Posts by Austin Hughes5

So, I’ve got this Western Digital Elements Portable 500GB plugged into my rig and I was just wondering, can this little thing stay hooked up to the computer and just sit there all through the night?
Like, is it actually doing any damage to the drive, or am I better off just yanking the cord out when I'm done? See, the main reason I even bother with this disk is because I spend most of my day loading up all my tunes from it...
It's got this little light on it that keeps blinking away as long as it's connected to the PC...

Bryan Evans77 said:just toss it in the (cart)
head up to the checkout counter and grab it...
you gotta sign up for an account first, obviously...
http://www.amazon.com/login.php

And what about paying for it? Because I really don't feel like getting hit with extra delivery fees on top of everything else. They mentioned something about being able to pick it up at one of their locations, but they didn't say where in the world those are located! Honestly, I think I'll just give them a ring on Monday, that's probably the easiest way to go...

☕

So, are we talking about this being the absolute best bang for my buck at this price point? THIS
Man, I’m sitting here just wishing I actually knew how to navigate the checkout process on this site... seriously... :/

Thanks so much for getting back to me! But hey, if you don't mind me asking, what makes buying a pre-made external drive actually worth the extra cash? Is the price gap really that tiny... or am I missing something? And honestly, I definitely don't want anything that needs its own power plug, that just seems way too clunky for what I need. Will I run into any issues using that one you suggested for loading up my music and movies? Like, can I just leave it plugged into my laptop for days on end while I stream tunes and stuff? Is that even how people use external drives, or am I totally overthinking this...

Hey there!

I was gonna start a whole new thread but figured I’d just toss this question out here and see if anyone can help me out... So, basically, I've got this laptop (Seagate BarraCuda) and I'm looking to pick up a Hard Drive with at least 500GB capacity just so I have a spot to stash all my files... Now, full disclosure, I am totally clueless about this stuff, so if someone could point me toward what's actually better—like, should I just grab a ready-to-go external drive that comes in its own case, or would it be smarter to buy a bare hard disk plus an enclosure? Honestly, I don't care what it looks like, I just don't want something massive and clunky on my desk... though I am wondering how much money I'd actually save going the DIY route? Also, I'm completely lost when it comes to all those different ports like USB 2.0 vs USB 3.0, and I have no clue what my laptop even supports or how to check... I guess I'm just looking for the sweet spot: something with at least 500GB (maybe more!) for around $90, where the data transfer speeds aren't painfully slow... HELP (and if you have any links with prices, that would be awesome!)

^I was totally gonna drop that link right there hahaha

I don't think you can just wander into a local Best Buy and grab them off the shelf, but you could probably order them online if you look hard enough... maybe try calling some of those big, reputable retailers that actually know what they're doing. Just a heads up though, stay far away from Vemil or HGSpot because those guys will absolutely fleece you on price for anything they manage to stock up on. Oh, and about those speakers—I was reading up on them and apparently they are absolute units, like seriously heavy and massive... plus, 110 Watts is a ton of power! I've got a feeling they'll sound incredible though, since they have a wooden enclosure, which usually means the audio quality is top-tier...

Anyway, I did some digging and found everything you need right here, all laid out in English in the comments section:
http://www.itsvet.com/proizvod/micro...eakers/226/744

^if you aren't looking for something super loud and just want fewer speakers on your desk, then honestly, they're totally fine for you.
But man, looking at the price difference, I really think it's worth tossing an extra five or ten bucks my way to grab the slightly beefier, larger ones instead... seriously, it's such a steal.

Roger Bishop59 said:I get that, but I'm just trying to figure out how they'd actually look on my desk since I can't find any photos or reviews online anywhere... plus those 3000a models are absolutely massive
a friend of mine has the 2000x and they kind of hum (maybe it's the amp or whatever?) so I'm wondering if the 3000a will hum when they're turned on?

I don't see them here http://www.bestbuy.com/

So, here’s what they look like sitting on a desk (just for scale, I put a 15.4'' laptop next to them):


And nope, no humming... I just tested them myself! It's middle of the night, everyone else is passed out, and I cranked the volume all the way up (with nothing playing) and there's zero noise. If that's what you were worried about...

You won't see those specific speakers listed on Best Buy, but if you give them a call or just swing by the store, they'll happily pull them from the warehouse for you. They pretty much carry everything... and hey, they'll even give you a discount if you pay cash (you just gotta ask for it, haha!).

Roger Bishop59 said:So where'd you grab those beauties, and how's the sound?
how much punch does that mid/bass driver actually pack?
you should've tossed up a pic without the grilles on.
cheers

Actually, I totally posted the shot without the grilles (that's what they look like once you pop them off!):


I picked mine up over at http://www.bhphotovideo.com/

stormywolf39 said:So, I finally pulled the trigger yesterday on those Sony WH-1000XM5s and man, where do I even begin... honestly, there aren't enough words in the dictionary to describe how much of a game changer this is! 👍 I honestly never thought I’d see the day where... $133 Man, I honestly don't know if you can even find sound quality that hits this hard anymore... like, is it even possible to get something that sounds this incredible? It's just unreal... 🙂

I’m totally in on this! Count me in!

Man, I actually managed to snag mine for less than 400 bucks! Seriously, I was feeling like such a winner when I walked out of the store with them... 🙂
It’s honestly wild that people are actually dropping cash on those cheap plastic junk heaps rated at like 30 Watts for basically the same price, if not even more... it's just straight-up tragic...
Man, these speakers are absolutely crushing it, the sound quality is just next level... seriously top-tier stuff! I’ve been obsessing over them all morning... so, what do you think about the look though? Like, do they hit different for you without the grilles on, or are you more of a "keep the grilles on" kind of person to protect the drivers? I can't quite decide if the raw look is cooler or if it feels too exposed... anyway, let me know what you're feeling!

