I spent way too much time on this, but let's see how your claim plays out.

2. Akai MPK249 $400
2. Yamaha P71 $415
3. 21.5 inch iMac $1100 (although this is the base model, probably a good estimate)
3. Edifier R1280T Near Field Monitors $99
5. Asus 24" monitor $130x5=$650
4. Logitech G27 I'm going to say around $300, even though Amazon has it listed for nearly $1000. Seems like the MSRP a few years ago was $300-$400.

1. Logitech G Saitek X52 Flight Control System $150
   
2. Logitech C600 $30
   
3. Opolar F401 $12
   
4. Logitech G610 $90, although some versions on amazon are closer to $60
   
5. (I couldn't figure out what the other keyboard is, but it's probably junk that the OP didn't spend a lot of money on.)
   
6. Logitech Z623 $100 (I think these are right)
   
7. HTC Vive $500
   
8. Logitech Z-2300 $180 MSRP, I'm fairly certain that I'm wrong about this one though
   
9. Wireless Xbox Controller $42
   
   Add in like $1000 for each desk and $2000 for each computer we don't see (assuming there are two), that gets us to a total of $11,068.
   
   There is a laptop bag stashed on the left side of the frame, so maybe it's a $9000 laptop.

Well it's not like you can purchase your own for much less than that. Oh, wait, yeah you can

Full list with links to everything shown here (and some stuff not shown). Please let me know if I've missed anything or if you have any questions.

PC Specs

Item | Make/model | Link | Price
-|-|-|-
Processor| Intel i7-8700k | Amazon | $355
Graphics Card| MSI GEFORCE GTX1080 TI GAMING X 11G| Amazon | $1,000
RAM | G.SKILL TridentZ RGB 16GB (2 x 8GB) 3200 MHZ | Amazon | $90
Motherboard | ASUS ROG Strix Z370-E Gaming | Amazon | $350
SSD | Samsung SSD 960 EVO 1TB NVMe | Amazon | $300
SSD | Samsung 850 EVO 500GB | Amazon | $130
SSD | Samsung 850 EVO 500GB | Amazon | $130
AIO | Corsair H110i V2 | Amazon | $120
Case | Lian Li PC 011 Dynamic | Amazon | $130
PSU | EVGA SuperNOVA 650 G2 | Amazon | $100
Fans | Corsair LL 120 | Amazon | $220
Drawers | Ikea Alex | Ikea | $90

The rest of the stuff

Item | Make/model | Link | Price
-|-|-|-
Desk | Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk | Jarvis | $752
Chair | Herman Miller Embody | Amazon | $1,400
Monitor | ASUS PG279Q | Amazon | $610
Monitor | ASUS PG279Q | Amazon | $610
Desk Mat | Godspeed Reverse Panda | Novelkeys | $20
Mouse | Glorious Model O Matte White | Glorious | $50
Keyboard | Tofu65 w/ Gateron Browns | KBDFans | $200
Keycaps | MT3 Godspeed | Drop | $150
Dock | Caldigit TS3 | Amazon | $280
Speakers | Audioengine A2+ | Amazon | $300
Speaker Stands | Kanto S6W | Amazon | $60
Webcam | Logitech C922x | Amazon | $83
Monitor Arm | Jarvis Dual Monitor Arm in White | Jarvis | $160
Desk Backlight | Philips Hue Light Strip | Amazon | $90
Main Lights | Nanoleaf Light Panels | Nanoleaf | $550
Headphones | Hyperx Cloud Flight | Amazon | $135
VR | Oculus Quest | Amazon | $500
Headphones | Sony WH1000XM3 | Amazon | $275
Headphones | Master & Dynamic MH40 | Amazon | $250

Wallpaper Engine Link

\ price as configured

\ Some or all items not pictured here but are part of the setup

Is your HDD actually broken? If not, you can remove the HDD yourself and use an [external hard drive enclosure,] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_bs_tr_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GW9T7RJBJ8EWMF19HNPH) to access your files.

Details for anyone interested:

• PCPartPicker link
  
• Dan A4-SFX v4
  
• i5 9600k + Noctua L9i
  
• EVGA 2070 Super XC
  
• Asus PG279Q
  
• That one Amazon monitor arm everyone has
  
• Non-gamer-aesthetic mousepad from Amazon

This is why I purchase my own modem, one without wifi capability.

For anyone wishing to do the same here is the modem I use, and is compatible with most standards.

http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/

http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6141-DOCSIS/dp/B00AJHDZSI/

70 dollars may seem like a lot, but if you're renting a modem from your provider for 7 dollars it begins to pay for it self in under a year.

But then you'll have to go through the incredibly painful experience of returning the modem, them saying you never returned it even though you did, and them charging you the cost of the device. I'd recommend sending in your modem via certified mail and then keep the receipt for when they demand you pay because they never got it.

EDIT: Changed URL to latest model, thanks goes to /u/Dark_Shroud. Old link is preserved for those who want a cheaper model that will still work with their connection.

This sort of road rage, even in New Jersey, is very rare. But I picked up one of those Russian anti-scam cams for $45 + a microSD.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FONBG1A/ - Looks like it's up to $65 now.

Best way I have found to look at the upcoming sales. Picked out a few hopefuls.

NZXT 850 - 3:15 am est

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CGCFWJY/ref=gbps_tit_s-4_312f_8d599589?pf_rd_p=f301321d-61e9-4073-b454-2e3f198d312f&pf_rd_s=slot-4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_watching&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=9787TDC4RY0SX929C9BF

Crucial P1 1TB 3D NAND NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD - 7:30 am est

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07J2Q4SWZ/ref=gbps_tit_s-4_312f_2f473a41?pf_rd_p=f301321d-61e9-4073-b454-2e3f198d312f&pf_rd_s=slot-4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_watching&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=MMBHQYBZPPM12BV2BF39

Ballistix Sport LT 16GB Kit (8GBx2) DDR4 3200 - 9:55 am est

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MNJP6RW/ref=gbps_tit_s-4_312f_7aa38bdb?pf_rd_p=f301321d-61e9-4073-b454-2e3f198d312f&pf_rd_s=slot-4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_watching&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=185ES1P698420RTJQFWY

ViewSonic XG2401 24 Inch 1080p 1ms 144 Hz - 10:10 am est

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A0ZRR50/ref=gbps_tit_s-4_312f_c966212e?pf_rd_p=f301321d-61e9-4073-b454-2e3f198d312f&pf_rd_s=slot-4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_watching&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=6CD65GE9FE3MTET19Y2S

NZXT AER RGB 2 - 3-Pack of 120mm RGB PWM Fans with Hue 2 Lighting Controller - 11:55 am est

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GVWSDVL/ref=gbps_tit_s-4_312f_09d4ac66?pf_rd_p=f301321d-61e9-4073-b454-2e3f198d312f&pf_rd_s=slot-4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_watching&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=MNDSBXZXP3HMYBHRMRPY

XPG Spectrix D80 Liquid-Cooled RGB DDR4 3600MHz 16GB - 12:05 pm est

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D2VJXX4/ref=gbps_tit_s-4_312f_29f43d90?pf_rd_p=f301321d-61e9-4073-b454-2e3f198d312f&pf_rd_s=slot-4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_watching&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=PRK5XX5FHPVTFXXTHBN8

Cooler Master MasterLiquid LC240E RGB All-in-one CPU Liquid Cooler - 12:05 pm

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CRGC899/ref=gbps_tit_s-4_312f_6e8b0854?pf_rd_p=f301321d-61e9-4073-b454-2e3f198d312f&pf_rd_s=slot-4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_watching&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=Z0MP8N6TNW6ARG83EWMQ

NZXT H700 - 2:20pm est

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C3PJ2GP/ref=gbps_tit_s-4_312f_b2d42f50?pf_rd_p=f301321d-61e9-4073-b454-2e3f198d312f&pf_rd_s=slot-4&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_watching&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=7YFK981EH4R4015930RZ

Not sure about the 50% off, as it's usually around < $65 on amazon. Still cheaper though.

I just did a quick search and a 500GB Samsung SSD is only $80 right now.

I copied someone else's comment

Black Box G1W Original Dashboard Dash Cam - Full HD 1080P H.264 2.7" LCD Car DVR Camera Video Recorder with G-Sensor Night Vision Motion Detection WDR 140° Wide Angle 4X Zoom - NT96650 + AR0330 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FONBG1A/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_HREIwb8B7EHAT

Samsung 860 EVO 500GB
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_ms33DbY8P0E0W

Currently in a house with 5 gamers total

I live in house with 3 other guys and a buddy of ours has been crashing on our couch for the past month (long story, but he's cool and contributes to cooking, cleaning, and utilities) We all play League of Legends, a handful of us play BF3, a few others play Tera, and then various other games such as CS:GO and TF2, and other console games like Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart.

We have been here for about 1.5 months, below are some issues that we encountered:

• Bandwidth: we have a 105Mbps down/ 20Mbps up pipe provided by Comcast. The Router that comcast provided sucked, constant latency spikes, no QOS, terrible admin console. I ended up going out and buying my own modem and Router. I got the Motorola SB6121 and an Asus-RT-N66U Router (I could have paid an additional $30 and got an AC router, but honetly, none of us use the wireless for our computers, and any wireless device we do use which include phones, tablets, laptops, Apple TV, Ouya, PS3 etc, do not support 802.11AC and even if they did, none of them even saturate 802.11N) This completely solved our issues with lag spikes, and by far was the most frustrating issue we dealt with thus far.
  
  
• Electricity: I don't know where you guys are living, but being in Texas the A/C was on constantly, so be prepared for a large electric bill. Our last bill was ~$270, but that is pretty much as high as it will go.
  
  
• NAS: Currently I have 3 1TB drives in my computer and I am using Windows to share the content, we are currently using XBMC to play media across our computers as well as the Ouya and the Apple TV which are both hooked up to TVs. (1 in the living room, the other in the breakfast room/nook) I want to eventually build/buy a NAS, but I have been way too busy at work and I've been spending too much money on going and eating out.. so that needs to change.
  
  
• Last bit of advice I'd have to give, is make everyone do chores or something, it gets dirty very fast at our place with 5 guys living there, 2 dogs, 1 cat(although she is mostly outside), plus friends, girlfriends, and parties also all happening at our place.
  

This one was recommended in a reddit thread a few months ago and I've since bought it and love it!

I don't remember the exact post, but it was some dude in /r/videos who had his car t-boned by a bitch in a PT cruiser when she ran a red. I'm on my phone so maybe someone else knows what I'm talking about and can find it for you.

I was driving down a 2 lane street day before yesterday, someone oncoming decided to cross the yellow divider to pass someone and was coming at me head on, I had to slow down. I also had someone tailgating my ass at the same time. Today I get some fucktard who decides the speed limit is to slow, tailgated me, makes a lane next to me where there isn't one, I honk, he flips me off.. I have been thinking about a dash cam, even put one on my wish list on Amazon. I decided it is a necessity.

http://amzn.com/B00FONBG1A

Order two, one for the front, one for the back. Seriously. I was rear ended near Arlington Cemetery and the guy drove off. Got his plates off of the tape and subsequently made his life hell.

This is the one I use.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FONBG1A?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00

Got a few good footage already. Including this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI3wwKn0LFc

Logitech C920 + 100% Microphone Volume + This sample rate setting = FeelsGoodMan Clap

Porta pro !

Not sure about this being much of a deal.

Motherboard
CPU
RAM

Total is £490; the RAM price was over £200 on amazon so maybe the prices were just elevated a good while ago or they're moving old stock, either way it's been sub £100 all round the web for months now which is where I assume the bulk of the "30% off" comes from. Convenient amazon price history link here

I guess it comes pre-assembled and thus presumably ready to work without flashing the bios for a £30 premium.

3 year warranty is nice too I guess.

I didn't shop around at all though so you can probably find better deals than just double checking the component costs vs amazon.

Hope I didn't miss anything very obvious.

$130 - Sennheiser HD 599 SE Special Edition, Black

$130 - Sennheiser HD 4.50 Special Edition, Bluetooth Wireless Headphone with Active Noise Cancellation, Black

​

$541 - HKC 34'' (3440x1440p) 21:9 Ultrawide 100hz Curved Freesync VA Panel 8ms GTG Rebranded Viotek GN34C, I think it's a Samsung CF791 Panel

$870 - Samsung LC34J791WTNXZA 34" 3440x1440 100Hz QLED 21:9 VA Freesync Thunderbolt 3

$115 - ViewSonic VX2257-MHD 22 Inch 75Hz 2ms 1080p TN

$650 - Samsung 32" QLED 1440p 144Hz HDR 600 WQHD Curved Gaming Monitor Freesync 2 VA

$315 - LG 27GL650F-B 27" 144hz IPS HDR 10 Freesync

$165 - AOPEN 24HC1QR Pbidpx 23.6" 1080p 144hz 1800R Curved FreeSync 4ms VA

$320 - AOPEN 32HC1QUR Pbidpx 31.5" (2560x1440) 144Hz 1800R Curved VA 4ms Freesync Ships within 1-3 months

$260 - ViewSonic VX3276-2K-MHD 32 Inch 1440p IPS Frameless

​

$270 - AMD Ryzen 7 2700X

$765 - AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

​

$200 - Toshiba X300 8TB Hard Drive 7200 RPM 128MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5 Inch

$120 - Toshiba NAS N300 4TB NAS 3.5-Inch Internal Hard Drive- SATA 6 Gb/s 7200 RPM 128MB

$315 - Toshiba NAS N300 10TB NAS 3.5-Inch Internal Hard Drive- SATA 6 Gb/s 7200 RPM 256MB

$80 - Seagate FireCuda 2TB SSHD 2.5 Inch SATA

$57/96/186 - XPG GAMMIX 256/512GB/1TB S11 Pro 3D NAND PCIe NVMe Gen3x4 M.2 2280 SSD

$106 - Crucial P1 1TB 3D NAND NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD

$107 - Crucial BX500 960GB 3D NAND SATA 2.5-Inch Internal SSD

$242 - Crucial MX500 2TB 3D NAND SATA 2.5 Inch SSD

$104 - Toshiba Canvio Advance 4TB Portable External Hard Drive USB 3.0, White

$120 - WD Elements 6TB USB 3.0 External HDD Color Black WDBWLG0060HBK-NESN

$95 - Samsung 860 EVO 500GB 2.5" SATA III SSD

​

$81 - Ballistix Sport LT 16GB Kit (2x8GB) DDR4 3000 MT/s (PC4-24000) CL15 SR Gray

$137 - Ballistix Elite 16GB Kit (8GBx2) DDR4 3600 MT/s (PC4-28800) CL16 SR Ships within 1-2 months

$73 - Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (4x4GB) DDR4 3000 CL16 Black Non-prime, ships within 1-3 months

​

Other Components

$110 - DEEPCOOL Castle 240 RGB Liquid CPU Cooler Non-prime

$170 - Corsair H115i 280mm RGB Platinum AIO Liquid CPU Cooler

$35 - Deepcool RF120 3-Pack 120mm RGB PWM Fans with Fan Hub and Extension Non-prime

$805 - ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 2080 Twin Fan 8GB

$198 - Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO ATX Motherboard

$120 - Corsair RM750x 80 Plus Gold Fully Modular ATX PSU CP-9020179-NA

$170 - Corsair HX850i High Performance 80+ Platinum Fully Modular ATX PSU

$60 - Corsair Fan Controller Commander Pro CL-9011110-WW

​

$33 - Logitech G602 Wireless Gaming Mouse

$40 - Logitech G403 Prodigy Wired Gaming Mouse

$50 - Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB Tunable Gaming Mouse

$50 - Razer DeathAdder Elite: True 16,000 5G Optical Sensor

$64 - SteelSeries Rival 600 Gaming Mouse, 12,000 CPI TrueMove3+ Dual Optical Sensor

$55 - Logitech MX Master 2S Wireless Mouse, Graphite Ships within 1-2 months

$22 - NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch

$25 - HyperX Double Shot Black & White Pudding PBT Keycaps - 104 Mechanical Keycap Set for Cherry MX

$30 - Corsair mm350 Anti-Fray Cloth Gaming Mouse Pad Extended XL

$10.50 - SteelSeries QcK Gaming Surface - Medium Cloth

$23 - SteelSeries QcK Gaming Surface - Medium Hard

$135 - Razer Huntsman: Opto-Mechanical Switch

$55 - Logitech C920 Webcam HD Pro (960-000764)

​

$10.91 - AmazonBasics AAA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries (8-Pack) Pre-charged 850mAh

$12.48 - AmazonBasics AAA Rechargeable Batteries (12-Pack) 800mAh

$18.89 - AmazonBasics AA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries (8-Pack) Pre-charged 2400mAh

$1.49 - Oreos and other snacks :)

Non-mobile link

Nah man, skip the audiophile subreddit. Way too many conflicting opinions. Check out /r/zeos, it's a guy's personal sub with a bunch of recommendations and guides depending on your price range.

I picked up a pair of these and some speaker wire after looking around there and they're the greatest sounding things ever. Super easy to set up too.

WAY too much money you can get one for $50 that works just as well!!!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0719D9YL7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

SSDs are super cheap these days. And M.2 SSDS (PCIE) are like 4-8x faster than SSD :O 500gb for $150 USD? While normal SSD is 70 ish.

Edit: M.2 - https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-960-EVO-Internal-MZ-V6E500BW/dp/B01M20VBU7/ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1550751896&sr=1-5&keywords=m.2&refinements=p_n_feature_three_browse-bin%3A14027459011

Regular SSD - https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1550751937&sr=1-3&keywords=ssd&refinements=p_n_feature_three_browse-bin%3A14027459011

Just going off prices here in Australia. The Logitech's are $129 for the set while those Edifiers are also exactly $129AUD for the set so I think it's a fair comparison.

The Edifers will get down to 75hz while that big clunkly logitech sub will only get a bit further down to 55hz. It also doesn't say where it starts rolling off, pretty sure the Edifiers are -3db at 75hz while the logitechs could be -6db or -10db and still claim it as part of their FR, and given how up front they are about the fake tweeter i'm almost certain that it's not flat down to 55.
I also guarantee you that the bass from that sub will sound like ass, it will be super muddy and boomy because the sub will be filling in for a large section of low end for those satellites. The sub only has an RMS of 24 watts or something so it's going to be distorting like crazy at any loud listening levels.

Your choice is then some nicely designed wooden Edifiers with wireless remote, an additional aux input and a silk dome tweeter that will actually sound good, or an ugly set of black plastic Logitech's with a corded volume knob and big space sucking sub that might make your desk vibrate a bit but will sound awful. For an extra $20 you can get the Edifiers with bluetooth as well.

Welp, looks like you have to set up a public webcam bruh.

http://smile.amazon.com/Logitech-Webcam-Widescreen-Calling-Recording/dp/B006JH8T3S/ref=smi_ge_rl_btns3_setch?_encoding=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0&pldnNewCustomer=1

Parts List & More

Type|Item
:--|:--
Case|IN WIN 101 Mid Tower High Air Flow Gaming Case w/ Tempered Glass Full Size Window (White)
CPU|Intel® Core™ Processor i7-7700K 4.20GHZ 8MB Intel Smart Cache LGA1151 (Kaby Lake)
Case Fan|3x 120mm AZZA Hurricane RGB Fans
CPU Cooler|Thermaltake Floe Riing RGB 240mm Premium Edition Liquid CPU Cooling System w/ Copper Cold Plate (2 x Standard 120MM Fans)
SSD|240GB WD Green Series SATA-III 6 SSD
HDD|Seagate 3TB 64MB Cache 7200RPM SATA III 6.0Gb/s
RAM|XPG Z1 Gaming Series 16GB DDR4-3000 Dual Channel DDR4 Kit, CL16 (2x 8GB), White
Motherboard|ASUS ROG Strix Z270E Gaming ATX w/ RGB, USB 3.1, 3 PCIe x16, 4 PCIe x1, 6 SATA3, 2 M.2 SATA/PCIe
OS|Windows 10 Home (64-bit Edition)
Power Supply|600 Watts - Standard 80 Plus Certified Power Supply - SLI/CrossFireX Ready
Video Card|GeForce® GTX 1060 3GB GDDR5
Monitor|Dell S2415h 24-Inch x 3
Monitor Stand|VIVO Single Stand & VIVO Dual Stand
Headset|Steelseries Arctis 7
Headset Stand|Avantree Universal Aluminum Desk Headphone Stand Hanger with Cable Holder
Keyboard|Logitech K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard
Mouse|Logitech MX Master 2S Wireless Mouse (White)
Webcam|Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920
Plants|Artificial Plants, Amyhomie Set of 4 Mini Fake Succulent Plants
Desk|98x1 1/8" EKBACKEN Kitchen Counter Top resting on two White ALEX Drawers. There's also two OLOV White Adjustable Legs underneath for support.
Laptop|Apple 13" MacBook Air 256GB SSD 2015 Model
Laptop Stand|Vertical Laptop Stand Holder by MOTONG
Laptop Skin|Solid State White Skin by DecalGirl
Mini Fridge|Danby DAR017A3WDB Contemporary Classic Compact All Refrigerator, White
Lamp|Studio Designs 12024 Swing Arm Lamp, 13-watt, White
Lamp Bulb|TP-Link Multicolour Smart LED Bulb
Wallpaper|Nathan Nyx on ArtStation
Wall Scrolls|Tokyo Ghoul, No Game No Life, Attack On Titan, Seven Deadly Sins
Console|Nintendo Switch - Gray Joy-Con
Console Skin|Solid State White by DecalGirl
Controller|Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
Cable Management|Reusable Velcro Cable Ties, 2 x White Cable Raceway Channels, and 2 x White Cable Box
USB Charger|RAVPower 60W 12 A 6-Port USB Charger
Router|Linksys Velop Tri-band Whole Home WiFi Mesh System 2-Pack
Trash Bin|FILUR (White)

Here's all the info:

Head strap replacement

Head strap to HMD adapter Shout out to /u/nw15062 for creating this!

