Tom's Views

I recently purchased two of the   Honeywell RLV310A non programmable digital thermostat   for the   electric baseboard heaters   used around my home.  At a cost of approximately $30 from Lowe’s home improvement center, I thought that they priced this unit reasonably.  The RLV310A is much quieter (no clicking sounds as it turns the heaters on and off), as this digital thermostat utilizes an all-electronic switching mechanism (a triac) to switch on and off the 220 volt supply to my 2500 watt resistance baseboard heaters.  Here are my impressions of this Honeywell digital thermostat.

What I like about the Honeywell RLV310A Non Programmable Digital Thermostat

• Honeywell’s supplied installation instructions were easy to follow and straight forward.
• Installation of the RLV310A took under a half hour and required only a Philips screwdriver since I was just replacing an existing thermostat instead of installing a new one from scratch.
• The RLV310A has just two black wires that you hook up as you would a regular light switch into one side of the electric heater supply line.
• No ground terminal is provided, as the RLV310 is packaged in an all-plastic case; including its mounting plate.  This further simplifies installation.
• Since there were no programming instructions included, as the Honeywell RLV310A digital thermostat is not programmable, the operating instructions are thus, quite easy to understand.
• With just two buttons (to raise and lower the room temperature set point), the RLV310A is quite simple to operate.
• The RLV310A responds immediately when you change the temperature set point, and immediately turns on the heater full blast when you raise the temperature, and turns it completely off when you lower the temperature, until the room temperature falls to the new set point.
• In terms of comfort, I like the tight temperature control of the RLV310A, as it allows no more than a plus or minus 0.35 degree temperature swing in the room, before actuating the heater (turning it on or off).
• As the RLV310A limits the size of the temperature swings in the room, the users guide says that savings in heating bills should be significant.  This is important when paying for electric baseblard heating, as each room costs a few dollars per day to keep warm as it is.

What I dislike about the Honeywell RLV310A Non Programmable Digital Thermostat

• I was disappointed that the Honeywell RLV310A automatic thermostat is not at least a little programmable.  It would have been nice to be able to adjust the span between the turn-on and turn-off temperatures.
• The RLV310A offers a very narrow and non adjustable temperature span of approximately 0.7 degrees.  That is, when the room temperature falls 0.35 degrees below the set point temperature, this Honeywell digital thermostat turns the heater it controls on.  Then, when the temperature rises to 0.35 degrees above the set point, this thermostat turns the heater off.  This means that the heater comes on and off several times per minute, which can be distracting when all else in the room is quiet.
• My particular heaters hum, ping, and clank each time they’re activated.  So while I may have eliminated the clicking noises in my old electro-mechanical thermostats by replacing them with the RLV310A, I have exacerbated the noise problem from the heaters themselves.  Beware of this if you decide to upgrade to a digital thermostat like the Honeywell RLV310A.
• As is true with so many consumer electronics devices these days, no audio indication is given on the RLV310A when the UP and DOWN temperature buttons are pressed, which can complicate use of this digital thermostat by the blind and vision impaired population.  However, since the UP and DOWN temperature buttons are the only two controls to operate on the RLV310A, the absence of sound when pressing the buttons appears to be no big deal.
• I wish the temperature display on the RLV310A was back lit, so it could be viewed without having to turn on another light in the room.

Overall, though it’s non programmable, I’m quite pleased with the Honeywell RLV310A digital thermostat.  The unit works exactly as described in the accompanying operation manual, and has revealed that I have very noisy heaters.  This just may be the excuse I’ve been looking for to upgrade my cheap heaters to the quieter hydronic units I’ve seen at the stores.

Tom Hesley

Other Posts About Heating

• Tankless Vs. Tanked Water Heaters

I’ve owned the 16 GB iPod 6th Generation Nano portable media player from Apple for a few months now. I bought mine at Best Buy for $179, the standard price. Over all, I very much like the 6th generation Nano, though some of the qualities that make this version of the Nano so likeable also contribute to the difficulties in using it.

