I have the complete Solti Ring on CDs, but am listening to the mp3s I made and copied to my iPod.

Later I will listen to Furtwangler's Das Rheingold; I also have the complete Furtwangler Ring, but only on mp3 not CDs, from emusic.com.

I just bought Koss headphones (not buds) and am really happy with them. We have a big screen TV in the same room as the computer, and right now my husband's watching hockey while I'm listening to mudpuppie's mystery MP3s. I needed big, fat, cushy headphones (super comfortable) to help block out the sound of the TV.

iconomy is married?? So much for my plans!

The "Plugs" are made of compressible foam not unlike disposable ear plus (but softer). They do not block quite as well as the Sony MDRs I lost.

(Since quitting smoking, I've lost the earphones and my wallet. It's just ridiculous, I can't concentrate, I'm in a fog.)

But, the Sony MDRs were $50 ($30 on Amazon), and these are $13. And the Sonys apparently break down (the plastic covering the wires sloughs off).

So I'm going to see what these down at the Starbucks tomorrow.

The thing is, playing music loud enough to drown out external noises damages the ear. so I'm trying to find blocking earphones so i can play music quietly.

Also, a lot of opera and classical music has a bigger volume range that popular music. Romantic opera -- well, Wagner -- especially likes quiet followed by very loud.

So you want blocking for the quiet passages, as you don't want to turn them up, because then the loud passages are just too loud and painful.

The bass is pretty good (Scene 2, Fasolt and lots of drums).

I'm testing the new connection between my computer and stereo by playing some Chet Baker.

I read just about everywhere that Koss makes the best ear bud type headphones.

Nice, I have the Solti but no others. I heard Birgit Nilsson died this week.

Yeah, I saw that, matildaben. The Furtwangler I got from emusic, so I guess it probably cost me $30 all told.

(Or about 1/6 of the Solti CDs.)

Which hockey game?