Replacement Face pad: About Face VR (no longer in business)

Headphones: Koss PortaPro Shout out to /u/Mister-S for the original built-in headphones tutorial

Besides that I used a bunch of velcro straps for cable management and plastic velcro to keep the headphones mounted - I'll see if that becomes an issue down the line but it's working fine now.

I saw this after buying another ssd a few hours ago. They are actually pretty cheap. https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1541347208&sr=8-3&keywords=860+evo

I just dealt with this issue myself by using a ground loop isolator on the headphone plug part:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B019393MV2

This actually just arrived about an hour ago and appears to have solved the problem entirely.

My setup now is BoomPro > headphone/mic splitter, headphone plug goes to this isolator which goes to my Monoprice DAC/Amp, mic plug goes to this little USB adapter which made the mic louder and clearer.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NMXY2MO

I was dealing with some noise and volume issues in the mic, and some noise in the headphones, and these two things have fixed both of those and made the mic sound much better. The ground loop isolator cut the headphone volume by about 20% (just guessing, haven't measured anything) but I had plenty of room to turn up my amp to account for that and still am only at like 60% output volume.

This one is only $83 and I haven't had a single problem with it and it has 4.5 stars. I can replace it every year and break even. Everything beyond that is savings.

Edit... messed up the link :http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004XC6GJ0/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00

Did you have to show the footage to the police for their report? People need to learn to drive correctly, not politely. That is so dangerous. Whenever someone starts waving me out, I just pretend to look in my backseat for something or try to wave them on. I'm not pulling across 3-4 lanes of traffic because one person stopped to let me out.

Also, what's your dash cam setup? I've got this one.

These are the drivers used in the Rift:

https://www.amazon.com/Koss-Porta-Pro-Headphones-Silver/dp/B00001P4ZH#immersive-view_1520103964226

Sennheiser HD 598 Cs on Amazon at $99 (60% discount)

Am I missing something or is this the same price on amazon?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=twister_B07P5VF5TL?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I'm really sorry about that. Poor tracking can happen for a few reasons: exceeding bandwidth on your system, incompatible USB ports, of even a non-functional sensor, among other things. Since you seem to have tried the sensors by themselves, I would guess that you are either exceeding the bandwidth, or that your USB 2.0 ports are somehow incompatible. Your best bet is to purchase this add-on card (must be this exact one): https://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Superspeed-Ports-PCI-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM I'd also continue to speak with us on the support ticket in case there is some software component that can be resolved, such as updating USB drivers or disabling a conflicting application. Hope that helps.

I dont think its a USB3 issue, I think it an incompatible USB chipset issue. I had nothing but problems at first, USB3 wouldnt work at all, USB2 worked better but still major issues. I then installed the USB3 PCIe card recommended by valve and ALL issues were solved. I have no problems now at all.

edit: this is the card i got http://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Superspeed-Ports-PCI-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM

I wrote this for another thread on the same subject a while back. The main bottleneck/expense is moving from single processor to dual processor. If I had it to do over (and hadn't come across a 2009 model at a bargain price) I'd get the 2010 chassis. The 2009 model uses a very odd lidless processor design which is unique to that year and complicates upgrading. The 2010's also have faster RAM which means you won't have to buy new RAM to upgrade the processor.

Upgrades:-

• Highpoint Technologies Rocket 640L for SATA 6Gb/ps combined with any SATA SSD.
  
  
• For true speed OWC offer a range of M2 SSD PCIE cards, although these are expensive they will give you current generation SSD speeds. There are plenty of cheap M2 SATA PCIE cards available and the drives themselves are reasonably priced, but many unfortunately can't be used as boot drives in the Mac (NVME issues). MacProSSDOptions offers a list of ones that work.
  
  
• Any recent 9xx and above nVidia card will work with nVidia's web drivers (bloody hard to find, search the Hackintosh sites for current links and ALWAYS upgrade the drivers before you upgrade the OS). I have GTX 970 which drives three monitors happily and offers HDMI out. What you won't get with the non-mac nVidia cards is the grey boot screen, you need a Mac card for that hence the advice I offer about the EFI cards later on. I've run twin 9800 GTX's, an 8800 GT and a GTX 970 in my 2009 model without issues - you just need to make sure the card you buy has 6 pin power connectors on the card itself and you'll need a set of 6 pin PCiE power connectors for the Mac Pro Backplane.
  
  
• If you can find an upgraded processor board and processor for reasonable money a hacked firmware upgrade for the 4,1 to the 5,1 is available, it's a really simple upgrade to perform. This also allows you to use faster 1333 MHz RAM.
  
  
• Inateck Superspeed 4 Ports PCI-E to USB 3.0 Expansion Card for rear facing USB 3.0.
  
  
• An Apple BCM94360CD card and adapter will provide Bluetooth 4 LE, and 802.11 ac connectivity (which provide continuity and handoff).
  
  Advice:-
  
  
• Always keep a Mac EFI graphics card in the machine or handy, I have one of the old GT120's, inevitably when the OS upgrades you'll forget to upgrade the Nvidia web drivers first and that renders the mac useless without an EFI card available.
  
  
• There is plenty of space in the CD drive enclosure for SSDs and other upgrades - they're much more knowledgeable about third party parts and driver issues than the Mac crowd who generally don't deal with these things too much. I've frequently found information there on PCiE SSDs, video drivers, even sound drivers, that I couldn't get help for elsewhere.
  
  
• The dual core 2009 series is the best one of the 2009 models to own, the processors can be upgraded to the point where it comes near the 2013 Mac Pro Geekbench score. If you don't have a dual processor board from the get go then the upgrade to one is very expensive indeed and the parts are hard to find.
  
  
• The 2.66 Ghz 4,1 uses lidless processors (as do all of the other 2009 models) which are impossible to find upgrades for. You will have to convert the board or do the riskiest upgrade of your life in order to use the better processors. Information on the board conversion is hard to find (I'm looking if anyone out there has it!).
  
  
• Lots of helpful information is available at TonyMacx86 and other Hackintosh forums. In my experience they are more knowledgeable about third party hardware and driver issues than the Mac crowd - I had major sound driver issues with Mavericks and they were the only people with a solution.
  
  
• If you can find a 5,1 (2010 tower) at a price you can afford go for that one as it has standard heat shielded processors rather than the lidless version in the 2.66Ghz 4,1 - always check the serial number before you buy as many 5,1 machines are really 4,1's with the hacked firmware.
  

The G1W is pretty much the standard consumer dashcam that is not super expensive, fairly reliable, and films in HD.

I have used one for 2 years now and, other then having to reformat the sd card one time, have had no issues. Turns on and off along with the car, can record for over 8 hours with a 32GB SD card (make sure it's class 10). Over all I have been happy with it. Just make sure you aren't getting some weird knockoff.

For the 2 sensors on the wall above the computer I'm using 10ft USB 3.0 extension cables. For the 3rd camera I'm using a 16.4ft USB 2.0 extension cable, as well as a 6ft USB 3.0 extension cable because the 2.0 cable wasn't long enough. I have all 3 cameras plugged into the same USB controller on the motherboard. Since I'm using a 2.0 extension cable, the 3rd camera is running via USB 2.0.

I'm using a 10ft HDMI extension cable and a 10ft USB 3.0 cable for the headset. The extension cables are electrical taped together and secured to my desk using velcro straps. I have the headset USB plugged into a PCI-E USB card I bought because I was running out of USB ports.

It's worth noting that for the first couple of days, I was getting occasional errors where the it said the headset was disconnected and I would have to unplug the USB and plug it back in. Since moving the headset to the USB on the PCI-E card (off the same controller as the sensors) I have not had this issue or any other issues to speak of.

6ft 3.0 Extension
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CFL6ARO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

16.4ft 2.0 Extension
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KY9M51O/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

10ft 3.0 Extension
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C7SA21U/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

USB PCI-E Expansion Card
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B6ZCNGM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

10ft HDMI Extension
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004C4SECG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I got this one on amazon when i got a newer car because I was afraid of being targeted. http://www.amazon.com/Black-Box-Original-Dashboard-Dash/dp/B00FONBG1A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418303784&sr=8-1&keywords=gw1+dash+cam

I bet you'll be surprised by their quality. Palmer knows audio and he wouldn't let something that isn't half-decent fly. They sorta look like a porta pro driver to me.

I use this modem: http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/

this is my shit right here, shoutout /r/headphones

Best bet for your price range is probably ATH M50x, nice punchy bass while retaining a lot of detail in the rest of the frequency range

The Beyerdynamic DT770 are a little more pricey but worth the extra cash imo, again you get nice deep bass without sacrificing sound quality anywhere else and these bad boys are built like tanks

On the more budget-friendly side of things is the Sony MDR-V6, this is a straight up classic headphone that punches above its price point as far as sound quality goes although I personally would have some reservations about the non-detachable cable

There are a ton of other headphones that fit your general requirements and price range but these are the first three that popped into my mind!

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Box-Original-Dashboard-Dash/dp/B00FONBG1A

I use a G1W, which is a pretty cheap Chinese dashcam. It works great, I typically get about 8-9 hours of recording at 1080. The mount is terrible, and the sound is pretty muffled, but it's cheap and works well. I may upgrade in the future.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FONBG1A/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Great $50 investment. Mine has been running 24/7 for over 2 years now with no issues.

Here is actual footage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITY-pMw7GGc

It records about 12 hours of footage and then starts recording over whatever was recorded 12 hours previously.

At this price I’d just go with 860 EVO for 6 more dollars.
Samsung 860 EVO 500GB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-76E500B/AM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_v1MTBb16M9CQT

Purchased Sennheiser HD 598 CS for Rs. 4999.

Now price is back to Rs. 14990.

EDIT 1: AVAILABLE AGAIN FOR Rs. 4999

EDIT 2: Gone again

first of, stop leasing a modem!
http://www.amazon.com/Arris-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372053573&sr=8-1&keywords=motorola+surfboard+sb6121+docsis+3.0+cable+modem

Hey thanks bro - I'll look for ones that have these specs. /u/K2QJXuGmtcNPKsA8 recommended the G1W and it sounds like it hits all your recommendations.

Friendly reminder to skip those speakers. Logitech doesn't make good speakers.

Something like this pair of Edifiers would make you much happier.

You gotta check out a 2.5 enclosure, just pop in the ssd, connect it to the laptop by usb and clone https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=sata+hdd+enclosure&qid=1568905424&s=gateway&sr=8-5

The Koss PortaPros have been treating me rather well and I believe they come with a lifetime warranty should something break. Really really enjoyable to listen to lossless music with those bad boys and the 35 dollar price tag can't be beat!

I really hope some of you try this - it will blow your mind. It solves the audio problem completely and super effectively. All of the instructions are in the Imgur post.

Here's a link to the headphones:
KOSS KSC75 Headphones

Edit: You can get black ones from Drop! Massdrop KSC75X

And a link to the optional, fancier faux leather ear cups:
Ear Cushion Replacement for Headset, Compatible with Sennheiser Px200

Now I'm going back into VR! Hope to see some of you there.

• Mark
  
  EDIT: I made some cosmetic touches that make it look much better. New pictures HERE

Wall of text ahead. Please, read only if you are really interested...


What I usually recommend when someone ask for advice about gaming headsets is: Gaming headset are crap 99% of the time. They provide very poor sound quality, and any good headphone (literally, even 40$ ones) will sound far better than expensive 300$ headsets. The question is not if headphones are better than headset (the answer is “Hell, YEAH”). The question is, are they better for you?


What are you planning to use your headphones for? Just for gaming, or for gaming and music listening?


If the answer is “just for gaming”, then ask yourself if a Hifi headphone is what you need. Usually games don’t really need high quality headphones, since they provide low quality sound, and you will be more concentrated gaming than listening. In that scenario, everything will serve you, and gaming headsets have the advantage of the integrated microphone.


So, if you want something good for gaming, and just for gaming, with integrated microphone, then the only two headsets with good enough quality sound (aka don’t suck) are:


HyperX Cloud (70$)


Sennheiser G4me One (170$)


Both are good choices. Or go with any fancy RGB headset you find (Logitech, Razer, Corsair, Steelseries, etc), you will most probably don’t notice the difference while gaming.


BUT, if you plan to use them for music listening besides gaming, then keep reading.


Hifi headphones for gaming have the disadvantage of having to deal with the micro thing. None of them have microphone incorporated, and you must either use a desk microphone like this, use a modmic like this one. or if your budget is tight, something like this. The first one requires desk space. The second and third one are detachable micro, with an extra cable you’ll have to deal with. Any of them are a nuisance. Any solution is annoying. All of them are an extra expense that must be accounted. If micro is a must and you are not willing to bother with this solutions, please, go back to HyperX Cloud or G4me One.


Ok, so, you really want some damn good headphones, that also can be used for gaming! Keep reading, please (are you bored yet?).


You can choose Closed back headphones (the classic ones you have already used. Closed back models offer good isolation and do not leak sound. This is your choice when there are people around you, or you want isolation from noisy a environment.) or Open Back headphones (Open back models offer next to no isolation and will leak sound -and allow you to hear what happens around you-, but they are the best sounding models). Open headphones achieve the best sound, soundstage (feeling that sound is coming from around you) and imaging (ability to locate the origin of one sound).


If you are here because you want to get a replacement for a gaming headset, I would recommend you Open back, but since they don’t isolate, you must choose. If isolation is required, get closed back, if that’s not a concern, go open.


Some closed back cans:


Audio-Technica ATH-M40x. 100$. Balanced headphones, very good feedback from lots of people. Typical entry level headphones to the rabbit hole.


Sennheiser HD 598Cs. 125$. Balanced, very very detailed, great instrumental separation. Comfortable as hell, Very recommended.


Beyerdynamic DT770. 160$. V-shaped signature (lots of bass and lots of treble). Great for explosions, movies, and rock. Treble can be harsh if you are sensible. Get the 32 ohm version, as the 80 (may) and 250 (do) need an amplifier to work properly.


Those are some examples of entry-mid level of closed cans. There are lots more, depending of your budget!


As for open cans:


Superlux HD668b. 40$. Those are THE CANS. The best quality for low budget you can get. Hands down. Great soundstage, Bass light. They are not too comfortable, but pads can be changed for a deluxe comfort (extra expense). You are not getting anything better at this price. For gaming in a budget, this are the headphones you were looking for,


Philips SHP9500. 80$. Mid-forward signature. Good soundstage, great comfort. Very detailed. Another amazing quality for the budget headphone.


Sennheiser HD 598 SR. 170$. Very similar to the HD 598Cs, but with open back. Wider soundstage, a little less bass. Very balanced headphones. Super-duper comfortable. Great for long gaming sessions.


Philips Fidelio X2. 250$. V-shaped signature. Those are in another league. Build quality is just.. OMG. Extreme soundstage and imaging. More comfortable than the HD 598. Bass is BOOOOOM!!!. A little pricey, and can be somewhat fatiguing to listen if you are treble sensible, due to high treble.


Well, that’s all. I have selected only headphones that don’t need an amplifier. Now is your turn to research, watch some Youtube videos, read some reviews, and give them a try.


All this headphones are GOOD. No trash here, and all them will make you open your eyes when listening your music if you are coming from standard headsets. You will notice sounds, instruments, that you never realized they were there, even if you had listened this song a thousand times before. Try them, and be amazed.


Welcome to the rabbit hole.

Way better off dishing out $60 more to get one of the best budget 144hz monitors https://www.amazon.com/ViewSonic-XG2401-FreeSync-Monitor-DisplayPort/dp/B01A0ZRR50'

Also has the addition of freesync for any AMD gpu users

NVMe is MUCH faster than Sata SSD. Is that what you're asking?

M.2 is the connection but there are two types of drives that use this port.

One is SATA ssd (6gbs) which is the same speed as a typical 2.5 sata ssd.

But the NVMe (32gbs) is many times faster than that. (It uses PCI bandwidth instead of sata which is part of the reason its so fast.)

Its noticeably faster if you're doing content creation like editing and such. And while it is slightly noticeable in game load times and day-to-day PC use, most people don't feel the extra $$ is worth the upgrade to NVMe. (I am not one of those people lol. I like speeeeeed)

That is exactly what I do. However, it's VERY LIKELY you will get an annoying buzzing sound called a ground loop.


I bought a cheap Ground Loop Isolator to solve it.

Samsung 860 EVO 500GB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-76E500B/AM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fh60AbJWDSR66

$129 warehouse deal...which is usually new/return.

You have to do a lot better than 125 for used ones

Drew uses a lot of stuff I've used or am currently using!

The headphones are the Sony MDR7506, or the Sony MDRV6 and they are ultimately the same thing. I have both, I haven't been able to tell the difference, and from what I've researched, they use the same parts internally, so the only thing different is the cosmetics. I know the Vergecast also uses these headphones in their studio.

While I don't have the Focusrite 2i2 like Drew was using, I do own the Focusrite 18i8 (Gen 1), and the Focusrite 18i20 (Gen 2) and both are phenomenal. They are more expensive than a standard USB Mixer, but the pre-amps make up for some of that cost, plus the ease of use.

I have never used the Shure SM7B, but it's the same microphone that Kinda Funny Games uses. I use the Electro Voice RE20, which is the same Microphone that Giant Bomb West and East uses, as well as, the Vergecast. I would love to hear Drew's opinions on both mics. Both mics are exceptional review-wise and very popular in audio recordings, but having Drew compare the two would have some value.

And just because I have listed all the equipment Drew has used. Here is the Anker 10-Port Hub he was using. Anker is a great brand for USB/Computer accessories. They have an outstanding warranty and customer service department.

Note none of these links are affiliate links, this post was simply to make it easy to find the gear Drew was using.

so these drivers used in these earbuds are what they recon could be what the cv1 comes with... cheap but good specs!

http://www.amazon.com/Koss-KSC75-Portable-Stereophone-Headphones/dp/B0006B486K/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

The KSC75s feature dynamic elements for a wide frequency response from 15-25,000 Hz. A two-millimeter titanium diaphragm coating increases rigidity, which means less distortion and therefore more accurate sound reproduction. Neodymium magnets help deliver greater volume, even with low-voltage portable devices, and oxygen-free copper voice coils improve signal transmission and conduction for cleaner, clearer sound.

Frequency Response: 15-25,000 Hz
Impedance: 60 ohms
Sensitivity: 101 dB SPL/1mW
Distortion: Less Than 0.2%

i had no idea you could get such good earbuds for that price

Hey guys. I am a DJ and have been through my fair share of headphones for professional and personal use. Brands to watch out for are Pioneer, Sennheiser, Shure, Ultimate Ears. Brands to run from (in my experience) are Audio Technica, Yamaha, Sony (mainly on their lower end), weird brands like Coby and JVC, and for godsakes be weary of skullcandy; they may look cool but they are made from exceptionally cheap materials that result in poor build and sound quality.

Finally, it depends what you are looking for: in-ear, cans(over ear or open air), noise canceling etc.


In-Ear:
1-- Sennheiser CX200
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-200-Ear-Canal-bud/dp/B001OIK50C

3-- Shure E2c
http://www.amazon.com/Shure-E2c-Sound-Isolating-Earphones/dp/B0000CE1UO


Open-air:
1-- Koss PortaPros (dorky but amazing sound for $)
http://www.amazon.com/Koss-PortaPro-Headphones-with-Case/dp/B00001P4ZH

2-- Sennheiser PX100
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PX-100-Collapsible-Headphones/dp/B000089GN3

3-- Grado SR60 -- 80 dollars but well worth it -- my favorite but read up on these before you buy
http://www.amazon.com/Grado-60-SR-60-Padded-Headphones/dp/B0006DPMU4


Over-ear:
1- Sennheiser HD-497
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-497-Over-Ear-Headphones-Silver/dp/B000065BPC

hope that helps :)
edited for readability. wtf reddit

Like another comment said, they are most likely a rendering. They look very similar to Kanto and audioengine speakers.
A reasonably priced powered speaker set is made by micca but only comes in black. Micca PB42X Powered Bookshelf Speakers (Pair) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NXAEPDC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_ZOZ1wbMEPN3GH

While technically correct for the most part, this comment seems to be exaggerating things a bit. You only need three USB ports for Rift out of the box, a fourth port only if you buy a third optional sensor. You don't need a usb2.0 at all, you can run headset and two sensors on usb 3.0 fine and if you buy a forth sensor it will automatically downgrade it to a usb2.0 with the included extension cable it comes with.A $20 pci usb card can be purchased if there are any USB issues at all. Stating HDMI"1.3" as if it would be any different than any HDMI that would ship on a compatible graphics card is also a bit intimidating to those who would think '1.3' is something different. If your newer card happens to only have display-port (rare), or you are already using HDMI for your monitor and you don't have a second HDMI out, you can use an adapter to go displayport to hdmi to either the monitor or Rift.

