pio

I thought the topic was forced updates? By your definition, making me address more and more points about moving the goal posts.....aren't YOU.....moving the goal posts? Also, isn't that EXACTLY what I said just in different words? Didn't I say, "changing your opinion or topic"?

Must be some new term or something that recently had its definition changed then. Because I understood it to mean changing your opinion or changing the topic. Which that's what you're doing by saying I'm changing from XP to 7 in my arguments. Another example of your behavior being "moving the goalposts" is by calling my stance "conspiracy theory", again changing the subject from forcing updates. I never argued that XP alone was the topic, the topic here is forcing updates. You can choose any old OS without updates anymore. I don't care. XP was just one example. But by you dancing around the metaphorical goal posts, they might appear to be moving. Since you've yet to answer my challenge. Show me one good example of updates ACTUALLY preventing a randomized average user from infection. Because I can show many MANY examples of other things causing that prevention long before forced updates.

You're the one that moved the damn goal posts mate! I made a point, you countered it by saying that (paraphrasing here) "oh, nobody uses Windows XP anymore so of course there's no virus' for XP".....so I countered with, "fine, use 7 then". Are we even in the same conversation here? I made a point, and you're dancing around it. Who's really moving the goal posts here? Because my point hasn't changed any in the slightest.

Age is just a number, it has nothing to do with your real life experience. I asked your opinion on Steam about a youtube channel, yes. I received your opinion, and made my own decision on it after hearing your opinion, and doing research on my own about it later. That's how a regular person makes up their mind when taking in new information. Those other "conspiracy beliefs" were political, and I'm not bringing them to a tech forum, and guess what? They're more of a real problem than what Microsoft and their stupid forced updates is. I can choose a different OS and avoid forced updates. I can't choose the laws and if they're being followed or not. Big difference there talking about things within my control, and things outside of my control. Talking about moving goal posts..... For the record, my complaint that I had about a local problem was a real thing. You said it was conspiracy mumbo jumbo, but yet it made national headlines when the outrage in my state hit. Again, political, so leaving the details aside. And what are you smoking and can I get some? My experience using retro PC's on old OS's without security patches has nothing to do with forcing updates on people? Really??? You do realize that a very large percentage of people STILL use Windows 7 right? Fine, go use Windows 7. I don't care. Point was, just turn updates off and see how far you can get browsing the internet. I'll bet you $100, right here, right now, that you can browse the internet JUST FINE on an outdated / not updated OS. It'd be an easy $100, so long as you don't click on things that you already know not to click on. The browser, anti-virus, and the lack of opportunity are more of a reason behind less viruses than forced updates is.

Well you know what, if my opinion is worthless then just keep scrolling mate. You want to sit here and argue on and on about how wonderful saint Microsoft is. As somebody who has used PC's since PC became a freaking term, I think my opinion should be counted. And I can tell anyone, flat out....updates DO NOT AFFECT WHAT YOU CLICK ON. But by all means, keep defending Microsoft FORCING THINGS on people. Updates and new OS rollouts have NEVER been forced. NEVER. Up until Windows 10. I'm not arguing that updates are a good thing or a bad thing, but the forcing of them is what I'm against. I always run my updates. But that's a choice that I make myself as it should be. Here, here's a challenge for you. You appear to be the generation that enjoys challenges right? Don't worry, its not a tide pod challenge. Go run a Windows XP box for a week. Just use it daily, use it for whatever you still can use it for. Browse the internet with it like you normally would (after you get it working of course, IF you can lol). Tell me after a week how much updates really affected your ability to browse safely. Then come back and talk. I've done this. Did it just a few weeks ago actually. I still have a few old boxes left to finish, and guess what? I'll be using them daily to ensure they're working too. Funny......updates being disabled has NOT affected their ability any at all in the slightest. Until you've browsed on an "unsecured / unupdated" system, I don't think you have much room for discussion about updates. They're absolutely pointless unless you are specifically being targeted against a certain attack that is being patched. And guess what? You have to click on something to acquire a virus. If you're using a modern enough browser, your browser is already your first layer of protection. Followed by your antivirus. But sure, common sense and actual real life experience means nothing when the almighty Microsoft wants to force things on people yet again. We'll just go ahead and go with it right? Right. K.