What I like about the iPod 6th Generation Nano

• The significantly smaller size of this Nano (not much bigger than many watch faces), and its built-in clip on the back allows this Nano to be fastened easily to the cuff of a shirt or arm or wrist band for easy access while walking or jogging. It’s size and function remind me of the iPod Shuffle.
• The sound quality is every bit as good on the 6th generation Nano as in Nanos past. In fact, the ear buds that come with this Nano appear to be the same as those shipped with previous models.
• Unlike the 4th and 5th generation Nanos, this iPod incorporates a full implementation of the VoiceOver feature; the earlier versions utilized a voice clip system that required significant extra time during syncing as the computer had to generate the voice clips for each song synced. This drawback does not exist in VoiceOver however. VoiceOver is a feature that Apple has incorporated into the iPhones and iPod Touches historically. But as of this Nano, VoiceOver has now come to the Nano family. The voice synthesis software now is a part of the Nano. So this Nano does not require computer generation of voice clips during syncing. This feature enables the blind and vision impaired listeners to operate the Nano without seeing the screen; a handy feature for a touch screen based user interface to have.
• This 6th generation Nano contains a sweet-sounding stereo FM radio. You can pause it for some seconds without missing anything when you return to listening. Plus, you can save songs that you hear to purchase them from the iTunes store later.
• You can make a clock face appear so that when the home key is pressed, this iPod looks just like a watch face that includes a sweep second hand that moves smoothly around the numbers (not in one-second intervals as seen in so many quartz clocks and watches).
• Battery life in my experience seems comparable to my 4th generation Nano; the internal battery lasts between fifteen and twenty hours roughly per charge.  This is highly variable however, depending on how bright you have the screen backlight set, how long it glows after being touched, how loud you play the Nano, and so on.
• The online documentation provided on Apple’s web site   here,   is thorough, well-written, and easy to read.
• Syncing and managing this iPod via iTunes works just as it did for the previous Nano generations.
• You can organize your “desk top” on this Nano easily (move icons around on and amongst the various pages).
• You can edit existing playlists and create new ones as well right on this Nano, without plugging it into iTunes. This is a new feature in the 6th generation Nano.
• I like the idea of the built-in pedometer to measure how far one has walked. But I’ve not yet utilized this feature.

What I dislike about the iPod 6th Generation Nano

• Though the smaller footprint of this 6th generation Nano facilitates ease of use while exercising, it can irritate; especially if you forget where you last put this Nano. This tiny player can easily slip between pillow cushions or slide underneath couches and such. Thus, it can easily be lost, and when you’re looking for it, it’s easy to overlook due to its low profile.
• I indeed miss the function wheel found on all previous generations of the Nano. This one offers a small touch screen instead. I like the touch screen well enough, but very much miss the wheel.
• Skipping around in your music requires more presses and touches than previous incantations of the Nano. The older Nanos only required one press of the wheel to advance or move backward in the playlist; even when the screen is off. But this iPod requires you to first activate the screen by pressing the home button at the top right of the unit, then to touch the screen once to bring up the player controls. Then, you must touch the right place on the screen to advance or go backward. A bit awkward.
• They eliminated the built-in camera that they added in the last generation Nano. I can’t cry too much over this however, as all I ever used the camera for was to check my advancing bald spot.
• I found it curious that they eliminated video playback functionality in this Nano, though the 5th generation Nano could do this.
• As in all previous Nanos, the charge cable and earphone cable connectors are very close to each other so that disconnecting the charge cable without first unplugging the earphone jack is virtually impossible.
• Getting used to the “gestures” required to operate this Nano (the swipes, taps, and presses) proved a bit of a challenge at first. But it didn’t take long to master, although I’m still not as proficient with this as I was with the wheel from previous generations of Nanos.
• I would have liked to see more flash memory included (at least 32 GB; not just 16 GB).

For my purposes, which involve mainly audio music listening while exercising, I’ve found no better portable players than the iPod 6th generation Nano; except for perhaps the 5th and 4th generation models.  Apple made many counter-intuitive omissions on this iPod (the deletion of the video playback and camera). Perhaps they figured that people weren’t using these features much on the 5th generation Nano given the small size of the screen. As mentioned, I’m also sorry to see the function wheel go. So far, as a result, this iPod seems harder to work than previous models. But perhaps with time, I’ll get used to it. I’ll let you know. However, I still find myself grabbing my 3rd generation Nano for many of my walks, because it has a function wheel (and a big one at that), along with the associated improved ease of use that the wheel offers. I must force myself to take the 6th generation Nano with me, which should not be the case.

But in terms of sound quality and overall performance, this 6th generation Nano is second to none. So I’d recommend buying it, as it offers a pretty affordable means to get into portable digital music for novice listeners, and its advanced sound quality will please even the most discriminating audiophiles. Remember however, that you must use a computer (PC or Mac) to put music on it initially. But computers are probably second nature to anyone considering purchasing a Nano anyhow. So this is no big deal.

I’ll update this piece as I learn more about my 6th generation Nano.

