![\"An](\"media/huge-on-the-tray.jpeg\")
It occurred to me that things which work well are often under-represented online.\nI absolutely love my listening headphones, so I thought I'd write a quick post about them.
\nTo say I love music is an understatement.\nMy iTunes... er... Apple Music library is has 61.5 days of it.\nAnd I am reasonably picky.\nAnd unlike my Steam library, I have listened to all of it!\nMany times over.
\nI also tend to listen a lot in situations where headphones are the best output device.\nEither nobody else is awake (I'm listening to Arthur Rbenstein's performance of Chopin's Nocturnes right now, if that gives you a clue)\nor others are very much around who may not appreciate classic trance blasting at 100dB.\nHeadphones are a really fantastic way to listen to music,\nand if you care about quality, they are some of the best bang for your buck.\nYou can get some AMAZING quality cans for a fraction of what you'd pay for a comparable speaker setup.
\nBut headphones are also hard to get right, and highly personal.\nWhat follows is my current favorite, and the journey to here.\nI'll try to note cases where I'm aware of my own subjectivity.\nbut I probably won't get everything.
\nI've worn headphones for a significant chunk of my computer time (an inordinate portion of my life) since 2011 or so.\nThat's about 15 years at the time of this writing.\nHere are some things that are important for me (or not important), which may help frame my opinion:
\nOver the years, I've really liked Sennheiser.\nI had several mid to high end pairs over the years.\nI rather liked my HD558s from years past.\nThey were mostly neutral response and open back.\nBut those were a long time ago (I bought them in 2013).\nAnd current Sennheiser isn't what they once were.
\nMore recently, I bought the Grado 325x.\nThey were crisp on the high end.\nBut after about 8 months, I couldn't stand them any more.\nThery were far too unforgiving of all but a perfectly mastered track.\nThe lower frequencies were off, especially for electronic music (but sounded great for rock).\nThey were heavy.\nThey were uncomfortable (I hated the headband and the weird angle of the earpieces,\nwhich look cool as a piece of steampunk concept art but are highly impractcial IMO).
\nTo make matters worse, the cable is non-detatchable and soldered all the way through.\nIt also weighs a ton and is super inflexible.\nI hear there are a bunch of people that do cable mods,\nbut by the time my pair developed a loose connection (probably due to the above)\nthat made them practically unlistenable, I was ready for something else.
\nModerately annoyed, I decided to buy some new headphones almost a year ago.\nI didn't find much help in reviews honestly, and you probably shouldn't expect to here either.\nBut I ended up going for some Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X's.\nI definitely over-indexed on the detatchable cable by the way\n(I haven't had a single issue with the cabling, nor have I bothered detaching it, but it's the principle of the thing).\nThe sound quality on these is excellent, and they have a better sound stage than my old Sennheiser's.\nI liked some things about the Grados better, but these are way more versatile.\nThey are also comfortable to wear for 2-3 hours:\nthey are lighter, and the cushioning is amazing.\nEspecially with my glasses.\nMy only complaint is they are a bit tight fitting for my large head,\nand I can actually hear some squeaks from my glasses frame when moving around sometimes.
\nHeadphones also need a solid amp (+ DAC if you're using it like most people).\nI currently use a Schiit Magni.\nA ridiculously under-priced amp+DAC.\nI really don't have much to say except that it's an excellent little unit that sounds great.\nI haven't had any issues in the 2 years I've owned it,\nbeyond the decade and change issues with certain music players not filling buffers fast enough\nduring a cold start of a new album.
\n", "summary": "", "date_published": "2025-11-25T00:00:00-00:00", "image": "", "authors": [ { "name": "Ian Wagner", "url": "https://fosstodon.org/@ianthetechie", "avatar": "media/avi.jpeg" } ], "tags": [ "gear" ], "language": "en" }, { "id": "https://ianwwagner.com//elecom-deft-pro-two-months-in.html", "url": "https://ianwwagner.com//elecom-deft-pro-two-months-in.html", "title": "Elecom Deft Pro - Two Months In", "content_html": "It's not quite two months in, but I said I'd give an update on the Elecom Deft Pro after some use, so here I am!