You sincerely underestimate how out of touch the average person is. You want sources, I am my source, as the resident Craigslist PC repair guy for my local area at the time. I can tell you, without a doubt, that Limewire was still being used in the early 2010's era. I remember very vividly fixing a Windows XP box in about 2014 / 2015 or so, that still had Limewire on it, that the user was upset with because Limewire had quit working and wanted to know another way to get their free music. Yes, it was a few years after Limewire was shutdown, since Limewire shut down in 2010. You really think in 2012 regular people weren't still trying to find an alternative to it? Eventually, it seems anyway, that the masses have switched to Youtube, Pandora, and Spotify. But that wasn't the case in the early 2010's mate. Streaming wasn't massively adopted by the general populace until just very recently. Yes, there's PLENTY of other ways to acquire malware, but general idiots trying to pirate was certainly a much larger factor. Microsoft had very little to do with that change in user behavior. EDIT: All I'm arguing here is that Microsoft and their forced updates has a LOT less to do with virus acquirement by the average user than you're giving them credit for. Instead, I'm proposing that a change in average user behavior has been the bigger change in virus replication on PC's. Dude, I can still browse the internet on an unpatched version of Windows XP. Updates don't affect what you click on. Updates have VERY little to do with average user security. They help....sure, when the updates are stable.

10 years ago, Limewire still worked mate. It's kind of difficult to get a virus these days because there's less chances available. You still see just as many people falling for scam emails, that hasn't changed. Heavy handed take downs have affected virus replication on PC's moreso than what Microsoft has done. I'm sure Windows 10 can get a virus, its just not as easy to come across one anymore. People used to get a virus because they knew that you could get free music on the internet. Now, most people just use Youtube for their free music, or Pandora, or Spotify. At least, that's what I've personally seen the average user do. Adult content websites were another, but in general web browsing is considerably safer these days with modern browsers. Again, not exactly 100% Microsoft's fault here either since Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Brave, and all the other browsers aren't made by Microsoft.

Very familiar with Winamp, it really whips the llama's ash. What I mean by don't boost, I mean leave the EQ at 0 for what you're wanting boosted, and turn everything else down. For example, if you're wanting more bass, keep 60Hz and 31Hz at 0dB on the EQ, but turn all the rest of the EQ down to -6 or -12. The preamp also should most of the time be at 0. Of course it depends on the source, most of the stuff I listen to is bass heavy and recorded near clipping anyway. Software is fine for EQ's. Big long TLDR DAC explanation / My opinions on upgrades from where you are

I know for a fact Xonars have crossover capabilities for each analogue channel when using the Xonar as your "DAC" (running the analogue green, pink, blue wires out). Crossovers adjust what frequency each speaker cuts off at. You obviously cannot go beyond what the speakers can do, or the enclosure. However you can tweak it some to the point where its beneficial. For example, say the z5500 has a 150Hz crossover between the speakers and the sub. You could try changing that down to say 120Hz or 100Hz, to bring some more of the directional sounding upper bass frequencies away from the sub, and up to your ears with the small speakers. Or, you could change it upwards to 180-200Hz and let the more powerful subwoofer handle those frequencies. The goal of a subwoofer, in most systems, is to BLEND in the lower octave or two of sound as these are frequencies your main front speakers generally just cannot produce. In a perfect system, you should not be able to pinpoint exactly where the sub is at in the room, it should just "be there". In GENERAL that frequency is around 80Hz or so. It will vary room to room and setup to setup. THX standard is 120Hz. I'm not 100% sure you'll get there with the z5500 set, but you should be able to do fairly well. The EQ would be a similar help, whereas you can lower certain frequencies that are too boosted as is. NEVER boost frequencies. Boosting causes distortion. It's always better to take the rest of the frequencies DOWN instead of cranking the one lacking one up. Say you find that 200Hz is extremely loud compared to 500Hz and 100Hz. You could tone 200Hz down a little in the EQ to make that one frequency a little less loud. TLDR: We're all here to help you out. The point, in my opinion, with audio....so long as YOU are happy with it, that's what matters. If you want more, its just a question away. You can have perfect, or you can have fun. It's difficult to have both.

Yeah, here's a little trick to finding the right spot for the subwoofer. Place your subwoofers, one at a time, on your chair. Try to have them elevated so the port is near where your ears would be at when sitting and listening. Play some bass. Now......walk around your room and find your "hotspot", the wall or corner where the bass hits the hardest at with the sub in your chair. That corner of your room is where the subwoofer should go. You can do the same with the other subwoofer and put them in different corners or the same corner it really won't matter with those setups too much since they're different tuning frequencies anyway. You can always do it the opposite. Place your sub in a corner, sit and listen. Place it in another corner and repeat, etc. It's faster to put it in your chair and walk around the room though. You can also play with port placement as well. Firing the port AT the corner vs firing it out into the room. If you fire it AT the corner, make sure its away from the wall so the air can get out and move. The speaker cone itself in that type of enclosure doesn't make the sound, the port does.

