BF2S Forums Tech: Open thread

Jaekus wrote:

Quick iTunes question...

If I reformat my girlfriend's computer, can she re-download her purchased music?

Pretty sure that's a "yes" but I want to be 100% sure.

I was surprised to find up until recently this was a resounding "no."

As of 10.5 they've made changes to that but I don't know the details.

UPS are so unnecessary for a home computer. just get a surge protector! jesus. UPS is one expensive over-engineered solution to a problem that doesn't exist. the UPS we have at work for apple are huge things, almost the size of a desktop. but that's when it is necessary... maintaining a link to the database and client even when there's total blackout. at home? don't they cost like £200-300?

Uzique wrote:

UPS are so unnecessary for a home computer. just get a surge protector! jesus. UPS is one expensive over-engineered solution to a problem that doesn't exist. the UPS we have at work for apple are huge things, almost the size of a desktop. but that's when it is necessary... maintaining a link to the database and client even when there's total blackout. at home? don't they cost like £200-300?

Dilbert_X wrote:

Power failure when you're doing a system rebuild is annoying, surge protectors do not help with that, powercord surge protectors are hilarious to the average EE.
Not too bothered about the price, esp if I can get them at cost.

Omg. Did Dilbert and Uzique just have a civil exchanging of words?! The forum needs to know!

Docking station and a spare battery. The dock also has a slot for a spare battery to be charged while the phone is being charged and I can connect the station into the wall outlet or my computer - love USB!

Just flashed my Optimus 3D to 2.3.5! Found an official flashing tool from LG R&D and just ran that along with the flashing data file and it worked like a charm.

I've always wanted those KRK speakers, and now that Christmas is here, I might ask for some. RP6's still good? I don't have a working amp atm, which is partly why they appeal.

Uzique wrote:

what are you going to play them from? a laptop? don't bother unless you're going to invest in a sound interface for them.

oh and what makes you want studio monitors instead of hi-fi speakers? are you going to be producing music, or mixing down music? or working with sound? or dj'ing? cause otherwise i'm not sure why you'd want some speakers that are completely flat EQ'd. if you want them just cause they're a "well known" brand and "look good" then methinks you're into audio hardware for the wrong reasons...

Buying a decent CD player as well (was looking at the Azurs). No, only really looking to use them for listening, no production or mixing or dj'ing. On the wrong track then?

Uzique wrote:

well i wouldn't suggest studio monitors for a casual music listener. if you just want good quality music playback then why opt for a solution that offers no character or 'living room warmth'? the purpose of studio monitors is simply to play music as-it-is in the final mixed product: you'll be spending a lot of money for something that won't sound especially 'good' for music listening. in the £300-400 region you could get some nice hi-fi speakers of equal quality that would, depending on the brand in question, offer a more characteristic warmth, or fuller bass, or punchier mid-range, etc.etc. depends on the individual speaker, really. but just bear in mind that monitors are for reproducing music in a 'pure' fashion, which isn't always necessarily the most 'oh wow!' factor. i'd recommend them only really to audiophiles and people that deal with music.

and a decent cd player? why, may i ask? you need a sound interface that is going to drive some speakers with a decent amount of power and preferably output digitally at a high quality. getting a cd player won't do anything. if you're particular about using a better medium than mp3's then get a cheap vinyl turntable. you can get small portable ones and usb ones and everything in the £100 range. vinyl > cd in every way possible.

Hmm, I was always wanting to grab a Vinyl player, but I've always thought and heard that you need to go way up the price ladder for it to be worth it (and for it to sound any good at all). not the case? What should I be looking at? I keep hearing about the used market being the place-to-go, but I don't feel too comfortable roaming out to the lands of eBay with my limited knowledge...

(oh, and I wanted a CD player because computers stress me the fuck out.. But I guess a vinyl player would deal with that just as well)

If you're looking to assemble something small as Uzique suggests, I would consider Orb Audio's Mini T or Booster Mini amps. They have a couple of inputs and they don't take up much space. You can then pair the amp with whatever input you'd like and whatever pair of bookshelf speakers you choose. There are a ridiculous amount of bookshelf speakers out there with widely varying prices. I'd recommend setting a budget and trying to pick something within that budget. As long as you aren't buying that Bose bullshit, you should probably be fine in your purchase.

http://www.orbaudio.com/computeripodandtv.aspx

Or, you could use Orb Audio's speakers. My brother in law has a 5.1 system from them, and it sounds quite good.

Uzique wrote:

5.1 and music? are you retarded?

Go fuck yourself. For some reason you tend to think you are the end-all argument in EVERYTHING. Nobody can provide better information to you, ever. If only we can all be as fucking wonderful as you are, the world would be such a perfect place.

It was merely a suggestion, I had also suggested doing research on a bookshelf speakers after setting a budget.

Get off your goddamn high horse, you're not as smart as you think you are.

Uzique wrote:

er anyone can tell you that 5.1 and 'quality music listening' is totally dumb. high horse? advice is only good when it's useful.

the guy is discussing buying speakers in the £300-400 range, i.e. respectable mid-range... and you suggest a 5.1 system. anyone that knows anything about listening to music knows that a 5.1 system is the complete wrong way to go.

Aaand, I had never said that they were, or even implied it. I just said that the Orb Audios were decent speakers, that's it. I never implied that he should go with a 5.1 system (YOU'RE the asshole that read too much into my post; re-read it). It's obvious that he needs to buy a pair of bookshelves and use those for music listening, not waste money on a whole 5.1 system, which, at that price, won't net him much.

There are quite a few speakers out there that are good for music listening and good for 5.1 setups. In that price range, bookshelves are capable of this type of double duty.

heggs, I can't seem to find those on Amazon.co.uk - do you know if they're available outside the US?

How much should I be looking at spending on an amp anyway? £100? £150? More?

You know, for someone who claims to know so much about this, you really don't.

Bookshelf speakers are simply speakers that can be placed on a bookshelf and played from there. The interesting thing is that bookshelf speakers don't sound so good on said bookshelf, and are best placed some distance away from walls to get the best sound out of them. Example below:


KRK Rokkits are powered monitors, mostly for mixing purposes, but are also good because they reproduce the music pretty accurately. I bought a pair of the KRK Rokkit 6's for my brother, so I know what they are. They are similar in shape and size to the bookshelf speaker I have linked above. The difference is that the KRKs are powered, and the one I linked is passive and must be connected to an amp of some type.

And yes, a standard bookshelf would carry the weight of KRK Rokkits. With all the weight of the books that it normally holds, 40 lbs in speaker isn't that bad. 

I have ALREADY explained that I had agreed with you in that he should be going for a nice 2.0 setup, and not a 5.1 setup. Again, you're the dumb cunt that has failed to read my posts. At first, you had misread my post to think that I suggested that he go with a 5.1 setup, and then you failed to read my last post where I stated you misread my first post (and I further explained myself there). Maybe you need to take some time instead of skimming.

Whatever the budget may be, a dedicated 2.0 system will always be better than a 5.1 system for music listening.

Moving on. I provided a link for a relatively cheap (and based on the reviews I've read) and good sounding amp that would be ideal for a desk or similar. This can be paired with an unpowered pair of BOOKSHELF speakers of his choosing and complete the system. OBVIOUSLY, he can find another stereo amp of better caliber and use that instead.