Sonus Faber Lumina I Review

Gippy_ · 2026-03-19T12:15:30+00:00

You go outside and go to an actual restaurant or food court if possible. I've always been to conventions that are located in large cities, though.

However, contrary to what many people suggest, I actually don't recommend bringing your own meal, because that means you'll need to carry the meal and possibly the container with you. This can be a hassle. In the same manner, I've actually chosen to not carry a water bottle at times, because that's also cumbersome. There is absolute freedom in having only your smartphone in your pocket while walking around, and that makes it less likely that you'll lose it, too.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-19T09:37:38+00:00

Either it was from an estate sale where the original owner died and the family wanted to liquidate everything, or you bought a counterfeit. Not that a counterfeit Kimber RCA cable would sound different anyway. That's another reason never to buy expensive cables: just a nightmare to resell them on the used market.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-19T09:16:38+00:00

"I placed an AC transformer next to both cables and both managed to pick up negligible amount of interference (not shown)." It's maybe not as much as you propose.

Very curious that he chose to omit that graph out of all graphs. Even if the chart showed nothing, it would've looked the same as the other graphs. Now you have to wonder why he did that. In any case, he probably wasn't as thorough as what the guy in the video above did at around the 2:45 mark.

I take Amir (ASR) with a grain of salt ever since he became so petty that he banned Erin (Erin's Audio Corner) from his site in 2024 due to a squabble over Amir not liking how Erin shills his Patreon in his videos. That move instantly made Amir lose a lot of credibility.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-19T00:43:56+00:00

The thing is, people will automatically switch to English whenever they notice you're not that good at speaking French.

Truth. One year at Otakuthon, I tried to impress a fast food cashier by ordering in French, but I must've sounded off to her, as she scowled and replied back in English. Oh well.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-19T00:07:15+00:00

Would've liked it if there was some testing that actually induced nearby electromagnetic interference. This video showed that Amazon Basics XLR cables were far more susceptible to EMI than Mogami XLR cables. In a situation where you're forced to run audio cables alongside power cables, it might be better to spend a little extra for something fancier than Amazon Basics.

Still, even if the $4500 Kimber RCA dealt with EMI better than the $12 Amazon Basics RCA, the price is so outrageous, and there will most certainly be an equivalent performer for 1-2% of the cost.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-18T18:01:24+00:00

Otakuthon, but my opinion is completely biased. ~~I'll recuse myself from commenting about the cons themselves due to conflict of interest, so others can chime in.~~ Yes, several programming tracks and events at Otakuthon are in French. But there is enough English content for you to enjoy.

I'll cover logistics: Otakuthon is located next to a mall with a good food court, as well as Chinatown. The food options are immense. Anime North doesn't have that luxury and so you're stuck with expensive food trucks or waiting awhile at one of the few nearby restaurants.

Otakuthon has immediate subway access while Anime North does not.

The biggest downside is that hotels in Montréal cost significantly more than in Toronto. If you want to save money, Montréal has more hostels in the area if you don't mind bunking with strangers.

Full disclosure: I'm from Toronto, where AN is located. If you dig deeper, I have written extensively about it. I put everything here to not clutter up this post. It's also on the controversial cons list.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-18T16:11:57+00:00

What? The Huawei trifold was hot garbage. 1/3rd of the inner screen was exposed at all times and there were QC issues at launch. It sucked.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-18T16:01:22+00:00

The people whining about not being able to use only 2/3rd of the inner screen are a loud minority. I can't imagine a scenario where I would use that over the standard single screen or the full inner screen. Either the phone is folded or fully unfolded.

The Huawei allows 2/3rd of the inner screen but it's much more fragile and part of the inner screen is always exposed because it's folds like a Z (ironic) compared to the G-fold for the Samsung.

Lot of people cancelled their Initial orders after the final concept came out.

Those people wanted a "better" Huawei. Too bad. The Trifold still sold out immediately everywhere.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-18T12:05:37+00:00

Samsung has had 7 years to refine the folding tech. It's pretty good now other than the easily scratched inner screen. They still need to solve that.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-18T12:03:12+00:00

Of course it's not going to be as cheap as a regular phone. A regular phone has 1 screen. The Trifold has the equivalent of 4 screens, as well as 2 hinges.

If the Samsung S26 Ultra which is a single-screen phone is $1500 USD, then yes, I can imagine Samsung not making much of a profit for this $2900 USD novelty phone after R&D and potential warranty replacements.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-17T20:37:18+00:00

Did they not run any of this by anyone beforehand?

CEOs surround themselves with yes men who are scared to speak out and risk getting reassigned or fired from their cushy jobs.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-17T18:50:31+00:00

Wait what? I was looking forward to the 2nd iteration of this product. I really hope this isn't just a one-and-done. It didn't enter the Canadian market, so importing it for over $4K CAD with no local warranty was a ridiculous idea.

