Suppressors Just can't settle on a suppressor.

Ape_Factory

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  • May 23, 2020
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    I've been reading, researching for months, watching videos, pretty much all the things everyone else has done in trying to pick their first suppressor.

    I am trying to suppress two rifles, AR-style in .308 and .223, both with 16" barrels, possibly a 300BO with a 10.5" barrel. The AR15 has a Superlative Arms gas block, the AR"10", a POF Revolution DI, has a restrictive gas block and at this time, I do not have plans to change it over to a Superlative as the gun just works. I do plan on adding a Radian Raptor SD to both, assuming it'll work with the POF and I can actually find them in the next six to nine months.

    I am planning on using ONE can unless I settle on less expensive cans and then I'll consider two.

    I really like the flow through concept and it would be great if the rifle ran with and without the can, zero adjustments. Going to do a bit of thinking out loud and looking for some feedback, maybe something I'm not considering.

    If I had to list what's important in order according to today's world where I use this at the range and for hunting:
    -POI shift (lack thereof) taking the can on and off after being sighted in since I'm swapping it between rifles for now.
    -Back pressure
    -Flexibility between the two calibers
    -Mount ease of use/fallibility and resistance to carbon lock
    -Weight
    -Actual noise suppression at the shooter's ear
    -Reliability/build quality
    -Cost of can
    -Cost of accessories
    -Self service ability (cleaning)
    -Maintenance intervals
    -In stock somewhere
    -Ability to make my neighbors in the next bay over like me more. I've found muzzle brakes are very ineffective in that roll.
    -Full auto rated (I'm not an operator)


    I figure most cans, at the shooter's ear are very similar, enough so that it is almost impossible to tell the difference. I assume the can's weight has an effect on POI when shooting with and without, lighter being better. I put reliability lower as I assume most cans are pretty stout (at least the ones I'm looking at) and all come with a lifetime warranty with some caveats. Full auto rating is really just icing but an indicator of how stout the suppressor is.

    Cans I'm considering in no particular order:
    -TBAC Dominus SR
    -OSS HX-QD 762 Ti (flow through)
    -X2 Dev Group (or is it Dev Group X2?) Orion X2 (flow through, zero back pressure)
    -Rugged Radiant 762
    -Energetic Armament Vox S
    -YHM Nitro N20

    And while I said ONE can, I have considered two of the less expensive YHM cans, one for each rifle.

    With that said, I'd be willing to sacrifice a bit of weight for the flow through technology. The OSS Ti is 14oz and change vs. 17.3oz for the Dev Group Orion and it's within an ounce or two of the others mentioned. It would, most likely, run on either rifle with no modifications and no adjustments.

    The X2 Dev Group's offerings look really exceptional and from the videos I've seen on Facebook, they seem to be really quiet (totally technical there), a bit shorter but a bit larger in diameter. They're also heavier but completely self serviceable with no alignment issues and according to their literature, they have zero back pressure vs. low back pressure of the OSS. The price is right as well. They are a new company, I don't see any warranty information and they don't have a QD mount yet but are working on it. Will it be finished by the time my form is approved? I can add a thread adapter to the AR15 but I really don't want issues with my gun welding itself to the adapter with carbon buildup or any other issues that may arise from direct thread. I know it'll be lighter than QD though. I don't have any personal experience with long-term use of direct thread.

    They do sell directly and ship to your FFL. None of their "production" silencers are in the hands of independent testers and there are no videos outside of their facebook page. But they're super intriguing, enough so I'll most likely call them tomorrow for more details.

    Normal suppressors. If I'm going this route, I'm going light. TBAC is an obvious choice based on the multiple threads here on the Hide but by the time all is said and done, I'll have almost $2K in cost for one can to run on two rifles. Back pressure is an unknown but it ticks all the other boxes (but that cost!).

    The Rugged Radian 7.62 is probably at the top of my "normal" suppressor list as it seems the modularity plays well with .308 and .223/5.56 from the tests I've seen. It's light, can get shorter if needed, works well with .223 in the shorter configuration, stellite baffles and has what seems to be a solid mount. It's also substantially less expensive than the TBAC.

