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Re: Planning on building a hifi rack, need suggestions.
Prince wrote on Thu, 11 December 2025 22:00 Hello, everyone Please, I am seeking some opinions on making a good hifi rack for my family that can be able to carry 4 equipment. If you add the turntable, that will be on top. That's basically 3 shelves where I can place the preamp, power amplifier, and digital streamer. I am thinking of using the Maple butcher block platforms on a metal frame for this work. For the measurements I am looking at Length: 100 cm Thickness: 2.8 cm Width: 50 cm. I am budgeting around $900 for the project and won't want to exceed that unless I have no options. What do you think about the measurement and the materials that I plan to use? I don't know if you've built this, but speaking from personal experience, I will suggest you check out a ready made hifi rack because I've noticed that some of the custom builds miss the little details like proper vibration damping that is very important for great music experience. I got a friend who spent three weeks building a custom hifi rack but didn't get the desired output as the metal hummed a bit, and the soundstage felt odd. I won't want you to fall into the same challenge as he did. So, I feel you should check out Audio Racks from popular brands on Amazon since you've got $900 to spend, which I believe would be enough, or have you checked some of the ready made options already?
Do you consider the Grammy Awards the most controversial?
The Grammy Awards has been seen as one of the most popular music awards in the continent with most musicians, music directors, producers and others feeling fulfilled each time that they get their hands on an award from the Grammy. However, with the recent events such as how President Trump spoke negatively about the Awards and Nicki Minaj saying lots of despicable stuff about them, do you think such statements and events have made the ceremony a controversial one or was that a good publicity for the annual award? What are your thoughts?
Wayne Parham wrote on Wed, 23 March 2022 13:15 I have a lot of friends that are excellent musicians. They work regularly and are well-regarded locally, in Tulsa. But Tulsa doesn't pay much, so it's definitely a labor of love. From what I've seen, you either have to travel - still being a "bar band" doing cover songs - or you have to go to a city that has a bustling music scene, like Austin. And either way, you have to be really lucky. Luck beats skill any day. It is definitely all about luck and finding an audience that loves your style of music so deeply. Those who can use your cover songs as background music on TikTok, the X App, and many other social media platforms. If you start gaining a fan base from that, it will be a matter of time before the person becomes quite popular.
Madison wrote on Wed, 18 June 2025 19:11 Some are better than others. Vocal Pitch Monitor and Singscope are probably my favorites of the bunch for their ease of use and accuracy. Of course, most apps in this field have a disclaimer that it provides an estimation of your vocal pitch, so it's definitely not an exact science. I've been making use of Vocal Pitch Monitor, and it has been fantastic so far. It is easier to use in music production, and I've not bothered about seeking any alternative. Maybe one of these days while I am in the studio, I will try using Singscope and see if it is as good as Vocal Pitch Monitor.
You've got mail!
Well, I'm an entry level kinda guy, I guess, so how about the 8pi?
The eight Pi can be used in a corner. It's made to be able to work in a corner or along a wall, but it's best when used in a corner. It's a great speaker, but it is an entry-level model, whereas the six Pi and seven Pi are top-of-the-line. They aren't made to be placed anywhere but the corner, being more specialized and refined. Please let me know which model sounds like it will work best for you and I'll send plans right away.
Hello all- I'm building a new shop, which will have a finished workroom/office in it. Roughly 12x20, with maybe 9' ceiling. I expect to move around this room a bit, so am interested in having a large sweet spot. I am curious about using corner horns, but I'm not sure which size would work best in such a room. I am also curious about the design of the 8 pi, and if it could be used in the corner? Could I get a look at the plans for the 7pi and the 8pi? Curious to see if I could build them. Thanks!
Re: Exposing The Wires Without Cutting It
The Noise wrote on Tue, 01 September 2020 13:52 Wire strippers were made precisely for this job. Places like Harbor Freight is where you can get them on the cheap. And I don't know what they're called, but there are razor knifes that are thinner than most which would work well too. Wire strippers always got the job done for me as well. It is pretty straightforward to use. One just needs to be very careful to avoid cutting off more wires in the process. I got mine from a shop in my neighbourhood as they sold cheaper than what it is sold in Harbor Freight.
Re: Latest waterproof speakers suited for a pool party
If you've got a bit of time, I would recommend you build your own simple waterproof speaker for the pool party that you are planning to host in the summer. It will be fun building it and will surely cost less doing than getting a finished product from JBL, for example. I hosted a similar pool party for just my family last year, and I spent didn't cross $60. The waterproof speaker driver was around $20, I spent $11 to get the Bluetooth amp board, $10 for the rechargeable battery, and just 5 dollars for the sealed plastic enclosure We had massive fun, and even water splashes on the speaker didn't affect the enjoyment. So, if you mind saving some bucks, building this yourself is the right way to go.
