments prevents your chances of unwanted side-effects like scarring, hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation.

So, if someone wanted to get their legs done, they would have to account for approximately seven sessions. After adding in the necessary buffer-time, the treatment spans seven months at the bare minimum. By planning ahead in the fall, the client can guarantee that they’ll have smooth legs to show off in shorts by the time the summer rolls around.

There’s Less Sunshine

Too much sun exposure before a laser treatment appointment heightens your risk of experiencing unfortunate side-effects. You could deal with painful burning and blistering. Or you could have long-term problems like scarring and hyper-pigmentation (darkened skin tone). That’s why professional clinics recommend that you avoid sun exposure for about six weeks before your session.

Avoiding sunshine during the summer months is a challenge. You will have to slather on sunscreen every day and opt out of popular outdoor activities to guarantee positive hair removal results. You can lessen the anxiety over sun exposure by scheduling your sessions during seasons with less sunshine, colder temperatures and full-coverage wardrobes.

It’s More Convenient

A small test that comes with laser hair removal is growing out your hair six weeks before the session. No waxing. No electrolysis. No plucking. You’re only encouraged to shave a day before your appointment.

If you’re worried that this step will be embarrassing, you should definitely plan your treatments for the fall and winter. The seasonal wardrobes give you more options to cover up and there are tons of people participating in month-long campaigns like No Shave November and Get Hairy February. You won’t feel singled out for your stubble.

Timing is everything. If you want to get rid of body hair so that you can feel confident when you pull on a pair of shorts or put on a bathing suit during the summer, you need to think about booking your laser therapy appointments now.

Finance

How Sixty Percent Of Consumers Have Changed Shopping Behaviors Due To Covid

October 20, 2020 The Silo 1 Comment

Global Consumer Spending to Plunge by 8.6% to $44.3trn by end of 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has changed almost every aspect of people’s daily lives, and consumer spending is no exception. The uncertainty of the COVID-19 crisis caused considerable changes in consumer habits, forcing them to cut down their budgets and prioritize spending.

According to data presented by StockApps.com, the coronavirus outbreak is expected to cut global consumer spending to $44.3trn in 2020, an 8.6% plunge year-over-year.

$4.2trn Drop in Spending Amid COVID-19 Crisis

Falling consumer spending has significant effects on overall Gross domestic product (GDP) growth, considering it accounts for almost 70% of GDP.

Before the COVID-19 crisis, global consumer spending has witnessed steady growth for five years in a row, revealed Statista, IMF, United Nations, World Bank, and Eurostat data. In 2015, it amounted to over $41.5trn. Over the next twelve months, this figure rose to $42.5trn and continued growing. Statistics show that in 2019, consumers worldwide spent a total of $48.5trn, the highest amount in a decade.

However, the coronavirus crisis triggered a sharp fall in 2020, with global consumer spending expected to plunge by $4.2trn year-over-year. Nevertheless, statistics show the following years are set to witness a recovery, with consumer spending growing by 20% to $53.5bn in 2022.

Statista data also revealed that Switzerland represents the leading country globally, with over $40,000 in consumer spending per capita in 2020. Luxembourg ranked second with around $5,000 less than that. Iceland, Denmark, and Norway follow, with $34,300, $25,800, and $25,600, respectively.

60% of Consumers Changed their Shopping Behavior

The Mc Kinsey & Company survey showed consumers became increasingly cautious with their spending in 2020. Even after countries lifted lock-downs, many consumers still see their incomes fall, forcing them to reduce budgets and change shopping habits.

Statistics show that increased time spent indoors led to significant growth in consumer spending on groceries, household, and home entertainment. Brazil, South Africa, and India lead in this category, with up to 30% consumer spending growth. Major consumer markets like the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and China witnessed around 15% grocery shopping growth in the first half of the year.

However, with consumers being mindful of their spending and turning to less expensive products, 2020 has witnessed a plunge in clothes and accessories, outside entertainment, services, travel, and transportation spending. Respondents in all countries said they cut down spending in these categories between 20% and 50%.

The McKinsey survey also revealed the COVID-19 outbreak triggered a significant change in the shopping mindset. More than 60% of consumers globally have tried a different brand or shopped at another retailer during the crisis, mostly for convenience, value, and quality.

In China and the United States, over 75% of consumers reported trying a new shopping method, and 60% plan to stick with it post-crisis. The United Kingdom and Germany follow with 71% and 54% of consumers who practiced new shopping behavior. In Japan, where lockdowns weren’t imposed, only 33% of consumers changed their shopping mindset. For the Silo by Jastra Kranjec.

