Recent content by busb

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    What's on your Hi-Fi auditioning playlist?

    I generally use tracks that are well-recorded with decent bass. The other important requirement is I love them so the idea of asking others what to play very questionable! I'd never recommend particular tracks for the same reason.
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    Poor tech quality of most broadcast material

    Many here on this forum enjoy 4k & HDR content on their TVs but can't help but notice the comparatively poor quality of many over the air programs. Much stuff doesn't even compare to 720p (DVD quality, let alone 1080p. Not al lot can be done with sub 720p archival material - some upscaling might...
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    Optoma UHZ68LV vs Sony VPL-XW5000ES demo experience

    Good to know I'm not the only one with a comprehensive Hue system. I gave up on the no-battery tap switches. They've changed the design of the dimmers in the last few yrs.
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    Optoma UHZ68LV vs Sony VPL-XW5000ES demo experience

    My flat in Berkshire has motion sensors in all transit areas such as stairs hallways & landings including toilet, bathroom, kitchen & lounge spread over 2 bridges so 8 sensors, 12 dimmers, 1 1st gen tap switch & 20 lamps.
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    What Hifi component should be the first priority?

    Back in 1974, my 1st stereo comprised a Technics DD turntable (an SL-110 with an SME 3009 & Shure V15MkIII). The SQ wasn't spectacular. I had both Technics rather tiny bookshelf speakers & a very basic technics amp. I thought back then & now that Linn were spinning what suited their many revenue...
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    Upgrading from Panasonic Plasma to 77" OLED – My Decision Process

    The Pana plasma was very much better than any LCDs of that era - by a long way. Mine did need quite a bit of adjustment after about 5yrs, mainly contrast. Let's be clear, even OLEDs are flawed regarding crushed blacks (where near blacks just look completely black - no quite so bad with 4k...
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    What Hifi component should be the first priority?

    There's an interesting thread "In another place" (Audio Karma) regarding the spat between Castle Engineering (Linn) & Ariston. Linn certainly refined the design.
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    Do you stream hi-res music or download hi-res tracks? We want your opinions

    Until a couple of years ago, I'd say that streaming was my favourite option - renting rather than buying. Using iTunes has enabled me to locally cache a huge amount of music including classical & individual songs. However, differences in SQ aside, dozens of tracks &/or whole albums suddenly...
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    What Hifi component should be the first priority?

    Linn didn't design the Sondek LP-12 anyway (adapted it, yes) but were great at managing expectations & myth - not cynicism in my book. "Conspiracy theory is another word for Educated" I'll remember that. The level of general intelligence in society is rather worrying.
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    What Hifi component should be the first priority?

    "Garbage in garbage out!" was the propaganda from Linn. There's several approaches: 1. Reduce the impact of the weakest link. 2. A real bargain may need careful planning so as not to unbalance a system but is still too good to ignore. 3. if one component has supremacy - I'd say the speakers do...
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    Optoma UHZ68LV vs Sony VPL-XW5000ES demo experience

    As an aside regarding your Hue lighting - if you've gone the Hue Bridge route rather than just Bluetooth, you can add far more accessories than Philips say.
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    Upgrading from Panasonic Plasma to 77" OLED – My Decision Process

    I went from a Panasonic plasma to an LG OLED55G1 - the PQ alone was a huge upgrade from 42" to 55" OLED. when you factor in the streaming - it was a complete no-brainer for me at least. The guy who collected the plasma insisted on giving me £10. The only thing I dislike about the LG OLEDs is you...
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    what is your favourite operating system

    My Late 2014 iMac27" 5k with 32GB of RAM still runs Photoshop 2024, ACR & PhotomatixPro but my Brother label printers are no longer supported. When I bought a new laser printer end of '24, I chose a Xerox, not Brother because the latter doesn't do older OSs. I will probably buy an M4 Mac mini...
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    what is your favourite operating system

    That was Windows 10. I suspect MS came under pressure from vendors to carry on making h/w obsolete by introducing new OSs periodically. Had they not incremented the OS number, we may have ended up with obsolescence anyway. We are lucky to get 7 to 9 years life out of either MACs or PCs before...
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    HDR

    Agreed. I have film maker mode enabled & the added peak brightness is very worthwhile on streamed content. I do not like the extra saturation as seen in showrooms so apart from making sure my 3 sets are in home mode, turn down saturation & have Reduce blue light active on all sets.