For most people its only the $160+ graphics card that is the main upgrade needed.

​

​

ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q 27 inch gsync IPS 2k monitor for 450 plus tax 4 left: https://www.amazon.com/PG279Q-2560x1440-G-SYNC-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B017EVR2VM/ref=sr_1_2?m=A2L77EE7U53NWQ&s=warehouse-deals&ie=UTF8&qid=1542641106&sr=8-2&keywords=gsync

Dead- Samsung evo 860- 59 plus tax https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=sr_1_cc_1?m=A2L77EE7U53NWQ&s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1542641251&sr=8-1-catcorr&keywords=evo+860

This or the ViewSonic XG2401 at $208?

I agree with the other comments here, don't worry about spending more to get more. If you haven't heard decent headphones (designed for the sound quality not the looks or marketing) then something cheaper will still be impressive.

Here are some recommendations to get you started:

Open Back

• Superlux HD681 $28
  
• Phillips SHP9500 $74
  
• Sennheiser HD598se $158
  
  Closed Back
  
  
• Monoprice 8323 $30
  
• Audio Technica M40x $99
  
• Sennheiser HD598Cs $128
  
  Open back is a headphone that allows sound to leak out and lets noise around you in. Closed back isolates you from surrounding noises and prevents noise from leaking out. If you will only be using these at home I would recommend open back. They generally sound better for the price.

$40? Sounds like a set of Samson SR850 will be the best thing you can get your kid.

https://www.amazon.com/Samson-SR850-Semi-Open-Back-Reference-Headphones/dp/B002LBSEQS/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1525894323&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=Samson+SR850&psc=1

They are going to be far superior to any Beats or Skullcandy offering. They also look way better too (IMO.)

If you're just picking out what looks coolest, you're going to be replacing them often, as those particular brands aren't well known for quality of sound, or durability of construction.\




There's also the Koss PortaPro ( https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-koss-porta-pro-x-headphones ) , Koss KSC75 (https://www.amazon.com/Koss-KSC75-Portable-Stereophone-Headphones/dp/B0006B486K/ref=sr_1_7?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1525894494&sr=1-7&keywords=Koss+portapro ) , Sennheiser HD206 ( https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-206-Closed-Back-Headphones/dp/B06X92G8HG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525894606&sr=8-1&keywords=sennheiser+hd206), Monoprice 8323 (https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=8323&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8IqH4LD52gIVHLjACh1L1Am4EAQYASABEgJxY_D_BwE),


for headsets (headphones with an included mic): Logitech G230, is a good low-budget option.

For ~$40 go for Koss Portapros. They have great sound for the value plus they come with Koss' Lifetime Warranty. I've had them for almost a year and swear by them.

[This is what I would get.] (https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDRV6-Studio-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00001WRSJ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1511314735&sr=8-4&keywords=sony+studio+monitor+headphones)

Rock solid for the price.

Hello hopefuls, lurkers, and alumni! Rather than give each video a critique I'm just going to list some tips that will help everyone in the long run. These tips do not apply to any single person in particular and every one of them can be used to improve a performance in some way shape or form, those who have a mastery in all of them tend to go far.

1. Overlay Your Videos - Find a good quality version of your song that fits the theme, and edit your video in an video editing program (I use Windows Movie Maker for example) so the audio from your video is muted and the music is what plays over the footage. This has been a staple since week 5 of season 1 and is an absolute must if you want to do well.
   
   
2. Camera Quality - Now not everyone can afford an amazing camera ready to make Hollywood quality videos, I understand that. However if your camera can't keep up with you moving slowly, it's not going to be keeping up with your mouth either. I personally filmed my first few videos of season 1 with this before upgrading to this and then finally recently to this. You don't need to have the most amazing camera in the world but you do need one that is going to capture your performance in a quality that lets people see you werk it.
   
   
3. Emoting - Close your eyes, listen to your song, then listen to it again, then listen to it again, then listen to it again. Reread the lyrics, then reread them again. Get a real understanding of the song you want to perform and feel it out. Nothing causes a disconnect more than someone doing backflips and pirouettes to Natural Woman, and nobody wants to be the Kenya Michaels of that situation. However, on the other hand. You don't want to be completely still during an upbeat song that you can work the house down. Also use your face, don't be afraid to use your face. Are you feeling terrible, show it to me in your eyes. Happy? Throw a grin around that chin. Whatever the song calls for let it all out just keep it within the constraints of the song. Over emoting can hurt you just as much as under emoting.
   
   
4. Enunciation/Learning Your Lyrics - You can know the lyrics front to back, back to front, left to right but if you don't enunciate them properly what's the point? Now I'm always a fan of going above and beyond with enunciation for entertainment value but I understand that's not exactly everyones gig. What I WILL tell you however is that you do infact have to over enunciate at least a little. You're not actually singing, if you were to just move your mouth as if you were it doesn't get the point across as well as overenunication does. A little bit goes a long way and it really gives that extra punch to your lyrics. Also rather than syncing the way you'd sing the song, actually listen to the person singing, mimic their breath patterns, listen to how THEY pronounce the word rather than how you do.
   
   
5. Audience Connection - This one is going to be short, make and keep eye contact with your camera. Flirt with it a bit, the camera is your window to the audience and while you can't actually interact with them you can make them feel as if you are.
   
   
6. Reacting to Critique- Now every week your videos are going to be watched by a large pool of people, some of these people may choose to critique you. Largely whether or not you listen to their tips for improvement is up to you, however be forewarned that while it is 100% your choice to follow tips, it could shoot you in the foot regardless of whether or listen or not. Be smart about it, also try not to take them to heart, not everyone is going to love all of your videos, and not everyone is going to hate all of your videos. Just be proud of the work you put in and do it for you, have fun with it, learn from it, keep expressing yourself.
   
   
7. Dancing - Now if you are doing a song with rhythm, feel free to dance. You don't know how to dance? No problem either! Be creative, use the pauses and beats to your advantage. HOWEVER this is first and foremost a LIP SYNC competition. It helps to keep your fancy moves that could obscure your mouth to perhaps spots where there are no lyrics. If I can't see your mouth I don't know how well you're lip syncing. Find your balance, and run with it. In terms of non dance movement, hitting a beat with a quick arm movement or facial expression can really elevate a performance.
   
   
8. Have a Look - This is the last thing I can think of off the top of my head. Having a look or costume to go with the song you picked not only shows effort but can keep the video very engaging. Now obviously not everyone has access to tons of costumes, wardrobe, wigs and accessories so don't be afraid to get crafty. For example back in season 2 zoomyx made wigs out of yarn! Competitor Sailor Evan in season 1 is known for his viral construction paper Sailor Moon outfits. Even a simple t-shirt and some rudimentary makeup can be turned into a look that helps you tell a story with your video.
   
   
9. Filming Camera Angle Orientation - If you film on your phone, don't film in portrait mode. It cuts a lot out of the video and while you may have more room up and down to work with you lose a lot of room to your left and right, it also can be very distracting and take away from what otherwise be an absolutely stellar performance.
   
   Overall these tips can and WILL help you in the long run, I wish you all the best and good luck!
   
   Now with all that said I'm now going to reveal the 6 people I voted for in no particular order.
   
   /u/BitchEva /u/mtd1988 /u/Kamui_Gr /u/itsbrohan and I don't know Sheba Maneater or Lady T's reddit names.
   
   Now good luck, and don't fuck it up
   
   Edit: SECRET TIP NUMBER 10! Carrion Threads - If you don't get in or didn't audition but want to still participate, make a video and post it in the Carrion Threads! These threads are named after April Carrion from Season 6 of RuPaul's Drag Race, after she was eliminated she would post the runway looks for each theme that she brought to the show on her social media. In the spirit of that you guys can follow along in them and they're great practice to really hone your skills for next year! Stick around and lip sync with us!

This isn't directly related, but you can buy a Logitech webcam that will record video to your computer hard drive any time there is movement in the room. It might help you sleep easier at night. Just remember to disable the webcam light when it records. ;)

I would suggest the latest model 8 downstream channel model. Just so you won't have to upgrade agian for several years to a decade.

http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6141-DOCSIS/dp/B00AJHDZSI

Edit 1;

Well I just found an even newer model not listed in my search for some reason.

Here is the full list to make is simple for everyone:

4 channel http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0

8 channel http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6141-DOCSIS/dp/B00AJHDZSI

Here is the latest 16 channel now available good for up to 700 Mbps or a couple hundred if they are capping channels. http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6183-DOCSIS/dp/B00MA5U1FW

Edit 2;

Fixed my links that weren't working and updated to the smile charity option.

If you have a digital phone service through your cable company you'll need this unit. Just make sure your company supports this unit before buying it. Check out the comments, questions, & reviews on the page for more information.

Arris TM822G Touchstone® DOCSIS 3.0 8x4 Ultra-High Speed Telephony Modem:

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00721TUNS

One huge thing for me was stopping myself (and my parents) from spending ~$10/month on a cable internet modem rental through Comcast. If anyone has comcast I highly recommend you just get one of these (they are very highly rated):

For internet speeds less than ~150mbps: http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6121-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449495356&sr=8-1&keywords=motorola+sb+6121

For internet speeds greater than ~150mbps: http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00AJHDZSI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449495487&sr=8-1&keywords=motorola+sb6141

NOTE: If they are close in price whenever you look at these amazon links, get the sb6141. It'll future proof you for a few years at least.

I got tired of losing flash drives and put a couple ssd's in external enclosures likes this

Here is one that my squad and I have zero issues with. Works like a charm.

Silicon Power 256GB SSD 3D NAND A55 SLC Cache Performance Boost SATA III 2.5" 7mm (0.28") Internal Solid State Drive (SP256GBSS3A55S25) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RJS55D/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_gs0SCbBVK5W2M


And here is the case

Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool-Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Cs0SCb5R6QZQ8

For that amount of money you should be able to get a U-Turn, a preamp and a set of cheap powered speakers.

If you want something even better you can look at used equipment, although I understand giving used stuff for Christmas might not be desirable for all.

EDIT: A system could look something like this:

• U-Turn Orbit turntable - $179
  
• Art DJ Pre II phono preamp - $29
  
• M-Audio Studiophile AV 30 powered speakers - $76
  
  or if you can stetch the budget a bit
  
  
• Micca PB42X powered speakers - $120.
  
  That'd be a total of $284 (with M-Audio) or $328 (with Micca) (excl. potential shipping cost). Much better investment than the all-in-one system. It will sound MUCH better and last your gf MUCH longer. And as an extra bonus she can upgrade individual parts if she decides she wants to gradually upgrade later on - something which is more or less impossible (or at least impractical) with the all-in-one-system.

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FONBG1A

I'm a trucker and use one of these.

Price Match with Fry's.

BestBuy Link

Talk to CS and ask em if they can. It's a long shot since they are sold out but would be nice

Model: 960-000764

SKU: 4612476

Route 2: go here (Amazon)

Ctrl+F "Lower price" and shoot em the link and they might match it.

Price dropped from $50 to $40 on Amazon, Neat.

The last time they had this, most of the products sold out within hours. Here are some of the best deals:

Logitech G602 Wireless Gaming Mouse with 250 Hour Battery Life $44.99: Amazing mouse with a battery that never dies, I own one and would not go back to wired ever again.

Logitech G510s Gaming Keyboard $59.99: A feature non-mechanical keyboard for someone more interested in looks, and their display system. Also has different colored RGB backlighting, something that is just now coming to mechanical keyboards.

Logitech Gamepad F310 $12.50: A great wired gamepad, makes any racing or indy game feel much better.

Logitech Wireless Gaming Headset G930 with 7.1 Surround Sound $69.99: Wireless with 7.1, looks great, and has a lot of positive reviews. Costs as much on sale as the G430 is full price.

Logitech Wireless All-In-One Keyboard TK820 with Built-In Touchpad $49.99: One of their new products, makes for couch browsing a lot easier.

The classic standby for me is the Koss PortaPro. They sound fantastic, are more portable than over-the-ear headphones, and are criminally cheap.

Koss Portapros. They look goofy as hell but they've been around forever for a reason.

Thanks for all the replies!! My OCD took over, and I compiled a list of every single pair mentioned by someone who uses them to sleep in. In this thread and the one I posted on r/AudioEngineering Check 'em out.


Acoustic Sheep SleepPhones - $40 for standard, $100 for wireless.

Pillow Sonic Pillow Speaker - $15

BedPhones - $54

Koss SparkPlug - $16

Senn HD280 - $100

PSC Softies Headphone Cover - $18

Beyer 770 - $230

Beyer 990 - $265

Bose QC15 - $270

Bose QC20 - $300

Shure SE215-K - $97

Shure SE315-K - $200

Shure SE535 - $440

Aurisonics Rockets - $100ish

Vsonic GR07BE - $130

Klipsch S4 - $120

HIFI Man RE-400 - $100

RHA MA750 - $120

sony 7506 - $85

Philips SHE3590GY/28 - $10

Koss KSC75 - $15

Ear Hero - $150

Sensaphonics 2max - $850

Literally any 2.5" SATA drive would work-- HDD, SSD, or SSHD of any brand.


Unless you actually need that 1TB of space at that cheap of a price, definitely get an SSD instead. 500GB for <$90 is a steal for the performance difference.


https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1539620546&sr=1-3&keywords=500gb+ssd


Also, while you're in there... I'd suggest taking the below preventative measure for your SATA cable while you're at it. The 2009-2012 models are bad about cables failing from the bends and/or the ribbon shorting out against the chassis, and replacing drives/moving this cable seems to make it way more temperamental no matter how careful you are.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Amg5w0rlwDo

Most of the good stuff is gone I assume, there are some really good deals on monitors, an unlocked S9. I looked through basically everything electronics.

PG279Q, if you're willing to take risks you can get a 165hz IPS 27" 1440p for sub $500, but I'm willing to bet the lower condition ones have dead pixels or something. Personally I'd aim for ones marked 'Very good' but regardless it's well below the ATL.

Link for the Canucks,
Sennheiser HD 598 Cs Closed Back Headphone $109.99

If anyone is interested in doing their part, I've been using this one for about six months. Works great, footage is clean and clear, and I never have to mess with it.

Got my first holy shit near-miss with a fuckwit this morning, and of course the armchair driving specialists of /r/houston are tearing it up ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

A Black Box G1W + 32 GB memory card. It's pretty affordable and has ok quality.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Box-Original-Dashboard-Dash/dp/B00FONBG1A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412867811&sr=8-1&keywords=G1W

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Box-Original-Dashboard-Dash/dp/B00FONBG1A

I highly recommend this camera. Sometimes it goes on sale as low as the $30s. Grab a microSD card too and you're set.

Disclaimer it's by no means the best, but it's consistently ranked one of the best value dash cams online. You can spend more and get better night vision or a backward dash though but you're getting into the $130-250 range. Some dashcams will turn on via motion sensor if your car gets bumped while parked.

Logistically if you're wondering, it plugs into USB which I have plugged into the cigarette lighter output via a small adapter. Camera turns on when car starts and off a few mins after you park your car. Footage wise it eventually just loops and tapes over the oldest footage

Any recommendations? I got this Black Box G1W Original Dashboard Dash Cam a while back but it died after a couple of months. Kinda disappointed by this "#1 best seller"

This is the dashcam: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FONBG1A

And I got this SD card per the recommendations I got from the reviews: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004G7D0EG

The camera is pretty awesome. It's motion detecting, so it begins recording automatically once I start driving, but it will turn the display off after a little bit to help prevent distractions. It also comes with a 12V socket adapter, which I use.

Rift S is a nice pickup and the natural progression looking to move up from PSVR. Your PC specs are great for VR, and it will be a massive improvement from PSVR in all areas.


You may want to consider a RiftS-dedicated pci-e usb3 card for your PC to ensure optimal bandwidth and power is delivered to the Rift S such as below; this will improve performance and reliability. Most motherboard chipsets are not up to the task in this regard, so it's a great $20 investment many overlook. The one linked is known to be one of the best performers for Rift S. Note if you do get this don't install the inateck drivers, just use the Microsoft ones that auto load after installation: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B6ZCNGM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_OVPxDbTW1ZJ2E

Rift CV1 > OG Vive in:

Angular resolution - ~20% higher

Optical clarity (Vive only clear when looking straight forward; Rift clear almost edge-to-edge)

Ergonomics (improved with $100 Deluxe Audio Strap; Vive still almost twice as front-heavy)

Audio (fixed by DAS)

Controllers

Software platform (Home, Dash, ASW 2.0 - all more feature rich & polished than SteamVR-equivalents)

Game support (Oculus natively, SteamVR supported, SteamVR games run like native Oculus with OpenComposite; Vive has SteamVR natively, can access Oculus games via ReVive)

Performance (Vive renders at 3024x1680 @ 90Hz; Rift at 2688x1600@90 - 18% heavier GPU load per frame on a Vive)

A Vive is not an upgrade from a CV1. It's the complete opposite. It has a bit larger FOV (110x113 degrees; Rift 94x93) & an easier room scale setup (2 base stations need to be securely mounted to sturdy surface capable of absorbing vibrations, require 2 power outlets; for roomscale Rift needs 3 sensors @ 2x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0 + headset's USB 3.0; USB clusterfuck solvable by $23 PCIe USB expansion card (UK, Canada, Germany, France) - it loses in just about everything else.

That $200 Vive + $100 DAS is five times more expensive than the $60 Rift, 2,5x more expensive if you add a $60 sensor (which you can get here). If you already have the CV1, switching would be lunacy.

Edifier Speaker sale (26%-30% off):

• Edifier R1280T - $87.49
  
• Edifier R1010BT - $61.99
  
• Edifier R1280DB - $113.74
  
• Edifier R1850DB - $174.99
  
• Edifier R980T - $71.99
  
  Edit - sound tests:
  
  
• R1280T vs R1280DB
  
• R1010TB vs R1700BT
  
• R1850DB vs R1280DB
  
• R980T - Not English but best I could find

If your budget is $100 then I believe you can do better than the Razer speakers. I would suggest either these Edefier or Logitech speakers. Unless he is only looking for aesthetics, these speakers will sound so much better. I would suggest the Logitech ones as the best though, they even come with a subwoofer.

If you're okay with mildly worse microphone quality and mostly want to listen to music you can always buy this tiny bluetooth audio receiver for $15, and then get this pair of Koss headphones for $15, and just put them in your helmet lol. Those Koss headphones the best you can get for that price range and punch way above their weight, and will beat any motorcycle branded set for sure. They can also get loud enough that they need to be turned down on the highway.

You just take the ear hooks off the headphones, then replace your helmet ear pads with the headphones and do some cable management underneath the helmet padding so that you can hook up the headphones to the bluetooth receiver. You can secure the receiver with a piece of velcro anywhere you want, I've got it secured underneath my chin so I can tap the buttons. You can also secure the headphones with velcro if you need. Whole project costs barely over $30. Microphone audio isn't even that bad, I just have to mount it inside my helmet to reduce most of the wind noise. I've been using this setup for over 2 years now, and the receiver will outlast my phones battery, I don't even know how long because I've never managed it use it up within a day before, but it claims 15 hours.

I bought this one

It has worked flawlessly for me.

The solution to this is simple. Buy a $70 DOCSIS 3.0 modem and a $120 or less wireless router. Return your equipment to Comcast and KEEP THE RECEIPT.

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

Get that, you wont be disappointed.

I don't know about you guys but Koss porta pros are where its at. Life time warranty, amazing sound quality and durability. They usually break on me once a year and I use them everyday all day.

http://www.amazon.com/Koss-PortaPro-Headphones-with-Case/dp/B00001P4ZH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416101371&sr=8-1&keywords=koss+porta-pro+headphones&pebp=1416101349222

To whoever said 'even beats broke down on me' etc... beats are shitty headphones.

In case you weren't aware, iPads can use any headphones. You don't need to use headphones that are specifically made for Apple or iPads.

So you probably are going to want to figure out how much you want to spend and what style of headphones you want. Then you might want just to go to Amazon and see which ones are well reviewed in your price range.

.

And not everyone finds earbuds comfortable. He may prefer a different type. For example, the Koss PortoPro are well reviewed and extremely comfortable. However they don't do a good job blocking out background noise and they will leak sound if they volume is turned up loud. So depending on how he uses them, they may not be a good choice.

Okay. What I am going to recommend is two sets of headphones. One for nice, comfy, multi-hour home listening in front of the computer, and another set for when you're on the go. All of these sound good without any amplification.