Featured image- Wicker basket by George’s Baskets.

Art

Coffee Table Book Expands Art Collecting By Including Original Works of Art

October 17, 2020 The Silo Leave a comment

Vivant Books brings to the world a very exclusive breed of coffee table book. Their Deluxe Editions are not only fine art coffee table books, but also include collectible works of art at a price most art lovers can afford. A select number of Deluxe Editions contain original artwork by the artist that is featured. Not only does this component differentiate VivantBooks amongst other publishing companies, but it also enables expansion of an art collecting demographic.

“We found that sold separately, an original piece by the artists we feature in our deluxe packages could range anywhere from $3000 to over $100,000,” says Mia Benenate “What we want to do and what the artists are really interested in, is broadening the audience that is able to acquire a piece of their work.”

Vivant’s book features internationally renowned artist Brett Amory. Amory has gained extensive acclaim for his haunting, mesmerizing series, Waiting. His work is often depicted as architectural and structurally elegant, stark and emotive. Waiting focuses on the transition of individuals in precise moments of existing. The lush book, which contains a collected array of work which includes the Waiting series, was first offered earlier this year by a release party at the Clift Hotel in San Francisco. Deluxe Editions includes the collected works, a biography, excellent essays by luminaries such as Gwynn Vitello and an original piece of artwork by Amory himself.

In this age of digitalization Vivant Books presents fine art in a way that’s both elegant, stylish and inventive. Upcoming Vivant Books will feature such artists as Kimberly Brooks and Gottfried Helnwein.

Brett Amory — Limited Edition

95.00USD

Brett Amory, the American artist who rose to international acclaim for his “Waiting” series is featured in this deluxe coffee table edition. Alongside four-color reproductions of the artwork, the book includes a biography and selected essays from art world luminaries and patrons. Hardcover book housed in a full-color protective sleeve.

Deluxe Edition with original artwork also available.

You can learn more at: book at http://www.vivantbooks.com/ or email: marketingdirector@thesilo.ca for ordering and price information.

Culture

DirtSearch Helps Members Spot Male And Female Gold Diggers

October 14, 2020 The Silo Leave a comment

On the heels of the Top 10 names of men who are likely to cheat on you, , a free background check that searches public, criminal, arrest, civil, speeding tickets and more has just released the Top 10 Female Gold Diggers and the list puts Jennifer on top.

Identity theft has been on the rise with 1 in 8 searches coming up with a criminal past, and with that comes a rise in ‘gold diggers’ or women who are just chasing the money, legally or not. DirtSearch.org pulled data from over 2 million background searches and looked closely at the female names most often searched. What came back was petty crimes such as personal property, vandalism and identity theft. Out of that list, the names that come up most often in the top 10 are Jennifer, Jessica and Michelle, followed by Lisa and Ashley.

Here are the Top 10:
1. Jennifer
2. Jessica
3. Michelle
4. Lisa
5. Ashley
6. Amanda
7. Melissa
8. Stephanie
9. Nicole
10. Angela

So if you are a man dating a woman ( or a woman dating a man or a man dating a man or a woman dating a woman) and are questioning if maybe your girl has a shady past or are a qualified ‘gold digger’ just after your bank account, here are ways to tell your girl is a Gold Digger or make sure she is not on the ‘dirty’ list:

1. A sense of entitlement: She thinks she is a princess and has no long-term or short-term goals. Search her first name and last name anonymously on a background search site such as DirtSearch.org. Sites such as that one searches through online public records based on an algorithm and aggregates data across the internet to find what is listed online.

2. Trouble paying their bills: Gold diggers drop hints that they may be evicted or their car might be repossessed when instead they are buying $400 shoes and watches.

3. Age range: The girl is 30 years younger than you but tells you that she is 15 years younger.

4. She never pays for anything.

5. She is into expensive and lavish gifts. The girl asks you to pay for nails, hair and lavish trips.

6. They indulge in a pipe dream: She is constantly talking about becoming an actress or a model.

The company also earlier released 10 U.S. states where background checks are most prevalent. The Top 10 States are as follows:
Arizona
California
Texas
Florida
Illinois
New York
Pennsylvania
Ohio
Michigan
Georgia

For the Silo, Ana Tackett.

