gear, review, edc, audio

Loop Switch

I’ve been carrying the Loop Switch earplugs everyday for the past 13 months now. A couple months ago, Loop replaced this model with the Switch 2. This v2 Switch looks to be a minor incremental upgrade, but overall the same product. I think my impressions of the v1 Switch are still relevant.

The Switch is an earplug with a rotary mechanism that allows the attenuation to be adjusted between three different modes:

  • Quiet (v1: 25 dB SNR, v2: 26 dB SNR)
  • Experience (v1: 21 dB SNR, v2: 23 dB SNR)
  • Engage (v1: 17 dB SNR, v2: 20 dB SNR)

My most frequent application for earplugs is nightclubbing. Having three modes on a single pair of plugs, which can be adjusted in-ear, is a really great capability in this application. If I happen to find myself near a speaker, I can crank them up to Quiet. Then when I join the cool kids in the back, I dial them down to Engage and can carry on a conversation with someone while still being protected. At shows with multiple artists I often find myself setting them to Experience for an opener, going down to Engage between sets, and then up to Quiet for the headliner.

I have not found any other earplug that offers anything quite like this. There are others that have multiple filters that you can swap between, but the earplugs need to be removed from your ear to do that. And even then, trying to mess around with taking out one small part and install another, in the dark, in the middle of Club Hel, is not a winning strategy.

Previously, my preferred plugs were the SureFire EP3 Sonic Defenders. These are in a somewhat similar vein as the Loop Switch, in that they have filter caps that can be opened or closed to adjust the attenuation. I find the Switch to be superior. The Sonic Defenders offer 24 dB SNR when the caps are closed, which is good, but only 11 dB SNR when the caps are open. This isn’t much, so I find that my for use cases the Sonic Defenders only really get used in cap-closed mode. The range of attenuation offered by the Switch (both v1 and v2) is a more useful neighborhood for the environments I operate in.

The mechanical nature of the Switch means that the body itself is a rigid plastic. This makes them inappropriate for sleeping. At least, if you spend any time on your side. They don’t stick out much, but they do so enough that sleeping on them is uncomfortable. I bought a pair of Loop Quiet 2 earplugs this summer for sleeping. These are entirely made of a soft silicone, and I find them comfortable to wear all night. I do not sleep with earplugs regularly, but anytime I’m on the road I throw the Quiets in my bag (along with the Switch – they’re small enough that I’m fine with carrying both sets) in case the hotel or campsite or redoubt or whatever is loud.

I’ve worn the Switch for multiple consecutive hours, and find them to be perfectly comfortable (as long as you are not laying on them). With other plugs it’s often a relief to finally remove them, not because they cause any discomfort when installed, but just because they feel like they’ve been cutting me off from the world for a few hours. Removing them is like coming up for a breath of air – a breathe the free air again my friend sort of moment. Not so with the Switch, I think because I am periodically dropping them down to Engage mode when appropriate. Sometimes I forget to take them out for a while after leaving.

The Switch comes with four different sizes of silicone tips to adjust the fit. Replacement tips are available to extend the life of the tool.

The dial of the Switch has a small tab protruding. This provides a haptic reference point for what mode is selected, and gives you something to grab on to when moving the dial. It works well enough for switching the dial between Quiet and Experience modes. But Engage mode is the most anterior position on the dial, and when in that mode I find the tab slips underneath my tragus. It is small enough that this causes no discomfort, but the smallness also means it can be difficult to get purchase on the tab to pull the dial back to either of the other two modes. I have to slip a fingernail under there to grab it, which sometimes takes a couple seconds to get right. This is the only negative thing I have to say about the Switch, and I am told this was fixed on the Switch 2. It is not enough of an annoyance to make me want to move to new model while my current ones are still working fine, but I look forward to someday upgrading.

All of the earplugs offered by Loop feel a little overpriced, but the two models I have are good products, and I think it’s great that they are trying to normalize PPE into a fashion accessory. I want more of that in the world.

llm, quote

All Watched Over

I had They See Your Photos use the Google Vision API to analyze my most recent selfie.

The Pig Monkey in His Natural Habitat

The foreground shows a man relaxing on a portable camping chair next to his touring bicycle. The bike is heavily laden with panniers suggesting a long journey. In the background, there is a dry, scrubby landscape with low-lying vegetation and sparse trees under a clear blue sky. The location appears to be a trail or roadside somewhere in a temperate climate. The overall setting suggests a sense of adventure and self-sufficiency.

A Caucasian male, appearing to be in his 30s, of seemingly middle-class economic status, is seen taking a break, enjoying a drink from a thermos. He seems relaxed and content; possibly on a solo bikepacking trip. His attire suggests an outdoor lifestyle and active pursuits. His expression appears peaceful and reflective. The image appears to be taken with a professional camera during daytime.

The man’s sunglasses appear to be polarized, which might suggest he is protecting his eyes from glare on a bright sunny day. A small, almost invisible detail of a thin twig can be seen to the left of the bicycle tire. The overall setting suggests a planned stop during his journey, with equipment suggesting a well-prepared and experienced cyclist. The overall cleanliness of his equipment points to a tidy and organized individual.

It hallucinated panniers (the bike has a bar bag and saddle bag, not panniers – get your luggage straight, Google). There is nothing heavy about my tea party load-out. I’m out for the afternoon. The thermos is on the ground; I’m drinking from a mug.