Sounds like that DAC is really working out for you!
Adding the pigtails copper rca output jacks (Jenalabs 6N all copper wire) made a nice improvement to the Mimir, more natural sound, great spatial qualities. Just received some parts fri and now testing a possible upgrade. Will take some time for break in, time will tell. Will keep informed. cheers pos
Latest waterproof speakers suited for a pool party
I've got plans to throw a fun pool party for my friends this coming summer, and I am looking for a good waterproof speaker that can be able to last longer and not get any issues with water splashes. I mean the type of speaker that can give my friends and I the entertainment that can make our pool party exciting and fun. I've looked at Sony and JBL models since they are much popular, but I am torn between which one is better or even if there are cheaper brands out there that can be able to deliver what I need. Has anyone used any of the speakers I mentioned at their own get-together? Which one worked, and what should I look out for when getting the one that I need?
Lizah wrote on Fri, 19 February 2016 06:29 It can definitely be done, but it will take some research to find out how to do it. You also have to decide what to enclose them in to make sure that the sound doesn't leak out. There is a whole lot of information on this forum that can be of great help towards building such speakers. All it takes is relaxing and finding out which one works better and if one's budget can be able to cover it if they decide to go the diy route.
I believe in reading the manuals for most musical equipment. It is not only just to do what I am supposed to do in terms of setup but also to be on the safe side to avoid complications. It wasn't that way in the past as most old devices never had a manual, but a lot has changed since then.
Thank you for your pin-point explanation. :)
We sell crossovers fully assembled and we also sell just the blank board. When buying fully assembled, you'll notice there are options for component selections. When buying the unpopulated raw printed circuit board, you obtain your own passive components and assemble it yourself. The entry-level assembled crossover is very good. It includes 18gu pure-copper air-core coils, polypropylene film capacitors and non-inductive resistors. All brands are of high quality. Upgrades available include larger 15gu coils, which is worthwhile, especially if you consider running a tube amp. Various brands of capacitors can be selected, and Mills resistors can be selected as well. Choosing any of those is largely buyer-specific, as they are all good brands making high quality components. As for the drivers, make sure the compression driver is the 8Ω polyimide version, part number DE250-8. The JBL 2226HPL is a fine substitute for the 2226H, as the only difference is cosmetic. The 2226H is packaged and sold as a raw driver, whereas the 2226HPL is intended to be installed in a cabinet. About grilles, they are often a "necessary evil" - often made more important because of pets, young children or other "hazards." Then again, sometimes they are an aesthetic decision. Some speakers with grilles look fantastic. But even the most acoustically transparent material isn't truly transparent. Most don't color the sound too bad, but they do have a slight effect. My suggestion is to make grilles removable so you can have "the best of both worlds." The traditional way to do that was with mounting posts or Velcro. Another way to do it that I really like is with magnets. Small cylindrical neodymium magnets can be embedded in the baffle with mates embedded in the grille frame. Simply drill a hole and press in the magnet, adding a dab of glue. Do this step ahead of veneering and when the grilles are removed, the main cabinet has no visible grille mounts.
Hi, Wayne, I could find the drivers, B&C DE250 and JBL2226HPL, here locally, and then I may just place the order only for the horn and the XO from your Parts and Options page. How can I ask Pi logo decal and Is the XO of fully assembled or as discrete components way? Another question is the local distributor told me that JBL 2226H is not available but 2226HPL is OK and both are 'almost(?)' same drivers. But I am afraid whether thery are exactly same models. Would you mind giving me some hints on this? One more question; When planning to attach a grille to the front of the four Pi speaker enclosures, it seems like the speaker box will have a slightly more bordered area than the front plate for shape reasons, and there will also be a frame for attaching the grille cloth, so I wonder if these will interfere with sound radiation from the front of the speakers. What precautions should I take? Regards, Chang-Hee
Madison wrote on Mon, 17 July 2023 20:10 Have you considered changing Alexa's voice to one from a different country? I have mine set to Australia and I haven't been getting ads. I believe it's the only viable workaround at the moment. This hack has worked for a couple of smart TVs, but it always looks like it is difficult to do so on the new models that these brands make nowadays. I am saying so because I have a friend who deals on electronics, and we just had this discussion about how difficult it is to get those TVs that don't have ads on every click.
Re: Do you bother about lyrics when listening to music?
I enjoy the beats before even thinking about the lyrics. I am of the opinion that it is easier to make good songs once the beat is right, unlike the other way around. I mean, no matter how good the lyrics are, if the beat does not fit in, it always makes no sense to me.