Is it finally time for the sound to just... DROP?? LOL!!

^So what's the verdict? 😁

Honestly, I have no clue what people mean when they say things are "blasting"... I mean, these things have been rocking my ears all day long already!

Anyway... here's a little mini-review for ya:

Basically, these speakers are the Sony WH-1000XM5

The sound quality is seriously top-tier, and the way the audio fills up the room is just incredible. That bass is killer, though it definitely hits you pretty hard if you crank the levels up a bit too much.
Don't even get me started on the Volume... having 80 Watt is honestly overkill for what I need, but hey, I'll take it! The controls are tucked away on the right side of the main speaker—the one plugged into the wall—and there are three little knobs to tweak the "Volume", "Treble", and "Bass". Plus, there's this cool blue LED light glowing right above them.
All in all, I don't feel like I'm listening to some cheap-ass computer speakers at all; it feels more like I've got a high-end, fancy hi-fi system pumping out premium sound. It’s got this "thick," rich vibe to it... I don't even know how else to put it. Now, I can actually hear all those tiny little details in songs that I usually only catch when I'm wearing headphones.

Front view, both with and without the grilles. Personally, I think they look way sleeker without them...


Back view:


Actually, looking closer, they aren't nearly as ugly as I thought they might be at first glance. The wood they used for the build looks super fancy and high-end.

So, I ended up hitting up basically every shop in town before finally pulling the trigger on these 3000A just because the Logitech version was totally out of stock everywhere... I'll definitely hit you guys up once I get them fired up and see how they actually sound!

The Logitech ones definitely have a way better look to them... but I can't help but stare at those SP-HF 3000A units because they pack an extra 20W of punch, which is tempting! Only thing is... I'm really not feeling that side-mounted volume knob setup, and honestly, the wood finish looks kind of tacky to me. My desk is actually a perfect match for the color of the 2000X models, so now I'm stuck in this massive dilemma... I think I’m gonna have to head down to Best Buy to check them out in person, because maybe they don't look as ugly in real life as they do in those crappy online photos...

So you're saying the 2000X isn't for people who want that "bass that rattles the whole house" vibe, huh? Hmm... so what's the bass actually like then? Is the sound really that "soft" or thin??
BTW: what did you end up shelling out for yours?

I stumbled upon this review for the speakers listed at number #1 right here:

Man, I was seriously lacking some decent sound quality at my desk setup... so I figured I'd grab something to keep me company while I'm grinding away at the office during the day.

Since I used to have those Bose speakers back in the day and they totally blew me away for what they cost (around $83), I decided to stick with the same brand and grab their new series. So, we're looking at 2.0 "computer" speakers with a 2x30W RMS amp. They’ve got 13 cm long-throw midbass units paired up with a 25mm silk dome tweeter. The cabinets themselves are built from 9mm MDF with wood-grain veneer on the sides, which looks pretty slick. Plus, the control panel has this cool retro vibe, like those old-school amps, with a brushed aluminum finish.

But how do they actually sound? Well, honestly, they sound pretty much exactly how I expected given how good the old ones were. The bass is a bit softer, but it definitely hits deeper, which makes sense since the drivers and the cabinets are bigger. The highs are crisp and precise without being harsh on the ears, and the soundstage is surprisingly wide. Seriously, they aren't even in the same league as those cheap plastic junk speakers you see in the same price range. Oh, and by the way... they go for a little less than $133. Right now, they're just breaking in on my desk, but once they've had a chance to settle in, I'll get back here with a more serious listening test.

If you've got plenty of room on your desk (yeah, they're pretty chunky—each one is about 175x366x215 mm) and you're tired of that muddy, weak bass you get from those crappy 2.1 systems, then these are definitely the move for you!

...

Hey guys, I'm in desperate need of some advice on which speakers I should pull the trigger on! I'm totally stuck deciding between these few options here:

.
#1

Logitech
60W
$127

.
#2

SP-HF 3000A
80W
$124

.
#3

SW-HF 2.1 1200
30W
$94

.

Just so you know why I've narrowed it down to just these three... I've got this nagging feeling that the wooden housing makes such a huge difference in sound quality, you know? And honestly, Logitech is such a classic, reliable brand that’s been perfecting their tech forever... Plus, I actually used to own those ones listed under #3 (the SW-HF 2.1 1200) and they were seriously awesome until they finally kicked the bucket, mostly because the audio was so rich and deep, even if they weren't exactly loud enough for a party...

Right now, I'm really leaning towards the first two, but I've gotta ask: --> Is it actually going to be a massive upgrade if I go with the beefier 80W SP-HF 3000A instead of the 60W Logitech ones, which—let's be real—look way cooler? Like, how big is the actual gap between those two? Has anyone actually tried them out... what's the vibe like when you're listening to them??

Here comes the world record attempt! Let's go, Blanka!!

Blanka Vlašić just snagged herself a medal... seriously, BRAVO!

- let's go for the 204m mark!!! Go get that gold!

If you guys have any random questions about Photoshop, just throw them my way! Seriously, I’ve pretty much mastered every single trick in the book, so don't be shy... 🙂

Man, today was just straight-up rough... honestly, we were barely hanging on by a thread... 😢