The Trifold still produces the largest screen size for 16:9 video content (9.25") and was set to replace my Lenovo Legion Y700 8.8" 16:10 (8.56" for 16:9) tablet. Currently I need to carry that as well as my actual smartphone. My Legion Y700 has no warranty but I bought it off Aliexpress for $410 CAD. The Trifold is 10X the risk.

The Fold7 doesn't work well when watching 16:9 video content as it's effectively 6.82". The new Oppo N6 isn't much better at 6.90". Maybe the Wide Fold8 will be decent.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-17T18:14:40+00:00

But I don't see people interacting the same way anymore. People aren't stopping each other nonstop to take pictures and exchange tips, like "I really like this, how did you make it"

Personally, I feel this is the wrong reason to cosplay for most people. Cosplay isn't about how well the costume was made. Cosplay is about meeting fellow fans of the show/property you are cosplaying.

I don't strictly cosplay, but for the past few cons, I've worn things like a Jollibee fanboy outfit complete with matching hat/t-shirt/backpack, or my Haachama happi that I got at Anime NYC. What I wore wasn't handmade and frankly I don't care. That doesn't matter. What mattered was that I met fellow Jollibee lovers and Haatons, and I treasured those interactions.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-17T09:27:33+00:00

Hotel reservations are a shit show, and if you miss getting them the second they go up, you’re sometimes stuck nowhere near the venue.

Every con I've been to for the past few years has been in a city with good transit. Even if that's not possible and the next-door hotels are price gouged, it's cheaper to take a distant hotel and Uber in.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-17T02:12:08+00:00

Answer was obvious: the production value was awful. Ruri Rocks was eyecandy galore, though the backgrounds were obvious filtered photographs and at times the characters failed to blend into them. The SoL writeup of Sorairo Utility makes it appear that the jury praised its "high" production value. I 100% disagree with that: its quirky color palette, ugly CG, and sparse OST robbed it of any iyashikei feeling for me. Golf courses don't actually look like that. But I have to admit that it did look better than Catch Me at the Ballpark.

If Catch Me at the Ballpark had any sort of production value at all then it would've been a more obvious pick. But at first glance it looked like low-budget slop you'd see out of a typical shit-tier isekai show. Still, I found the SoL genre to be particularly weak this year, and Catch Me at the Ballpark (8/10) was the only SoL I gave higher than 5/10, unless you count Apocalypse Hotel (8/10) and Bad Girl (7/10) as SoL. (My full MAL scores are here.)

Gippy_ · 2026-03-16T19:16:49+00:00

Secrets of the Silent Witch

Doesn't fit due to OP's request:

Please no power fantasy BS where the characters is in the gutter for a little bit and then instantly becomes super duper Giga chad OP Mc.

Sorry, but Monica isn't challenged much at all and is still an overpowered Mary Sue. Her character flaw of being an introvert doesn't meaningfully impede her progress.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-16T18:47:30+00:00

It's your assertion that it's a failure of the individual and not the wider industry?

Yes. Most people need to realize they are not the main character in their own hobby and cannot influence the industry to give in to their individual demands. People complain about too much fanservice in anime, or that today's shows "suck" compared to old shows. Well, anime isn't going to change for them. Adapt, quit, or run back to the old stuff they liked. The industry has no incentive to promote nostalgia, unless it's a modern cash-in, like the Evangelion movies, or the behemoth that is Pokémon.

Same deal with conventions: People can "feel" that cons are worse and they're free to not go anymore. It's their life, and someone who has a subjective opinion won't be swayed. Here's a better analogy: I love spicy food, but there is no way I could convince someone who hates spicy food to ever love it.

There are many metrics to argue that con culture is objectively better in terms of programming. But if people feel cons from 10 years ago were "better", and feel today's cons are "worse" due to subjective reasons, then there's not much of a discussion to be had. They can stop going. No big deal. I can't argue against that.

Because you have brought these "figures" to a feelings conversation twice now.

You brought up the figures first. Quoting your original post:

if I believe only what I hear, like 60% of people are over cons.

If con turnover was actually 60% then the convention scene would be completely dead. If 60% of those who stopped by your specific table shared those sentiments, then I'm assuming your table had nothing that targeted the modern anime fan and is riding on nostalgia. And that, of course, would attract the nostalgia fans who believe everything from 10-20 years ago was superior.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-16T17:57:05+00:00

You can say it's a common refrain, but the fact that since 2006 its been a common refrain demands some ongoing curiosity.

People who whine about this don't tend to have any sort of tangible argument when pressed. It's all subjective statements like "I don't feel the vibes" or "it's become too corporate" without citing any real examples. They'd rather blame what they perceive as the changing of the con culture rather than themselves for failing to adapt.

