Again, a very dull area - like most people I have bought good and cheap pans over the years, but I think I may have bought my last one. Le Creuset 3-ply saucepan range (16/18/20cm) is beautifully constructed, will probably outlive me, and is probably perfect in every way. Feels good and solid, cooks very evenly and most of all looks fantastic - prices are around £40-£50 in my local department store (Bentalls in Kingston)
Now I’ll be honest - I never expected to be writing about this - I mean why would you. I go out and buy something which sharpens knives and hey, guess what, it sharpens knives.. but the thing is, this is amazing, I mean it. I like to cook (as some of you may know) and any good cook will tell you that sharp knives are important - but this thing is incredible. And I know that no matter what I say you won’t believe me or be impressed - buy one - if you don’t agree I won’t guarantee you 100% refund - but I would be slightly surprised. I have been a kitchen gadget fanboy for a while, and love those which do one thing really well - my #1 favourite is still my scrambled egg stirrer if I’m honest. But this makes knives really sharp. Even crappy cheap ones. Buy it. Now.
Accusharp - £8.95 from Tactical-Ops - get one.
I started buying my current setup about 8 years ago and I’m thinking it might be time for an update. I’m pretty happy with the sound, but it’s not amazing, so I’m curious to try something new and see what it can do.
Current Setup
Here’s what I’m thinking of replacing them with
Here’s my thinking - I have read several reviews of the 685’s and really admire the brand, and think these speakers just look fantastic. So they were going to form the basis for the setup… the centre and sub are both the smaller options from the 600 range as my living room isn’t huge. I need to have flat rear speakers as they sit above my sofa and B&W either have normal bookshelf speakers which are too proud or satellites which seem a little too small (I haven’t properly auditioned them but will do for comparison). Sevenoaks suggested the Monitor Audio’s and they sounded terrific. And whatever tonal balance is, didn’t seem to present an issue.
I have auditioned all the speakers with the Denon 2308 which sounded absolutely fantastic - I mean, really mind-blowingly good. The bombing scene from Pearl Harbour was astonishing. And listening to a couple of my favourite CD’s revealed enormous levels of detail and an incredibly well integrated sound - hard to describe but it was very pleasing which I guess is what you’re ultimately looking for.
But it’s not as simple as that… the Denon doesn’t support the new uncompressed HD Audio formats (Dolby True-HD and DTS-HD) - and I’m pretty sure I want these. I will listen to both next week and see whether it’s worth £200 for this. If it is then I simply go up a notch on the Denon range to the 2808 which is pretty much identical but with the HD Audio support.
I have also listened to the Onkyo TXSR605 which has won many awards - but it was disappointing - movies sounded fine, but nowhere near as involving or exciting as the Denon, and 2-channel music was quite frankly dull - I wouldn’t say it was any better than my current setup - so that’s ruled out.
Pictures
There are a couple of ways to back up your contacts - so when you lose your phone you don’t lose your friends…
Please use one of these so you never have to lose your vital contact information again (and send out an “I’m stupid” email)
Some useful tips here. I particularly liked the zoom feature for inline editing.
My favourites apps:
I have looked online and couldn’t find a good simple guide to moving iTunes from one compter to another - so here’s my version. Unfortunately you can’t use your iPod to do this (actually you can but it’s pretty fiddly and this method is far easier and less time consuming).
I’m going to assume that you let (and want) iTunes to manage your music files - I can’t see why you wouldn’t - or why you would particularly care - there are those that do, and this sort of information probably isn’t for them.
Summary - we need to copy all of the music files (MP3s, etc) and also make sure we copy the library information (ratings, listening info, etc). You can either copy these directly (over the network if you have one) or copy them to an intermediate device - external hard drive, USB key, etc.
First, we need to copy the files from the old computer
By default iTunes stores the music files in C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Music (Windows XP) or C:\Users\<Username>\Music (Vista) - you need to copy the entire folder structure either to the new computer (easiest to copy to the desktop) or via the Hard Drive.
You now have two options - if you already have music (that you want to keep) on the new computer then we will add to the existing library. If the new computer doesn’t have any music on it then we will use the existing library (from the old computer.)
I have iTunes on the new computer and want to keep the music stored on it.
I don’t have any music on the new computer and just want to copy what I had on the old one.
So, you have all your music on your PC, probably have an iPod, and now want to be able to listen to your music anywhere in your house - on your HiFi in the living room, in the kitchen, in the bathroom and in the bedroom, maybe even out in the garden.
As is usually the case you have a few options and it depends slightly on budget and also whether you might also want to watch movies/TV shows around the house. The following assumes you have a PC with your music on it and wireless networking in the house.
