Hmm. Fulling racing bootees too err, overt for me (maybe because I don't own a loltus and therefore cannot be a top level driving enthusiast... ).
I decided for Piloti as the correct compromise. Thin flexible soles with a 1960s goodyear (I think) tread pattern that looks cool but unless you're a petrolhead you wouldn't notice.
I've needed a new pair of trainers for months but, due to lockdown etc, it was on the back burner in terms of importance.
JDSports have been flashing these trainers up on my Facebook feed for ages and my lad told me they NMD's are the most comfortable trainers he's ever owned.
So I bought bought them
I'm not going to lie - they are very very comfortable but as a 46 year old with ZERO sense of style, I feel a bit of a fraud wearing them.
JLv3.0 wrote: Thu Jun 21, 2018 4:26 pm
I say this rarely Dave, but listen to Dinny because he's right.
Rich B wrote: Thu Jun 02, 2022 1:57 pm
but Dinny was right…
Super sharp Japanese cooking knife.
Decent quality frying pan.
Ryobi hand held vacuum cleaner.
Lego Defender (still in build due to hand operation)
Epson eco tank printer.
Scirocco GT
I impulse bought a 1990's Sonor D420 14x4" ferro-manganese steel snare drum from a bloke in Sweden.
During the minimal research I did, I discovered that the use of ferro-manganese steel in the top line drums of that era was because Sonor were buying the material in small quantities from a German automaker (suspect Mercedes) and the use of it has stopped as the foundries now require a 20tonne minimum purchase which would go a loooooong way making drums.
Ferro-manganese to me is easiest described as the steel used in railway lines, but when the hell did any car maker use that in their vehicles circa late 70's -early 1990's??
Apart from all manner of boring everyday things we needed anyway, the stand out items were (in no particular order):
Hand held blender device to avoid making (more of) a mess when making smooth soups
Renault Zoe with a Zappi charger
New office chair
Small freezer to complement the one in the fridge/freezer combo.
We've been boringly frugal, but have used the reduced outgoings to improve our financial health instead, which in a couple of years time should stand us in good stead when we look to move.
Samsung Q90R 65" QLOED TV (after having it and an LG C9 OLED it was easy to see the superiority of local dimming over OLED in terms of brightness, dark scene detail and motion smoothness when both playing the same feed. Also Samsung's HD -> 4K upscaling is phenomenally good and LG's is rubbish. Plus the local dimming mean the QLED is pitch black almost as completely as OLED and certaintly for 99% of normal viewing) .
OLED is a dead end tech that never really resolved the near-black detail, dark scene wipeout (see final Harry Potter film for an example) and judder issues, and having poor brightness to try to preserve life and prevent screen burn is a total cop-out. (The LG C9 exhibited image retention after just 3 hours use). Micro-LED will render it redundant.
Denon X2600h AV amp. (For cinema room projector 7.1 set-up) The old Denon 2300 X2300h moved to lounge with Samsung TV.
Monitor Audio MASS2 5.1 - to go with Samsung TV and Denon x2300w
Tin of Dulux Grey Steel2 softsheen paint for cinema room wall. £20 gives you a whole wall for a screen rather than paying a couple of thousand for a fixed size delicate screen. Needs to be seen to be appreciated.
Yamaha -RX V685 SV amp for games/music room. A more music and effect oriented amp than the Denons. This is paired up with the old Sony FALD 55" TV and the big Mourdaunt Short 5.1 speakers. Eldest uses the set up for guitar through his laptop.
speedingfine wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 12:25 pm
Mark, your commitment to having a telly that shows black accurately has been quite a journey. Are you finally happy with one?
in another two years there'll be a post starting "I was never quite happy with the black on my Samsung Q90R 65" QLOED TV..."
It is ironic that in my pursuit of the perfect black I have rejected the only format to date that can theoretically achieve it...
JVC projectors are the best for black levels, that is an accepted fact, and with the dynamic iris simulating local dimming it does a brilliant job, much better than cinemas and a great experience with the 125" 2.35:1 (Cinemascope) image.
But the pitch black of the Samsung's local dimming is superior I must admit, however this is only around 60" I guess for Cinemascope on a 65" screen so not the same sort of experience.
(Edit actually a Cinemascope image on a 65" screen is only a diagonal of 52", so no wonder if feels small compared to 125")
Actually I was perfectly happy with the Sony FALD TV that I got some 10 or so years ago, but that was only 55" 1080 and I wanted to upgrade to 4K
(8k is a nonsense on anything below 150" > 10ft away)
Last edited by Mark_bt52 on Mon Mar 08, 2021 1:15 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Sony XH9505 49" TV (did consider holding out for the A9 Master 48" OLED but couldn't justify the extra, plus it came out months later and I didn't want to wait).
Sony ZF9 soundbar
New TV unit for the lounge
New office chair
Airpods
Monitor arm so that I cam move my monitor between roles as my desktop monitor and as a second screen for my work laptop.
Weber performer deluxe BBQ
New windows + doors for whole house (apart from front door)
New boiler + Hive thermostat
Smart meters being fitted this week (but free of course)
That's about it. Built my new Unraid NAS around the time of the start of the first lockdown, but can't remember exactly...
).
in another two years there'll be a post starting "I was never quite happy with the black on my Samsung Q90R 65" QLOED TV..."