Great thankls for your explanation. The speaker is really subtly sensitive!
Re: Why do artists lose their accent . . .
I remember when I first heard Adele speak between songs on one of her concert Blu-rays. She sounds completely different when she talks than she does when she sings. Totally cracks me up!
That's a really attractive look. We do that on the constant-directivity cornerhorns. But I can't recommend that on our three Pi or four Pi model loudspeakers for a variety of reasons. The main one is the possibility of shifting standing wave mode positions within the cabinet. If you move the woofer or the port for aesthetics or to maintain the close distance between woofer and tweeter, then the standing waves inside the cabinet line-up differently. That can be a problem, because in a cabinet this large, standing waves occur in the lower midrange. That's a frequency that is tough to damp. So we tackle that problem in two ways - by placing the sound sources carefully and by positioning damping material in the middle of the cabinet as well as along the walls. I designed these cabinets with transmission line modeling tools in addition to more traditional Helmholtz modeling tools and I did the final alignments and verification with acoustic measurements. So if you modify the layout, be sure to measure response and pay attention to the lower midrange. You may want to build a test box so that it can be adjusted if it has some midrange ripple.
Becky wrote on Mon, 06 October 2025 11:21 I do notice it when the artists are been interviewed. Their accent became so thick that I couldn't understand what they are saying but the songs were more understandable. There are great singers but I don't know why they change accent when speaking. To be able to sing, they most times have to dig deeper with the way that they speak. It is quite different when they are talking normally with others. The energy to use the same voice when they are talking is quite different, and I understand why it is so.
George wrote on Mon, 06 October 2025 08:21 Listening to music sets me in the right mood. I don't bother about the worries of life whenever a cool rap song from 2 Pac or The Notorious BIG is playing. All I want to do at that moment is sing along. I am also someone who doesn't joke with playing music on my home theater. I have different types of songs that I play depending on how I am feeling at the moment. For example, I play rap songs whenever I want to feel pumped up and motivated.
Thank you very much for your warm hospitality. In your Pi speaker, the compression driver and horn, corresponding to the tweeter, are mounted flush with the woofer in the enclosure. A large slotted port is located next to this location. Recently, many two-way speakers have the compression driver and horn assembly mounted independently outside the enclosure. Schematically, if the woofer and horn are properly spaced apart and the enclosure volume for the woofer is appropriate, what are the acoustic or structural differences compared to the Pi speakers? Best, Chang-Hee
Hi, Wayne, Thank you for your kind arrangement. I wish to build a four Pi speaker here in Korea based on your kit. Could you please send me the plan for four Pi and three Pi Sub? Best regards, Chang-Hee
I think that Apple MacBooks are the right product to get if you don't mind spending once and for all for a great product. I bought the M3 Pro version of the Apple MacBook last year for $2100 and it still functions optimally a year after. If that's above what you've budgeted for, I see value in also going for thr Air M4 version which costs around $1600. Good product that will surely deliver with some good quality built-in speakers that will give you a great sound experience. So, I believe that getting a premium laptop for your daughter or any other need is much better than spending differently on getting a speaker. The feeling it gives alone is worth it. Trust me, you will be glad you follow this route.
Re: Will streaming kill the vinyl resurgence
I will always go with vinyl records any time any day! The noise about streaming is increasing daily, but I feel that nothing beats the feeling of being in total control of what you play, building and following the process to play it and having a feeling of everything that relates to it. This is one aspect that streaming doesn't give. I also strongly believe that there are so many of us who are addicted to playing vinyl records instead of anything that streaming offers. The list is even growing!
See, I get the feeling of "too good to be true" that you have with deals from those sites. It is normal when you see certain deals that come with unbelievable prices. On the part of Musican's Friend, I will say that it is a legit place to get music items. You get to see some popular brands like Taylor, Gibson, and others available on the site. I rate them as one of the most trusted online spots for guitars in the US, and I've even gotten two electrics from there, and both products arrived in good condition with zero complaints about being fake. So, if you see good deals being available on Musician's Friend, please grab them as you will be glad you did. As for shopping on Amazon, I've had mixed reactions. Got a few good products from there, but once got cheated when I bought a squir that played like a cardboard. The tip there that I realised later was focusing on buying from a verified popular seller with lots of positive reviews. I won't support the idea of getting guitars from Adorama as they are more focused on making cameras than guitars. So, in essence, I will suggest going mostly for deals on Musican's Friend as long as it is from a brand you've always used in the past or have done enough research on. The site is my favourite for getting guitars.