Tom Hesley

References

• Apple iPod 6th Generation Nano Users Guide

I’ve tried (and yes, typically over-indulged in) numerous versions of vanilla ice cream through the years. So I’ve learned what both good and bad vanilla ice creams taste like.  Breyers is good.  Indeed, this  Breyers Natural Vanilla flavored All Natural Ice Cream ranks at the top of the list  in terms of consistency, price, and taste. There’s certainly nothing plain about this vanilla ice cream.  My thoughts on this light yet delicious dessert follow.

What I liked about Breyers Natural Vanilla All Natural Ice Cream

• This Breyers  ice cream looks virtually like vanilla (cream white in color) because they seemed not to color it. The ingredients listed on the label make no mention of food colorings or dies.
• They hit a pleasing balance between the vanilla, sugar, and dairy flavors in this vanilla ice cream from Breyers. It’s not overly sweet, but still sugary enough to be addictive.  I never get tired of this stuff.
• This Breyers all natural ice cream comes with numerous and small bits of vanilla bean, which probably strengthens its vanilla flavor as well as accentuates its “all  natural” appearance.
• The price I paid ($3 per pint) seems reasonable.
• I like the lightness of this all natural ice cream.  Though this can at times leave me wanting for more when I’ve devoured the entire pint, I’m actually glad that they incorporate an airiness into this ice cream, that makes it less fatty and caloric.
• At 4 grams of saturated fat per serving (and there are four  servings in the sixteen ounce container), I get just shy of my entire day’s allotment.  Again, that’s pretty light for ice cream.
• This product contains no corn syrup either.
• In fact, the ingredients list is very short: milk, cream, sugar, natural vanilla flavor, natural tara gum (to increase the creaminess of the ice cream).
• Each serving has only 14 grams of sugar and 130 calories, and thus 56 of sugar grams for the whole container of 4 servings and 520 calories. It could be lower, yes, but as far as ice creams go, this amount is not excessive.
• The black, yellow, green, and white colors on the package make Breyers vanilla ice cream easy to spot in your grocer’s freezer.
• The pictures of the product shown on the outside of the container do not exaggerate or downplay the ice cream’s actual appearance.  Breyers seems to have been very honest in their pictorial as well as descriptive portrayals of this product.  I like honesty to be sure.

What I disliked about Breyers Natural Vanilla All Natural Ice Cream (Not much!)

• I wish they’d use unbleached cane juice for a sweetener, instead of sugar.

In summary, I found this Breyers natural vanilla bean ice cream outstanding, and would highly suggest it to anyone seeking light yet satisfying flavors from their desserts. It satiates with about the right amounts of every ingredient, without going overboard on anything. So try Breyers when next you desire some all-natural ice cream. Like me, I’m betting you’ll enjoy this ice cream immensely.

Tom Hesley

Related Posts

• Edy’s Maxx Mint Brownie Ice Cream Review
• Haagen-Dazs Mint Chip All Natural Ice Cream Review

I’ve eaten the various incantations of these Mrs. Paul’s Fish Sandwich Fillets for the past thirty years.  Note that this particular product differs from the Mrs. Paul’s Crunchy Fish Fillets that I reviewed here, in that there are fewer fillets per box (6 instead of 10), each fish sandwich fillet is close to twice the amount as the crunchy fillets. Here are my thoughts on this delicious supper-time main course:

What I like about Mrs. Paul’s Fish Sandwich Fillets

• The sandwich fish fillets themselves are packed in a re close-able plastic bag for freshness, and this bag keeps them from picking up odors of, and then assuming the flavor of other foods in the freezer.
• These Mrs. Paul’s sandwich fillets are 100% Alaska Pollock fish; without fillers.  Alaska Pollock is a mild-tasting yet full-bodied fish (at least, as satisfying as whitefish can be anyhow).  So it accommodates flavoring spices well without dominating the dish, and therefore, compliments other foods well.
• These breaded, crunchy fish fillets especially designed for kaiser or hamburger rolls from Mrs. Paul’s, have a hunger-enticing, not-too-fishy flavor.
• You can be re-close the box with built-in tabs that fit into slots on the top flap once you’ve re-sealed the inner bag.
• This breaded fish has lots of omega-3 fatty acids, that are excellent for promoting heart health.
• While baking, the fish fillets give off a mouth-watering aroma, so that when they’re finally ready to eat, I’m really anxious to devour them.   This aromatic preamble makes actually eating them even more of a delectable treat.Frank’s hot sauce goes well with these Mrs. Paul’s sandwich fish fillets; my favorite topping to put on them actually.
• I follow the twenty-eight to thirty minutes in the oven at 425 degrees instructions on the box that in my oven at least, predictably yields very hot, quite crunchy, and golden brown sandwich fish fillets.