    The YHM Nitro seems to be in the same vein as the Radian and has multiple mount options. Seems flexible although I've not seen any tests as of yet and ticks all the other boxes except maybe availability. I seem to encounter that the overall shooting experience with YHM cans is not as "pleasant" as more expensive options. Assuming that is referring to back pressure/gas in face issues.

    The Vox S is short, light, seemingly rugged based on baffle materials and no barrel length restrictions. It's a touch more expensive than the YHM's while being less expensive than the others. The modular mounting system looks good for switching between rifles but probably isn't the quietest can on the market based on the PEW test. But again, 20" bolt rifle vs. a 16" AR10 for that test so how applicable? It has a hair more back pressure than the Radiant and does not suppress as well going by their data.

    And although I didn't have it on my list, the new TBAC Ultra 9 looks interesting. I hesitate on it as it's designed for precision rifle and likely has more back pressure than some of the other cans. Plus it's 9" long.
     
    I know nothing about flow through. But as far as regular cans, you should at least take a look at a SiCo Omega. That is what I have, and I get less than 1 moa impact shift, is full auto rated, weighs about 14 oz if I remember right, and sounds good. Its a good do-all can.
     
    I know nothing about flow through. But as far as regular cans, you should at least take a look at a SiCo Omega. That is what I have, and I get less than 1 moa impact shift, is full auto rated, weighs about 14 oz if I remember right, and sounds good. Its a good do-all can.

    The flow throughs essentially eliminate back pressure and allow the rifle to cycle with no modifications to the gas system. The OSS tends to be "louder" than other cans going strictly by numbers, especially at the muzzle, but less so at the ear. Plus you can clean the OSS and literally "shoot it out" to get all the gunk out. The Dev Group flow through comes apart with a mono core so there are no alignment issues. But you can fully expose the innards and clean them to your heart's content.

    Issues with the SiCo's mount sticking? Seems like I read about that every now and again. They were pretty mid-pack in that massive multi-cal silencer test from a suppression standpoint. But again, they tested on bolt guns.
     

    On a gas gun the smaller can is quieter at the ear
     
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    Any reason you excluded the dead air nomad?

    Honestly, no reason and it doesn't hurt that the first photo is one on a Revolution DI. I know the Sandman line did not fare that well in the big multi-test but giving the Nomads a second look now. PEW's review on the Sandman line showed they did pretty well when it came to back pressure. The Ti version looks interesting but probably isn't going to have as long of a service life as some of the others. Direct thread only but Keymo compatible seems like an oxymoron. What little I know about Keymo is it's heavy and parts are hard to find currently. I'll spend more time researching it. Appreciate it!

    Edit...watched one of the videos on their site and now see the entire bottom mount unscrews making it modular. They really need to word it a different way.
     
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    On a gas gun the smaller can is quieter at the ear

    I never would have thunk. Why is that? I would have though more interior volume and room for expansion would yield better results. Is that due to less gas being directed back towards the bolt?
     
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    I never would have thunk. Why is that? I would have though more interior volume and room for expansion would yield better results. Is that due to less gas being directed back towards the bolt?
    I meant that quote specifically to apply to the Dominus-SR vs Dominus-K-SR. The smaller one is quieter at the ear because it has less backpressure. To get a gas gun to be even in the mid 130's at the ear requires a lot of tuning of the whole system, e.g.
     
    I think if you are going to have one only the oss is hard to pass up. The lack of pressure and the high durability seem like the easy button. If more likely to run suppressed all the time and tune for it I suspect a dominus k is probably similar in sound and is shorter and lighter. So I’d say OSS for your first can, and dominus for your second—you know it’s only a matter of time ;)
     
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    I think if you are going to have one only the oss is hard to pass up. The lack of pressure and the high durability seem like the easy button. If more likely to run suppressed all the time and tune for it I suspect a dominus k is probably similar in sound and is shorter and lighter. So I’d say OSS for your first can, and dominus for your second—you know it’s only a matter of time ;)

    Unfortunately, I do realize that. Figuring out ways to make more money (or spend less elsewhere) as I type. I'd most likely run suppressed all the time. Only scenario would be if the silencer failed in some way. I've abused enough people with muzzle brakes. Building up too much karma.