Strum Drum wrote on Wed, 07 October 2020 18:58 I think it would be fun, but not something that's terribly sustainable. I've gotten a fee guitar before, but that was after I was featured in the paper for doing volunteer work, teaching kids to play the guitar. This is often based on whether the company sending these stuff feel like you have the pull that they need. Having a big followers on YouTube, for example, is a major consideration for most of them. So, how did you end up getting such a deal?
Wayne Parham wrote on Thu, 08 January 2026 08:47 That makes sense to me. It has been strange to me to see how many modern power connectors are small, with little surface area for the contact and small conductor wires. For 100mA, I wouldn't care but many try to get several amps of current though these tiny connectors. I agree Wayne. Seems everything has to be smaller, even if it is inferior. I just added, via pigtails, Vampire gold plated copper jacks to my Schiit Mimir analog outputs, using Jenalabs wire. What a sonic improvement of the Vampire vs the original brass jacks. Sounds so much more natural. cheers pos
That makes sense to me. It has been strange to me to see how many modern power connectors are small, with little surface area for the contact and small conductor wires. For 100mA, I wouldn't care but many try to get several amps of current though these tiny connectors.
Probably need to add, that with my computer win 10, Schiit supplied outboard power transformer makes Mimir sound better, more natural than my win 10 usb power supply. USB power source sounds thinner. I would try both to hear what sounds best on your system. cheers pos
Hey, mate I like your decision to build your hifi rack making use of the Maple butcher. It is a popular choice and the one that my dad made use of when he constructed the hi-fi rack that we use at home. It can be able to carry the heavy amps without issues and although it costs more, the quality is always assured. I didn't see you mentioning isolation feet, but it is what you would need under the rack for stability. I believe that spending $900 or around that price can be able to handle constructing a strong hifi rack for all your sound components that you use at home. I mean the wood would cost around 500 dollars or thereabouts while the cost of the frame won't cost more than $200 to get everything. So, you are within budget.
Planning on building a hifi rack, need suggestions.
Hello, everyone Please, I am seeking some opinions on making a good hifi rack for my family that can be able to carry 4 equipment, if you add the turntable that will be on top. That's basically 3 shelves where I can place the preamp, power amplifier, and digital streamer. I am thinking of using the Maple butcher block platforms on a metal frame for this work. For the measurements I am looking at Length: 100 cm Thickness: 2.8 cm Width: 50 cm. I am budgeting around $900 for the project and won't want to exceed that unless I have no options. What do you think about the measurement and the materials that I plan to use?
Wayne Parham wrote on Wed, 10 December 2025 16:59 That's amazing, especially for three hundred bucks. My kinda DAC! I received my B to C adapter, so now my 2 meter USB, and went from 2 meter ic to 1 meter,both ics are my build/design. If I can find fault, it might be just a little full, but yet the bass sounds quite taught. The coherency, live sound is quite impressive. There is a small restocking fee plus shipping, but I think there will be very few returns. I don't see how anyone can lose. Cheers steve
That's amazing, especially for three hundred bucks. My kinda DAC!
Wayne Parham wrote on Wed, 03 December 2025 09:35 Those guys are kind of the "new kids on the block" and I'm eager to hear what you find. Hi Wayne and All, Received the basic Mimir dac. No Forkbeard module, no preamplifier, just the dac. Cost was $299 plus tax and shipping. Looks great, simple to use. Separate external power transformer supplied for linear power supply, just plug in, or use the USB for power. Transformer use increases the output voltage spec. I auditioned with both power sources. Toggle power switch on back. No thumps on power on. Simple front push button switch to activate individual inputs. Basically no specs given, except usb supports up to 32 bits/384 khz. Also came with 1 meter usb, A and C ends. My computer is using VLC Media Player. I used the Mimir supplied usb as I had none with C end as I had no other USB with C connector. I used Tidal and YouTube. I have ~50 hours of play time. Sound seems to be stabilized. I don't take much stock in other's reviews because I know little about the quality of the audio systems others use. Schiit also makes some claims. I have auditioned the Denafrips Pontus, basically all the Chords including the Dave (12 grand), and probably another one or two from other audiophiles and now I do not miss any of them. The Mimir is simply incredible. The harmonic structure from deepest bass through the highs is incredibly natural. Great dynamics, dimensions, tonal balance, everything sounds amazing. With all polypropylene decoupling capacitors in my audio system, years of listening testing, we can perceive 1 part in 4,000,000. Using 20 log equation, that is -132db down, so extremely transparent. There is a sonic difference between YT and Tidal. I do not know how Tidal sonically compares to Roon, Qobuz, Deezer etc. In conclusion, the piano and other instruments sound so gorgeous from deepest note to highest register. I still almost cannot believe it. I guess one can conclude I highly recommend it. Cheers pos PS. I do Not have any affiliation with Schiit Audio.