Full-Size, Home Listening

• Audio Technica ATH-AD700 - nice, mid-level offering. Wonderful, open sound and definitely the #1 most comfortable headphones I have ever owned. These are fairly large, this is what they look like on me. They are reasonably light, and the design is completely open. You will hear sounds around you and if someone is sitting next to you, they will hear some of your music (or all of it, if you have the volume cranked). The pads are fuzzy and comfortable. Highly recommended for electronic music, chamber pieces, acoustic guitar and piano... well, just about everything. (~$100)
  
  
• Sennheiser HD-280 Pro - These are the heavyweight champions of the $50-$100 price range. Headfi (a major audiophile community) loves these things. So do I. Comfortable, with fantastic bass response and great isolation. Built like a tank - I DJ'd for quite awhile and my set is still going strong despite being dropped, stepped on, thrown in road cases, etc. The ear cups also rotate reasonably freely to allow them to fold "flat" and be tossed in a backpack. The pads on these are that pleather material which could cause a little bit of sweat, but nothing to really complain about. Excellent sound, overall, but particularly suited to drum n bass, dubstep, industrial, goa and other genres of trance and electronic dance music. My pair is actually in my lab at work, at the moment, so no photo of them, sorry! (~$90)
  
  
• Audio Technica M50S - Foldable, easy to toss in a bag. These are what I moved to after using the 280 Pro's for several years. Very smooth sound with a pretty surprising bass range. Definitely out-performed the 280's in some pieces of music when it came to the low range. Again, smooth, balanced sound overall. Great isolation on par with the 280's. The soundstage isn't as good as the AD700's, since these are closed headphones, otherwise I'd totally recommend these, flat out. These beat the Monster Beats Studio, hands down, for a third of the price. <3 Bass (~$120)
  
  Portables
  
  
• Koss Portapro - These things are classics for a reason. Very, very highly recommended by a ton of people. Comfortable, portable, built well, and excellent sound for the price bracket they are in. Unique styling. Those temple pads you see keep the pressure from the earpieces from becoming fatiguing on your ears. I've forgotton that I was wearing them on several occasions and tried to put on my hat over them. If you're cool with the style, I really recommend these. (~$40)
  
  
• Grado SR60i - I love Grados. They have a really classic look, they are very comfortable, and they have solid sound. More suited to articulate, dynamic music. Not a ton of bass. Would recommend these for home use as well, actually. If you want, you can step up to the SR80i, but I don't feel like you will hear too great a difference, out of an iPod or an onboard soundcard. (~$70-$100)
  
  
  Note: the Amazon links above are using my affiliate ID. What this means is that if you purchase a set through those links, Amazon gives me 4-6% of the purchase price as a commission. The price you pay is not affected in any way - that commission comes out of their end. You don't have to use those links, you can search Amazon for any of the models above. And by all means, you don't have to buy through Amazon.

Right now they are $15 USD on amazon

1. You're going to need a capture card to record your video from your console. Look at Elgato or Hauppauge
   
   
2. Of course you'll need a Camera to record your face-cam, any one will do. Logitech is popular for these.
   
   
3. Okay so you've recorded all your footage, now what? Pop that footage into a video editing program like Adobe Premiere and get to work. Crop out the parts of the game capture you don't want, layer them over your face-cam recordings, and boom. There are dozens of tutorials on how to crop footage, basic editing, etc.
   
   
4. Render that shit.
   
   
5. Upload it to YouTube and prepare to not be able to monetize the video you spent all that time making.

It's an oldie but a goody. Logitech C920

I think it's pretty decent, records in 1080p, can use for streaming and web calls. Has a pretty decent focus ability.

But again, it's an older model, maybe there's better new versions?

I didn't know you could do that!

Send it to me, please!

Oh wait, it's not mine!

PS: looks like you may need to replace SSD cable when you upgrade:

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Mid+2012+Hard+Drive+Cable+Replacement/10379

Recommend the Crucial or a Samsung 2.5:

https://www.macbookproslow.com/best-solid-state-drive-upgrade/

You don't need the Samsung pro.

This is very cheap compared to what it cost last year:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=twister_B079P94LLX?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

OK just to be certain, this is the same SSD as featured here correct?

Is the HOLIDAY18 a one-time use promo?

That's unfortunate because in the US, the difference is still big but not nearly as big ($200 difference).

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236466

https://www.amazon.com/PG279Q-2560x1440-G-SYNC-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B017EVR2VM

Do these use the same panel? One is 144hz, and the other is 165Hz.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | AMD - Threadripper 1950X 3.4GHz 16-Core Processor | $799.00 @ Amazon
CPU Cooler | NZXT - Kraken X62 Rev 2 98.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler | $148.89 @ SuperBiiz
Motherboard | ASRock - Fatal1ty X399 Professional Gaming ATX TR4 Motherboard | $349.99 @ Newegg
Memory | G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory | $394.99 @ Newegg
Storage | SanDisk - Ultra II 960GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $279.99 @ Amazon
Storage | Samsung - 960 EVO 1TB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive | $447.30 @ Amazon
Video Card | MSI - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB SEA HAWK X Video Card | $804.98 @ Newegg
Case | NZXT - S340 (Black/Red) ATX Mid Tower Case | $54.99 @ Newegg
Power Supply | EVGA - SuperNOVA P2 850W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $134.89 @ OutletPC
UHD Blu-ray | Buffalo BRUHD-PU3 | ￥ 12,800 @ Amazon.co.jp
Operating System | Microsoft - Windows 10 Pro OEM 64-bit | $135.88 @ OutletPC
Monitor | Alienware 34 Curved Gaming Monitor AW3418DW | $999.99 @ Dell
Speakers | [Edifier R1280T Powered Bookshelf Speakers] (https://www.amazon.com/Edifier-R1280T-Powered-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B016P9HJIA) | $99.99 @ Amazon
Microphone | [Blue Yeti USB Microphone] (https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Yeti-USB-Microphone-Silver/dp/B01LY6Z2M6) | $89.99 @ Amazon
Headphones | [Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO 80 Ohm] (https://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-770-closed-Studio-Headphone/dp/B0016MNAAI) | $159.00 @ Amazon
DAC | [JDS Labs Objective2 + ODAC Amp] (https://www.jdslabs.com/products/48/objective2-odac-combo-revb/) | $279.00 @ JDSLabs
Keyboard | [Microsoft Natural Keyboard 4000] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000A6PPOK) | $29.99 @ Amazon
Mouse | [Microsoft Classic Intellimouse] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076C75X1T) | $39.99 @ Amazon
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $5458.78
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-11-23 19:37 EST-0500 |

Notepad runs really fast now.

Both the Rift and Vive have their pros and cons, I have both and here is my cut and paste summary of just some of the comparative factors people may consider, as the topic has already been done to death:

The standard 2 forward facing camera Touch tracking has some FOV and distance related Touch occlusion, so a 3rd camera really is recommended for genuine roomscale.

The official Oculus experimental guide for 2 camera 360 degree tracking is here: https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/t39.2365-6/15397552_232732683816172_4121045365602385920_n.pdf

The recommended Oculus play area for diagonally opposed 360 tracking use is only 1.5M x 1.5M, with the cameras 2M apart.

To put that into some comparative context HTC recommends 2M x 1.5M as the minimum for the Vive 2 base station room-scale setup, with 3.55M x 3.55M being the recommended. People such as myself have tested Lighthouse out to nearly 10M, though that is pushing the envelope given how Lighthouse operates, see here for details: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75ZytcYANTA

The standard Rift HMD cable length is also a limiting factor for large roomscale use. By comparison my Vive tracked volume is 8Mx4M and the included HMD cable lets you take advantage of that space with a computer located halfway down the long side.

Some are reporting that hardware/cable issues can affect Touch tracking: https://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comments/5hbxxg/anyone_having_controller_warpingtracking_loss/db06gvm/

It took me a lot of fiddling to work out which USB ports gave the best results with my Rift, and still be able to use all the peripherals that go with my 3DOf compact motion simulator. I have yet to resolve all my Rift USB issues, with some visual jumps and persistent disconnects after a random period of time. A new Inateck card, as recommended by Oculus, is on its way (note some are still reporting issues, even with the recommended card): https://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Superspeed-Ports-PCI-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM

Here is a list of additional hardware and cables that may been needed for full Oculus roomscale:

For Sensors:

1x Additional Sensor: https://www3.oculus.com/en-us/rift/
2x Monoprice 15-Feet USB 2.0 Extension: http://a.co/1uRWG3A
2x Security Wall Mount- Adjustable Indoor/Outdoor Mount: http://a.co/5ZQxIal
Inateck Superspeed 7 Ports PCI-E to USB 3.0 Expansion Card: http://a.co/gFqRg0x

For HMD:

Cable Matters High Speed HDMI 10-Feet Extension Cable: http://a.co/9mBQCrU
Cable Matters SuperSpeed USB 3.0 10-Feet Extension Cable: http://a.co/6Q1kIKd

Touch does a pretty good job at simulating hands in VR. The Vive wands are great as things like guns and swords, both have their place.

I do a lot of public demos and to be honest the rift is far more problematic with cable management, USB related issues and setup time/issues, in comparison I can set up the Vive at schools and NGO offices in 15 minutes or less, including booting the computer and running the calibration setup.

In terms of other factors the world scale of the Rift is slightly larger in things like Longbow, which actually makes hitting things easier.

The Rift has less screen door effect but the god rays are significantly worse.

The Vive sweet spot is not as large or sharp.

The stereo overlap in the Rift is more noticeable.

The Rift has quality built in headphones and microphone, while the Vive has a built in camera but a poorer microphone.

The Vive has cutouts in the foam and accommodates glasses better.

Cost comparisons need to take in applicable shipping and taxes, the possible need for additional tracking cameras, compatible usb hardware, usb and hdmi cable extensions.

Oculus has ATS and ASW, SteamVR has ATW-reprojection but also allows Oculus ATS/ASW via the Oculus SDK: https://steamcommunity.com/app/250820/discussions/0/305510202679681031/

Other extraneous factors to take into account include business practices, your room space and game play preferences, the shape of your head or any eyesight issues.

I have had the odd crash on Steam, but it is pretty rare, I have had far more significant issues with things like processing a refund via Oculus Help, which then bricked Medium and that took a week to sort out. So I think it fair to say both store fronts have their features, limitations and problems.

Personally I have found there is less difference between the HMDs than there is between individual users, based on having done thousands of public demos.

Well, if you have a free PCI-E port on your motherboard an Inateck 3.0 USB card will do the trick.


Here is the one I use: https://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Superspeed-Ports-PCI-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM

For the first story I recommend a dashboard camera. Might save your ass in court if someone cuts you off and brake checks you like that.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Box-Original-Dashboard-Dash/dp/B00FONBG1A

Or http://www.amazon.com/G1W-C-1080P-H-264-Capacitor-Model/dp/B00JJ3SQRI if you live somewhere hot. Same camera but has a capacitor, which is more resistant to heat than batteries, but it doesn't stay on long when the car is off.

The G1W is highly recommended if you just want a basic cheap dashcam that records at 1080p. There are other more expensive cameras with more features but that's up to you. I have the G1W-C, the capacitor one. Works great.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FONBG1A/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

its cheap, and its good. it took 4 weeks to get to me though.

I think SSDs are cheap enough now that for a 1tb you'd be better off getting something like this https://www.amazon.com/Silicon-Power-Performance-Internal-SP001TBSS3A55S25/dp/B07B4G19X3/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=1tb+ssd&qid=1559335102&s=electronics&sr=1-6-spell

About the same cost as your 2 drives together and 240GB less storage, but you'll enjoy fitting that many games on the SSD. Plus by the time you run out of space, you might have the cash to upgrade to an M.2 SSD

​

​

Edit: Also, I'd go for something like this for RAM

https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-3200MHz-Desktop-Memory/dp/B0143UM4TC/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2GS78Z9KL72RH&keywords=3200+mhz+ddr4&qid=1559335538&s=electronics&sprefix=3200%2Celectronics%2C165&sr=1-3

Ryzen likes fast RAM, and most people consider 3200Mhz to be the minimum to consider buying. Also priced similar to the kit you have listed.

Not sure what conflicting answers you speak of.

Any modern/new SSD of 256GB or more will suffice. Whether that's an internal or external is up to you. An internal will need an adapter that transfers it's connection to USB 3.


Name brands MAY last longer than a cheap off brand, but the data in test results doesn't really support that. I use an external Samsung T5 but only because I got it for a birthday present. Most of my friends have Amazon specials that cost far less and so far have given the same results in PUBG.

Recommended:

https://www.amazon.com/Silicon-Power-Performance-Internal-SP256GBSS3A55S25/dp/B075RJS55D/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=ssd+256gb&qid=1558678862&s=pc&sprefix=ssd+256&sr=1-3


https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=pd_aw_fbt_147_img_3/139-8676850-0599245?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00OJ3UJ2S&pd_rd_r=2d362e9e-7dec-11e9-8740-41568e48106d&pd_rd_w=YUiIL&pd_rd_wg=4ofBA&pf_rd_p=3ecc74bd-d08f-44bd-96f3-d0c2b89f563a&pf_rd_r=PYHDBFYYVZTD6HQWT0GG&psc=1&refRID=PYHDBFYYVZTD6HQWT0GG

I bought this SSD for just over $30 Silicon Power 256GB SSD 3D NAND... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RJS55D?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

And then this case all for under $50 Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Totally worth it in my opinion. Buildings and weapons are loaded in when I drop on all of the maps :)

For the Monitor, the ASUS PB278Q is my sRGB compliant monitor that works fantastically. If you want to bump up to Adobe RGB compliance the PA279Q is the way to go, but quite difficult to find from a good seller.

In regards to the desktop unit, the Intel i7-6XXXk series is the tried and true CPU to go with, with the 6850k being in the good sweet spot for a value proposition.

Minimum 32gb RAM for video editing from my personal experience, preferable 64gb for Premiere and Photoshop running simultaneously.

Most prefabs have already switched their GPUs over to 1080 ti for their high-end stuff with out dropping stupid cash for the quadro P5000/P6000. The increases seen by the quadro series over the 1080 ti seem to be minimal anyways.

The final big money-sink is storage. I would recommend a 1tb SSD, either the samsung 850 PRO for your standard SATA connection or the new 960 PRO for a PCI-E M.2 slot which is significantly faster. For your bulk storage, I recommend the Western Digital 4TB Black drives, either one on its own or two in RAID 0 for a total of 8TB storage or RAID 1 for redundancy to ensure no data loss when one drive fails.

Here's a screen shot of this configuration on Origin PC's Neuron Pro system.

And a link for Digital Storm, the other pre-fab builders that have earned my trust.

You made the same mistake I did. The 7 port card is not as good as the 4 port card. Moar ports is not better.

The 7 port card daisy chains through an additional USB hub causing more chance of issues. Not to mention all 7 ports go through the same host controller.

Read this blog
https://www.oculus.com/blog/oculus-roomscale-identifying-host-controllers/

Then from this screenshot of my computer just then.
http://imgur.com/YQ0WmkZ

Note how the 7 port card goes from

Host Controller -> Root Hub -> Hub -> Sensor


Wheras the 4 port card goes from

Host Controller -> Root Hub -> Sensor

I would always recommend the 4 port one over the 7 port one

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inateck-Superspeed-Ports-PCI-E-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM/

I'd like to see a screenshot of the Startech card like mine just to see how they all connect to the PCI bus if you have the time?

Startek will always be the better card but at a cost. Next in terms of quality for a single 4 port Inatek card (two if you really think you need them). I would put the 7 port card at the bottom of the list.

Infact I would not even be recommending it. Great work for putting together the video and it is very informative however you made the same mistake I did and went for moar ports. You should have chosen the 4 port card.

I'd recommend buying a USB 3.0 expansion card if your motherboard has a spot for it. This one is suggested by Oculus. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B6ZCNGM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Using a hub serves almost no purpose when it comes to VR because all of the power is still eventually being funneled through one usb port on your computer. That being said, it's possible the Rift and sensors will work with your current set up, but tracking might be a bit spotty using that many 2.0 ports for the sensors.

EDIT: I misread your post a bit. If you're only using 2 sensors and the headset, you should be fine with your set up. I'd recommend plugging the headset into a 2.0 along with one sensor and the other sensor into 3.0. You might need to play around with that part of it, but I think you'll be alright. I'd still recommend the expansion card though.

Looks to be the same one I have set up on my truck

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Box-Original-Dashboard-Dash/dp/B00FONBG1A

I could be wrong though. Looks like same timestamp and font, etc.

I highly recommend it, has saved my ass multiple times

If anyone is interested, I am using this camera:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FONBG1A/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?ref_=pe_385040_30332190_TE_3p_dp_1

You can get a decent dash cam for about $50, but honestly you're better off spending at least $100. I bought this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FONBG1A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The reviews were somewhat mixed. It seemed like you had a 50/50 chance of receiving a good one or a bad one. Luckily I got a good one, but even so the menu is SUPER difficult to use, the light will randomly turn on at nighttime, out of every 100 times I start my car it won't turn on so I have to unplug it and replug it in. The video and audio it records is great, but I wish I had just spent an additional $20-$50 and had something 3 times as nice.

I don't know much about dashcams, but I just wanted to share my experience with you. Since you're pretty much going to spend at least $50 to get any kind of dashcam it just makes sense to save up a little more and get way more bang for your buck. With that said if you can only afford a cheap one you will still be better off than not having one at all.

All in the sidebar.....

https://www.chanemusiccinema.com/d1010iv

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NXAEPDC

https://www.chanemusiccinema.com/multimedia-desktop/hivi-acoustics/d1080iv

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X741TB0

I think the powered Miccas, the PB42X (same as MB42X but with built-in amp) would be a better option as far as sound quality goes.

The Logitech system won't sound as good, but you may find its 'bassy' sound more entertaining, depending on what you use them for. I'd still recommend the Miccas though as you can always add a sub at a later date which would be much better than the one with the Logitech system.

Stay the fuck away from Pyle. The 'specs' are mostly complete bullshit and most units don't last more than a few months. If you want more power (the amp in the PB42X isn't as loud) I'd look into upping the price slightly to an SMSL SA50, SA60 or anything in that range really.

You may get better recommendations if we knew what you wanted out of them (power, bass, size, ect..) but I find it very rare that the Miccas would be a bad choice.

Oh shit! The legendary PortaPros. Beastly performance, outdated design, but the cheapest I've ever seen them? This headphone is like a must buy if you're a cheap fucker who doesn't have anything good right now.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-V6-Headphones-ear-cup/dp/B00001WRSJ ?

Worth mentioning, the MDR-V6 is the same headphone without the gold plated plug, and usually a bit cheaper.

Either way though I agree, they're excellent studio cans, people tend to be split 50/50 on whether the sony's or the senn's are better.

Also, Amazon is cheaper than Sweetwater.

logitech G930

It is as simple as screwing in the coax cable into the modem and picking up the phone and reading comcast the "MAC" number on the back of the router.

Here is a good one comcast accepts - http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1409477977&sr=1-1&keywords=comcast+modem

If you want to go a step further, pick up a router that accepts tomato firmware and get that going.

Modem

WiFi

Don't pay Comcast for modem rental, just buy your own and break even in under a year. Setup is easy. Rentals are a ripoff.

Definitely not. They are very uncomfortable. The vinyl covering the pads is as thick as shoe leather. The headband is too narrow and doesn't expand properly for larger heads; it just flattens out, causing a poor fit. The sound is meh.

The absolute best headphones you can get for cheap are the Koss KSC75. They are super light weight, and sound great. They sound better than headphones that are 10 times the price. They are open, so they have little distortion, but you will be able to hear your surroundings. That's a both a pro and a con in my book. Plus people sitting right next to you will be able to hear what you hear (sightly).

They're $16 with Prime shipping on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006B486K

Eventually, I break them, but I keep buying them. I just ordered my 5th pair in as many years. I also own the Sportapros. Same sound, but with a headband.

I feel like for the extra $10 it'd be worth it to go through Amazon Canada for the prime shipping and not having to deal with exchange rates.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B006JH8T3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_KasSAb5TA9D8B

If it breaks and you bought it through Amazon UK, will Amazon Canada deal with any returns?

Volca beats uses a dual unbalanced mono signal. When you use headphones, the same mono signal is going to the left speaker and the right speaker using the left and right connections of the cable, which causes no problems. When you use an audio interface, you're plugging a cable carrying two identical signals into a jack that's expecting two identical signals but with one of them phase inverted. Your audio interface is probably expecting a mono balanced input, which is not what it's getting. Normally with a balanced input, the signals are sent phase inverted. The receiving hardware then flips the inverted signal and the signals are combined.

With the dual unbalanced signal, since neither signal is being sent phase inverted, when the receiving hardware inverts the signal it becomes phase inverted. When the signals are combined, you're left with just the noise/distortion that a balanced cable is normally trying to eliminate.

Korg really should've made this more clear with the Volca series. FYI - here is the cable I'm using, which works fine (I only use one of the 1/4" plugs).

I don't know everything about building PCs (just built my first), but I wouldn't go with that monitor. Yes, the refresh rate is high, but with your budget, you really should go for a 2k or 4k resolution with your monitor.

Edit: Here is an Asus Rog Swift monitor at 1440p (2k) with a 165hz refresh rate.

Here is one at 2160p (4k) with a 60hz refresh rate.

I don't think they make 4k monitors above 60hz yet, so if the framerate is important to you, I'd go with the 2k one.

You won't even be able to see the difference between the 165hz and 240hz and I think a higher resolution would be a much better improvement over the higher refresh rate. Plus, you get 2.5 inches of extra screen.

According to camelcamelcamel, that's the price that black friday had and pretty much hasn't been since.

The ATH-M50's are NOT flat at all. I've had the ATM-H50 for almost 3 years and every time I take off headphones off and listen to my HS7's, the highs pierce my ears.