Reviews

NFL’er Designed A Sink Tray For Small Bathroom Space

October 11, 2020 The Silo Leave a comment

Whether you live in a dorm room, small apartment or a family home, counter space around the bathroom sink can be limited. A unique product designed and patented by an NFL Super Bowl Champion solves that problem. The Smart Sink Tray, by Style Pro 31, is a convenient, portable, lightweight foldout tray that fits over most pedestal and traditional sinks that provides additional surface area and counter space (up to 288 square inches). This affordable tray organizes the clutter that surrounds sinks and expands usable space by allowing objects to be placed directly on it—even with running water.

The tray also promotes bathroom safety by keeping electric appliances like blow dryers, curling and flat irons and shavers—and their cords—out of the sink and away from water hazards. The Smart Sink Tray is heat resistant and dishwasher safe.

Similar to a food tray, The Smart Sink Tray allows users to carry their items all together to and from the bathroom, making it easier to store and pack their essentials and make room for others. When not in use the tray’s collapsible design and drawstring bag allows it to be easily stored and transported.

The Smart Sink Tray is designed for use in homes, apartments, dorm rooms, and anywhere space is limited. For those who travel frequently, The Smart Sink Tray is indispensable and easy to pack.

The Smart Sink Tray is the brainchild of Super Bowl champion and veteran Strong Safety, Bernard Pollard. Pollard came up with the concept in 2012 when he realized a problem in need of a solution: more space and organization while getting ready in the bathroom. Like most travelers, Pollard himself suffered hotel sink areas that were often dysfunctional, not proffering nearly enough space to accommodate all of his personal items. In addition, observing his wife and family Pollard recognized the potential hazard to many corded appliances around the sink posed and made his concept a reality by forming Style Pro 31 and patenting his product.

BernardPollardSafetyNFLDesignerofSmartSink

As an NFL player, Bernard Pollard made one of the most critical plays in the Baltimore Ravens amazing 2011 playoff run and led the Tennessee Titans in tackles in 2013. Along with successfully performing on the field and developing his entrepreneur career, Pollard and his family actively help community families and churches. His Helping Hand partners with food banks and other organizations to provide families with groceries or holiday meals. The Smart Sink Tray sells for $24.99USD and is available at Amazon. For more info contact: marketingdirector@thesilo.ca for ordering information.

Fashion

Celebrity Homes: Andy Warhol Home Sold For $50 Million USD

October 9, 2020 The Silo Leave a comment

Montauk, New York was celebrating its biggest estate sale ever after the closing on the 5.7-acre beachfront estate at $50 million USD that pop artist Andy Warhol bought in 1972 for $225,000 USD.

The most recent owner of the compound was CEO of J. Crew, Mickey Drexler, who bought it in 2007 for $27 million USD. He listed it in 2015 for $85 millionUSD that included a 24-acre horse farm and equine center, which the buyer, Adam Lindemann, opted out of the purchase. Lindemann is the founder of the Venus Over Manhattan Gallery and a major collector of Warhol’s works making the property’s history especially significant for him.

Warhol’s first gig out of art school was as a fashion illustrator for several of the top women’s magazines. With the money acquired from his illustrations, he purchased a large loft on New York’s West Side and opened the Factory, where he turned toward creating industrial art. It wasn’t long before the Factory and Andy were attracting like-minded modernists from hippies to wannabe journalists and actors to drag queens and drug addicts. It was the start of New York’s avant-garde scene where Warhol held court. In addition to his painting, he branched out into music, film and journalism where he met Paul Morrissey who became the director of some of Warhol’s early films.

In 1972 when Warhol’s popularity and success were peaking, he and Morrissey decided to invest in property in the Hamptons and purchased the family fishing camp of the Church family of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda fame. The estate includes a 3,800-square-foot main house and five cottages completely hidden from public view with wide beaches and ocean views. Totaling almost 15,000 square feet with nine bedrooms and twelve baths, Drexler had it all meticulously restored by architect Thierry Despont.

Warhol’s stream of celebrity guests and renters put Montauk on the international map. Frequent guests included Liza Minnelli, Liz Taylor, John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Jackie Kennedy and Lee Radziwill. The parties were legendary and stories of happy days idled away on the Hamptons’ beach are recounted in many celebrity biographies.

Even though the Warhol home sale set a record at $50 million USD, his most famous paintings such as “Eight Elvises” and “Silver Car Crash” have sold for $100 million USD and higher. The listing agent was Paul Brennan of Douglas Elliman Real Estate in Montauk, New York. Visit here for more information.

