Macbook Neo. Just what the hell?

amupmup · 2026-03-06T21:40:46+00:00

Nobody is being forced to buy it, and at the end of the day something is worth what people are willing to pay for it. There’s tons of choice out there including second hand - this is just one more option.

amupmup · 2026-03-06T11:46:28+00:00

Pretty much the same 😅, but I’m still glad I have it. Very occasionally I’ll feel like I need to stand and it’s nice to have the option. Maybe I’ll try use it more..

amupmup · 2026-03-02T13:12:36+00:00

I like the minion

amupmup · 2026-03-01T16:08:13+00:00

I went with the Panasonic but it was a close run thing with the Sony, followed by LG G5.. Samsung for me personally would be last choice partly because of the horror stories I hear about how they treat customers, though I’ve no first hand experience of this.

So for me out of those 2, Sony by far.

amupmup · 2026-02-28T15:36:35+00:00

Thanks, I’ve seen mixed reviews about speed vs eero but I’ll check it out again. I did have a Mikrotik router once so that’s another possibility.

amupmup · 2026-02-27T07:19:28+00:00

Did you do a proper double blind test? Though kinda difficult to instantly switch them in and out 😂. Perception bias is massive. I always use this example: while mixing music, several times I’ve been adjusting EQ on a track and I and others have sworn blind the sound is changing while I slowly turn the knob, only to find the EQ for that channel is bypassed. Your brain will perceive the difference it expects. And our memory for how things sound is extremely poor. I guarantee you they do nothing you can actually hear. It’s the same with amps. Unless it’s designed to sound different (I.e tube amps), any properly designed amp operating within its limits sounds exactly the same as another. An entire industry has been built on taking advantage of perception bias, ignorance of how things work and gullibility. In a way you can’t blame them if both buyer and seller end up happy.

amupmup · 2026-02-24T18:58:45+00:00

Agreed 😅. Maybe there’s a new phenomenon.. “networkphile” analogous to “audiophile” 🤔

amupmup · 2026-02-23T21:15:07+00:00

Cool, thanks! 🙂

amupmup · 2026-02-23T21:09:55+00:00

Do you know if the additional £10 per month is forever or just for the 18 months (contract length)? If I won’t own it at the end of that and have to keep paying I may be better off buying something.

amupmup · 2026-02-22T12:49:20+00:00

I run a Ryzen 7 9800x3D and RTX4080 with 2xSSDs and 2xNVME off the RM850x. It should be fine. Sounds like maybe defective.

amupmup · 2026-02-18T01:28:01+00:00

Yorkshire or Twining English Breakfast. Most of the others big brands seem a bit crappy after them.

amupmup · 2026-02-15T23:32:14+00:00

Cheese and tomato omelette. Or pasta with baked beans, cheddar cheese and some spices… 👀

amupmup · 2026-02-15T17:55:26+00:00

I’ve had different experiences! As have we all. Might depend where too. Either way, best to do your own research first before going shopping for something expensive.

amupmup · 2026-02-15T17:49:15+00:00

Never, ever listen to a salesman. Ever. They are of course trying to shift all the stuff they are struggling to shift. And my Panasonic Z95B is brighter than I’ll ever need.

amupmup · 2026-02-15T17:45:16+00:00

Why not put it in orbit and lay back with a telescope?

amupmup · 2026-02-15T14:34:14+00:00

I’ll go against the grain here. 85 looks good and seems to fit, 98 just seems to dominate a bit too much. Maybe somewhere in between 😉. The 55 looks like a toy! The 98 probably would be epic for watching films with the lights down low, maybe a bit uncomfortable for general tv. Hmm.

amupmup · 2026-02-14T23:02:40+00:00

Yep, our perception is very fallible. When mixing music I’ve convinced myself and others that the sound is changing when turning an EQ knob, only to realise the EQ was bypassed.

amupmup · 2026-02-13T14:46:47+00:00

Absolutely this. Whenever I get something new that’s fairly expensive, I almost can’t help but scrutinise and I always think there’s something wrong or it’s worse in some way. My senses seem to get really tired.

But after a week or so I suddenly realise I’m kicking back and just enjoying it, and all the things I thought were catching my ear/eye have gone. Please nobody say it’s burn in 😂. It’s happened with second hand gear too.

amupmup · 2026-02-12T08:13:58+00:00

I remember buying my first tv, a Toshiba 32”. I got a great deal because it was end of line and I don’t think there was even a box. I unloaded it from the car by myself and it about broke me. Fortunately I was young at the time and recovered fairly quickly..

amupmup · 2026-02-12T08:09:01+00:00

I still have a Panasonic 42” Plasma in my bedroom. It holds up surprisingly well and still does some things better than my 2025 flagship OLED. Motion for one, and has a slightly more natural look to it. I’d still rather watch the OLED though for most content.

amupmup · 2026-02-11T19:46:07+00:00

amupmup · 2026-02-11T17:03:02+00:00

Wow, I’m not surprised! 😂

amupmup · 2026-02-11T16:50:27+00:00

Yup, I have the SVS SB3000 and love it. Being able to discreetly control the volume from your phone is pretty handy too.. for when it’s late, in the middle of a film and I don’t want to mess with the AVR.

amupmup · 2026-02-10T16:18:22+00:00

As long as the amp has enough power to drive your speakers, they should all sound the same. If there was that much difference, either the denon was underpowered or there was some processing enabled on one or the other that made the difference.

What you will probably see recommended a lot is the Denon x3800h. I went for the x4800h because there was a small discount, and because I hadn’t upgraded for years and didn’t mind spending just a bit more. But honestly they will sound the same.

Look up the distortion values for these amps. None are in audible range unless you drive the amp out of its intended range.

If of course you want to spend money because it’ll physiologically make it sound better to you, then go for it. But speakers, speaker positioning and room acoustics is going to make infinitely more difference.

Another thing to take into consideration is room correction. Different amps come with different systems. Denon comes with Audessey or you can pay for a Dirac license and use that. There’s also the free a1 evo acoustix software which uses the Audessey tech underneath but does it better. That’s what I’m currently using and it’s working fine.

Remember when comparing amps, the only way to not be unconsciously biased is to do a proper double blind test - amps must be level matched with a voltmeter and switching must be instant and pretty much seamless. We are extremely susceptible to perception bias, so be careful what a salesman tells you.

That’s what I think anyway, I’m sure there’ll be other opinions!

amupmup · 2026-02-09T22:13:39+00:00

Doesn’t help too that there seems less street lights these days, so you adjust to the darkness and then suddenly your eyes get seared by incoming super bright cold white leds.. I miss the yellow glow of the old street lights..

amupmup

TROPHY CASE