What I dislike about Mrs. Paul’s Fish Sandwich Fillets

• There’s no indication on the box that these Mrs. Paul’s fish sandwich fillets have been tested for mercury.  Doing that would be comforting for consumers, given the concern these days over heavy metals in the food supply.  But I’ve eaten these for long enough now without discernible problems, that I’m not worried about mercury in fish.
• Each serving (one fillet) has 190 calories.  Yet I must eat three or four servings to really feel satisfied.  The breading no doubt add lots of extra calories but on the good side, is made from wheat flower.
• Mrs. Paul’s makes the breading from enriched flour.  I’d prefer that they use all whole grains in their seasoned coatings.The flour they apply appears to be bleached, though it does not say bleached on the box.
• They also have added sugar and preservatives.  So these fish sandwich fillets definitely qualify as one of those “dreaded” processed dishes.
• These frozen fish fillets do not heat up well in the microwave.  In fact, the box recommends against microwave preparation.  But an ability to “nuke” them would shorten preparation time significantly.

Though they could be better if prepared with whole grain flour and without sugar, Mr’s Paul’s fish sandwich fillets are good eating nonetheless so long as you don’t gorge on them too often.  Over all, I truly love the flavor of Mrs. Paul’s breaded fish fillets, including these fish sandwich fillets.  They cost little, are easy to fix, taste delicious, and are on the whole quite good for you.  So I’d highly recommend them to anyone hungry for the taste of good fish.  If you’re a fish lover as I am, you’ll be quite pleased with the meals in which you serve these Mrs. Paul’s Fish Sandwich Fillets.

Tom Hesley

Related Posts

• Gorton’s Garlic and Herb Crunchy Breaded Fish Fillets Review
• Mrs. Paul’s Crunchy Fish Fillets Review

[Emmy] and I bought the   Radio Shack Composite AB Selector Switch 15-312 (15312)   for her television, to enable switching between her Comcast cable box and DVD player as viewing video and audio sources.  So I got to install and examine this two-input video switch extensively over the past weekend.  The following thoughts occurred:

What I Like about the Radio Shack Composite AB Selector Switch 15-312 (15312)

• This Radio Shack composite video and audio A/B switch cost only $20 roughly.
• It’s highly uncomplicated; containing two push-button style switches on the top, and nine RCA-style ports on the back. 
• Each input on this composite video switch includes one video jack and two audio jacks (for stereo left and right channels).  The single output includes the same jack compliment.
• This switch is fashioned from black plastic and sports light gray labeling of the jacks and buttons. 
• This is definitely a no-frills A/B video switch that is thus, a king of simplicity to learn and use effectively. 
• The case appears quite thick and the unit feels rather heavy for all the more that’s inside of it, which gives the impression of a durable, rugged piece of electronics, and I definitely like that. 

What I Dislike about the Radio Shack Composite AB Selector Switch 15-312 (15312)

• This switch supports neither component video nor s-video sources; just the traditional composite video ones (yellow RCA plug). 
• Thus, no high definition HD video; only standard definition (SD) source signals can be switched. 
• Must press the buttons harder than seems normal to select the correct video source. 
• Plus, if you press the input selection buttons too weakly, this leaves this switch in a neither-A-nor-B (no video) state.  This means that neither the A input nor the B input is connected to the output.  This can cause confusion and concern, as the desired video source does not display when the switch is in this state, and the user may be left wondering why his VCR or DVD player is not working. 
• I found it strange that the sales person offered me a two-year extended warranty for this low-priced switch box, for $3.49 (I think).  I just shook my head and grinned. 

This video and audio switch is simple to connect up and operate, and can cheaply be replaced in the event of problems.  So I’d highly recommend the   Radio Shack Two Input Composite AB Selector Switch 15-312 (15312)   to people who only have two A/V sources in their home entertainment systems to toggle between.  However before you buy, make sure that your television does not have the additional inputs you need. 