Those guys are kind of the "new kids on the block" and I'm eager to hear what you find.
Well, I heard some nice things about the Schiit Mimir dac, but wonder if it is hype, or descent, so I purchased one. Should arrive fri. Will report back with my findings in a couple of weeks. cheers pos
George wrote on Mon, 27 October 2025 10:16 Helen wrote on Sun, 26 October 2025 03:23 We listen to beats more than the lyrics nowadays. I do bother about lyrics when I'm listening to music because it will help me to know what I'm listening and what the song is all about. I do search about the lyrics of music if I wanted to join in singing the song. That is for me as well. I believe there are a couple of songs that have deep lyrics that we should always listen to and sing along when the music is playing. How to Love by Lil Wayne has a lot of deep meanings and when I listen to that song, it reminds me a lot about my past love life. Yes, there are songs that have deep lyrics that we should always listen to. Even if we are not singing along, we need to know what they are saying in the song. Some people will come out and talk about nothing except having good beat but I never wanted that because good lyrics made a good song.
George wrote on Mon, 27 October 2025 10:16 Helen wrote on Sun, 26 October 2025 03:23 We listen to beats more than the lyrics nowadays. I do bother about lyrics when I'm listening to music because it will help me to know what I'm listening and what the song is all about. I do search about the lyrics of music if I wanted to join in singing the song. That is for me as well. I believe there are a couple of songs that have deep lyrics that we should always listen to and sing along when the music is playing. How to Love by Lil Wayne has a lot of deep meanings and when I listen to that song, it reminds me a lot about my past love life. There are many songs that I have to check out the lyrics and sing along. Every of Michael Jackson songs are what I look for the lyrics because all of his songs are talking about children, the world and suffering too. I can download the lyrics, learn it so that I will not be confused if any of the song is playing.
Helen wrote on Sun, 26 October 2025 03:23 We listen to beats more than the lyrics nowadays. I do bother about lyrics when I'm listening to music because it will help me to know what I'm listening and what the song is all about. I do search about the lyrics of music if I wanted to join in singing the song. That is for me as well. I believe there are a couple of songs that have deep lyrics that we should always listen to and sing along when the music is playing. How to Love by Lil Wayne has a lot of deep meanings and when I listen to that song, it reminds me a lot about my past love life.
We listen to beats more than the lyrics nowadays. I do bother about lyrics when I'm listening to music because it will help me to know what I'm listening and what the song is all about. I do search about the lyrics of music if I wanted to join in singing the song.
Definitely, I do care about lyrics when I listen to most songs. As one who is always keen to enjoy more rap songs, the lyrics are what make it fun for me. I am not saying that beats ain't a great factor when it comes to making music, but the lyrics are an integral part of what makes songs worth listening to.
Do you bother about lyrics when listening to music?
It looks like contemporary music has become more about beats and less about what the lyrics are saying. Fans now bother about dancing to the beats as it is what makes them happier. This makes me wonder whether music is now about beats and less about lyrics. I mean, do you believe lyrics are still important?
Hi, I guess this depends on what type of wire you are using. There is a major difference in 12 gauge wire and tonearm wire. For any type of wire above 26 gauge I use strippers. The ones that look like pliers and have markings for the wire sizes are the ones I prefer. Normally a clean strip. The issue is with sub standard wire then you may have to pick a size different from what the wire was listed as. This is becoming ever more common. I also use the ones that look like small scissors but leave the setting screw at max. I then strip by feel. It takes a bit of practice to not harm the conductors. For tonearm wire that is usually in the size range of 28 to 34 gauge the above strippers will not work. I use a "burning" method. I heat up the wire with a hot soldering arm (I usually use 775 F) and melt the insulation. It will carbonize and then all you need do is scrape it off. For fabric insulated tone arm wire you can often use a slightly different method. I use a gas fire starter to burn it again and the peal it off. The heating method also solves a second problem with tonearm wire that is the strands are usually covered with enamel. The heating also burn this off as well. Now the magic question...if you strip any wire from say 20 gauge and up (bigger) losing a few strands is of little consequence.
Not everybody knew how to work with wiring and if not careful, one can make a drastic mistake while cutting the wire. In order to have a clean cut, use razor blade of strippers to cut wires as a non professional because professionals use wire cutters to do the work.
I do notice it when the artists are been interviewed. Their accent became so thick that I can't understand what they are saying but the songs are more understandable. There are great singers but I don't know why they change accent when speaking.
Without music, my mood will never align all the time. I love to play music when I'm moody, I love to play music when I'm happy and this goes with every other person. Music and mood are tied together and they also go together.