    I meant that quote specifically to apply to the Dominus-SR vs Dominus-K-SR. The smaller one is quieter at the ear because it has less backpressure. To get a gas gun to be even in the mid 130's at the ear requires a lot of tuning of the whole system, e.g.


    So on that particular gun with the DSU upper...a 6" shorter barrel than what I'm running and I'm assuming a gas system tuned specifically for the suppressor, gas port design, length and BCG in that upper. How close would I get to that with the Dominus K-SR on a 16" mid-length gas system barrel with the SA gas block in bleed off mode? What other mods would help lower the at-ear db readings on a .223 with the Dominus K-SR? The Revolution DI, is I believe, using a rifle-length gas system. Don't know if that's "mil-spec" rifle length or their version of rifle length but the gas block is fairly close to the muzzle.

    And I may have missed it but has the K model been released into the wild yet?
     
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    The first K's should be shipping this month to Mile High.

    Too many variables to factor out all of them, at least with the data we have presently (which is generally focused on measuring known configurations). I don't see any reason why a tuned system couldn't be made around the Dominus or Dominus-K couldn't be as quiet, but it might not be possible once you have a given barrel (ie, bbl length, gas system length, and port size) configured. My take, not having tested every configuration under instrumentation, but just messed with AR's for 20 years would be for suppressed use it's better to have a longer gas system and less barrel beyond the port, a port as small as you can get approaching ideal, but not too small, and then run a non-venting gas block, and then adjust carrier and buffer mass to adjust further. An adjustable gas block alone can change the shooter's ear number between 5-10 dB by itself through its adjustment range, depending on the gun. I have several of my own AR's that I want to get on our meter to see how the different configurations measure out.

    As for the bleed-off gas block. Disclaimer, I have not used this unit nor handled it. However, think for a moment what the pressure is of that gas that is venting out and if you might hear that.
     
    There's an article I read a while back, will have to find it, where they found a sweet spot with the SA in vent mode and it helped reduce the sound in a certain range and they specifically discussed the concern you mention. I'll try to find it and post it up. I'd want to run it this way to not only reduce bolt carrier rate but reduce the amount of gas being shot back and just have the gun run cleaner than it would otherwise, over the long-term. But...it does have the ability to run both ways so I could experiment.

    I'll get in touch with Mile High. I have a feeling they have a line a mile high for the K-SR.
     
    I know nothing about flow through. But as far as regular cans, you should at least take a look at a SiCo Omega. That is what I have, and I get less than 1 moa impact shift, is full auto rated, weighs about 14 oz if I remember right, and sounds good. Its a good do-all can.

    Omegas and Sakers, they can do it all. Not to mention all the different mounting options available. Omega 9k is one of my favorites.

    TBAC for the win on weight and precision and KAC for best all around but you're still pretending you're only gonna get one or two. Which is doable and where everyone starts out I suppose. BTDT, it was cute.

    So what I'd do is get quality, specific cans. But to start with you can do all you wanna do with a 762 Saker and the mounts will work with 556 and Omega too I think. ASR mounts. Plus Sakers are cheap. They used to not be cheap though, so they're one of the best deals going really. They're half what they used to cost now. 556 Saker is quieter and shorter but the other one can suffice for now. Interchangeable end caps are nice too and they make a 556 endcap for 762.

    Then for precision shit, get a TBAC or an Elite Iron. You can't go wrong with either of those.

    AND that's another I'd recommend, Elite Iron. They have some good prices on cans because Dale keeps it simple, no gimmicks. His shit also works and works well. In fact, due to the price/quality combination, Elite would probably be a good place for you to start with.
     
    Omegas and Sakers, they can do it all. Not to mention all the different mounting options available. Omega 9k is one of my favorites.

    TBAC for the win on weight and precision and KAC for best all around but you're still pretending you're only gonna get one or two. Which is doable and where everyone starts out I suppose. BTDT, it was cute.