\nBad news first...
\nI'm not gonna lie, the initial adjustent period on this was rougher than I expected.\nThis trackballl was extremely uncomfortable for the first week,\nand not particularly comfortable for the following 2 or 3 weeks either.\nExpect to take some time getting used to this.
\nMy biggest complaint is probably that it's too small and too light.\nIt should be 2-3 times heavier in my opinion to stay put.\nAnd I guess I should have guessed it from the name, but it's really small.\nAlmost too small for my hands.
\nI'm not sure what it is with Elecom, but a lot of the angles make no sense to me.\n"Straight" as measured from the USB port puts the angle for the main ("left") click button off by like 5-10 degrees.\nSo I always want to have it off center, but that's challenging on my admittedly small keyboard tray.\nI'm also not really sure whose hand they designed whatever is further right than the right (alt-right?) button for.\nI never planned on using this or the middle click button anyways, but they are just weirdly positioned.\nThe forward and back buttons are also weirdly positioned.
\nThese were also weirdly positioned on the HUGE, but the Deft Pro seems worse.\nIt's exacerbated by the fact that the thing weighs basically nothing,\nwhich is not a positive thing when you're trying to poke it at weird angles that will definitely move it on your desk.\nAnd I'm not sure what the other weird button and switch are closest to the hand rest and on level with the left click button,\nbut they are in such weird positions I will NEVER use them.
\nOh my, this was a huge (lol) adjustment...\nThe scroll wheel is SO CRISP!\nI also kinda hate it, since even at max speed it's way too slow.\nI literally reach for my MacBook trackpad any time I want to scroll fast through a large document.\nThe scroll wheel is precise, but it's also kinda terrible IMO.\nAnd unlike the HUGE where you could sort of scroll horizontally by awkwardly nudging the wheel up or down,\nthe Deft is so tiny and light, and the wheel is so stiff, that you can just forget even the most awkward horizontal scrolling.\nUse your laptop trackpad for this.
\nI'm sure I sound VERY negative at this point.\nAnd I really do have a lot of bad to say about this trackball.\nBut I'm still using it and actually do have some good things to say.
\nHonestly I don't have any complaints about this.\nI saw some very polarizing opinions about the ball not rolling smoothly but I have had relatively few issues.\nIt's not sticking or anything for me and feels pretty good overall.\nMy precision feels slightly better than with the HUGE.
\nThe reason I replaced my HUGE was the unreliable buttons.\nMaybe my HUGE was a lemon, but the Deft Pro has been great.\nNo missed / duplicate click events.\nIt really just works.
\nWell, I'm still using it ;)\nSeveral things annoy me, but it's better than my HUGE.\nThe other trackball I considered was a Kensigton.\nI might still buy one, but only after I either:
\nOverall it's not a bad trackball, and you might even like it if you're primarily working mobile.\nBut I use this at my large desk and I have a few complaints.\nDespite my ergonomic complaints, it's still better than most mice,\nand your experience will probably be better than mine since my hands are large enough to make serious piano players envious.
\n", "summary": "", "date_published": "2025-11-19T00:00:00-00:00", "image": "", "authors": [ { "name": "Ian Wagner", "url": "https://fosstodon.org/@ianthetechie", "avatar": "media/avi.jpeg" } ], "tags": [ "gear" ], "language": "en" }, { "id": "https://ianwwagner.com//elecom-deft-pro-first-impressions.html", "url": "https://ianwwagner.com//elecom-deft-pro-first-impressions.html", "title": "Elecom Deft Pro - First Impressions", "content_html": "I recently picked up a new trackball to replace my prematurely aging Elecom HUGE.\nHere are my first impressions after only a few hours, since there wasn't much I could find online comparing them properly.
\nNOTE: I have an updated review after ~2 months with the unit here.
\nTo get the obvious question out of the way first,\nI have used a trackball for about 5 years as my primary pointer device.\nI switched from all manner of mice and trackpads due to ergonomics.\nI had pretty bad RSI for many years, due to excessive computer use,\nand a trackball was one of the key changes that solved my issues.