Tom Hesley

I bought one of these   Radio Shack NOAA Weather Radio 12-500 (12500) Cubes   for [Emmy] for her birthday this year, and had a chance to play with it a little before she took it home.  Here are my thoughts:

What I Like about the Radio Shack NOAA Weather Radio Cube 12-500 (12500)

• The bright red, silver, dark black coloring create a definite yet not overbearing color contrast on this weather radio from Radio Shack.
• This weather radio produces a surprisingly full and clear sound for all the bigger its speaker is; approximately two inches in diameter.
• The required four AA batteries are easy to find for cheap, as AA batteries are so ubiquitous.
• The six-section whip antenna is very effective at pulling in those weak weather stations in rural areas in spite of its notable shortness.
• This weather radio costs a minuscule $20.
• It’s reasonably sensitive and selective.  The sales person said that it can pick up NOAA weather stations from as far away as $25 miles.  I’ve verified this in my local area.
• The Radio Shack NOAA Weather Radio Cube comes with anti-skid rubber feet that really grab the table upon which you place this device.  The seem to work very well, even on very smooth glass surfaces.

What I Dislike about the Radio Shack NOAA Weather Radio Cube 12-500 (12500)

• This weather radio has a bright blue LED pilot light that glows while listening to it.  This may shorten battery life somewhat.
• There’s no place on this NOAA cube to connect an AC adapter.  You’re stuck using battery power thus. 
• The volume and tuning controls are located on the bottom of the cube.  Thus, you must pick the radio up to make adjustments.  I’d rather have the controls on either the sides, or at least, the back. 
• No built-in alert feature.  Some weather radios can automatically turn on and warn you when the emergency weather alert tones are received.  However, this radio is not equipped with that functionality. 
• The tuning adjustment appears to be a variable resistor instead of a capacitor, and these types of controls can become dirty and worn more quickly than variable capacitors typically do.  So I’m concerned that over time, tuning this radio to the desired weather station may become more difficult.  But for as little as this weather receiver costs, buying a new one in that event would probably be best. 

On the whole, this weather radio seems to be a sturdy, good-sounding, and simple-to-operate receiver for the novice and intermediate listener.  The price is good, and this makes it easy to replace in the event of loss or damage.  While it lacks a couple features that I’d like to have seen incorporated, I’d recommend this weather radio to anyone looking for a basically good and cheap unit. 

Tom Hesley

I’ve been an avid green tea drinker, on and off, for well over fifteen years, and so have often kept electric kettles like the   Chef’s Choice Cordless Electric Kettle 677-2 (6772)   on my kitchen counter for quick and efficient heating of the water.  This appliance is not really cordless.  In fact, there is a cord that you must plug into a fifteen amp outlet attached to the accompanying stand, that supplies power to the heating elements built into the pot.  But the fact that the pot itself has no permanently attached power cord makes for much easier filling and less dangerous hot water pouring into teacups. This is a substantial appliance that exudes an air of durability and dependability that you’d probably like owning.  Nothing looks cheap about this cordless electric teapot. 

What I Like about the  Chef’s Choice Cordless Electric Kettle 677-2 (6772)

• This Chef’ Choice cordless electric kettle heats 1.7 liters of water in approximately eight minutes here in Pittsburgh, PA. It may heat more quickly at higher altitudes. 
• This cordless kettle operates quietly, even when the water is boiling.
• The stand that supplies power to the kettle itself comes equipped with substantial anti-skid feet that definitely prevent sliding of the whole unit even when full.  These also provide acoustic isolation from the counter, and this likely helps keep the kettle quiet. 
• This cordless electric kettle has an attached black plastic lid that latches open and latches closed.
• The large-diameter mouth on this cordless kettle makes for quick and easy filling and cleaning with little slop and spill. 
• A clear, neon-lit lever makes starting and stopping the kettle a snap; literally. 
• This heated kettle automatically shuts off soon after the water inside begins to boil.
• The supporting stand remains cool to the touch. 
• The kettle has the ”in” look of a stainless steel finish on all its metal parts, with black plastic for the handle, stand, and lid that compliments the metal with a subtle yet definite contrasting appearance.
• With the handle being plastic, there is little chance of electric shock from this appliance.
• The positioning of the handle provides great balance and thus, ease of carrying this kettle from its stand to your teacup.  Pouring is a breeze.

What I Dislike about the  Chef’s Choice Cordless Electric Kettle 677-2 (6772)

• At nearly $60, I thought this price was a bit expensive, particularly since competing brands of similar electric kettles cost less than half of this. 
• Occasionally, this cordless kettle clicks and snaps, even hours after last use.  This is likely the mechanical shut-off mechanism inside cooling down, and could be remedied by incorporating a fully electronic thermostat system in future models. 
• I wish that this cordless electric kettle held a full two liters of fluid instead of the 1.7 liters that it’s designed for. 
• It would be nice if the power light in the actuation lever was significantly brighter; sometimes in a brightly-lit kitchen, I can’t tell if the pot is still in-cycle just by looking. 