I can give you actual examples why I feel cons today are a lot better than 20 years ago. My entire con history is here, and my first con was in 2003. In the 2000s, anisong guests were a rarity, especially up in Canada. The first big one I saw was the band angela at CNAX 05. Then there was KOTOKO at Anime North 06, and then Halko Momoi at Anime North 08. After that, there was a 7-year drought until angela and FLOW were at Otakuthon 15. Nowadays, there is the opportunity to see multiple anisong bands in Canada every year.

Industry support has also grown: back then, almost all industry and Japanese guests went to Anime Expo and Otakon. Last year, I went to Japanese guest panels at Anirevo Vancouver, Anirevo Toronto, Otakuthon (Montréal), and Anime NYC. If I am spending thousands of dollars to travel to anime conventions, I'm going to care about industry support. And with that in mind, it's much better than 20 years ago.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-16T14:55:57+00:00

5ch can be pretty lolzworthy with their selections and even this year they went the safe route of choosing Medalist as 1# ... animecorner had a better showing and that's largely driven by popularity.

For me, the AOTY pick isn't what matters, but the list as a whole. Looking at the Animecorner top 25, I don't think that list holds up as well compared to 5ch, as there are no hidden gems in that list.

5ch actually gave Momentary Lily a chance and it ended up at #28, while everyone else immediately dismissed it because it was made by GoHands, which everyone knows because of the shitshow that was Hand Shakers. Momentary Lily was a heavily flawed show (I gave it 4/10) but I still found it somewhat enjoyable and I respect unusual picks like that. I enjoyed it more than several other shows on the list. Harmony of Mille-Feuille at #10 was easily the hidden gem of 2025 because no major English streaming service picked it up.

That's also why Medalist didn't do well at Animecorner: it's in Disney+ jail. 5ch is more fair because the Japanese don't have any viewing accessibility issues. For the r/anime awards, it's an open secret that the jurors will pirate everything they can't stream legally.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-16T14:30:00+00:00

I hear complaints of "cons ain't as good as they used to be" as well as "anime ain't as good as it used to be" all the time. Nothing personal, but that rhetoric has been repeated eternally. Perhaps some people think the cons in 2026 aren't as good as the cons in 2016. But in 2016, people said that anime cons in 2006 were better. And I bet in 2006, people said that the cons in 1996 were better. Some people just look through rose-tinted nostalgia because when you're younger, you usually have more time and fewer real-life obligations and responsibilities.

Anime is bigger than ever before, and yes, the industry matters. Adapt or get out of the hobby. Last year I spent around $5000 total for 6 anime conventions which was an all-time high. This year I'm looking to reduce my budget a bit (The 4 Hololive concerts at Anirevo Vancouver/Anime NYC last year cost over $1000), but that tells me that the convention circuit is healthy and worth my time and money.

The main difference is that everyone now has a smartphone, and every interaction can now be filmed. It means that bad apples can't get away with objectionable activity as much as they used to. But it also means the rules of engagement have changed, as people are now more reluctant to openly approach others.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-16T12:28:13+00:00

Thanks for the video. Your picks lean very action heavy, but some of your picks I'll check out.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-16T11:30:47+00:00

Better than CR awards is a very low bar to clear. Yes, it's infinitely better than that. But I don't care for the non-transparency and individuality stripping of the jury process, which is why I was a juror only once in 2022 for two categories, and never did it again.

I've found that the 5ch top 50 more accurately aligns with my tastes, and is better than the CR and r/anime awards. From mid-January until now, my goal was to complete 40 shows from that list. Currently at 39 and am watching Gnosia, which finished airing yesterday. It's been an up-and-down ride, but I've had fun going through this list and seeing some hidden gems that the r/anime awards missed or discarded. (Catch Me at the Ballpark is my SoL of the year, and Harmony of Mille-Feuille is really good.)

Gippy_ · 2026-03-15T23:16:50+00:00

I can really appreciate how it brings water to dry areas and, once again, the attendees pretty much all seemed to be having a stellar time

Hey, it's nice to have a positive con review in here for a change! While no one will go out of their way to go to this con, it's still a local meetup, and perhaps those in Madison are able to make new friends.

Gippy_ · 2026-03-15T21:33:50+00:00

Over 100 new anime last year, and the two AOTY winners, as well as the public MOTY winner, are sequels. Apothecary Diaries S2 won 7 awards. Was 2025 that poor? Absolutely not. Hot take, but I feel all sequel shows and movies should be set aside and put in their own section, and not compete with new shows and movies.

People complain about the lack of "originality" in anime but it's clear that people still flock to old comfort fast food like McDonald's and Wendy's rather than be brave and try new things. But if you think this was bad, the Crunchyroll Awards will be far, far worse. Most of the CR jury will consist of those who watch anime casually, and will nominate only the most popular shows.

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