The first one we’re going to look at is the Sonos - the daddy - this is the most sophisticated and powerful of the systems here, and also by far the most expensive. You attach the ’server’ to your router and then you can place up to 24 ‘clients’ around your house creating zones. You also get a beautiful remote control which allows you to pick the music you’d like to listen to and where you’d like to listen to it. Each client needs to be attached to either an amp/TV or a set of speakers. Entry level pricing is £699 for one server and two clients - one with a built-in amp (just connect speakers) and one which needs to be attached to an amplifier or TV. For more information go to http://www.sonos.com
AppleTV - assuming you own an iPod and have iTunes running on either a Mac or PC then why not have iTunes running on your telly - this is essentially what AppleTV gives you - it has a really slick interface and is easiest described as an iPod in your living room. You can either stream music from your PC or sync it onto your AppleTV (40-160Gb) and play stuff locally - the advantage of this is that you don’t need to leave your PC on all the time. Apple’s selling point is that as well as music you can also download podcasts, movies, TV shows, watch YouTube and watch movie trailers, which is pretty cool. Costs £199 for 40Gb http://www.apple.com/appletv/tour
AirPort Express (£65 from Apple) - a wireless gizmo which you can attach speakers to and play music from iTunes - it couldn’t be simpler or easier to use - you can attach cheap portable speakers, such as the excellent T40’s from Creative (£65 from Amazon) or attach it to a proper hi-fi setup, or even (and this makes a lot of sense) a DAB radio so you have the best of both worlds - I really like the PURE Oasis (£80 from Amazon).
UPDATE The only downside with Airport Express used to be that you had no way of controlling the music, but now you can use your iPod Touch/iPhone as a remote control this solution is now pretty compelling.
Squeezebox - this is a wireless streaming client which can be used to play music and internet radio - it’s a great looking device, has a clear display and has received many favourable reviews. Its outputs can be attached to a HiFi or TV speakers. It costs £185 - for more information go to http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_squeezebox.html
Here’s some random stuff I stumbled across today…
Home Cinema stuff
This subject just keeps on coming up - two of my friends are looking into it with a budget of around a grand, then another mate decides he’d like to convert his (enormous) loft into a ‘proper, proper’ home cinema with a budget of over £10,000!!
Am going to the What Hi-Fi / Stuff show at the weekend so should get a chance to take a look at all this is new’n’shiny in the world of sound and vision…
You want to be able to watch movies at home and have that full cinematic experience - you may well have already purchased a great new flatscreen (LCD or plasma) and now want to make the next leap forward. Virtually all TVs have speakers, but to be honest, they’re fairly rubbish. If you really want to be submersed then you need to consider buying some speakers… but how many? I will try to help you answer this question…
Do I even need rear speakers? Well, if you really want that all encompassing sound coming from every direction - like you do in the cinema then you do need rear speakers but you can ‘cheat’ slightly…
The ideal set up is 5.1, which means a pair of speakers on either side of your telly and a centre speaker, two rear speakers and a subwoofer (for all the bangs and crashes, and for deep booming bass).
However, there are some clever alternatives which enables fewer speakers - as few as one - which can ‘throw’ the sound around the room to make it seem that sound is coming from the back of the room, even though it isn’t…
The reason you may not want rear speakers is that it means lots of cables running through your living room and lots of extra boxes taking up valuable living space… they’re valid reasons and why most people shy away from this.
You can get wireless rear speakers these days, but they need power so you need to plug them in. It’s still quite new and I think I would probably stay clear for now - if this appeals then audition a couple and compare to either virtual surround (2.1) or a full-blown 5.1 setup.
Finally you can go all the way up to 6.1 and 7.1 with additional rear centre speaker (6.1) and side speakers (7.1) - my advice is simple - don’t bother unless you have a massive room and a massive budget - if this is the case then you should consider professional installation.
Virtual Surround Sound (single speaker)
If you want a surround system without the extra boxes you need to have a ‘closed’ room - if your living room has four walls and no obvious leaks then you can use speakers which bounce the sounds off the walls - there are several systems which provide this.
Single speakers - these actually contain multiple drivers, 23 in fact, which try to bounce the sound off the side walls to simulate effects coming from behind you - their effectiveness depends on your room - try before you buy. Start from around £400 such as the Yamaha YSP-900 below.
Virtual Surround Sound (2.1)
This works similar to the single speaker solution but uses two front speakers and a subwoofer - for many this is a reasonable compromise as it keeps cabling and numbers of boxes to a minimum but also provides more of a room-filling sound. Best one around is probably the Denon SmartLife S-301 (£750)- a nice bonus is that it’s iPod friendly so you can hook up your iPod direct to your hi-fi, though the dock costs extra.
Full Surround Sound (5.1)
Let’s assume you’ve decided you want to go the full hog - how many boxes do you really want in your living room - you now have to choose whether you want separates (dvd player, amplifier, speakers) or an all-in-one system (combined dvd/amp and speakers). The advantage of the latter is that you can buy one bit of kit which has been designed to work together and is one less box under the telly, whilst the separates means two boxes under the telly and loads more decisions to make about compatibility between DVD, amplifier, speakers and subwoofer.