In total, I’m quite pleased with the Chef’s Choice International cordless electric kettle, model 677-2. So too, is the person I gave this pot to for Christmas last year.  We would both recommend this cordless kettle to anyone in routine need of quickly-heated hot water. 

Tom Hesley

I’ve tried (and yes, often over-consumed) numerous versions of mint chocolate chip ice cream through the years.  But this Haagen-Dazs Mint Chip All Natural Ice Cream ranks among the best of them all in terms of texture, flavor,  and price.  Here are my thoughts on this scrumptious dessert that could easily become a main course if one is overly seduced by its sweet minty and chocolaty flavor.

What I liked about Haagen-Dazs Mint Chip All Natural Ice Cream

• This mint chocolate chip ice cream smells just as it tastes; minty, chocolaty, and sweet.  Like the flavor, the aroma does not overly dominate.  The smell is rather subtle and truthful about the taste sensations to come.
• The red, brown, green and white colors on the package do not mislead about how delightfully minty and chocolaty this treat will be.
• They hit a pleasant balance between the mint, sugar, and chocolate in this mint chocolate chip ice cream from Haagen-Dazs.  It’s definitely not excessively sugary, but still sweet enough to have kept me going back for more, at least, until I’d polished off the entire fourteen ounce container.
• This Haagen-Dazs all natural ice cream comes with numerous and small yet curiously crunchy chunks of dark chocolate flavored bits.  They tasted a bit loaded.  But strength of the chocolate was definitely not overdone, and thus, this flavor complimented the mint, just as a bass man compliments the sopranos in a choir.  Any craving for chocolate would not remain after consuming this yummy ice cream.

What I disliked about Haagen-Dazs Mint Chip All Natural Ice Cream

• I paid roughly $5 for a fourteen ounce container (not quite a pint).  That’s very pricy and probably not the cheapest available.  But it was convenient, as I purchased this at a CVS pharmacy near to my current location.  Besides, I’d avoid buying more than a pint at a stretch anyway, because I’d be too tempted to eat it all.  I’m already bad enough for eating a whole pint in a single sitting.   I would have preferred paying $3 instead of $5.
• This ice cream looks virtually like vanilla (cream white in color) because they did not color it minty green.  I however, like the green food coloring.  But I understand that Haagen-Dazs likely omitted the green in order to keep this product as all-natural as possible.
• At 12 grams of saturated fat per serving (and there are three and a half servings in the fourteen ounce container), I get more than my entire day’s allotment of this fat in just this container of Haagen-Dazs mint chip ice cream.  It’d be great if they’d fashion this to taste as good as it does, but without so much saturated fat.  However, to be fair to Haagen-Dazs , saturated fat and great-tasting ice cream always seem to go together.  Thus it’d be quite difficult to manufacture a good-tasting ice cream without that all natural saturated fat.
• They also use corn syrup.  I’d hope that future revisions to this product switch to less processed sweeteners like raw sugar, honey, or agave nectar.
• Each serving has 23 grams of sugar, and roughly 81 grams for the whole container of 3.5 servings.  It could definitely be lower.  But this amount of sugar is not terribly excessive; especially if you take an hour-long walk after eating this.

In summary, though a bit fatty, I found this mint chip all natural ice cream from Haagen-Dazs to be exceptional, and would therefore highly suggest it to anyone seeking a rich, full-bodied consistency in their desserts.  It satisfies with just about the right amount of everything (except for perhaps the saturated fat content), without going overboard on much.  So check it out the next time you get a hankering for some all-natural ice cream, and I think you’ll probably enjoy this Haagen-Dazs Mint Chip just as did I.

Tom Hesley

Related Posts

• Breyers Natural Vanilla All Natural Ice Cream Review
• Edy’s Maxx Mint Brownie Ice Cream Review

I owned the  Sony MDR-V700 headphones  for a couple years in around 2004.  So I’ve used them with varied CD players, iPods, mixing boards, headphone amps, and stereo receivers.  So let me review them here. 

Unfortunately, I was very disappointed with the Sony MDR-V700 stereo headphones over all, but thought them a reasonable choice for a starter pair.  These headphones work well for listening to speech and other telephone quality audio.  But they’re not too good for serious high fidelity music listening in my opinion.  Nor did I find these headphones very comfortable. 

The MDRV700headphones offer mediocre sound as compared to other headphones in their price class. I paid approximately $120 for my set back in 2004. They reproduce the high frequencies rather mutedly, and seem way too strong on the bass.  The bass level can be regulated with an equalizer. However, no equalizer adjusting can completely balance out the raspy harshness of sound I noted in these headphones. The MDR-V700s are way too bassy when an iPod is the music source.  I found the Sony MDR-V700 headphones to be among the worst-sounding for the cost that I’ve ever owned, and I’ve owned many headphones from Grado, Sony, Koss,  and Apple over the past 35 years.  The MDR-V700 headphones cost far too much for all the better they sounded.