    So what I'd do is get quality, specific cans. But to start with you can do all you wanna do with a 762 Saker and the mounts will work with 556 and Omega too I think. ASR mounts. Plus Sakers are cheap. They used to not be cheap though, so they're one of the best deals going really. They're half what they used to cost now. 556 Saker is quieter and shorter but the other one can suffice for now. Interchangeable end caps are nice too and they make a 556 endcap for 762.

    Then for precision shit, get a TBAC or an Elite Iron. You can't go wrong with either of those.

    AND that's another I'd recommend, Elite Iron. They have some good prices on cans because Dale keeps it simple, no gimmicks. His shit also works and works well. In fact, due to the price/quality combination, Elite would probably be a good place for you to start with.

    My priority, if I were to get two cans, would be for the 308. I've literally never even heard of Elite. I'll check them out. Felt like I was getting close to hitting the easy button when I typed my initial post but that seems to be disappearing into the distance.
     
    Honestly, no reason and it doesn't hurt that the first photo is one on a Revolution DI. I know the Sandman line did not fare that well in the big multi-test but giving the Nomads a second look now. PEW's review on the Sandman line showed they did pretty well when it came to back pressure. The Ti version looks interesting but probably isn't going to have as long of a service life as some of the others. Direct thread only but Keymo compatible seems like an oxymoron. What little I know about Keymo is it's heavy and parts are hard to find currently. I'll spend more time researching it. Appreciate it!

    Edit...watched one of the videos on their site and now see the entire bottom mount unscrews making it modular. They really need to word it a different way.


    What test did the Sandman not do well in? It is one of the best and most robust suppressors on the market. Nomad is a lighter version of the Sandman, except you can add any quick connect you want. Keymo is really good though and easily repeatable.
     
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    What test did the Sandman not do well in? It is one of the best and most robust suppressors on the market. Nomad is a lighter version of the Sandman, except you can add any quick connect you want. Keymo is really good though and easily repeatable.

    I did watch that video btw...very helpful. In this test, it did not fare as well in suppression vs. the others. But again, not a fully independent source and on bolt rifles. How much of that test is relevant to an AR-10 or 15, I just don't know. It's at the very least a baseline.
     
    That honestly is only one category that makes a good suppressor. It is hearing safe, repeatable, and bomb proof. It may be a touch louder to a dB meter, but shooting that will be negligible. If I am putting it on multiple guns, I am going the DeadAir Keymo route. It is my favorite mounting system.

    I do want to get a dedicated PRS suppressor that is solid titanium though down the road. I will go Ti DeadAir Nomad or Thunderbeast.
     
    There's an article I read a while back, will have to find it, where they found a sweet spot with the SA in vent mode and it helped reduce the sound in a certain range and they specifically discussed the concern you mention. I'll try to find it and post it up. I'd want to run it this way to not only reduce bolt carrier rate but reduce the amount of gas being shot back and just have the gun run cleaner than it would otherwise, over the long-term. But...it does have the ability to run both ways so I could experiment.

    I'll get in touch with Mile High. I have a feeling they have a line a mile high for the K-SR.

    This might be what you're thinking about, the post is by Mageever (the lead engineer at Dead Air) about halfway down the page.


    I set up my SA with this in mind and like it better than my restriction block.

    I think I'd reconsider the Nomad 30 or Ti for your uses. I have the Nomad 30 and it works quite well for the uses you describe (and I'll be buying the Ti next). If you think the YHM Nitro is tough enough for your purposes, you shouldn't have any concern about the Nomad Ti as it carries a .300 RUM rating vs the .308 win rating of the Nitro.

    Your main problem is analysis paralysis though, the sooner you start the wait, the sooner you can stop shooting loud like a savage. So I'd pick something light-ish, short-ish with a decent reputation, made by a good company, that's in stock somewhere and get started. There is no perfect, they all have trade-offs and the are a lot of good options.
     