I recently got the Sennheiser 598Cs on Black Friday and they're definitely a "truer" response than the ATH-M50's.
https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-598-Cs-Headphone/dp/B01JP436TS/ref=sr_1_1?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1480716583&sr=1-1&keywords=Sennheiser+HD+598Cs

Could've just posted the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/

So, I spent a lot of money on building my PC and have had an amazing gaming experience for over 2 years now. But during my entire career of PC gaming, I’ve always used 60 hertz, basic-type monitors.

Just last month I took the RISKY, SCARY, EXPENSIVE plunge into the “G-Sync, high quality gaming monitor world”. I purchased this.

https://www.amazon.com/PG279Q-2560x1440-G-SYNC-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B017EVR2VM

And believe me, I had the same questions you are asking. Is this worth it? Do I get an IPS panel? Or save money and get the TN version? Will I see a difference with 144hz? What about 165hz?

When I plugged this monitor into my PC, enables the 144hz through NVIDIA Control Panel (that part is important) and launched a game.... it sounds so cringey and nerdy, but I almost cried. It’s a whole different world dude. It feels like you’re opening a door into a world you’ve ALWAYS wanted to be in. If you have a high end gaming PC, you are doing yourself a DISSERVICE by not owning a G-Sync (or even FreeSync) monitor with 144hz.

Just do yourself one huge favor. Do not compromise on quality and price. Look for the brand names and read reviews. Search YouTube for reviews. Ask friends. And never forget... always buy the extended warranty on high priced tech. These things are not perfect and will “go out” eventually.

Long winded answer. Yes. You go out and buy one as soon as you can. It will change your gaming experience forever. I’m NEVER GOING BACK.

I would definitely get the IPS one - you have to keep in mind that response time in your system is cumulative, so 1ms is not five times faster than 5ms. Your mouse/keyboard to motherboard, motherboard to CPU, CPU to GPU, GPU to RAM etc it all adds up, and you end up having maybe 20 - 30ms input lag in total, so you are choosing between 30ms and 35ms roughly - and that is a negligible difference.
However, the colors and viewing angles are a BIG difference. Definitely go IPS.

EDIT: Here is my specific recommendation.

• 165Hz
  
• IPS
  
• 2560x1440
  
• G-sync

That depends on if your studio monitors start buzzing when you plug them in. If so, getting an audio interface with balanced cables may help. If there is no buzzing, then you should be fine just plugging them into your motherboards audio port using a dual XLR or dual TS (or TRS) to 3.5mm cable. If you get buzzing, you could also buy a ground loop isolator. That is what I did and it worked wonders. Here is the link for the isolator if needed:
https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Ground-Isolator-Stereo-System/dp/B019393MV2

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=sxin_0_ac_d_pm?ac_md=3-1-QmV0d2VlbiAkNTAgYW5kICQ3NQ%3D%3D-ac_d_pm&keywords=ssd&m=A2L77EE7U53NWQ&pd_rd_i=B0781Z7Y3S&pd_rd_r=58e7c080-08d3-48d0-a56d-bceda03a8508&pd_rd_w=ugMNs&pd_rd_wg=v10bZ&pf_rd_p=24d053a8-30a1-4822-a2ff-4d1ab2b984fc&pf_rd_r=0Z9PB6P9CC7DNGYB1TPG&psc=1&qid=1574700791&s=warehouse-deals


Click Used & New at the bottom of the price

Samsung 860 EVO 500GB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-76E500B/AM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_DVkbBbMS4EDBX

i'll save you some time.

 

the top 1080p 144hz 1ms TN Panel they recommend over there on every post that asks, #1 is the Viewsonic XG2401

& #2 is the LG 24GM77-B

they say these two have the best color accuracy for a tn.

 

i recommend the Samsung CFG70

it has better color accuracy than both of those monitors above (because it's a VA panel and not a TN) and colors look as good as on my other IPS display IMO. (IPS panels have the best color accuracy)
and it has great viewing angles unlike a TN panel.
also it's $70 off rn. i really wouldn't pass this offer up as you're getting better color accuracy and better viewing angles for only $20 more than the Viewsonic.

 

good luck (:

Viewsonic xg2401 has always been considered one of the best 144hz monitors out there at $199, the xg2402 variant hovers around $215 but I can't tell ya what the difference between them is

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-598-Cs-Headphone/dp/B01JP436TS

The closed back version is on sale for $99 now! https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-598-Cs-Headphone/dp/B01JP436TS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1480071056&sr=8-3&keywords=sennheiser+hd598

So is the deal on HD 598 Cs still a thing after the UK drop?

EDIT: Holy shit, yes. Even better, they are $109 CAD with free shipping on Amazon.ca, which is ~$80 USD after conversion! This is amazing.

> but my laptop where I stored it is broke...

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/

That'll accept the standard hard drive used in basically every normal sized laptop since the mid 2000s. If you have a newer laptop with a solid state drive, especially an ultrathin, it may be in a different format which would require a different adapter (or in the case of new Apples, it's soldered to the motherboard and you're SOL. Any normal hard drives and some solid state drives will work though.

If your drive is compatible though you should be able to slap it in that case and plug it in to basically any other computer to get access to the files. Unless of course the hard drive itself is what broke, in which case you're SOL.

I've been running this RAM at 3200MHz, stable, since 1.2 actually. Been using A-XMP Profile 2. Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 3200MHz

The RAM version is 5.39.


I haven't tried the latest 1.4 BIOS yet, but I'll do so tonight. [Edit: Updated to 1.4 and I'm still stable at 3200MHz]

"If this card is not available to you, use another PCI-E USB 3.0 Expansion Card that uses the Fresco Logic FL1100EX chipset." Source: support.oculus.com

I got the 4-port one, I believe because the 5-port was out-of-stock. After plugging in the power connector to the card, no problems, so I can vouch for this one.

These are awesome and way cheaper Black Box G1W Original Dashboard Dash Cam - Full HD 1080P H.264 2.7" LCD Car DVR Camera Video Recorder with G-Sensor Night Vision Motion Detection WDR 140° Wide Angle 4X Zoom - Authentic NT96550 + AR0330 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FONBG1A/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_bj1jub04M2AK1

Cheap, generic china cam that has worked well for me: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FONBG1A

There's better ones out there, but this one works just fine for my purposes.

Yeah, it can be a little overwhelming to figure out where to start. Some good answers already in this thread. The good news is it's actually a lot more straight-forward than it appears. The main source of confusion/apparent complexity comes from the fact that right now both the prior gen and new gen models are still on the market, making it appear that there are a ton of headsets. In reality, there are only four that matter:

Oculus Quest: VR for people that don't have or don't want to buy a decent gaming PC. Cordless, entirely self-contained, no PC needed, no external sensors needed, but limited by the mobile hardware specs. MSRP: $399 USD

Oculus Rift S: really the go-to for a first-time VR headset. Great display that solves most of the clarity issues of older headsets, great controllers, uses inside-out tracking like the Quest (i.e. no external sensors to setup), and pretty reasonable PC hardware spec requirements to run it. So quick and easy to setup that once I finished downloading the software installer, I was up and playing VR in only about 10 minutes. The relatively tiny sound is the only real commonplace complaint, but it does have a headphone jack on the headset. $399 USD

The Valve Index: currently the super high-end of VR gaming. Higher resolution display than the Rift S, higher refresh rate, fancy finger-tracking controllers. Also getting some flack for some quality control issues on its thumbsticks. The only one of the new gen VR headsets to still require external sensors and a base station, which are pretty big negatives for VR newbies since that complicates setup and calibration. Due to the higher specs, it also needs a super high-end PC to really get the most out of it. $999 USD for the starter kit, which does include everything you need to get started, although many users recommend purchasing a third lighthouse sensor (the kit comes with two).

The HTC Cosmos: HTC's replacement for the Vive. Not out yet, so exact specs, pricing, and release date are still unknown. However, it has been confirmed that it will use inside-out tracking (so no external sensors to mess with), and cost less than $1000. The latest unofficial rumors are that it is expected to launch this September, and it's expected to have both specs and pricing somewhere between the Rift S and the Index. Worth keeping an eye on.

What not to bother with:
The Vive. Vive was the premium VR headset of its era, so it's not that there is anything wrong with it per se, it's just outdated and obsolete tech. The display and controllers are just inferior to all of the newer kits.

Windows Mixed Reality (WMR): this one is probably responsible for the VR market looking crowded, since this is a standard defined by MS and not a specific headset, and lots of different manufacturers make or have made WMR headsets. So when you see PC VR headsets from Lenovo, HP, Asus, Acer, Dell, Samsung, etc, they are all just competing WMR headsets. The head strap and display vary in quality, but they all use the same controllers, which are generally considered to be inferior to Vive, Oculus, and Index controllers. The main appeal originally of WMR was to make VR cheaper and easier to get into since WMR has the least expensive headset options, and it was the first to use inside-out tracking so no external sensors. However, its inside-out tracking is done with only two forward-facing cameras, so the tracking is significantly inferior to Quest (four onboard cameras) or Rift S (five onboard cameras) inside-out tracking.

As for specs, your graphics card meets the min, but is at the very low-end of the min. You should be able to run older or less demanding VR games just fine, but may have to run newer or visually more sophisticated VR games at low graphics settings to maintain stable framerate. I would expect Beatsaber to run fine.

One last note: VR headsets, the Rift S in particular, can be pretty picky about your USB 3.0 ports. Specifically, ASMedia USB controllers that many motherboards use tend to cause lots of problems with Oculus headsets. This Inatek add-in USB 3.0 controller has solved lots of people's VR headset issues, is officially suggested by Oculus tech support, and is pretty inexpensive at only around $23. If you decide to pick up a VR headset, might be wise to proactively check your USB 3.0 controller and if it's ASMedia just go ahead and order the Intek USB 3.0 controller along with the headset.

>I've had frequent struggles with USB bandwidth and various cables, and then a sensor flat-out died on me. I'd blamed my USB extenders for so long that I troubleshot the sensor for WEEKS before finally resorting to RMA'ing the sensor, at which point I found the replacement sensor I was sent worked perfectly, and I had just wasted a ton of time troubleshooting a sensor.

Are you plugging all 3 sensors onto your motherboard? You're probably hitting USB bandwidth limits for your USB controller; you probably need a PCIe to USB card. I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Superspeed-Ports-PCI-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM

They're powered speakers, meaning you don't need an amplifier or receiver.

You can plug them straight into a computer using this cable.

Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006B486K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_e7j2Cb0PSPWZ6

All I did was swap out the speakers and splice in an aux cable!

I'm confused.. how is this not in ear?

I use these wired headphones most of the time:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006B486K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Because I like to have just one ear in at times and I too hate to have anything in my ear.

So how are these Razer earbuds not "in ear"?

Anyone got any interesting setups/tv's? Idk why i'm writing this but here are the things I bring to tourneys.


Album link


My Tv Is by far the most eye catching thing. I bought 350 Fortune cookies and have been just taping them on there whenever I finish one. I am pretty much out of them so I have quite a bit all over the TV. The air fresheners were to bring some nice smells to any tournament I went to.


Standard Gamecube: 1.02 melee with newest 20xx TE and vanilla melee memory cards. This is the video cable IOnebring. It has s video + regular composite so I don't have to bring a powered splitter. Explaining more below.



Recording/Streaming setup: This consists of a Webcam which also records player/crowd audio (also a 16 ft extension). An Elgato with 16ft extension. Then I have 2 non-powered composite splitters. I plug in the composite video from the game cube directly into my TV and the S video into the elgato. The result isn't actually too bad (if someone knows how to deinterlace for better video hmu).

The last thing is My Controller: Someone on etsy painted it for me right before big house and so far it's a great purchase. It is of a Palestinian flag and has my tag on it. it doesn't feel any different from any other game cube controller which is great.

Edit: forgot about my headphone setup. I have sennheiser Momentums I bring with my headphone amp and plug that into the tv's audio with one of These. This has a pass through meaning other people can listen through the TV and I can adjust the volume with my amp. I also bring another headphone splitter so people can listen with their headphones.

Koss Porta Pros. They are relatively cheap, good sound quality, lifetime warranty and they fold into very small space.

These are rumored to be the model used for the CV1 headphones.

This is a 3d printed mount file so you can use them just like with CV1

hey, best bet would be the Koss PortaPros, they're the go-to for that price range.

Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920 - $49.95
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JH8T3S/

Pretty sure this is the cheapest it has been in a long time.

Logitech MK270 Wireless Keyboard/Mouse Combo - $12.50
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BP5KOPA

Logitech M510 Wireless Mouse - $13.99
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003NR57BY

Hands-down the best budget wireless mouse in my opinion.

My roomy used to cam on her crappy little $400 laptop and it worked out pretty well. Cameras in this price range are going to be roughly the same. Still need a ton of light on you, still going to be a little grainy, etc. But they work.

Getting a quality external USB cam would be the way to go if you want something really clear.

And the ASUS Q501LA would be a very well rounded laptop in your price range, with a high end 1080p IPS touch display, backlit keyboard, 8GB RAM, i5-4200U, etc.

Our installation fee was 59.95. I signed up for the 29.99 25mbs for 12 months promo. My first bill was right around $90 and the rest of my bills for the next 11 months should be at or around $34. The installation really was necessary though as there was no cable line running to our house from the main line.

I bought my own modem from Amazon, $68.99, and noted as such when I signed up for Comcast. It is a no-brainer to buy your own modem-- Comcast charges $6 or so a month for a rental so after the first year it's $72 down the drain versus a modem you can use forever.

As soon as the tech left, I plugged the modem into my WiFi router no problems (I might have cloned the MAC address of my laptop but I don't think I did-- I don't think they care about that anymore).

The service has been very consistent, fast, and reliable. No complaints.

Good luck.

I just ordered a Surfboard 6121 and its a really great modem. Pair it with an ASUS router like this and you have a wonderful combination. The range is extremely far, you can customize a lot of settings and you don't have to pay the monthly price. Comcast was charging me $8 a month for my modem, so after 6 months ill have paid for it already (picked mine up on sale).

You ran that test to comcast. That's not even across the internet. You have a serious problem that is not directly related to comcast sucking. Shitty speeds like that have Three sources: Bad wifi or ethernet connection to your PC, bad modem, bad wiring in your house (almost always splitters).

Assuming you have a laptop, and your cable isn't fished through the wall, but mostly runs along baseboards (as comcast does), you can take yourself, your laptop, and your modem trace the cable down to the first splitter that you have in the house after the cable comes inside, detach the cable from the input side of the splitter, attach the modem, plug your PC DIRECTLY into the modem via ethernet (be sure to turn off wifi) and run the test again.

(note: if you have one of those wifi modems shitbags that comcast rents, you shouldn't.)

If your speed improves dramatically and your ping times become reasonable, it is the wiring. Remove your splitters and either buy your own from amazon (make sure to match the specs. you want a splitter that can handle the frequencies the docsis 3 require), or take them down to the comcast store and ask for replacements (best if you not explain, they usually don't care and will throw them right at you no matter what). If after you apply those splitters back into the system, your speeds at your preferred modem location do not improve, repeat again at each splitter and replace the faulty length of coaxial cable.
Chance this will fix the problem: 80-90%

If your speeds do not improve, try a different ethernet cable. If that doesn't fix it, take your Modem (Assuming you lease) back to comcast (the store. do not bother calling support) and either ask for a replacement, or ask that they stop charging you a rental fee of $6 a month and go buy your own for the cost of 6-10 months of rental fees.
Chance that this or the previous steps will resolve your issue: 99.99%

Should your speeds be shit even after all of this, you need to call Comcast. At this point you are either in a really old apartment building with shit wiring throughout the building (Cocmast / your landlord's problem), there's something wrong in your neighborhood infrastructure (comcast's problem) or you live in a formerly segregated neighborhood that has irreparably bad infrastructure (society's problem)

buy this and quit renting

I just bought this from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004XC6GJ0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My speed went from 50mbs to 120mbps. Thats worth $80. Also, for that much speed, make sure your firewall has a gig interface on it.

For comparison:

7 x 12 = $84

Motorola DOCSIS 3.0 Modem = $86

You may want to contact them and have them check the signal levels at your modem; you'll have to have a cable guy come out usually for no charge. I used to work for TWC/RoadRunner, this was a common problem. Also, make sure your modem is not attached to multiple (usually the tech will give you a special one that will only degrade the signal by -1.5db) splitters so it gets the best signal possible. You basically want it to be the first device connected directly to the cable trunk outside. This is very important. Cable modems are very picky. If Charter supports it, and you can afford it, pick up this cable modem (just call them and ask.) It improved my speeds on Comcast. As and added bonus, you won't be renting a modem from them for ~$10/mo so it will pay for itself pretty soon.

You'll want a DAC or audio interface to get the most value out of these.

You can run these with a 3.5mm to 2xTS adapter but you'll be much more susceptible to grounding issues/noise.

The best solution would be to get a device that has balanced TRS/XLR output (both are electrically equivalent, pin-for-pin).

Overall they seemed like decent beginner tips, however

• I'd recommend lowering the volume of the background music(maybe change it to something more ambient)
  
• If you plan on doing this longtem I'd also recomend investing in a better camera & webcam sample webcam & sample mic
  
• maybe add some fire emblem artwork on one side then information or a bullet list of what you're talking about with links to that part of the video to replace the black bars, such as mantastic

Most people go with the Logitech C920.

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Widescreen-Calling-Recording-Desktop/dp/B006JH8T3S/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1485981917&sr=1-1&keywords=logitech+c920

Oculus Quest Travel Case
Xbox One S Controller
Eneloop Battery Charger with 4 AA Batteries
Google Chromecast
RAVPower 2-in-1 Wall Charger and 10000mAh Power Bank
VR Cover Oculus Quest Foam & Interface Basic Set
Mamut Touch Grip
WIDMOvr Plano Lens Adapter
1.5ft Right Angle 3.5mm Audio Cable
Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro Plus Headphones
Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones
6ft Right Angle USB-C to USB Cable
MagicFiber Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
LensPen
Kleenex Wet Wipes Germ Removal For Hands And Face

This is how you design a pair of $120 headphones.. the pin in the G930 is huge. It's also much wider, so the pin won't wear out nearly as fast as a tiny pin, with a very narrow bushing.

Save yourself the trouble and get this 1080p Webcam. It's basically the best you'll find in quality. And it's fine for what you're doing. Plus it's on sale.

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-960-000764-C920-Webcam/dp/B006JH8T3S/

For anyone wondering, CamelCamelCamel keeps track of Amazon prices for comparison.

This seems to be pretty standard pricing as Darklord says.

$3000 computer for a videographer... only spends $180 on a 21" monitor? ಠ_ಠ No. No. Nope.

SLI is pretty much useless for video editing (very hit & miss depending on the software) and only adds unnecessary heat and cost to the rig. Drop one of those 780s and focus that money on a quality 24-27" IPS screen and hardware color calibration! (stay the hell away from those budget 4k TN screens)

Edit: Also, if OP is used to their MBP keyboard, I'd recommend picking up a wired Apple keyboard. Personally, I find them much less fatiguing on my fingers. It makes for a seamless transition (if you're still using the MPB) and goes a long way to make your Hackintosh feel more native.

Edit 2: After some very surface level searching, here are some much better monitors the OP should put their money towards: HP 24" z24x P-IPS ,Dell 27" U2713HM P-IPS and Asus 27" PB278Q P-IPS. If it can't come close to 100% sRGB, it's shit. Oh and the monitor color calibrator.

Koss Portapro Headphones

The Koss PortaPro doesn't look that great, but quite cheap, good sound and lifetime warranty!

The ones I listed are grade A.

Edit. Sennheiser may make some subjectively cheap quality shit, but it is going to be better than anything produced as a fashion piece, no debate or argument will change that.

That said, yes sound quality is subjective to the listener. Sennheiser has very many sound signatures depending on what you are looking for. Getting a pair of headphones that are designed for mastering audio will always be your best choice for the most versatile headphones for all types of audio.

How they feel when you wear them will always be the biggest issue with these types of headphones. Do you like leather, velour, leather substitutes or fabrics. Do you like a metal head band or plastic. Are the headphones secure or too tight? Those are the questions you need to go in to a store to find out.

Audio quality though.... If you are moving from a fashion brand or a regular mainstream brand like samsung, phillips, koss, or entry level "street wear" sony headphones then audio quality isn't a concern for you and anything I listed will blow the shit out of what ever it is you had been using previously. If you happen to be an audiophile then you are going to need to sit down and make sure that the sound signature is what you are expecting.

To be clear... Sony studio headphones are all fucking amazing and until the new models that recently came out, their studio headphones had remained largely untouched for something around 25 years. Those can be found on amazon for $99 Check em out if you are new to the audio community. These are honestly top notch and best in class at that price point.

Sony MDR V6 Monitor Headphones

Well if you are posting in WATMM and do any sort of music making these headphones people are recommending will give you a warped frequency response. You might as well go for the industry standard and get the V6. Every studio has a couple of these.

And since you say you will be mixing, you really should think of getting proper headphones instead of boosted nonsense!

First, let me say this: all headphones are surround sound. You only have two places that you can hear from and headphones literally surround them. Surround sound (5.1, 7.1, etc.) in speakers is nice since in order to hear from all directions without getting too technical you need speakers around you. If you see 5.1 or 7.1 headphones, that means they just stuffed a ton of low quality drivers into their phones and is a good sign they are nothing but marketing and that you should avoid them.