Logitech made quite a few mistakes in those setups, but alas....they're "gaming" setups, not exactly "audiophile". Completely different worlds there. For a gaming speaker setup, they're fine. The reason why the smaller sub "hits harder" is due to enclosure tuning, the z625 is tuned higher than the z5500 is. The z5500 is tuned, I'm guessing, right around 40Hz or so from my last listen to a set. The z625 is going to be tuned closer to the 50-60Hz range. Higher bass frequencies "hit harder" with less power, so they sound "boomier" for music and gaming. Lower frequencies require more power generally. That's why a home theater subwoofer, like a 15" that extends down to say 18Hz, probably has a 500w-1000w RMS amplifier attached (real 1000w RMS). It's just a different realm of audio than what I'm used to. They're fine for their cost and their intended use. I wouldn't do any critical listening on them without seriously fine tuning their EQ and crossovers, but for just blasting some music or enjoying explosions in a game......they'll work great for that.

Cool setup for Logitech stuff. I promise you, that's nowhere NEAR 1500w RMS, if it was you'd need a dedicated circuit. Logitech severely overrates their equipment. You probably have about 200w RMS in total or so between those two systems, as a more realistic estimate. Wattage doesn't always equal output, you can get loud with 1w in the right enclosure with the right drivers. However wattage does usually equal LOW lows on subwoofers (also enclosure and driver dependent). Either way, should be a boomy setup. Definitely consider a sound card for the EQ and crossover adjustments it provides for you, it'll help clean up the sound some. If you're going optical, well nevermind. Optical is optical regardless if its onboard or a sound card. If you enjoy the Logitechs, that's what matters.

So in the true "Pio" fashion, I just couldn't leave well enough alone........ I ordered to complete my $7.99 thrift store subwoofer the following: Fosi Audio 300w desktop subwoofer amplifier Monoprice banana plugs New terminal plate And I also bought some wood, glue, and screws. I figured this would be more "proper" than having a wire hanging out of the port like I had it. I also had it hooked up to my car amplifier, and that's just not right either.....hence buying the amplifier. So far, this is my progress, and I'm into the project now about $120-130 (after tax) for a $7.99 thrift store find. -_-

*Grumbles loudly about USPS* This was in my mailbox today. It was empty. SUPPOSED to have my DIN5 to PS2 adapter in there for the K6 rig that's due to arrive in a few days. *grumbles louder* In other news, I FINALLY receieved a pair of 24 pin to 20+4 pin PSU extensions, so I should be able to get the Socket A rigs functional very soon. That was the only piece missing (and the case that needs repaired). I also have a second Socket 939 rig to build still, everything's here for that. Also have another rig to build for my kiddo for school, that needs to be finalized and built. Just ugh. On TOP of all my little projects, kiddo is now being homeschooled by yours truly for 5-6 hours a day. I'm losing my mind over here guys! It's worth it though, or so they say. I'll have updates soon, but due to recent schedule changes because of the schooling, things will take me a little longer to get put together since I'm (mostly) limited to weekends now.

My machines are already trying to force Windows 11 in the updates section, it just says my machine isn't capable of running it. Granted, I can't actually see it since I have TPMS or whatever its called disabled. So I can't say 100%, it might still be an "option". It's still annoying that its even a thing though. The point being here, updates were NOT forced on Windows 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP etc. They were suggested, but never forced. Microsoft claimed when 10 was released, that the updates being forced on 10 were simply because Windows 10 was the last version of Windows they'd be releasing. Microsoft lied. Who's to say that "no need to panic" isn't just another lie? And what happens when an update BREAKS your computer? It's forced, so you're forced to have a broken computer because Microsoft wanted you to have this broken update? That's not okay.

It might force people to go outside. Gasp! Shock! We can only hope that would happen. Too many people with their noses glued in their phones all day.

It only really makes sense according to their original plan. They originally stated that Windows 10 would be "the last version of windows". Their promise there, not mine. With Windows 11 being released, FORCING users to update is no longer something that makes sense, since they now have a new OS to force people onto for up to date service. So why are we forcing updates when they're just going to cut service to 10 eventually now like they always do when an OS hits EOL? To me, this is just more bad business habits from Microshaft. We complained about the forced updates when 10 was released and their answer was because 10 would be the last OS. Their fix was allowing us to "defer" updates for a few weeks. Now....it just doesn't make any sense. Why are we forcing updates on an OS that will eventually hit EOL just like every past OS that did not have forced updates?