\nThe trackball actually had a larger impact than switching to Dvorak (minimal improvement)\nor switching to a better ergonomic keyboard (Kinesis Advantage 2 QD; incremental, but not order of magnitude improvement).\nAnd yes, I'm aware of vertical mice.\nI tried a Logitech one for about 2 years and it actually made things worse.
\nThe biggest difference is probably the size.\nThe Deft Pro has a much smaller footprint than the HUGE.\nPart of the reason for this early replacement is that I ordered a replacement keyboard drawer online the other week.\nBeing too lazy to measure, and just going off the scale photos, it looked plenty big.
\n
Narrator: it was, in fact, far too small and barely fits the keyboard.
\nSo, with the HUGE practically falling off,\ncombined with my bad habit of snacking and drinking at my desk late at night contributing to click malfunction\n(weirdly it would DOUBLE register clicks!), I needed a replacement.
\n![\"An](\"media/deft-on-the-tray.jpeg\")
The Deft Pro is pretty much the size I wanted.\nIt fits (just barely) on my tiny keyboard tray,\nand it is quite comfortable to use.
\nI have to say I wish this thing were a bit heavier.\nI want the thing to sit on my desk like a rock and not move.\nI tend to manipulate the ball with my fingertips,\nand keep other fingers on the buttons, but this tends to push the base off to the left.\nMaybe I'll look at a sticky setup or something...
\nI can only give a partial review here, since I do not use most of the extra buttons.\nPartly because I can't be bothered to configure them (most apps won't support them easily),\nand partly because I don't like installing proprietary software with low level system access for marginal benefit.\n(This is a subtoot at Logitech Options, but Elecom is not much better.)\nSo, I only use the left+right click, and the forward/back buttons.\nThe forward/back buttons are plug-and-play\nwith my web browser and many dev tools like JetBrains IDEs.
\nI think the HUGE positioning was a bit better for the forward/back buttons.\nThe scroll and left click position are fine for my usage style.\nThe right click though... That will take some getting used to.\nI think they designed the Deft to be held in your hand pretty closely,\nbut that isn't how I got used to using the HUGE.
\nI'll give this a shot and see how it goes after a few weeks trying a different grip.\nI think right click is positioned fine for the intended style of gripping.
\nThe Deft allows for much better precision, with each step being a nice crisp click.\nI personally liked the HUGE better.\nIt was pretty fluid, smooth, and not "clicky."\nIt also could generate acceptable scrolling speeds.\nNot as good as an Apple trackpad, but acceptable.\nI had to jack up the scroll speed to max for the Deft,\nand will probably continue using my trackpad for gestures like this when I want to go fast.
\nThis is not a criticism of Elecom specifically; it's a universal gripe I have with most things\nexcept the Apple trackpad.
\nThe ball itself is great!\nI found some reviews online complaining that it was sticky,\nor hard to manipulate precisely.\nI have not had any issues so far; it feels as good or better than the HUGE.
\nIf I recall, the HUGE required you to select a connectivity option at purchase time.\nThe Deft Pro includes all in the same package: bluetooth, RF via USB wireless dongle, and cabled USB connection.\nThis is great if you like to travel with an external input device!
\nI personally don't since I love my MacBook trackpad.\nBut if you do, the only thing I'd flag is that there is no internal battery.\nYou need a single AA battery rather than an internal rechargeable like the higher end Logitech mice.
\nIt lives up to the name: it's Deft.\nI like a few things about the HUGE better (the scroll wheel and right mouse button position being the main ones),\nbut I did buy this for a smaller footprint,\nand I think I can get used to the button position with a tighter grip.
\nI'll post a follow up later once I have a chance to use it more.
\n", "summary": "", "date_published": "2025-09-28T00:00:00-00:00", "image": "media/huge-on-the-tray.jpeg", "authors": [ { "name": "Ian Wagner", "url": "https://fosstodon.org/@ianthetechie", "avatar": "media/avi.jpeg" } ], "tags": [ "gear" ], "language": "en" } ] }