Given this high expense for the Sony MDR-V700 headphones, I found lots to grumble about.  But unlike the MDR-V500s (which I liked much more over all), the MDRV700 ear pads did not wear out quickly.  The pair of MDR-V700s I had is now six years old, yet shows no signs of wear or deterioration of the ear cushions according to the person to whom I gave this set of phones to.  I’m not sure about obtaining replacement ear cushions for these headphones, since I’ve never had to replace them.  I checked on eBay recently however, and found lots of sources for replacement pads.     

I would not recommend the Sony MDRV700 headphones because I found them to be poor-sounding, pricy, and uncomfortable to wear. 

What I Liked About The Sony MDR-V700 Headphones

• These phones came equipped with gold connectors.
• The MDRV700s reduced surrounding noise adequately, which is a feature their closed-air design. They used a metal-looking plate that encloses the driver speaker in each earpiece, and keeps sound both in and out. 
• Thus, there was not much audio spill with the MDR-V700s.  So these headphones are a good choice to listen to when other people are close by and wish no audio disturbances.
• The ear cushions had circular-shaped openings, that gave these earphones a decidedly high-tech, space-age look. 
• The headband itself on the MDR-V700 headphones included spongy soft padding that somewhat enhances the rather limited comfort level of these headphones. 
• The MDR-V700 unit looked nice and substantial, which is probably what enticed (mislead) me into buying them in the first place.  Well, that, plus the good Sony name too.  These headphones appeared mostly dull silver with the headband and ear cushions done up in black.
• The MDR-V700 headphones offered “retractable” ear pieces.  These could fold up inside the headband, and that shrank the size of the overall unit. But when retracted, they were not all that much smaller than when fully extended.  This was probably a hold-over feature from the MDR-V500s, that were somewhat smaller in size to begin with.  These phones retracted more completely than the MDR-V700s.
• The MDRV700 headphones played sufficiently loud, with fairly wide dynamic range over most of the audio frequency band.  This made them particularly suited for widely-varying musical volume levels such as found in classical music, though they did not have the over all fidelity that’s required for that level of audiophile listening.
• For pop music, the MDR-V700 headphones could play loud enough to hurt my ears without any noticeable gain in distortion or loss in faithfulness. 
• The MDR-V700 headphones could be worn with equal comfort either way (left earphone on left ear, or left earphone on right ear).  The ease, with which the correct angle adjustment on each earpiece could be made, no matter which way I wore them, allowed for simple “reversing” of the stereo channels.  This feature came in handy when hearing those cheaper hit compilation CDs, where the left and right channels are recorded backwards from the original LP or single versions, but to which my ear objects strenuously.  With the MDR-V700s, I could just reverse them on my head rather than rooting around behind my home stereo system to find the right audio cables to reverse. 
• The MDR-V700 headphones appeared quite pardoning of abuse.  I’ve often dropped these earphones on the table or floor.  Yet they’ve held up very well.  They’re not fragile, and thus, tolerate rough listening environments such as found in DJ gigs and studios. 
• An iPod drives the MDR-V700 headphones adequately.  But a headphone amplifier made them sound much fuller, and better in general.

What I Disliked About The Sony MDR-V700 Headphones

Here are several gripes I managed to scratch out:

• I found the MDRV700 headphones rather heavy. They’re definitely heavier than my Sennheiser HD-650 phones.
• Thus, I could not  them for hours at a stretch with no discomfort.  
• The MDR-V700s sported foamy, but hard and rough-to-the-touch ear cushions.  Rather than expensive and soft leather, the coatings on these ear cushions felt like hard, cheap plastic.
• For my ears, an equalizer to cut back the bass response of the MDRV700 headphones was essential.  They sounded too boomy and muffled with “flat” music sources.
• The rigid ear cushions were medium sized in circumference, but not deep enough for me.  Thus, the front of the driver speaker touched my ear, and weighed quite heavily on it in fact. 
• The cables were not so easy to replace as they would have been, if detachable via connectors such as those found on the Sennheiser HD-650 headphones.
• The MDR-V700 headphones seemed to favor the bass and low treble frequencies, and this could make my ears hurt and ring after prolonged listening. 
• They had a harsh, piercing sound that grated on my nerves after too many hours of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells piece. 
• Their head adjustments I found inadequate.  Even at the smallest setting, with each ear cup fully retracted, the Sony MDR-V700 headphones fit my head too loosely. 
• The ear cushion openings were too small to allow my ears to fit completely inside them.  No matter how I positioned them, these earphones still pressed against my ear lobes and irritated them.  This presented a particularly grueling hardship with these Sony MDR-V700 headphones; especially when listening for long periods of time with this DJ-grade stereo headset.
• The MDR-V700 headphones pressed too hard against my eyeglasses.   Thus, I always had to remove my glasses while jamming with these headphones.  When I did not remove them, my glasses would become bent and distorted, and required me straightening them out after each listening session.
• These phones looked way better than they sounded in my opinion.  They had brawn but no brains, so to speak. 