Also, if you see a headset that is usb that means it uses it's own sound card essentially, which may be good or bad for you depending on your setup.

For gaming specifically you want headphones with a good sound-stage. There is no gaming headset on the market that compares to getting some good phones plus mic. Sony MDR-V6 and Creative Aurvana Live (rebadged Denon AH-D1001) are a decent choices for your price range. You can always get a desktop mic, a clip-on mic, or better yet find a Labtec LVA-7330 on ebay and do some simple modding and you have yourself a headset with removable mic.

If you want an actual 80s design that will last forever with hard use:
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDRV6-Studio-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00001WRSJ

Satay away from gamer brand headsets. Listen to LynkDead and get yourself some high quality earphones and a cheap mic.

Sony MDR-V6. Bought them in 1989 for $90. I've bought new ear foam twice, lol. Still use them 4-5 hours a week at work to this day.

Durability-wise, I should add that that includes my college years where they used to ride around in my backpack for 12 hours a day and get listened to 4-5 hours per day while studying, riding public transport, etc.

And you'll notice that they get pretty decent reviews on audio quality to this day.

I'm going to assume you're talking about electric guitar, and you want to record on to your computer.

We'll go with the simplest/cheapest way (Note, you won't want to run an electric guitar directly into a computer, it'll generally sound like crap)

First off, you'll need a microphone. The Shure SM57 is an industry standard for recording many things, from guitar cabs to snare drums, and more. It's only $100, too! There's a knockoff of that mic, for half the price, that's supposed to be just as good (some people even prefer the sound), the GLS-57. Both of these mics are "dynamic" mics, and either of these mics will work.

You'll need to get a mic stand to place the mic in the proper position on the amp, which is a separate lesson in and of itself.

Next, you need a way to get the mic signal into your computer. The quickest, cheapest, but least featured way to do so would be something like the Blue Icicle. You would plug it into your computer, plug an XLR cable into it, and plug the mic into that cable.

For software, the most basic, and free software is Audacity. It really is pretty basic, but you can plug your stuff in, hit record, and it'll record. If you want something more powerful, check out Reaper. It's really good, and pretty cheap (and has a more or less unlimited trial period if you're that kind of person). It is somewhat complex though, and it'll take a decent amount of time to get comfortable with. If you have a Mac, Garage Band is just peachy.

inally, the last important part is hearing what you're recording. At the low-end, you're probably better off with headphones. I recommend either the Sennheiser HD280s or the less expensive Sony MDR-V6s (mostly identical to their professional MDR-7506s). If you want to get some actual monitors, check out the Behringer MS16s.

Unsurprisingly, you can spend a hell of a lot more money on any of these things. Feel free to ask any questions!

Bonus advice! If you want to record an acoustic guitar, instead of the SM57, you'd want to get a small diaphragm condenser (SDC) mic, like the MXL 603S.

As I've said many times, it completely depends on what kind of headphones you're wearing. If you're wearing isolating in-ear monitors blasting music at full volume, you can't even hear a firetruck siren until they're 20 feet behind you. If you're wearing open on-ear headphones like the Koss KSC-75, which I really recommend for use in traffic, and listening to music at a reasonable volume, I'd argue that the reduction in wind noise that the headphones offer will almost make up for the music's masking effect. ^(This might be subjective, I'm not sure how much wind noise other people experience when not wearing anything on their ears, but I can say that for me, it's quite loud.) Wind noise shenanigans aside, the open, on-ear headphone is very good at letting outside noise in, and if you haven't tried it out, you shouldn't come and tell me it's dangerous, especially given the dramatic lack of actual research that the author of the article acknowledges.
Of course, this also means that in a very noisy environment, you're going to have a hard time to hear your music over the ambient noise. I don't think this applies to most cyclists though.

YUP!

Depending on your price range we have
these 15$ ATH-EQ300M significantly cheaper and easier to obtain than OP's. I just got these yesterday and I've been using them for quite some time. They sound great but I would also suggest getting these Koss headphones.

Sennheiser HD 598 Cs Closed Back Headphone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JP436TS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_GYpDybMNZX838

$115 new, $80 used through Amazon Warehouse. Don't get the standard 598 if you plan on using these outside of home. These are the Closed version that doesn't leak sound out.

Well, first off: OS X 10.11 El Capitan isn't the newest macOS version for your MacBook Pro. Your MacBook pro actually supports macOS 10.13 High Sierra. High Sierra can still be downloaded from the Mac App Store, it is just hidden. Here is the link to it (click this link in Safari only, not in Chrome or Firefox!):

• https://itunes.apple.com/de/app/macos-high-sierra/id1246284741?ls=1&mt=12
  
  OS X El Capitan went out of support in the fall of 2018, so it has been missing out on security for quite some time. Every major macOS version has 1 year of mainstream support (the time frame between its own initial release and the initial release of its successor one year later) and two years of security support immediately after that. Security support includes Safari updates.
  
  Mainstream support for High Sierra has already ended, but its security support only ends in the fall of 2020. So if you update your MacBook Pro to High Sierra, it is still safe to use.
  
  -----
  
  You can speed your machine up by adding more RAM and an SSD to it:
  
  Your MacBook Pro supports up to 16 GB RAM (2 x 8 GB RAM modules). A higher amount than that won't work due to a limitation in the logic board.
  
  You need to buy RAM that matches the following specifications:
  
  PC3-8500 1066 MHz DDR3, 204-pin
  
  Those are some examples of RAM that should work:
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/OWC-PC8500-SO-DIMM-MacBook-OWC8566DDR3S16P/dp/B00BKVQFCU
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KFNBP24/ref=twister_B07FSYCMM9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Mushkin-997019-204-pin-DDR3-1066Mhz-PC3-8500/dp/B006E0P1IG
  
  -----
  
  As for the SSD, your MacBook Pro supports every SSD that meets the following criteria:
  
  
• 2.5" form factor
  
• SATA3-compatible
  
  Here are some examples of SSDs that should work:
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S
  
• https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-500GB-Ultra-NAND-SATA/dp/B072R78B6Q
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Blue-NAND-500GB-SSD-WDS500G2B0A/dp/B073SBZ8YH
  
  Before you install the SSD, it is advisable to create a backup of the files you want to keep. Store them on some external drive.
  
  You can then reinstall macOS either via Internet Recovery or a macOS 10.13 High Sierra installer USB-Stick (which is the last OS your MacBook Pro supports).
  
  -----
  
  As for the battery: The battery is replaceable in MacBook Pros 2010. However, you won't be able to get an OEM battery Apple uses, most likely. Those are sold out by now and no longer available, unless you are extremely lucky. There are third party batteries that work, though, like this one for the 13" version(!):
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/HUSAN-Compatible-661-5229-661-5557-020-6547/dp/B071G53YBQ
  
  -----
  
  > I also heard mixed things about the new butterfly keyboards, but overall it seems once you get used to them they make your typing faster? So that sounds good for me if it's true
  
  The problem is less the feeling of the butterfly keyboard; beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The problem is that the butterfly keys sometimes outright fail if small particles - like dust - intrude under them. I have discussed the problem here (last paragraph):
  
  
• https://www.reddit.com/r/mac/comments/b86zvo/macbook_retina_vs_macbook_air_school_me_on_which/ejwayit/

Do NOT buy a second Z333 set. The Z333 is only 2 x 8 watts plus a sub. It does not even have a tweeter, its "decorative". A second Logitech set won't give better sound, it just gives louder mediocrity. IMHO you should start with a good set monitors and then add a subwoofer later. You'll hear details you've been missing. In the short term you might sacrifice some boomy bass but you would have much better sound overall.

I currently own 3 sets of desk "monitors". The quotes are there because these are not truly flat response studio monitors. They are aimed at consumers.

• Backup Computer: Mackie CR4 4" Consumer Refrence Montiors, Amazon Link
  
• Main Computer: Edifier R1280T Powered Bookshelf Speakers, Amazon Link. This one is paired with a 10" sub.
  
• Kitchen TV: PreSonus Eris E4.5 + 10" sub. These are the flattest monitors I own. They were purchased as "B-Stock" at about $130 a pair. They are quite nice but out of budget if purchased new.
  
  So the above are the only ones with which I have personal experience. To me, the Mackie and Edifier are more or less interchangeable.
  
  The cheapest speakers r/audiophile will recommend are the Micca PB42X. Google shows that Micca has quite a following. There a lot of YouTube video reviews of them too.
  
  My apologies for all the US merchant links. It's all I know.
  
  Edit - more advice from r/HTBuyingGuides . Scroll down to the Audio/Speaker section of this FAQ.

that sounds like a ground loop within your car.

go pick up an isolator and see if that fixes it.

Mpow Ground Loop Noise Isolator for Car Audio / Home Stereo System with 3.5mm Audio Cable (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019393MV2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Ssh.zbAJJHFM7

XG2401 is on sale at 10:10 AM. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A0ZRR50/ref=gbps_tit_m-6_de31_c966212e?pf_rd_p=0c5399c9-625f-429e-9848-70b8d73cde31&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-6&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=13887280011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=3N56Z6TQ2RWVWB9M0FDP

For UK customers, £89, down from £199.

Just bought mine. First decent set of headphones. Very excited.

I have the same 13” mid 2012 MBP and am running 16gb of RAM w/ a 1TB SSD. I also have the same version of Ableton as you. The official specs from Apple list 8gb RAM as the max but it can for sure support 16gb. Based on the specs you provided I’d guess you have the i5 version which comes stock with 4gb of RAM and the 500gb HDD. Your model will support 16gb and you’ll see a significant boost in performance, with Ableton and the computer in general, if you add 16gb and an SSD. If you leave the standard 500gb HDD, I'd assume you'd only see a moderate boost in performance since that's really the big driver of slow performance. I can't speak to the performance of Omnisphere as I don't have a working copy but I do know it made a significant boost for pretty much everything in Ableton and otherwise.

​

My recommendation would be to add 16gb of RAM plus an SSD. They are both relatively straight forward processes as well (links below), just need the right tools and to take your time. Watch YouTube tutorials. Attaching links to the items I have in mine. I'd recommend getting the Crucial RAM and Samsung SSD (which is what I have and has a higher performance rating), but the Crucial SSD will be adequate as well.

​

Let me know if you have other questions on it.

​

INSTRUCTIONS

HDD Swap - https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Mid+2012+Hard+Drive+Replacement/10378

RAM Swap - https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Mid+2012+RAM+Replacement/10374

​

PRODUCTS

Crucial SSD - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0784SLQM6/

Samsung SSD - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/

RAM - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008LTBJFW/

Tool Kit - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IVKPTP6/

I went with this Samsung 860 EVO 500gb SSD.

And this Orico adapter.

It works phenomenally. Cut all of my load times in half, and intra-instance load times are nonexistent.

Highly recommend it.

This is kind of high for used prices, esp without original packaging. The 860s are about 83 usd on amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S

They often go on sale for less too, ssd prices have been going down lately. EX https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcsales/comments/9s9s5b/ssd_samsung_500gb_860_evo_6524_with_code_appsave25 for 65 USD new with packaging/ebay buyer protection.

>Also the current 27 inch iMac comes with a 2560x1440 screen which by itself costs around $750 at the low end right now putting the whole thing into competitive territory with PCs.

Er... You can easily get a 27" 2560x1440 resolution ASUS for ~$550, A Dell for $589.00, and lower end brands like Monoprice/Catsleap/Xstar, etc. for even less $300-400--- that's only after 2 minutes of searching on Amazon, I could get even better deals if I really scoured the net.

And let's not forget the iMac is an All-in-one so if one component needs warranty or service work, your entire system is out of comission.

As Oculus Support pointed out, it might be a bandwidth issue trying to run all 3 sensors from your motherboard.

Pick up one of these https://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Superspeed-Ports-PCI-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM and you'll be able to plug in 2 sensors + headset into it, then have the third sensor connected to one of the Motherboard USB ports. General rule of thumb is no more than 2 sensors per USB controller as they require a ton of bandwidth.

If you dont mind spending a little more, this card has 4 USB controllers, 1 for each port allowing you to plug in 3x sensors + Headset or 4x sensors https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Port-SuperSpeed-Adapter-Power/dp/B00HJZEA2S

PS4/PS4 Pro - External SSD is vastly superior to the default HDD. Using an internal SSD can be faster or slower than using it externally. Basically, your probably best off keeping your internal HDD for games you play less often and slapping Destiny plus a few other titles on an external SSD as there's not a ton of speed to be gained by going internal.

Xbox One - Similar to the PS4, you will gain an immense amount of speed by using an external SSD instead of the internal HDD. I don't think you can normally install an SSD internally with Xbox.

By the way, if you're thinking, "but damn external SSDs have stupid markup on them" then you are absolutely correct, have a cookie. Now buy your regular cheap internal SSD and slap it in one of these. Can't tell you how it functions with Xbox but works perfectly with my Pro. Also note that depending on the SSD you may have to pop it into a computer (or plug it in with the enclosure) and initialize the drive/format it for the PS4 to properly recognize it but this step isn't always necessary it seems.

1. ssd https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OAJ412U/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
2. Hard drive https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IEKG2HM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
3. Graphics card https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814126109
   
4. CPU https://www.amazon.com/Intel-I7-6700-FC-LGA14C-Processor-BX80662I76700/dp/B0136JONG8/ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1525461083&sr=1-5&keywords=i7+6700k&dpID=411v0MvpCaL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
   
5. Desk https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S19006323/
   
6. Monitor 1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VRCLHYS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
7. Monitor 2 https://www.amazon.com/Acer-R240HY-bidx-23-8-Inch-Widescreen/dp/B0148NNKTC/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1525460691&sr=1-1&keywords=acer+monitor
   
8. Desk mount https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AI2YGK4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
9. Speakers, they sound fantastic! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N1ZTJJK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
10. Speakers mounting brackets https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000X9O8SI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
11. External audio card for headphones: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EZT7RE4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
12. Headphones, If you're into the bass this are the best. https://www.skullcandy.com/shop/headphones/bluetooth-headphones/crusher-wireless
    
13. Headphone stand https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MUB8RJ5/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
14. Phone stand https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QF1KDR8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
15. Mic https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0170NWLWY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
16. mic mount https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0170NWLWY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
17. Shock mount https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FQB3DD8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
18. pop filter https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008AOH1O6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
19. Camera https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXCDPPK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
20. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXCDPPK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
21. Keyboard https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016MAK38U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
22. Mouse pad https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FVPPE0E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
23. Ps4 stand https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015KJAQX6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
    
24. XOne stand https://www.amazon.com/PowerA-Charging-Stand-Xbox-One-Black/dp/B013JLB1IQ/ref=pd_sbs_63_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B013JLB1IQ&pd_rd_r=BD1B7QRYQ42ESY3F8MS2&pd_rd_w=uGnIp&pd_rd_wg=V2OJ4&refRID=BD1B7QRYQ42ESY3F8MS2&th=1
    
25. Plant https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90207685/
    
26. Chair https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MQKKS73/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
27. battle station more angles https://imgur.com/a/Ae2xEKl

To be brief, the pressure from the needle is too heavy. So basically it is slowing (but also quickly) grinding out the grooves. This is a $300+ record. Take care of it!
I recommend getting this turntable and these speakers for a starting set up.

I realize it is expensive, but worth it.

No, you need 1x USB 3.0 port for the headset and 3x USB 2.0 or above ports for the 3 sensors.

You can add 4x USB 3.0 ports to your computer for $24 (remember, Rift+Touch+3rdSensor is $142 cheaper than HTC Vive, so even if you need this it's still all $118 cheaper).

Black Box G1W - http://www.amazon.com/Black-Box-Original-Dashboard-Dash/dp/B00FONBG1A?ie=UTF8&keywords=dash%20cam&qid=1464187861&ref_=sr_1_12&s=car&sr=1-12

No real complaints. I hardwired it so it turns on when I turn my car on, turns off when I turn the car off, and records what I need.

For the interested, the G1W is a good entry level, affordable dashcam. I've had mine for a couple of months and have no complaints.

FWIW, I bought this one when it was on sale, and its doing right by me so far.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Box-Original-Dashboard-Dash/dp/B00FONBG1A

Video from it looks alright - have never needed to use it, thankfully.

[My dash cam] (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FONBG1A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

There is no affiliate ID on this link, but this is exactly what I have running and I love it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FONBG1A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

32 gig micro sd and 1080p crystal clear video. I love it.

Mine is the Spy Tec A119 V2 + GPS Logger 1440p Car Dash Camera, I got it on newegg on a black Friday sale. It looks pretty great, no complaints. Before this, I had the G1W which is a good starter dashcam if you don't want to pay too much.

/u/JetJaguar124 /u/Integralds

So first thing's first, Windows: ~$130 for Home Edition.

Okay, so things to keep in mind:

1. If you go Intel, overclocking isn't too great on 9th gen intel, especially if you don't have a beefy aftermarket cpu cooler. So if you don't plan on doing that at some point then you don't need a K series CPU and an overclocking motherboard. So your motherboard should primarily focus on giving you decent I/O options.
   
   
2. You also probably want to aim for 1080p or 1440p tops, given your price range.
   
   
3. Related to #1: If you don't plan on overclocking then a basic-ish mobo will do fine, and you mainly want to focus on I/O and other features. If you are getting Intel doubly so, as, as I mentioned before, intel 9th gen doesn't overclock well due to relatively low headroom to begin with. For intel overclocking boards are "Z" while non-overclocking boards are "B". For AMD they are "X" and "B" respectively.
   
   The GPU you should be seeking to use is the 1660 Ti, which is basically a slightly gimped RTX 2060 but without the raytracing stuff. If you are willing to spend a bit more then you could get an RX 5700 instead, which is nearly ~30% faster on average.
   
   That'll put you at $270 - $360 depending on the model you pick. Yes, it's a third of your budget, but the GPU is the single most important part of your build.
   
   Secondly you'll want a decent CPU to go with that.
   
   The Ryzen 5 3600 looks like a pretty good CPU, its a bit under $200, its fairly beefy and extendable so it's somewhat "future-proof" - in that it shouldn't cause much bottlenecking and you could upgrade your GPU past a 2080 Ti before needing to change the processor.
   
   This MSI Tomohawk Mobo looks good for the 3600.
   
   So we're at ~$320 for that, or about $640 total. Plus windows that is ~$730.
   
   The RAM Inty recommended before should be fine. You only really need 16 GB. This will set you back ~$80. If you find yourself wanting more RAM later down the line you can always add another pair of sticks later and double up your RAM.
   
   That puts us at around ~$800.
   
   $80 for a 750W Fully Modular Corsair PSU is basically a steal. It's refurbished though, although that shouldn't be a problem - especially with a PSU.
   
   We're at ~$880.
   
   Some good thermal paste for your CPU.
   
   We're now at ~$890.
   
   Storage depends on what you want to do. Do you install a lot of stuff and files at once? In which case you might want to get a nice sized SSD plus a big HDD.
   
   For your system drive. Plenty of space, good price, AND its an nvme SSD.
   
   That makes for ~$990.
   
   If you need lots of extra space
   
   If you need extreme extra space
   
   Keyboard and case are up to you, decide as you please. For the case just make sure that it can support an ATX mobo, as the mobo listed here is full ATX. Mechanical keyboards are crack, but they tend to be more expensive so they're probably out of range. This will be another $100 to $150 depending on what you pick.
   
   Something to keep in mind though: Your case and your monitors are basically "future proof". In other words, they won't really get "worse" with time or cause future performance issues. So monitors and case are things where you want to consider what you'll eventually want and buy ahead, even if you have to stretch a bit.
   
   This just leaves your monitor. I would NOT recommend a 1080p monitor above 24 in. Honestly, if you can go for a 1440p monitor then do it. I'm a bit of a resolution whore tho, so if 1080p works for you then that's fine. I would also avoid TN panels - they tend to look more washed out, tinny, and have worse viewing angles . . . although they also tend to be a fair bit cheaper than the good panels (namely IPS panels).
   
   I used to own one of these . . . it was vvy vvy gud. This is a relatively artsy monitor, so if color gamut correctness or whatever is important for you for photo or video editing or whatever, then this is a good pick. It's a bit expensive, yeah, but also super gorgeous. It also goes up to 75 Hz. Conversely, get a freesync monitor, and this one is probably good - haven't done much research on it, but Dells are generally pretty good in my experience (my current 4K monitor is a Dell too). Freesync will allow you to basically eliminate screen tearing and will provide a smoother feeling experience because it will even out frame rates better.
   
   One last thing to keep in mind: Shopping around on ebay and other sites can save you a fair bit. My rule of thumb is to never, ever buy sensitive parts like hard-drives, cpus, or motherboards second hand or refurbished. But everything else is fair game. So refurbished GPUs, Monitors, PSUs, Cases, etc. should be fine. Pre-owned? Ehhh . . . that I'm much, much more sketchy on - personally I wouldn't, but that's just me.
   
   So in total it'd be somewhere in the range of $1500 including monitor, OS, case, and keyboard. The system itself is around $1000. But you can perhaps knock off a hundred bucks or two by shopping around and looking for where you can buy these parts cheaper than Amazon.
   