Supplemental– David Bowie as Andy Warhol in Basquiat

Reviews

Audio-Technica Wireless Earbuds Offer High Performance And Style

October 7, 2020 The Silo Leave a comment

The audio world and mobile world have been coming together by virtue of shared technologies.

One recent example that continues to trend are wireless earbuds. Once considered a ‘low fi’ alternative to audiophile ear covering headphones, high bit rate digital files and improved bluetooth protocols have opened the doorway to mobile hi-fidelity. Case in point: Audio-Technica SONICSPORT Model ATH-SPORT7TW and Model ATH-CKR7TW.

When you take a moment to search what others are saying about these models you quickly realize everyone is impressed with their audio performance. Personal devices are highly subjective. Some of us prefer touch sensitive controls but others like physical micro-switch controls. If you are in the former read on and learn what these earbuds have to offer. With the exception of noise-cancellation technology, they are loaded with features.

The sound

In general terms both models sound about the same- that’s because they each have large diaphragms (a larger 11mm driver for the CKR7TW), superb DAC digital to analog converter circuitry and robust headphone amplifiers. The CKR7TW goes one step further by supporting both AAC codec (a high quality form of audio signal that can exist in various bit rates and frequencies making it a near audiophile format) and Qualcomm aptX (a low latency, super high quality bluetooth format that allows for audiophile 24 bit signal playback over bluetooth). Since the ATHSPORT7TW is designed for outdoor and active use (such as gymnasium or jogging in the rain) it makes sense that the aptX format is not included. After all, a noisy city street or busy country road is not the ideal place for long periods of scrutinized listening.

For comparison we avoided the usual reviewer method of “A-B” testing using the same source and decided instead to stream various audiophile files and test signals from YouTube- both in AAC and aptX. In our opinion a lot of this becomes a process of splitting hairs since high frequency AAC sounds about the same as low frequency aptX.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bOQbaH1_pU

What matters most is the fact that both sets of earbuds get the job done and sound great.

The looks and comfort

Both models come with 4 sizes of Ear tips to help you get the perfect fit. The ATHSPORT7TW also includes 4 sizes of Ear fins and Ear tips that have trademarked Sweatguard technology. If you haven’t guess already, the sport model is also sweat and water resistant with a IPX5 rating. That means full on high powered splashing of water won’t affect the model and that’s reassuring. Water is the absolute worse enemy of earbuds. The SONICSPORT ATHSPORT7TW looks very tasteful too- an all greyish-white colouring with a slightly subdued brand logo is anything but gaudy.

Not to be outdone, the CKR7TW includes 3D loop support ensuring that long periods of listening are comfortable. We also slightly prefer the looks too- the brushed Rose gold accents paired with the grey coloring makes for a very attractive look and will have you standing out from the crowd.

Charging power a plenty

With all that high powered amplification and bluetooth functionality (Fully smart music controls and phone controls including a built-in microphone for answering calls) you’d be forgiven for thinking that these models are high drain on their battery. Would you believe 17 1/2 hours playback time (using the charging case) for the SONICSPORT and 15 hours playback time (using the charging case) for the CKR7TW? The charging case is almost jewelry box like in that it is beautifully designed and has a magnetic holding area that offers a very satisfying “click” when you insert the Ear buds for a charging session or for travel storage. Of course USB cables are also included if you prefer to charge from umbilical.

Phone use

Flawless. Crystal clear audio playback and a superb quality microphone. Not a single person we called complained about ‘echo voice’ or ‘long distance sound effects’.

Safety

Hardly ever mentioned in an Ear bud or headphone review is safety consideration and if you are a cyclist or jogger you know what I am talking about. The ability to hear audio cues from fast moving traffic or approaching vehicles is an essential part of safe outdoor exercise. The SONICSPORT alleviates this concern with a special pass-through circuit. This option can also be turned on to allow for listening of conversations.

Price

Just like in the automotive world, quality does not come cheap. Now that’s not to say that these models are prohibitively expensive, in fact, they are very competitively priced especially when compared to similar models from other manufacturers. With the Audio-Technica brand you know you are getting something special. The company has been an innovative player in recording studios and on stages worldwide for decades. That history and experience with both capturing and playing back sound is present here.
MSRP SONICSPORT ATH-SPORT7TW $200usd
ATH-CKR7TW $249usd. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

The Silo

Monthly Archives: October 2020