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    Sounds to me like you need a Griffin Explorr 30. It weights 12.5 oz. That's less than the OSS TI can you mentioned and the same as the Thunder Beast, which basically puts it in the top two or three on your list. It has very little POI shift and it's very reliable. On any sub caliber it will be louder (like a 5.56) but regardless of the type of can of any brand you will need ear pro if you are shooting an AR even suppressed. That said all 30 cal cans will be louder on 5.56. The larger bore will drastically reduce back pressure especially on sub calibers like 5.56. The taper mount has no moving parts. It's rock solid and very very repeatable. And its F/A rated. It's also in stock right now at Silencer Shop. Plus it comes with a muzzle device and you literally have about a dozen or more options of muzzle devices that you can get for any other host weapons you might get. It doesn't get much easier to swap host weapons with a taper mount system. And I should mention they have a $100 gift certificate on a promo right now.

    Also if you look at the can where it's engraved it's down near the blast chamber. If by chance you get a baffle strike they can chop off the damaged parts and re-weld new baffles and get your can back to you in about a week to maybe two weeks.
     
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    This might be what you're thinking about, the post is by Mageever (the lead engineer at Dead Air) about halfway down the page.


    I set up my SA with this in mind and like it better than my restriction block.

    I think I'd reconsider the Nomad 30 or Ti for your uses. I have the Nomad 30 and it works quite well for the uses you describe (and I'll be buying the Ti next). If you think the YHM Nitro is tough enough for your purposes, you shouldn't have any concern about the Nomad Ti as it carries a .300 RUM rating vs the .308 win rating of the Nitro.

    Your main problem is analysis paralysis though, the sooner you start the wait, the sooner you can stop shooting loud like a savage. So I'd pick something light-ish, short-ish with a decent reputation, made by a good company, that's in stock somewhere and get started. There is no perfect, they all have trade-offs and the are a lot of good options.

    Yep, that's the one, Todd Magee's graph. I thought I saw that in an actual online article however. Still, good info and thanks for finding it. Bookmarked.

    And with your last comment, I can report I've made a purchase, filled out the paperwork and fingerprints on file. The wait begins!
     
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    Sounds to me like you need a Griffin Explorr 30. It weights 12.5 oz. That's less than the OSS TI can you mentioned and the same as the Thunder Beast, which basically puts it in the top two or three on your list. It has very little POI shift and it's very reliable. On any sub caliber it will be louder (like a 5.56) but regardless of the type of can of any brand you will need ear pro if you are shooting an AR even suppressed. That said all 30 cal cans will be louder on 5.56. The larger bore will drastically reduce back pressure especially on sub calibers like 5.56. The taper mount has no moving parts. It's rock solid and very very repeatable. And its F/A rated. It's also in stock right now at Silencer Shop. Plus it comes with a muzzle device and you literally have about a dozen or more options of muzzle devices that you can get for any other host weapons you might get. It doesn't get much easier to swap host weapons with a taper mount system. And I should mention they have a $100 gift certificate on a promo right now.

    Also if you look at the can where it's engraved it's down near the blast chamber. If by chance you get a baffle strike they can chop off the damaged parts and re-weld new baffles and get your can back to you in about a week to maybe two weeks.

    Like your user name. I work a few blocks from the Alamo, LOL. And thanks for the recommendation, I did check their cans out.

    Two ounces isn't a big issue for me either way but back pressure is. Per Zak's recommendation, short seems better on a traditional baffle can though and I have exactly zero bolt guns and no interest in them unless AR-style rifles become illegal. The flow through is beneficial in terms of AR component wear and function with the can on or off and that's a big draw for me personally.

    In the big .308 suppressor test I listed a few, there were several .308 cans which did an exceptional job at taming .223, many of them were TBACS but there were several others which did really well. It's interesting data.
     
    The answer is pretty simple:

    No bolt guns? Lower back pressure is the way to go.

    Do you only intend to use AR15/AR10 and similar platforms that can use quality adjustable gas systems (like Superlative Arms)? Then the TBAC Dominus SR or SR K is what you want. It is going to end up quieter at the ear and muzzle than a fully flow through design like OSS, while still giving lower back pressure with an adjustable gas block. It also won't need to be cleaned every few thousand rounds like those complete flow-through designs. Just a better all around system.