   But again: investing in a good monitor and case can be worth it. It means you won't have to replace it if/when you do upgrade. And worst case scenario you can offload your monitor as a side/secondary monitor when you upgrade your monitor to a new one.

I paired this with MSI Performance Gaming .. and Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB

lowest price for the past 120 days; not that great if comparing to year or two ago (but all memory went up due to the shortages).

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/p6RFf7/corsair-memory-cmk16gx4m2b3200c16?history_days=120

Amazon has this same model for the same price if you prefer Amazon over Newegg.

https://camelcamelcamel.com/Corsair-Vengeance-3200MHz-Desktop-Memory/product/B0143UM4TC

I posted above but this isn't really accurate with just this statement

Melee only runs at 60 FPS. 60 FPS = 60 HZ in that the monitor can only update when there's a new frame available.

The benefit in 120 FPS is that it will finish drawing the frame slightly quicker, but you likely are not sensitive enough to notice the difference without A/B testing 120HZ and 60HZ at the same time and feeling the immediate difference.

There is a 120FPS build that specifically leverages 120HZ monitors for lower input delay and it's still in beta/testing.

His listed monitor only has 10ms of input delay which is near the bottom of the scale. TVs can have 30-40ms of input latency so his monitor listed is very good.

I would only recommend a 120HZ monitor for melee if you also plan to play PC games on it that will actually run higher than 60 FPS. I can't see it making sense financially to spend money on a 120HZ solely for netplay.

Edit: I found a 75HZ IPS monitor at the same price range with 9.6ms of input lag. I recommend this monitor if your budget is under $150 USD.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-R240HY-bidx-23-8-Inch-Widescreen/dp/B0148NNKTC

I have an SSD and that improved my loading times by a good amount of time, also helps to have better internet, my speeds are good enough but not great at all.

They really aren't that expensive, I'll point you in the right direction if you want. Also helps a ton with games like PUBG, BF, Red Dead, GTA etc.

.

Edit: If anyone is wondering I have one 512GB Silicon Power 3D NAND A55 SLC Cache Performance Boost SATA III 2.5" 7mm (0.28") Internal Solid State Drive from Amazon for $49.99 USD along with another of the same Silicon Power SSD but in 256GB for $28.99 USD.

Then you need the enclosure which costs $8.99: Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool-Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III]. Super simple set up, literally open the enclosure by sliding the top off, slide the SSD into the connection slot in the enclosure, put the top on, plug it in to the USB slot and turn the thing on. Really nice price, had never heard of the brand but it has really good reviews, and works well for me. Just about the cheapest SSD I've seen on Amazon with an average review of 4.5+ (and at least 1k reviews).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075RJS55D/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_track_package_o2_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_track_package_o2_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That's the exact stuff I bought. Buildings always load before I hit the ground

SSD : https://www.amazon.com/Silicon-Power-Performance-Internal-SP256GBSS3A55S25/dp/B075RJS55D


Enclosure : https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S

Together, they are pretty cheap. Just pop the SSD in the enclosure, plug in, and you’re good to go.

How much better is C14 to C16?

You can get a Corsair Vengeance LPX 3200mhx for $78.
https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-3000MHz-Desktop-Memory/dp/B0143UM4TC?th=1

is $42 worth it for tighter timings?

is this better or worse than this one?

https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-3200MHz-Desktop-Memory/dp/B0143UM4TC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542288358&sr=8-1&keywords=3200+ram

Not really worth it considering the 3200 MHz kit is less than £5 more expensive.

>Mhz really doesn't matter at all
>
>CAS latency

How does that even fit into the same message? You're completely wrong.

TL;DR. No, the RAM clock means a lot. Detailed explanation with examples and math below.

Your comparison to cars is also completely off the mark. To even bring it to something remotely correct, you have to account for the different cars, where slower RAM is an industrial truck running in higher gear, whereas the faster RAM is a sports supercar running 1 gear below the truck, so a truck in 4th gear with medium RPM against a supercar in 3rd gear with high RPM, going in a straight line on a completely flat asphalt road. Want to take a guess which one would win?

I'll even ignore the fact that higher-clocked RAM often has same CAS latency than lower-clocked RAM for the sake of argument.

So here's an explanation of how Mhz and CAS latency really work, which illustrates this point. First off, CAS latency is literally measured in memory cycles, which are measured in Mhz. I'll operate with nanoseconds in my calculations, so Mhz will be translated to Ghz (1Ghz is 10\^9 hz, while 1ns=10\^-9 sec) for easier-to-read numbers.

Say you have a typical 3200Mhz RAM stick (16gb, 75$) with 16 CAS latency. Keeping in mind that the bandwidth for memory commands operate at half the spec clock, we come to 3200Mhz for data transfer, but only 1600Mhz (1600 million per second, or 1.6 billion) for memory commands. Time for one full cycle is thus 1/1600000000 = 0.625ns. Then we multiply that value by the CAS latency number to translate cycles from latency to seconds: 0.625 * 16 = 10ns. This is the real latency of such a stick.

For comparison, let's take this G.Skill memory set (16gb, 70$ - I couldn't find faster) with 2666Mhz and 15 CAS latency. Doing the same procedure, we get 1.333Ghz clock for command interface, full cycle time of 1/1333000000 = 0.750ns, and finally the real latency of 0.750 * 15 = 11.25ns.

If you take RAM with even higher clocks, the difference will be even bigger, for instance RAM with 3600Mhz and 19 CAS latency (10.6ns) would still be faster than 2666Mhz 15 CAS one (11.25ns).

Not only is the first set clocked higher, which brings additional advantages with certain CPU models, especially Ryzen, it also has lower actual latency despite having higher CAS latency. It is literally better in every single aspect that concerns performance. To match that at all, the slower 2666Mhz stick would need 13 CAS latency (that would bring it to 9.75ns), and I couldn't find memory like that. Or in reverse, to make the higher-clocked memory run as slow as the lower-clocked one, you would need 17 CAS latency (would bring it to 11.33ns), which would make the real latency only marginally bigger (we're talking about fractions of a nanosecond here) while having significantly higher throughput, so it would still be faster overall.

So yeah, I would say Mhz of the RAM means a whole lot, while it is actually hard to find higher-clocked RAM with CAS latency bad enough to make it slower than lower-clocked RAM.

I would rather get the 1280ts for $87.

https://www.amazon.ca/Edifier-R1280T-Bookshelf-Speakers-Monitors/dp/B016P9HJIA/ref=sr_1_3?crid=38AO6JDM9FYGI&keywords=r1280t&qid=1563292037&s=electronics&smid=A23AS8PFN4IRUQ&sprefix=r1%2Celectronics%2C214&sr=1-3

Sound comparison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TUDOZJSEi8

Have my 1280ts hooked up to my pc and an echo dot. Can be using them on the pc and get alexa going through speakers at the same time.

$300 - $500 can get you a great new setup if you piece it together correctly. On the lower end, here's one I'd recommend

Turntable: U-Turn Orbit Basic: $179

Phono Preamplifier: ART Pro Audio DJPRE II: $49

Speakers: Edifier R1280T Powered Bookshelf Speakers: $100

By going with active/powered speakers, you can forego getting an AV Receiver for amplification needed for passive speakers (you could also look at receivers with built in phono stages and passive speakers if you want to spend a bit more).

This would cost about $330, not including any additional/longer cables or any other accessories. It isn't a top of the line rig, but it would be a pretty big upgrade from what you have now

You could also go the vintage route and probably get an even better setup, but you'll need to know a bit more on what to look for in terms of conditions and brands and whatnot

No. It's not a subwoofer, it's a woofer like you would find in 6.5" bookshelf speakers. The small speakers don't have a woofer, only a tweeter and midrange driver to keep them small and they put the woofer in a separate box.

If you are worried about it put it on your desk or get powered 2.0 bookshelf speakers like the Edifier R980T or Edifier R1280T.

Or a mini amp and passive bookshelf speakers.

$53 Bundle 6-1/2" 2-Way Bookshelf Speaker Pair and Hi-Fi Mini Amplifier Bundle

Amps: Kinter K2020A+ Limited Edition ORIGINAL Tripath TA2020-020 $33 or Nobsound Mini 50W x 2 Bluetooth Amplifier $31.

Speakers: Polk Audio T15 $50 or Dayton Audio B652-AIR with AMT Tweeter $50.

Speaker wire and wire stripper.

Also see r/BudgetAudiophile

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009C3M7H0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Right now, you could get a Home for $109, and this Sonos 1 style Chromecast dock for $91.50, and a Chromecast Audio for $30.

That's about $230 before tax and shipping, and it's pretty simple. The CC fits in the dock with an included Toslink connector, and does auto-power on. Already multiroom, even though the Home is one room.

Or you could replace the dock with these powered bookshelf speakers for $120. (thanks r/BudgetAudiophile/) Still well under a Homepod, and now you have two good speakers, so far.

The cost difference would really run away if you tried to multiroom with the Homepod.

Have you thought about the Micca PB42x or Swan D1010?

https://www.amazon.com/Micca-PB42X-Powered-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B00NXAEPDC

https://www.amazon.com/Swans-D1010-IV-Speakers-Bookshelf-Neodymium/dp/B0058QMRCK

Both are right $100-$120 and are great 2.0 solutions. One thing about the M10 to consider is that the subwoofer is intended to be placed on the desk (I believe right between the L & R speakers), so that might make positioning a pain for you.

Not exactly sure how they compare but I've seen these speakers recommended a lot at this price point.

Micca PB42X Powered Bookshelf Speakers (Pair) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NXAEPDC/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_d82Nwb1YAVCNM

Good pair of simple powered monitors. Has 3.5mm input so you should be plug and play.

Something along the same lines would be the Micca Covo-S, but you need an amp for them (looks like the soundphonics have a built in amp in the larger speaker?). Amps can be had for cheap, but many cheap Chinese amps have a slight buzz in them whenever they're on. I don't spend any real time with super cheap speakers, so sadly I can't give any cheap amp recommendations. I had a Dayton DTA-1 on my Micca MB42X (bigger cousin to the Covo-S) and it was a weak amp, but loud enough, and no buzz. Lepai amps seem to be very hit or miss with their quality.

If you want something nicer, but a bit over $70, there's the Micca PB42X. I mentioned the MB42X, but those need an amp, whereas the PB42X has one built in. It's not a good or powerful amp, but being built in is handy if you don't plan on going for crazy quality. They aren't huge speakers -- about nine inches tall, or six inches if you lay them on their sides. IMO the best sound you can get for this price without scouting for crazy deals on hi-fi equipment.

But of course... if you happen to be outside of the US then I think that availability is pretty poor.

No, not those. For $100 the best you can do is the Micca PB42x.

Upgraded to a real turntable (to an Orbit) and such, and now I have no idea how to position or fit my speakers in my room. Here are a couple of additional images:

• http://i.imgur.com/YFZv2Ap.jpg
  
• http://i.imgur.com/E735Xts.jpg
  
  You can see, I have basically no room. My speakers are Micca PB42X powered speakers, and I have no idea how I can fit them in here. Help?

Samsung 850 EVO 250GB 2.5-Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-75E250B/AM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OAJ412U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_KxmKtLPHeWGx8

Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool-free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized For SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_MsUOAQq2VgL3h

I just added a SSD to my day one Xbox for $40. It is totally worth it especially for Destiny.
Case
SSD

Yes I bought an $10 enclosure.

Here are the 2 items I bought:

Samsung 850 EVO 250GB 2.5-Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-75E250B/AM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OAJ412U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_CdzXXahiHqmFH

Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool-free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized For SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_m4inanakDfvZ8

/u/paulatreides0, /u/jetjaguar124, u/WeAreAwful

This is not my best guide, but it is a guide. Refinements welcome.
I wish I knew where to post the refined version, because it seems wasted
on the ephemeral DT.

PC building notes, 2019 Q3

Introduction

This post is a a "guide" to PC building in late 2019. It is incomplete
in two senses. First, I make no special claims to authority or objectivity.
I'm just an enthusiast. I have only personally tested a fraction of the parts
listed below. Second, I am writing this before the Intel 10th-gen refresh
and before the release AMD's flagship 3950X. Those new parts may impact some
of the advice given below.

This guide is extremely opinionated. I will simplify and exaggerate to
keep things simple.

This post was written while drinking whisky and listening to
enka.

Internals

What's inside your PC

A PC has seven core components. They are,

1. CPU: the central processing unit. The thing that does calculations.
   
2. Motherboard: the bit that all the other bits slot into
   
3. GPU: the graphics processing unit. For frames in games.
   
4. RAM: Random Access Memory. Fast, volatile, short-term storage.
   
5. Storage: longer-term storage. Comes in several flavors, mainly solid state
   and hard disk.
   
6. PSU: the power supply unit. The bit that delivers power to the other bits.
   
7. Case: a steel box that you put the other bits in.
   
   A word first on compatibility. The skeleton of the build is the motherboard,
   and you have to make sure that every other bit is compatible with your board.
   There are two CPU manufacturers, AMD and Intel; each has their own CPU
   design and thus has their own motherboard type. RAM, storage, PSUs, and GPUs
   are all cross-compatible with either AMD or Intel motherboards.
   Motherboards come in different sizes. A case will be compatible with certain
   size ranges. From small to big, these are ITX, m-ATX, ATX, and
   E-ATX. You'll want to check that your motherboard can fit in your case.
   
   

   CPUs
   

   
   AMD's most current CPUs are the 3000-series Ryzen chips. There are a bunch
   of them, but the only two you have to care about are the
   
   

• AMD Ryzen 5 3600 ($200)
  
• AMD Ryzen 7 3700X ($330)
  
  The other options are the 3600X, the 3800X, and the 3900X. None of these
  are interesting compared to the two listed above, and can be safely ignored.
  
  Intel's current CPUs are the 9th-gen Core chips. I would only seriously
  consider two of these chips,
  
  
• Intel i7-9700K ($380)
  
• Intel i9-9900K ($450-$500)
  
  and I'd ignore the rest. If you want to spend less than $350 on a CPU,
  then go AMD. If you want to spend more than $350 on a CPU,
  go Intel.
  
  A word about prior-gen chips. The AMD 2000 series (2700X, 2600) and the
  Intel 8th gen series (8700K) are still viable at the right price. Look at
  benchmarks. More on that later.
  
  A word about lower-spec CPUs. AMD sells cheap CPUs that have integrated
  graphics. That means you don't need to buy a graphics card with these chips.
  As such, a build with the 3400G or 3200G can be extremely inexpensive. Consider
  them for office use or basic builds that don't require heavy graphics.
  I have personally tested them and they play 4K video flawlessly; they should
  be perfectly adequate for basic tasks.
  
  For scientific workloads, ask me to write another post. I can't cover
  everything here.
  
  
  

  Motherboard
  

  
  Motherboards only accept either AMD or Intel CPUs, but not both, so you must
  choose a board that is compatible with your CPU.
  Once you decide between AMD or Intel, you can proceed to figure out which
  motherboard you want. There are approximately six billion boards. For AMD,
  skip the hassle and just buy the
  
  

• MSI B450 Tomahawk MAX
  
  Note the "MAX." The Tomahawk was released during the 1000- and 2000-series
  of AMD processors. The MAX variant is compatible with 3000-series chips
  out of the box.
  
  For Intel, I know far less. Any Z390 board should be acceptable.
  
  For AMD, the new X570 boards are available as well. They are pricey and
  overkill for 90% of desktop users. Feel free to skip them. Look out for the
  B550 boards that are to be released in 2020Q1.
  
  
  

  GPU
  

  
  There are two main manufacturers of GPUs: AMD and Nvidia. Confusingly, they
  do not sell GPUs themselves, but market them through partners like MSI,
  EVGA, PowerColor, Sapphire, etc.
  
  The GPU stack is a little confusing.
  That chart lists all of the main GPUs on the market, and if you count, there
  are over 25 GPUs listed. Multiply 25 GPUs by 10 or so board partners,
  multiplied again by the fact that each partner sells multiple types of the same
  GPU, and you have a recipe for an absolute nightmare of a market.
  The prices are only approximate.
  
  Let me cut through the fog. You should buy one of
  
  

• AMD RX 570 ($130)
  
• Nvidia 1660 or AMD RX 590 ($220-$280)
  
• AMD RX 5700 XT ($400-$430)
  
• Nvidia 2080 Super ($700)
  
• Nvidia 2080 Ti ($1200)
  
  Pick your price point.
  
  
  

  RAM
  

  
  RAM is distinguished by its generation. We are currently on DDR4, with
  DDR5 to come in either 2020 or 2021. This part is easy. Just buy
  16GB of DDR4 3200-speed RAM and be done with it.
  This kit
  will set you back $75 to $85 depending on the day of the week and will perform
  adequately for 99.98% of users.
  
  

  Storage
  

  
  In 2019, there is no excuse for not buying fast solid-state storage.
  For 90% of users, you should buy either the 500GB or 1TB variant of the
  Intel 660p and call it a day.
  This reviewer
  is 100% paid off by Intel, but he's also right on this topic. Buy a 660p
  and rest easy.
  
  For enthusiasts, the 660p uses new, cheap, somewhat fragile QLC NAND technology
  and you might want to go with a Samsung 970 instead.
  
  That does it for your boot drive. If you need further long-term storage for
  music, movies, videos, games, etc, look into either Seagate or WD's 8TB to
  12TB options.
  
  I personally have a few WD Gold 12TB drives. They're pricey, but they're
  enterprise-grade and haven't done me wrong yet. My firm, which buys storage
  by the truckload, loves these things. They rarely fail.
  
  I personally am using a 660p for OS, a second SSD for
  some of my media, and HDDs for long-term storage.
  
  

  Power
  

  
  I have neither the time nor the expertise to get into a deep discussion of
  power supplies. The topic is apparently very complicated. You should buy
  something in the 550W to 750W from a manufacturer like Corsair, EVGA,
  or CoolerMaster. Make sure it has the number of VGA connectors that your GPU
  requires.
  
  

  Case
  

  
  The case is the place to really personalize your build. Try not to spend
  more than $100, though; at the end of the day, it's just a steel box.
  
  

  Peripherals
  

  
  In some ways, the bits outside the computer are more important than the bits
  inside. After all, these are the bits you interact with on a daily basis.
  
  

• Monitors
  
• Keyboard
  
• Mouse
  
• Headphones or speakers
  
• Chair
  
• Desk
  
  

  Monitors
  

  
  Monitors are distinguished by size and resolution.
  
  The resolutions available are 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. I recommend the following.
  
  

• 24" 1080p for entry-level gaming and for most office work
  
• 25" or 27" 1440p
  
• 32" or higher 4K
  
  You may also care about refresh rate; the most common refresh rates are 60Hz
  and 144Hz. These only matter for gaming.
  
  One particular sweet spot is the "1440p, 27", 144Hz refresh rate" class. Look
  up benchmarks and comparison videos.
  
  

  Keyboard
  

  
  Pick to taste. Some swear by mechanical keyboards. Others buy standalone
  keyboards that mimic the laptop keyboard that they're used to.
  
  

  Mouse
  

  I have used the Logitech G500 and Logitech G403, and both are fine. They're
  somewhat expensive and will run you about $70.
  
  

  Sound
  

  
  There are a million ways to fulfill your sound needs. For wired headsets,
  the bone-stock recommendation is the AudioTechnica ATH-M50x.
  For speakers, I can recommend the Klipsch 2+1.
  
  For more earphone and headphone suggestions, ask me for an extended discussion.
  
  

  Chair and desk
  

  
  Don't neglect these. You'll be sitting at that chair for several hours per
  day, and you'll use that desk forever. Measure how wide your monitors will be
  and buy a desk accordingly. Go to an office supply shop and sit in a few chairs;
  pick one that you like. Your desk and chair will last forever, so don't be
  afraid to spend a little money here.
  
  

  Advice
  

  
  Read Logical Increments in its entirety.
  
  Watch videos from real, serious hardware reviewers. I recommend
  Gamers Nexus, Paul's Hardware, and Hardware Unboxed. Anyone else is either
  subpar or bought out or provides worthless advice.
  
  Do research, think for yourself, and ask me questions. I'll either give you
  advice or point you to reliable resources if I think my advice would be lacking.

Remember that Ryzen loves faster Ram. For a few bucks more you can get the 3200 speed kit.


Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 DRAM 3200MHz C16 Desktop Memory Kit - Black (CMK16GX4M2B3200C16) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0143UM4TC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_G18RCbWFVZT59

The biggest difference is color accuracy and production on IPS panels absolutely eclipse VA panels. If you want something not expensive that looks pretty take a look at this for 1080p and this for 1440p

She was using a $4.99 one from Goodwill so I replaced it with an [Acer R240HY!] (https://www.amazon.com/Acer-R240HY-bidx-23-8-Inch-Widescreen/dp/B0148NNKTC)

You need a usb hub my man. Not enough power on your mobo usb. Look on amazon. Here it is.

Inateck Superspeed 4 Ports PCI-E to USB 3.0 Expansion Card - Interface USB 3.0 4-Port Express Card Desktop with 15 Pin SATA Power Connector, [ Include with A 4pin to 2x15pin Cable + A 15pin to 2x 15pin SATA Y-Cable ] (KT4001) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B6ZCNGM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_t0TPBb3ZBXT13

If you continue to have problems you will need to buy a inateck board.