You know, the thing about it being modular is a good point. Why CAN'T GPU manufacturers make GPU's modular? Want more VRAM? Buy more GDDR5 VRAM or GDDR6 or whatever we're up to now, slap it on there with a socket. Want more GPU horsepower, toss an upgraded GPU in the socket. Easy peasy just like a CPU / system RAM. Would be nice if GPU manufacturers would do that. Lots of things would be nice..... -_- Video was good. I think I've seen it before, but a classic nontheless.

Good luck with the ssd. I too have recently killed an ssd from corruption. Luckily mine was just a 120gb adata, but a drive loss is still a drive loss. It won't keep me from doing ssd's, but maybe look into older types of ssd's? I forgot the type, but I picked up some old hp 64gb ssd's that seem to be a lot more robust as far as using on old rigs. The setup is looking great!

I think you're right on both points. Psu definitely, but having a little more room for heat disappation never hurts either. Glad you're enjoying the sa300. Sounds like a great amp on paper. I'm currently working on scoring a fosi audio 300w desktop sub amp for my setup. I'm not sure how fosi is, but I only really need 50w. Obviously I'm not going to see a real 300w out of it, but 50w should be doable.

Dang you're right on the bluetooth thing, derp. Coulda sworn that one had BT. I've still been debating on buying one of those anyway, but yeah good point on the BT. Need something with BT for the parents first, and I really don't have room in the budget to be buying personal stuff right now after spending so dang much already in 2022. So yeah, you were probably feeding at most 30-35w per channel to your speakers which want 15-75w. It's "enough", but only for nearfield listening, which I don't blame you if you want to jam out at times. You're probably closer to 60w x2 on your speakers with the SA300 at 6ohm. Definitely a much happier place. I usually try to overpower if I can, but these little T amps are just so freaking adorable and awesome, can't help but enjoy them for their size. More power available always means the power is cleaner (well 9 times out of 10 anyway).

Okay cool, yeah that makes sense from what I knew about the Lepai and Daytons. 24v PSU's tend to bring these lower end audio chips to life a little better. I will be in the market actually for a Q5 Pro or Dayton DTA2.1 here probably next month. I was only partially kidding above lol. My parents are moving into their new house, and I have some Dayton outdoor 6.5" speakers to mount up above in their back patio for outdoor music. I was actually looking at those two specifically due to their subwoofer capabilities to add onto the system later. Bluetooth of course is a must for this type of location and build. I doubt they'll ever use a subwoofer on their back patio, but you never know and figured it'd be better to have the option and not need it.

If you decide to sell that Q5 Pro..... The SA300 does look to be a lot better. I've always believed that more power available on hand is always a good thing for clarity, and I think your experience just kind of shows that. The Q5 Pro is fine for near field listening at low volume and power levels, but by all means more power definitely cleans up the sound. Glad you found an amp you're happy with. My SMSL AD18 paired with the Micca MB42X's have been nothing short of fantastic for the budget. It's not the cleanest sounding thing at high volume, but for a PC setup it's great. I believe mine was rated at something like 80w x2 at 8ohm, however I really doubt it goes anywhere near that since my Micca's still want more. The Q5 Pro I think was 40w x2? Your new SA300 is what, 80w x2 as well right? Quick question, have you thought about attempting to use a bigger PSU for the Q5 Pro and compare it with the stock PSU? I know that has been a complaint on a lot of the Dayton and Lepai T amps. Haven't seen that mentioned as often on SMSL products, but I'd imagine it'd be similar.

My prayers and good thoughts are coming your way. I wish nothing but the best for your mom and sister, and the rest of your family during this time. Maybe one day we'll see you around again. Maybe not. Take care brother. We all love you (no homo). I do hope to one day see a more happy post from you returning. But if not, just know we care about you. Very sad to see you go, folding around here just won't be the same. Just remember, YOU are the reason I joined here BWG. I wouldn't have even known about EHW if it weren't for you and your constant badgering of me to start folding for EHW. Now.....I'm nonstop folding on my team rig at minimum. YOU did that. I'll bet others can say the same.

Correct, I kinda went off trying to over explain earlier. Thing is though, if he's going to use digital outputs, why use a DAC at all? Just use the z5500 DAC built in by running optical or coax to it. I'm sure the z5500 DAC is better than onboard audio at least. But yes, you're right still, that an external DAC would benefit headphones usage too and it MIGHT be better than the z5500 built in DAC, I haven't used a z5500 set in years so I forget. However a sound card "could" be more useful for the speakers as it would be more capable of coloring the sound through EQ'ing and crossovers (sound card driver software). Most external DAC's just pass straight sound through without coloring. That's all I was getting at above.