Hi Mike, I either use my 3M Worktunes or a Sony receiver with a couple speakers. FM radio or music sourced from my Ipod............Regards, Rod.
I know several surgeons that always listen to music in the OR, and like the surgeons (I'm a retired pilot, btw) I am fairly OCDC to where when I am focused on a task, I don't even listen (which does NOT help my domestic life), so I don't worry about distraction in the shop.
I "inherited" my son in law's college days stereo (decent HK rcvr/amp and large speakers) which I have hooked up to an old PC so I can stream my audio collection directly to it (the amp is so old it has no networking capability, but the sound is solid).
My experience with music in the OR (30+ years) is that if surgeons like to hear music, it is rarely turned off. All hell has to break loose for that.
That being said, I've found it rare for trauma surgeons to listen to music. I knew a heart surgeon who would change from classic rock to classical when on cardiopulmonary bypass, which was bizarre for the perfusionist and anesthesiologist, who were slapping themselves to stay awake (he was a painfully slow surgeon).
Personally, I'm concerned about not hearing issues with machines while working in the shop, so I wear 30dB earmuffs which drown out the music while I'm working with noisy machines. But I can still hear the machines through them, albeit at a far lower level. That works for me. Safety first. I do miss hearing podcasts when I put on the headphones, but again I worry about missing important sounds.
- After I ask a stranger if I can pet their dog and they say yes, I like to respond, "I'll keep that in mind" and walk off
- It's above my pay grade. Mongo only pawn in game of life.
I never listen to music in the shop. And I was a professional musician for 40 years! Maybe that is why. Many of my musician fiends also never listen to music. So sad!
Ask a woodworker to "make your bed" and he/she makes a bed.
Yes, echo dot, pay for amazon prime music plus, to a Denon 7.2 setup. Any song at whatever volume I want anywhere in the shop.
Glad its my shop I am responsible for - I only have to make me happy.
I use multiple devices, but am a lifelong musician so stands to reason. Also have times when I want the background to keep tedious tasks rolling briskly along, and due to my hyper-sensitive listening focus, I definitely have times it needs to be shut off to avoid getting distracted. I would say a majority of the time, I work in silence.
Sources: Smartphone with earbuds. I make them sound-blocking, using Hearos ear plugs with 1/8" hole bored in center and chopped in half. Blocks about as much as foam plugs alone, but I get high quality tunes as well. Android phone running music player and loaded with tunes I own, or Amazon music player for variety.
Older Sony home theater receiver. Also, due to music pursuits, I've been building speakers since I was 11. Use laptop for my massive music library or streaming. Latest speaker build is a pair of MTM style with dual 12" woofers and 1.25" dome tweeter, dialed in with dual 31 band graphic EQ. Hung on the wall near ceiling (16') so sound field is huge, and walls enhance the bass reproduction. Rivals a small club for volume, but very high fidelity.
To listen or not to listen.
Quiet times:
- Drafting/detailing a tricky design
- executing high-pressure operations
Music times:
- Random orbit sanding. Ear buds
- Finishing room. Ear buds
- Final assembly/packing up completed projects - The big system
I say it's essential for me, but highly selective about appropriate times to use as an aid in keeping my drive through the workday.
Jeff
I use an Echo Show in the shop. Usually playing the local NPR station or the Amazon Led Zeppelin station. Wife has another Echo Show in the Kitchen and uses the announcement feature to call me in for meals time.
I had been using a boom box for as far back as I can remember. But making CDs and changing them out was getting old so I bought a Walkman and JBL speaker, connected by Bluetooth. I loaded all of my MP3s on the Walkman and put it on shuffle. I'm now hearing music I never knew I had. And it's easy to pick up and take wherever I go. It's been great for working on the neighbor's house.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness..." - Mark Twain
You say you use a walkman. How do you shuffle a cassette?
Yes, streaming really does open up a whole world of opportunity when it comes to content and being able to access "the best of the best" anywhere is a wonderful thing. Aside from the normal excellent mix throughout most time periods, if you like the blues...the Saturday night blues show is da bomb and the curator is one of the best there is. David Dye still does a nice show on Sunday mornings since he retired from doing World Café, too, if you want a familiar voice. Mountain Stage originating out of West Virginia public radio is another favorite of mine.
Last edited by Jim Becker; 06-05-2021 at 11:00 AM.
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The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
I use pandora and a pair of xfinity speakers. I listen mostly to blues and jazz (Coleman Hawkins and the Jellyroll Kings the current favorites). Pandora has the thumb print station that often present something I haven't heard before. Last week I discovered Imelda May, Eilen Jewel and Devil Doll. Great stuff. Also listen to the College of Du Page's jazz/blues station: wdcb.org
Back in the day, when we were transforming lowly 3 flats in Lincoln Park into million dollar homes, we had a JBL studio monitor bolted to a hand truck with a Harmon Karden tuner screwed to the top of it. The entire neighborhood knew when we were on the job!
Stand for something, or you'll fall for anything.
stereo, speakers 25 feet or more apart, TV Screen, computer for you tube and DVD player for movies, always been that way. When cooler the woodstove ads another dimension as well.