You have two options in this category - lots of big boxes, or sub-sat (subwoofer / satellite) systems - the latter means the 5 speakers are all tiny which is room-friendly but leaves the sub to do most of the work - which is fine for 90% of people - if you are fortunate to live in a big house you might want bigger boxes to do the work… I shall assume you can live with this slight compromise.
Budget
I think there’s two major price points for most people £500 or £1,000 - so I’ll work with these - clearly if your budget is more generous then you should go straight to your local hi-fi dealer and talk to them about your needs - I recommend Sevenoaks, and Unilet in my local area - it’s easy to work out if they’re any good - talk to them and see whether they’re listening.. if they do then they will be happy for you to try some stuff to make sure you’re happy - if not, try someone else…
Speaker Systems (assume you already have DVD/amp)
KEF KHT2005.2 for around £600 - KEF virtually invented the sub-sat sector with their now famous ‘eggs’ - they work really work, provide a full and exciting sound and are easily integrated into most living rooms as they are pretty small…
If your budget can stretch there’s another range from KEF - KHT3005SE is about £1,000 and looks and sounds even better.
If your budget can take it there’s another system which you should audition from B&W MT-30 - it’s not cheap at £1,500 but it is multi-award winning - please don’t listen if it will offend your wallet.
Complete systems (one box for dvd/amp and 5.1 speakers)
This is ideal if you have a smaller room or just don’t want the hassle of separates - there’s two obvious candidates one is 2.1 (virtual surround) and the other is full 5.1
Samsung HTX200R is very stylish and is ideal for smaller rooms or even for bedrooms (or other places you have a telly) - at only £300 it is also very affordable.
Sony DAV-IS10 is a super compact all in one (£500) with just unbelievably small satellite speakers which shouldn’t work, but do. Worth a listen. What Hi-Fi Product of the Year.
DVD Player / AV (audio-visual) Amplifier
If you’re getting separates (as opposed to the all-in-one) then you obviously need a DVD player and AV amp - too many choices here to get into - just budget little for the DVD player because you can get really good ones for under £100 (eg. Samsung DVD-HD870 £70), and slightly more for a decent amp (eg. Onkyo TX-SR505 £250). Check out What Hi-Fi’s Awards magazine for further options, or better talk to your local hi-fi dealer.
Position of telly
Most British households have their telly in the corner of the room - it’s convenient but troublesome for speaker placement - the problem is that your front pair of speakers need to be slightly wide of the TV to separate the sound which is difficult in the corner of a room… For most, there’s not much of a choice - if there is then you will definitely appreciate having the speakers a foot or so wide of the TV.
Conclusion
Don’t buy without trying - talk to your local dealer and make sure you compare systems - all of these will sound great, but until you listen to two systems side-by-side you won’t appreciate the difference. Also don’t listen to stuff you can’t afford - it’s really upsetting…
Interconnects and speaker cables
Budget 10% for cables - there’s no point spending a grand on great kit and using crappy cables to join it together - you won’t believe the difference between cheap and ‘quality’ cables. £5/metre for speaker cable (eg. QED Silver Anniversary XT) is perfectly reasonable and £40-£50 for an HDMI cable (eg. QED HDMI-P) is also well worth spending… Check out the recommendations in What HiFi or talk to your retailer.
Useful links
If you want to listen to music on the go - it’s easy, go get an iPod, but what if you prefer TV or movies - what are your options?
Portable DVD players
In the same way you used to listen to CDs by using a portable CD player, you can use either your laptop or a portable DVD player to watch movies on the go.
Portable video players
Archos were the first to market with a specialist video player and still head the field - however there is now a staggering choice of options for players which can provide video on the move - from iPods, to Creative Zen, and many others (see Stuff for a good list) . However, there is a big problem - how do you get your TV programs, or DVD movies onto them? The first part is relatively easy if you have an Archos player, such as their latest model the 605 (full description here) which can connect to an optional base station and take tv recordings directly from your Sky box, or other video equipment. I have a friend who sets this each night on his Sky box and can then pick it up in the morning to watch TV on his long daily commute.
Copying DVDs - here’s the problem - all commercial DVDs are copy protected, and it is illegal to remove this protection or to copy them for your own purposes, such as watching them on a portable player. It is possible to get around this but it’s not entirely straightforward, and requires about 4 separate programs on your PC. The best utility I am aware of is RipIt4Me which makes the process of making a copy of a DVD pretty straightforward and is quick (15 mins for a standard DVD). This will output to a DVD, so if you want to watch this on a portable player you would need to take the output of this and convert it to mp4 - Nero is the best product for this.
If you have an iPod then the best software to convert video files to iPod format is Jodix.