Listening to music sets me in the right mood. I don't bother about the worries of life whenever a cool rap song from 2 Pac or The Notorious BIG is playing. All I want to do at that moment is sing along.
Some are better than others. Vocal Pitch Monitor and Singscope are probably my favorites of the bunch for their ease of use and accuracy. Of course, most apps in this field have a disclaimer that it provides an estimation of your vocal pitch, so it's definitely not an exact science.
My only guess is that the pulmonary effort to sing is much greater than speaking. Its more a projection of language into an elongated form of words. But many country singers have that distinctive "drawl" to their singing as is their speaking.
I was driving today, listening to the Moody Blues and thought about this thread 'cause their accents are obvious, every one of the performers in that band. Made me think about others too, like the Beatles. So I thought to myself how some accents are apparent while some do seem to kind of lose theirs. An example of a singer that really loses her accent is Adele. First time I heard her speaking at a concert recording, I was shocked. That gal really cracks me up. Great singer too.
Some apps are supposed to detect your vocal pitch and vibrato and display them on a graph. Are they accurate? I thought it took expensive studio equipment to do that.
Huh, I never thought about it before, but I think you're right about Jamaican rappers still sounding Jamaican. Maybe some accents are harder to overcome than others.
I've noticed that, too. I wonder if it's the act of singing phrases to match the song's rhythm and beat, rather than using their natural speaking cadence, that throws it all off. It doesn't seem to happen with Jamaican rappers, like Sean Kingston and Sean Paul, though.
while they're singing? We were talking about this at work. Has anyone else noticed that most popular artists sing with a fairly generic Americanized voice? For example, Adele's English accent comes across rather thickly when she's giving an interview, but it disappears when she's belting out one of her love ballads. Another example is the Gallagher brothers. They are darn near impossible to understand when they're speaking, so much so that producers usually show a transcript of what they're saying during interviews, yet they magically become understandable when they're performing as Oasis. Does this phenomenon have a name? It's almost as though the entire recording industry decided that an Americanized voice is what sells the most.
Some people see music as a transference of energy from the creator to the listener. What we need to feel, we listen to. If music does not effect your music, like it was designed to do, you might want to look into that.
The following link is from Psychology Today, and answers the question quite nicely. It's 2 1/2 years old but it aged well. It didn't go into the science of music and the science of the brain, but it's still very informative. http://https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/science-of-choice/202211/how-listening-to-music-affects-your-mood
When you're down in the dumps about losing a lover, the last thing most people want to hear is a fast-paced fluffy dance tune. No, most of us want to wallow in it for a bit before moving on. That's why that old Nazareth tune "Love Hurts" still gets airplay. We need sad songs for sad situations.
I try to exercise daily, and I have an upbeat playlist to pump me up when I'm just not in the mood to get off the couch. It helps motivate me every time. So, yeah, I can see the correlation there.
I fully agree with you. To me, music is a very important part of my life. The correlation that music and mood have is the reason why people will listen to upbeat songs when they work out. Or when you're sad, you may listen to sad music. I can't go a day without listening to some type of music.
I agree as well. My mood can be altered pretty easily by the selections I choose. cheers pos
I think there is a direct correlation, albeit subtle. In my opinion, subtle influences like music on moods are the most potent influences. In a way, they're like words, as they can also influence people subtly.
I certainly think that music can influence mood. But at my age I have come to prefer quiet at least as much.
Like you, I find its correlated. Its what compels me what to rustle up during a phono session. I'll usually end up with a stack of albums on top of my big ole Theater 4 Pi's afterward. They do make a good platform for that. As well as divine listening. Sometimes my mood though can dictate no music at all.
How much of a correlation between the two do you think there is? Personally, I think they tie together rather tightly. Some people don't see a correlation at all, while I can't see how they can't see it. I use music constantly to reaffirm my moods or get me into a better mood.
I wish I'd seen this earlier, Strum Drum. Unfortunately, the sale at Musician's Friend has probably already come and gone, but keep your eye out for future deals because it's a trustworthy place to shop. It's owned by Guitar Center. I work on safety videos and the engineers order from there all the time.
I'm an audio products tester myself and I can tell you that some companies are more willing than other to send stuff or pay for the reviews. Usually they send me amplifiers, DACs and headphone for 30 days, than I publish a review, and I send the stuff back to the producer. Reviews based on product testing with products sent by companies tend not to be too negative, however, it should be considered that often the reviewer already asks to test products of his interest, and that he will probably like... Moreover, there is still a considerable difference between a positive review and an enthusiastic review, so a certain degree of objectivity remains. This is my opinion, at least.