In total: I found the   Sony MDRV700 headphones   quite deficient for my listening purposes. The MDR-V700 unit is missing many of the features that I expect from a truly perfect pair of headphones.  So I would definitely NOT purchase them again.  This is probably why I gave them away after a couple years of ownership.  I just didn’t feel right charging anyone for them.  Unfortunately, the person to whom I gave them disliked them too. 

I’ll add any new information I discover to this post as it comes in, about these earphones.

Tom Hesley

Related Posts

• Sennheiser HD-650 Headphones Review
• Sony MDR-7506 (MDR7506) Headphones Review
• Sony MDR V500 Headphones Review

References

•  Sony MDR-V700 Headphones Review    on CNET

I’ve sampled (and yes, at times over indulged in) numerous incantations of mint chocolate chip ice cream through the years.  But this Edy’s Maxx Mint Brownie Ice Cream easily tops them all in terms of texture, flavor, packaging, and affordability.  Here are my detailed thoughts on this delicious dessert, that could easily become a main course if one is overly seduced by its sweet and minty flavor. 

What I like about   Edy’s Maxx Mint Brownie Ice Cream

• The bright green and white colors on the package do not mislead about how delightfully minty and chocolaty this treat will be when you eat it.
• I paid roughly $3 for a one-pint container.  That’s probably not the cheapest I could find, but it was convenient, as I purchased this at a 24-hour mini store nearby.  Besides, I don’t think I’d want to buy more than a pint at a time anyway, because I’d be too tempted to eat the whole thing.
• They struck the right balance between sugar, mint, and chocolate in this mint brownie ice cream from Edy’s.  It’s definitely not too sweet, but sweet enough to have kept me going back for more, at least, until I’d polished off the entire pint container.
• This Edy’s ice cream comes with big chunks of real and soft brownies that are a deep, dark, chocolaty brown color.  They tasted rather rich but not overly so, and complimented the mint in most pleasing ways.  Any established chocolate lover craving a chocolate fix would not be left wanting after eating this ice cream.   
• I also found some bits of hard and crunchy dark Nestle Toll House chocolate morsels (according to the label), that further heightened the chocolate sensations on my as-of-late, chocolate-deprived palate.  Utterly delicious and satisfying too. 
• This ice cream smells just like it tastes; minty, chocolaty, and sweet.  Like the flavor, the aroma does not overpower.  It’s rather subtle and truthful about the taste sensations to come. 
• Edy’s seemed to make a real effort to cut the sugar, as each serving has only 18 grams of sugar, and 72 grams for the whole container.  It could be better.  But this amount is not excessive.

What I disliked about Edy’s Maxx Mint Brownie Ice Cream

• At 5 grams of saturated fat per serving (and there are four servings in a pint), I get my entire day’s allotment of this fat in just this container of ice cream.  It’d be nice if they could make this taste as good as it does, but without all that saturated fat.  However, in fairness to Edy’s, saturated fat and great-tasting ice cream always seem to accompany each other. 
• They also use some corn syrup.  I’d hope that future revisions to this product switch to less processed sweeteners like raw sugar, honey, or agave nectar.

Over all, I found this mint brownie ice cream from Edy’s to be top notch, and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a delightfully full-bodied yet not excessively rich textured ice cream.  While one could not accurately describe this treat as ‘light’, it’s by no means ‘heavy’ either; unlike some other ice creams I’ve tasted.  There are some out there that contain well over a thousand calories per pint.  Those tend to weight heavy on the tongue as well as in the stomach.  But not Edy’s Mint Brownie ice cream.  It satisfies with just the right amount of everything, without going overboard with anything.  Give it a try.  I think you’ll probably like it too. 

Tom Hesley

Related Posts

• Haagen-Dazs Mint Chip All Natural Ice Cream Review