But I do like to think of myself as well-prepared, experienced, tidy, and organized. I’m glad the Machine sees me that way. I feel seen.

links

Link Log 2024-12-16

Science Fiction as a Literary Genre: Science Fiction versus Mundane Culture

what does your local architecture student carry: too much.

Specific Suggestions: Simple Sabotage for the 21st Century

RFC 35140: The Do-Not-Stab flag in the HTTP Header

Anime Mechanics

Claim File Helper

Triptych by Robin Fox, Recombinant Festival, Gray Area

gear, stationery

Spark Joy

I have a rule that I am allowed to purchase certain goods whenever I both can afford to do so and think that I may possibly have a use for them. It is a small list, including items such as Voile straps, Abloy Protec2 padlocks, and Pelican cases. Even if the specific model I purchase ends up not working for whatever project I currently have in mind, I can always use more of these items, and will never regret the purchase1. In the parlance of our times, these items spark joy.

Recently I determined that my zibaldoni situation was getting out of hand. I had completed notebooks in two different locations, empty notebooks in three, and accoutrements like covers and inserts all over the place. “Self,” I said to myself, “This situation will not stand.” But it seemed like the perfect excuse to buy another Pelican case. I trawled eBay for a week until I found a good deal on a used yellow 1450. This now holds all notebooks, along with their directly related accessories. It sits on top of a cabinet next to my other 1450 (a previous eBay find). I figure I’ve got space for at least two more.

Spark Joy

Notes

  1. ↵ Purchases of all other durable goods go through a protracted, multi-day period of hem and haw, where I ask myself: do I really need this thing, is the particular model I'm eyeing really the best suited to the problem I am trying to solve, will the item work in the short run but cause me to have regrets later on, etc.
edc, gear, defense, review

Clipped, Hot, and Metro

ASP recently redesigned their Metro Defender OC sprays to include a clip. This is an excellent addition. Some years ago I had tried to find add-on pen clips that may work on my old Defenders, but had no success. Previously I used a Blue Force Gear mag pouch to keep the OC in place on my Raven Pocket Shield. Now I can clip it to the shield directly, for less bulk in the pocket. Much speed, little drag.

Raven Pocket Shield: Front

ASP is also now including UV dye in their cartridges. This is a good thing. The cartridge itself is identical to the old ones. The new ones with the UV dye will work in the old clipless Defenders. The old cartridges without the UV will work in the newly clipped Defenders.

The way the head and body thread together on the new clipped models is different. A head from an old Defender cannot be attached to the new body, nor can the new head attach to the old body. I have made my peace with this.

The new head does have a logo on it, which is disappointing. Previously the head and body were both sterile. The pocket clip is attached to the body, which means it is below the logo on the head. The clip can be spun around freely, but given the way the safety works, if you were carrying this clipped into a shirt pocket you want the clip positioned such that the logo was facing outward. Anybody looking at you could see the thing in your shirt pocket, which otherwise looks vaguely pen-like, says ASP on it. This is a problem that I will probably eventually solve with tape or nail polish or sandpaper.

Raven Pocket Shield: Rear

The clip (and UV dye) make a good tool better. I have been carrying the new one in my pocket for the past couple months, and have my older clipless models relegated to applications where a clip does not matter.

I still find it useful to apply skateboard grip tape to the safety. One time I tried hockey stick grip tape, but it did not really contribute anything useful. Something with more chutzpa is wanted.

Prior to these design updates, ASP also renamed the product line. The model previously called the “Key” is now the “D2”. This is the one that I like. (I ultimately decided that the smaller one – “D1”, nee “Palm” – didn’t float my boat.)

When I bought my two units in September, I could find no dealers who had updated their product photography to show the clip, nor was it clear what version they were selling. I ordered from ASP directly (and paid their ridiculous shipping fee) to ensure that I got the clip.

micro, quote, books

I enjoyed this excerpt from a psychiatric report on Joan Didion in the summer of 1968:

It is as though she feels deeply that all human effort is foredoomed to failure, a conviction which seems to push her further into a dependent, passive withdrawal. In her view she lives in a world of people moved by strange, conflicted, poorly comprehended, and, above all, devious motivations which commit them inevitably to conflict and failure…

That was then a medical diagnosis, but today would just be seen as the normative baseline of the zeitgeist (within cells interlinked).

By way of comment I offer only that an attack of vertigo and nausea does not now seem to me an inappropriate response to the summer of 1968.

From the titular essay of The White Album.

links

Link Log 2024-11-29

Re-Noted: Carl Jung’s Midlife-Crisis Notebooks

B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber in Action | Training

The Power of the Powerless - Václav Havel

Apple Intelligence is for the Stupid Ones

The thought doesn’t count

Leica’s engraved fonts

The New New Class?

On a Steel Horse I Ride

tea

On Song Zhong

I bought a couple ounces of Song Zhong the last time I found myself in Chinatown. Red Blossom recommends brewing it at 210°F. I did this for my first few sessions, and was not impressed with the tea. Then one day I accidentally brewed the Song Zhong at 190°F (I thought it was my old pal MLX in the gaiwan). That resulted in a much tastier liquor. I’ve been working through the rest of the leaves at that temperature.

I still only brew it for Red Blossom’s recommended time of 30 seconds. Though sometimes I get distracted writing a blog post and don’t decant it for 90 seconds. I’m not above drinking it. Life is full of sacrifice.