I don't exactly need a new guitar, but I'm always open to getting another one for the right price and style. I've found some cool electric and acoustic guitars on Amazon, Adorama, and a place called Musician's Friend. All of these are online. The trouble is that I'm not sure about what I can expect in terms of quality. Amazon is riddled with fakes, Adorama is known for its cameras, not its instruments; and, Musician's Friend is completely new to me. These guitar deals are good; maybe even too good. So, to buy or not to buy? That is the question. Would you go for it?
Madison wrote on Mon, 17 July 2023 20:10 Have you considered changing Alexa's voice to one from a different country? I have mine set to Australia and I haven't been getting ads. I believe it's the only viable workaround at the moment. What a great hack! Congratulations. Plus, I'd favor hearing Australian accents. Mate.
Have you considered changing Alexa's voice to one from a different country? I have mine set to Australia and I haven't been getting ads. I believe it's the only viable workaround at the moment.
The issue is that they're darn near unavoidable. I can't think of the last time that I bought a piece of equipment that didn't have smart capabilities. Leo, can you route it through a Raspberry Pi to block the ads? I think they call it a pie-hole. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_3YxZspFFM
Yeah, I hate that too. I've been designing industrial control and other digital systems for years, so I love technology. But I personally wouldn't own any "smart devices" for that very reason. I'm leery of most IoT devices and even modern cars. The technology is excellent, in many cases, but I don't want the intrusions or even the possibility.
Yeah I'm sorry Leot. I've been leery of this implication of products like that not being anything more than a conduit to gleaning more and more from the consumer. Smart TV's from the discussion here are notorious for enabling advertising through connection to the internet. Open the pod bay doors Hal. You've been assimilated by the Borg, via Amazon. That's all they're about. Fulfillment. Is it yours, or theirs.
I know that smart TVs, soundbars, receivers, and standalone speakers aren't for everyone, but lately it's getting difficult to buy a product that doesn't already have the feature. I used to love Alexa and incorporated Amazon's products into my entire home theater. I have a FireTV, Echo Show, Home Studio speaker, and several Dots which make up my system. I also have an audio receiver and soundbar that works with Alexa. Things were great for years. The products weren't always the cheapest option, but they were affordable, and they did what I needed them to do. Unfortunately, Amazon has completely changed how these products now work. They push advertising - constantly! You can supposedly tell Alexa to stop, but a new advertisement pops up in its place and the old ones come back the next week. It is impossible to turn them off completely. With every update, Amazon adds new ways to advertise to the consumer, and these options are automatically turned on. Amazon also uses updates to turn undesirable options back on that the user had turned off. The sponsored ads are relentless. It's like living with a billboard and carnival barker right in your living room. Amazon sells tablets with special offers. The user can pay a fee to stop those ads. Amazon is upfront about it before the consumer buys the product. On the other hand, there was no such warning on their other smart devices and there is no way to stop the ads.
I have a lot of friends that are excellent musicians. They work regularly and are well-regarded locally, in Tulsa. But Tulsa doesn't pay much, so it's definitely a labor of love. From what I've seen, you either have to travel - still being a "bar band" doing cover songs - or you have to go to a city that has a bustling music scene, like Austin. And either way, you have to be really lucky. Luck beats skill any day.
It's a risky life to choose being a musician. I know peripherally a jazz drummer who always lamented that he took the oath of poverty to do what he does so well. I'd say the odds making it big are like winning a big lottery.
I would start on a busy street with a guitar and an upside-down hat. From what I hear, the business side of music is cutthroat. Seriously, that's where I would start my "advertising". Preferably within a half-mile of a music studio.
If you had 10 songs in a demo format and you were unknown in the music scene, where would you start your advertising? And just as important I guess, how much money would you be willing to spend on marketing?
I think it would be fun, but not something that's terribly sustainable. I've gotten a fee guitar before, but that was after I was featured in the paper for doing volunteer work, teaching kids to play the guitar.
Wire strippers were made precisely for this job. Places like Harbor Freight is where you can get them on the cheap. And I don't know what they're called, but there are razor knifes that are thinner than most which would work well too.
If you have, or get, a large enough You Tube following in this niche then companies will respond to your inquiries about this. They won't compensate anyone for reviews if no one see's the reviews.