    Do you intend to get hosts that ARE NOT AR15s/AR10s and have sensitive gas systems (ex: AUG, Tavor, AKs, Mini 14s, etc.) and want to run them suppressed? Then get the OSS 7.62 TI. They have shown to (so far) have the least back pressure and corisponding bolt speed increase, and aren't vaporware like the rest of the complete flow-through stuff right now.

    Just comes down to answering one question basically: which hosts?

    And FYI, you can pretty much ignore most non-pulse testing at this point, and anything not done properly at the shooter's ear even more so.
     
    The answer is pretty simple:

    No bolt guns? Lower back pressure is the way to go.

    Do you only intend to use AR15/AR10 and similar platforms that can use quality adjustable gas systems (like Superlative Arms)? Then the TBAC Dominus SR or SR K is what you want. It is going to end up quieter at the ear and muzzle than a fully flow through design like OSS, while still giving lower back pressure with an adjustable gas block. It also won't need to be cleaned every few thousand rounds like those complete flow-through designs. Just a better all around system.

    Do you intend to get hosts that ARE NOT AR15s/AR10s and have sensitive gas systems (ex: AUG, Tavor, AKs, Mini 14s, etc.) and want to run them suppressed? Then get the OSS 7.62 TI. They have shown to (so far) have the least back pressure and corisponding bolt speed increase, and aren't vaporware like the rest of the complete flow-through stuff right now.

    Just comes down to answering one question basically: which hosts?

    And FYI, you can pretty much ignore most non-pulse testing at this point, and anything not done properly at the shooter's ear even more so.

    The only other rifle I have "plans" for at this point is perhaps a 300BO to shoot subs. But we all know how that goes, right? And honestly, some of the rifles you mentioned are interesting. So you never know.

    Zak said the K over the regular SR but unfortunately, I would not be able to even order one of those until next year. One shop said the wait is summer of 2021 so I crossed that one off the list for now.

    What did you end up going with?

    I was going to hold off on mentioning but I went with the OSS HX-QD 7.62 Ti. Wasn't the cheapest or the lightest but I felt like I'd have to do the least amount of fiddling with my two AR's to get them to run consistently and it'd just be easier overall on their parts long-term. And I do wear hearing protection regardless and wouldn't ever consider not as my third job is as a musician.

    Zeke, I do have the SA gas block on the AR15, standard restrictive gas block on the POF. It'll be fun to experiment with the bleed settings and the OSS can. It still has a bit of back pressure but nothing compared to a conventional design.

    In the end it just ticked all the boxes and the POI shift seems to be 100% repeatable when taking the can on and off. I also like the fact I can submerse it in CLR and shoot it out. I honestly want to give the X2 Dev group a shot but there were too many unknowns at this time. And maybe I'll have enough from working three jobs to look at the TBAC Dominus-K next year or just go with the DSU upper as TB did all the hard work already.

    Usually when I buy something "big", the new version comes out the next week. So stay tuned for that announcement, LOL.
     

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    FWIW I have a few Thunderbeast and DeadAir cans. All of them work wonderfully. I have found myself favoring my DeadAir Sandman S across all platforms. Bolt guns in 300wm, 300wsm, 6.5x47, 6x47, 270, 6.5CM. And also on my 10.5 SBR and 16in RECCE rifle. Back pressure is extremely low. The quick attach is solid, indexes, and gives consistent lock up. No change in POI either. It’s on par with my direct thread TBAC 30P in that regard. Full auto and short barrel rated as well.

    I’m sure TBAC ultra series is good as well but at this point my 3 DeadAir cans are performing so good I see no need to purchase another can any time soon.
     
    Curious what everyone thinks about the various mounts, long term, and how they do with carbon lockup and what not. Are there any types that should be avoided or considered inferior to others? I'd think most of the mounts these days are pretty solid?
     
    I have not read all responses to this post. Since I bought my 30 cal suppressor, I don’t shoot without it. It is a Gemtech The One and I use it on 300 blackout, 5.56, 308 and 300wm. I use bi lock muzzle devices on all rifles from 7.5” to 24” and zero with can, so change of impact is never a problem. Not hollywood quiet, but I don’t wear ear pro and have shot pigs 30 minutes apart as the report is quiet enough they think I’m further away.