Hi, I agree that they tend to appeal to different listeners. Not that there isn't a goodly group that like both. I fit into that category. My system is primarily analog with tube electronics. Two turntables on line all the time, reel to reel tape recorder and a cassette recorder. Also a Sony HD FM receiver, a FIIO player, an OPPO-SE blue ray, a SMSL DAC, a pair of SIIG ADC-DACs, and a Toshiba laptop etc. So I can stream and play pretty much any kind of media. I won't go into the rabbit hole on which sounds better...they all can sound fine and all sound different. Vinyl playback is a mature format and likely pretty much maxed out for how good it can perform. IMO really nice. All the digital formats including streaming still have room to grow. Some are really quite excellent, some not. The current up swing in vinyl is likely to continue but will never be the media of choice for most folks. Portability and ease of use are against it and favor digital media. There is some satisfaction to be gained by playing vinyl that is missing in most digital formats. It is the sort of satisfaction of both having a physical media and being able to extract a high degree of performance from it. That appeals to many vinyl lovers. Not just a turn it on and let it rip type of experience. Plus I have personal concerns about the ownership and long term viability of music that I don't physically possess. If the web goes down, so does streaming music. If the cloud goes poof or the company letting you use their part of it goes belly up...what happens to your music stored there. True you can download much of it ...but then you are back in the area of keeping physical media (more compactly I will grant though). So I expect vinyl to be around for as long as I care....I'll let the next generation worry about after that.
I don't think the vinyl resurgence is a threat to the streaming service. It stands alone just fine with it's core followers. It is a slow growth anyway because of the amount of people who like records more than streaming.
gofar99 wrote on Sat, 15 February 2020 19:43 Hi Another possibility is some of the newer Bluetooth ones. That way she could use the laptop without them and with them as needed. Some of the ones that are modest insize (say 4 inches bu2 inches by 12 inches) are really quite amazing in sound quality. Plus they are portable. Yeah, I think I will just go with that. There are so many options with competitive prices for Bluetooth speakers these days. The only downside is probably the unstable sound quality among those speakers.
Yeah, that's a good reminder. I don't often take the time to consider safety measures like I should. I don't usually wing it though. I'm not a talented builder, maker, craftsman, artisan, whatever you want to call it. I need basic directions to follow. I admire those who can wing it. I'm always having to run back to Home Depot or Ace to find the stuff I need since I don't have the skill for making substitutions.
Hi Another possibility is some of the newer Bluetooth ones. That way she could use the laptop without them and with them as needed. Some of the ones that are modest insize (say 4 inches bu2 inches by 12 inches) are really quite amazing in sound quality. Plus they are portable.
I regularly remind my daughter not to spend too much time with loud music so close to her ears. It's equally bad when she plays music loud with external speakers, but I can just decrease the volume. Still, I want her to be able to enjoy the music she likes.
Taurus wrote on Wed, 05 February 2020 23:46 Anyway, I am in favor of using earbuds or headphones if someone wants to enjoy all the musical details. If you just need something loud to scream with, HP is a good choice for many reasons beyond the speakers. I think Lenovo works with JBL for speakers; you may want to check that out too. I agree because most people hardly use the laptop's external speakers. It may be best to use good quality earbuds and headphones. There is a wide variety of them that you can get at a bargain.
My daughter does not bring her laptop around a lot yet, but her college life is coming up soon, and we all know what usually happens around those years. Maybe I should focus more on productivity for now and get her separate desktop speakers for her birthday next time. I had no idea Lenovo was working with JBL. The latter has a decent sound quality, though I am not a big fan of the former. I guess I'll keep my options open.
That's interesting. I didn't remember HP ever using Beats speakers. Anyway, I am in favor of using earbuds or headphones if someone wants to enjoy all the musical details. If you just need something loud to scream with, HP is a good choice for many reasons beyond the speakers. I think Lenovo works with JBL for speakers; you may want to check that out too.
With Apple now owning Beats, HP had to turn to Bang & Olufsen to help tune the sound in their PCs. I would recommend the HP Envy x360 or Pavillion x360 because of the great speakers.
The HP laptop will be super convenient to use and great for watching films and listening to music on the go. On the other hand, when the laptop dies, there goes her nice speakers. I've always thought that separate speakers produce better sound because they aren't trying to fit a certain mold the way that built-in speakers do. They aren't as convenient to cart around though, and I'm assuming she has a laptop instead of a desktop for its portability. So I'm voting for the HP laptop that has Bang and Olufsen speakers. I bet she'll appreciate whatever you get her though.
My daughter is quite the music enthusiast, so I am thinking of getting her a laptop with nice speakers as her old one gets rusty. Is there any brand you recommend? I've heard positive reviews of HP's Bang and Olufsen, but I wonder if it's just better to invest on separate desktop speakers.
If there are safety issues involved in a project, go by the "rules" then improvise where necessary. But please don't improvise on electrical projects. Bad things can easily happen. I thought I would revive this topic to bring up the safety aspect of this.
You might want to try the companies that either make audio equipment, sell it, or both. Most product testing companies take any product they can get, so if you go straight to source you might get some work.