Inateck on amazon

This video from Flex your Rights is pretty good. I used tips from the first section of it to get out of two speeding tickets.

The second section covers how to deal with police when they interact with you on the street and the third covers when they come to your home. Flex Your Rights has other good videos with more example situations.

It's also a good idea to invest in a dashcam, so conversations during a traffic stop can be recorded. A cop's word will trump a private citizen's, but it won't trump an audio recording. I have a Rexing V1, but have heard good things about the G1W, which is much cheaper.

I hope that helped.

Black Box G1W

I just hooked up this dashcam in my car. Took awhile to arrive but I was in no hurry. It's definitely cheap ($50, free shipping), and you can tell, but I see no reason for it to malfunction since there are no moving parts and it just sits on your window. Reviews for it are really positive, that's why I bought it.

I can't review it at all for you since I installed it last night, so here's a video review.

https://www.amazon.com/Micca-PB42X-Powered-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B00NXAEPDC

Tascam TH-02 - $26

Creative Aurvana L!ve - $56

Sony MDR-V6 - $67

These are all solid options to consider. The Creative and Sony options are definitely better than the Tascam, but I included it in case the others are out of reach. The Creative Aurvana L!ve are more bass heavy, while the Sony's are more treble heavy.

He might be interested in Renoise. It is, in many ways, like a full-fledged-digital-audio-workstation (music software) version of LSDJ. It has some features that seem to be unique to itself and LSDJ, such as sequencable sub-patterns.

You might consider grabbing him a copy of the Korg DS-10 if he doesn't already have it. It's a nice piece of software, all things considered. This is distinctly different from the Korg DSN-12 or Korg M01D available for the 3DS. As far as I can tell, it's only available on cartridge. There's the original for the Nintendo DS classic and an upgraded version for the 3DS that I've never seen in the wild.

The QuNexus keyboard is awesome, (I've got a nice 49-key and still want one) and while it's similar to his Axiom, it's a bit more expressive, and it would serve as a nice supplement to his limited 25 keys, as he could set it to a different octave and use both keyboards in tandem as one 4-octave keyboard.

Also, if he doesn't have a pair, I'm sure he'd appreciate some decent headphones for the road. These and these are decent examples.

Mouse

Headphones

Ill give you the headphones, but when I bought them off amazon they were on sale for 55 bucks. I would rather buy a 50 dollar item once every 5-10 years than 20 dollar items every 6 months. Ive done both.
And check ebay for refurb/open box/scratch and dent. That's where I get all my things.

Ebay mouse $20

Ebay Headphones ($50)

The only headphones you will ever need

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-V6-Monitor-Series-Headphones/dp/B00001WRSJ

Literally, I know people who have had the same pair for 15 + years.

Not actively noise-cancelling, but the Sony MDR-V6s are incredibly popular and being closed-back they do a great job at simply isolating outside noise. I use mine almost every day on the bus to and from school. As an added bonus, they street for a lot less than the $110 listed on Sony's website.

The Sony MDR-v6 is on sale right now on Amazon. Good headphone with nice balance, but doesn't have loads of bass.

If you really want that deep and bigger bass sound I would recommend saving money and getting the ATH-M50s. But they're double your price range.

I think the KSC75s would be perfect for you. The sides "twist" over your ears, so there's no need for a headband. They sound really good for the price, too!

The Koss KSC75 are also really good and much cheaper. Also more comfortable for use with a vr headset imo.

non referral link

Hey /u/QuestionSleep - Nice work on the sounds for your video! It looks like everyone is giving you a bit of a hard time about the video quality though. So I'm here to help! :)

Here's a couple of super basic things to help you:

• Light is EVERYTHING! Having lights behind you (like your window) makes any camera have to lower the gain and exposure (fancy words for the way the image sensor takes in information which requires light). The best thing you can do with what you have right now is turn around so all the lights are behind the camera. That way the exposure and gain will come down and your framerate will go up. If you want to really help your videos get a simple table lamp and have it pointing at your face without getting in the shot, super cheap lighting!
  
  
• If you can afford it, a new camera would be great! Decent webcams can be cheaper than you think too! I'm guessing you are American so head over to here for something to put on Santa's list! http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Webcam-Widescreen-Calling-Recording/dp/B006JH8T3S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416858979&sr=8-1&keywords=logitech+c920
  
  That webcam will film at a good frame rate automatically in 1080p. Problem solved!
  
  Other than that, keep it up! Us ASMRtists have to keep working. Let me know if I can help you any more. And awesome Power Rangers top! :D

Hey man I understand. I do need a new camera. Probably gonna be getting one for christmas.

EDIT: This will be here in 2 days. :)

So this came to a surprise to me, just because I haven't had that much experience with this kind of gear.

Here are my notes:

1. Plugging in headphones (TRS) to the volca works fine.
   
2. Plugging in a stereo cable (TRS) to a normal stereo system works fine.
   
3. Plugging in a stereo cable (TRS) to a mixing board = huge amounts of white noise.
   
4. Plugging in a mono cable (TS) to a mixing board = works perfectly.
   
   I don't have enough details, but I think you're connecting your volca (stereo) to a line in (mono) and it's getting messed up because the mixing board is expecting mono.
   
   I figured this out by taking one of my 3.5mm TRS to 6.35 mm TS cable only using the T and it worked fine.
   
   My final solution was to buy a TS 3.5mm to TS 6.35mm cable for each of my volcas and everything works fantastically now.
   
   edit: if you're using a volca sample, which is actually stereo, you'll want to split the TRS to 2x TS and put it into two channels on your mixing board.

> So unless he's somehow got a 4K webcam

You mean like the #1 bestselling webcam on Amazon, whose images are 5168x2907, or almost double 4K?

4K = 8.3 megapixels. Most popular webcam for sale today = 15 megapixels. I bought my webcam in a supermarket for $25 and it does 4K stills.

A logitech HD 1080p Webcam, it's like 80 bucks.

My guess is it's this one.

Which I also use. It's a great webcam.

Edit: Do not google search "Jesse Cox Webcam." Nothing good comes of it.

It's also wise to buy a cable modem yourself since you won't get charged to rent theirs.

If you buy your own it will pay itself off in about a year (7$/mo) and anything after that is pure savings.

Surfboard

Buy this modem and the router/wireless access point of your choice. I like this one but you can go cheaper or more fancy if you like. Connect the modem to the cable line and the router to the modem. Write down the MAC address and serial number for each thing.

Next, take a shot, and call comcast. Tell them you want their $35/month internet-only plan and you have your own modem. Connect the modem to the cable line before calling to make things easier. They will try to sell you some stuff and get some info, but just be patient and stay on target.

This is where it gets fun. If you've been graced by heaven, you'll be done in 5 minutes but I've never seen this happen. Most likely you will be transferred around to several people, having to repeat the same info while they struggle to activate your modem. They will claim there's no signal, they'll say "maybe it's not supported," and they'll very likely drop the call at least once. Keep calling and eventually, probably within 45 minutes to an hour, they will miraculously succeed.

It will end up costing $40/month, because there's some retarded $5 fee on top of the subscription. If they try to charge you for a modem rental or installation, challenge it immediately.

Yes, this is the easiest and cheapest way to get internet in this city. Fortunately, setting up gas/electric is about a 5 minute phone call with the lovely folks at national grid.

Try Koss Porta Pros. They are great for travel since they fold up small, plus they have a very high dynamic range and are very inexpensive. They are also lightweight so I can wear them for hours and hours without fatigue.

Definitely go with Koss Porta Pros. They're over-ear headphones, adjustable size, collapsible, and the sound quality is on par with anything Bose spits out. Normally $50, but you can get them for a decent $30 on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Koss-PortaPro-Headphones-with-Case/dp/B00001P4ZH

I'm getting some cheap super lightweight over ear headphones for friends and family that will be trying the vive. very cheap to replace, decent sound, very comfortable, lightweight and excellent user reviews

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00001P4ZH/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3W0S1GSYARMEY&coliid=I318WJPH4R49XP&psc=1

That's why no one should buy skullcandy. Portapro's may not be the sexiest headphones, but they sound better than anything you can get for $50 and last forever.

Here are some good headphones for the price.

Koss PortaPros - $50 (Usually you can find these for like $30, not sure why Amazon has them marked up)

Grado sr60i - $80

Sennheiser HD555 - $190

Audio Technica is another manufacturer to look into but I'm not familiar with their products. I only use open back headphones.

I think the Grado's are the best deal. I use sr80i's.

IMHO, here is the best headphones for $40:

https://www.amazon.com/Koss-Porta-Pro-Headphones-Silver/dp/B00001P4ZH

Nice! I bought three accessories already and I don't have the Quest yet: Studioform comfort strap, VRcover facial interface, and the Koss Porta Pro headphones.

The design difference is on-ear (your picture) versus over-ear (what you're looking for).

The Sony MDR-V6 is only a little above your price range (the price fluctuates between $60 and $90 on Amazon, currently $69) and is easily one of the best sub-$100 sets out there. Their sound quality and comfort should be much better than the HD201s, and they're built to last. They have good sound isolation; you could probably get better with earbuds but then you'd be sacrificing a lot of comfort and durability.

I don't know if someone else could provide a better set for metal, but the V6s are great for all-around use.

You can buy the Koss KSC75 headphones, same ones as the built ins on the CV1 for 15 bucks. I easily bent them so they wrap around the headsets and plugged them into the front. 15 bucks and 10 minutes of modding.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006B486K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you ever were to look into another wireless "gaming" headset, I can strongly recommend the [Logitech G930] (http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B003VANOFY/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1405227700&sr=1-1&keywords=g930). I'm sure they don't sound as great as the Seinnheisers but they are wireless, and the lightest headset I've ever worn. Very comfortable for long periods of time, which usually happens when gaming.

But NOTHING can come close to Sennheiser sound.

I'm a big fan of my Logitech, which I got for about $60. It's wireless.

The biggest complaint I hear about it is it's battery life, but the cord that comes with it is a decent length, so if you're not going to be too far from your pc most of the time, it's not a dealbreaker.

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B003VANOFY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458140961&sr=8-1&keywords=wireless+gaming+headset

any of you bros on here a gamer? I got these Logitech G930 in a raffle and do not play Pc based games. Whoever messages me first can have them at the cost of shipping. Only downside is the box is kinda fucked because it's been in my closet and moved around a bit. They are brand new other than that.

Also $60 on Amazon.

$10 more will get you the wireless version.

I've been thinking about buying the Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920 to use mostly as a mic as a lot of people of YouTube use it for the same purpose along with the video recording and there voices sound very clear.

I just don't really like having the mic boom on my Astro A40s which is why I'm thinking of getting that webcam to use as a mic.

So let's cut right down to it and explain the parts:

• CPU: Intel quad-core, hyperthreaded CPU. This CPU will perform very well when playing any game, while streaming. Videos below will explain more why this CPU is more than good enough for your use. Got the H.264 codec which allows you to record and stream at very high quality.But this will give a hit on FPS.
  
• CPU Cooler: Review. Easy to install, silent, good looking CPU cooler. Will keep the Xeon more than cool enough.
  
• Motherboard: Black & red gaming motherboard. Got better on-board audio and a dedicated network chip to provide low latency when gaming.
  
• Memory: 16GB of RAM. Speeds don't matter, only capacity. 16GB is overkill for a gaming PC, but will be helpful when you're using a lot of programs at the same time.
  
• Storage: 240GB SSD for OS + all editing / streaming software. 2TB HDD for your game captures. Able to expand this later with 4 more HDDs.
  
• Video Card: Review. The best single core GPU on the market. Got Shadowplay, which is a feature where you can capture game play with, although not at a extremely high quality.
  
• Case: Review. Very awesome quality case and easy to work in. Given that it's $70, it's very good.
  
• Power Supply: Review. 5 year warranty, 80+ gold, semi-modular (so you only have to plug in the cables that you need and nothing more), semi-passive fan profile, 650W PSU from EVGA made by FSP. This is a very high quality PSU. Which will have no problem powering this system that will at most pull about 350-400W depending on how much you overclock the GPU.
  
• OS: Windows 10, remember that you need to have a USB stick of at least 4GB to install Windows. Also you need to have a PC with Windows on it to make use of this. If you're using XP you'll have to download the ISO file from the program and use Rufus to install the ISO on the USB flash drive.
  
• Monitor: 2560x1440p IPS monitor. You will absolutely love this monitor and the amazing image quality + size. You can simply record games at 1080p no problem. When you stream, you should also just stream at 1080p and use the downscale option in OBS. This will then record your whole screen and simply down scale it. So the viewers will see everything that you see. Same thing will happen for the recording.
  
• Capture card: Because you said that you don't want to have any loss in FPS while playing / recording games. This device is a very nice option to go for. This got a HDMI pass-through and will use the H.264 encoder to record or stream gameplay. Here is the product page. You simply connect this device with USB 3.0 to your PC, then you go out of your GPU into the device with HDMI and then out of the device into your monitor.
  
  ---
  
  
• Keyboard: Review. Mechanical keyboards are a lot better in terms of typing and durability compared to membrane. But they are louder.
  This is the Cherry MX red review and I went for the Cherry MX brown. The reds are perhaps even more silent once you've applied the O-rings. Not entirely sure about that. Here is a very good read about mechanical keyboards and especially a nice look at the different switches. I use MX browns personally and it's not silent at all, but it's far less loud compared to MX blues, that I've used previously.
  
• Mouse: Review. This is probably the best review of this mouse. There is an RGB version now, but it got a $30 premium.
  
• Webcam: Review. Pretty damn solid webcam for the price.
  
  Note: the total price is without the keyboard, mouse & webcam.
  
  ---
  
  Now I will also provide you with my standard list of videos to help you understand why I suggest these parts.
  Lastly I'll also provide you with a couple of great guides to help you build the PC.
  I have to post this in a reply to this post, since I went over the 10.000 character limitation reddit provides per post.
  
  
  PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
  
  Type|Item|Price
  :----|:----|:----
  CPU | Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor | $252.98 @ Newegg
  CPU Cooler | CRYORIG M9i 48.4 CFM CPU Cooler | $25.99 @ Newegg
  Motherboard | MSI B85-G43 GAMING ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $93.98 @ Newegg
  Memory | G.Skill Value Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1333 Memory | $63.99 @ Newegg
  Storage | A-Data Premier SP550 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $63.99 @ Amazon
  Storage | Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $68.09 @ Amazon
  Video Card | Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB WINDFORCE 3X Video Card | $629.99 @ B&H
  Case | Phanteks Enthoo Pro M ATX Mid Tower Case | $69.99 @ Newegg
  Power Supply | EVGA 650W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply | $69.99 @ Amazon
  Operating System | Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) | $94.16 @ Amazon
  Monitor | Acer G257HU smidpx 60Hz 25.0" Monitor | $254.10 @ B&H
  Capture Card| AVerMedia Live Gamer Extreme| $150.00 @ Amazon
  Keyboard | Cooler Master CM Storm QuickFire TK Wired Mini Keyboard | $85 @ Newegg
  Keyboard sound dampening| Cherry MX O-rings| $13 @ Amazon
  Mouse | Logitech G502 Wired Optical Mouse | $50 @ BestBuy
  Webcam| Logitech C920| $63 @ Amazon
  | Prices include shipping, taxes and discounts |
  | Total | $1837.25
  | Generated by Kiwiandapple |
  
  

• A lot of people use the Logitech c920 for their webcam.
  
  
• Check out r/buildapcforme or r/buildapc for a pc build
  
  
• Check out r/mechanicalkeyboards for an awesome keyboard.
  
  I'm assuming you're wanting to build a desktop, so that's what my advice is for.
  
  Spez: you seem to not know a whole lot, if you are building and/or need some more advice feel free to pm me

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JH8T3S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Best cam I ever used.

Here are the specs:

Type|Item|
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i7-4820K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor
CPU Cooler | Corsair H105
Thermal Compound | Prolimatech PK-1 5g Thermal Paste
Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-X79-UP4 ATX LGA2011 Motherboard
Memory| Corsair Dominator Platinum 2133MT/s C9 4x 4gb
Storage | SAMSUNG 840 EVO 250GB
Storage | SAMSUNG 840 EVO 250GB
Case | Corsair Graphite 760T in White
Power Supply | Corsair RM1000 80+ Gold
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 8.1 Professional (64-bit)
Monitor | Asus PB278Q 27" 2560x1440 PLS
Monitor | Asus PB238Q 23.0" Monitor
Keyboard|Filco Ninja Majestouch-2 w/MX browns
Keyboard | Keycool 84 (white body) w/MX black
Keyboard | KBT Pure Pro 60% w/MX blues
Keyboard|KBT Pure 60% w/MX reds and blue LEDs
Keyboard|Leopold FC660M (gray keycaps) w/MX greens
Keyboard| KBT Pure 60% w/MX whites
Mouse | Mionix Naos 5000 Wired Laser Mouse
Video Card| XFX 290 DD Black edition
Video Card| XFX 290 DD Black edition
Headphones| AKG K702
Headphones| Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250Ohm
Headphones | Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 250Ohm
Headphone stand| Woo Audio HPS-HB
Headphone stand| Just Mobile Aluminum
Microphone|Samson Meteor Studio Mic
DAC| Schiit Modi
AMP|Schiit Magni
Speakers|JBL LSR305 5-inch Two-Way Pair
Fan| 3x Corsair SP120 Quiet edition PWM
Fan| 3x Corsair AF140 Quiet edition
Router|Netgear AC1750 R6300v2
Modem|Motorola SB6141 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem
Custom Cables|Made by /u/Lavins

Big thanks to Corsair for sponsoring most of this rig.

Here's the review of the case I released a couple of days ago

If you prefer not to take chances on dead pixels or warranty issues from Korean panels, the Asus PB278Q (27 inch) and BenQ BL3200PT (32 inch) are both wonderful choices. I can personally recommend them both, unless you want high refresh rates or low response times. The Asus will OC to about 85Hz and BenQ to 75Hz. Don't buy these for OC.

Samsung Evo 860 500gb: https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539043411&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=samsung+860+evo&dpPl=1&dpID=31CElO-B3PL&ref=plSrch

Samsung evo 860 is the latest version and well worth the money.

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1543011578&sr=8-2&keywords=samsung+evo

I got a 850 a couple years ago and it's still a lot better then a HDD. I keep my operating system, gw2, and one other game on it. Get a 1-2TB western digital hard drive for other games/file storage.

Also on copying gw2, I did it but had to repair the game for it to work again (only took five minutes).

You could always just get a headphone amp and separate powered speakers. In order to not break the bank but still have quality products, I recommend:

Headphone Amp


Powered speakers

Have owned both and can say you’ll be happy, especially for the price point.

Here you go.

They're powered. They're also on the sidebar bookshelf speakers recommendation list at your price point. I own them and am very happy with them.

Nice, if OP is looking for something right now I'd say this one:

https://www.amazon.com/PG279Q-DisplayPort-Adjustable-Ergonomic-EyeCare/dp/B017EVR2VM/

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Gaming-S2716DG-LED-Lit-Monitor/dp/B0149QBOF0/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1473937801&sr=1-1&keywords=dell+s2716dg

https://www.amazon.com/PG278Q-27-Inch-Display-Refresh-Monitor/dp/B00MSOND8C/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1473937837&sr=1-1&keywords=asus+rog+swift

https://www.amazon.com/SWIFT-PG279Q-27-Inch-LED-Lit-Monitor/dp/B017EVR2VM/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1473937837&sr=1-2&keywords=asus+rog+swift

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-XB271HU-27-inch-Widescreen/dp/B0173PEX20/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1473937867&sr=1-2&keywords=acer+1440p+144hz

to name a few

I’ve been using the Sennheiser HD 598 CS through the headphone jack on the DS4 for a long time. Extremely comfortable, well built, and incredible audio quality. I’ve had them for 2.5 years now and they are just barely started to show wear on the ear cups. Incredible value as well.

Was a years long headset user from Sony, Tritton, and Astro dating back to my early teen years. Ditching headsets was the best choice I ever made audio wise. The in-line mic isn’t as good as a boom arm but it’s worked well for me when I rarely need to use it. I’d recommend waiting to the 598s or something similar, or even the HyperX you mentioned. Never had good personally experiences with consumer grade Sony audio products, specifically their old PS3 headsets.

Sennheiser HD 598 Cs Closed Back Headphone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JP436TS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_D5Y0Cb1SGEWDM

500g version has a similar deal at 27% off for 98$ final price

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-250GB-Internal-MZ-76E250B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1537307328&sr=8-3&keywords=samsung%2B250gb%2Bssd&th=1

Like what /r/jcpb said, try a ground loop isolator in your aux jack. Worked wonders when I got engine noise in my music!

https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Ground-Isolator-Stereo-System/dp/B019393MV2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1501260462&sr=8-3&keywords=3.5mm+ground+loop+isolator

Ground loop isolator

https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Ground-Isolator-Stereo-System/dp/B019393MV2

$250 budget means you can also go for this one which I read good things about.

$240 Viewsonic
https://www.amazon.com/ViewSonic-XG2401-24-inch-Response-FreeSync/dp/B01A0ZRR50

$250 LG
https://www.amazon.com/LG-Electronics-24GM77-B-24-Inch-LED-Lit/dp/B00P0EOX1S

I've also looked at:

$200 AOC https://www.amazon.com/AOC-G2460PF-24-Inch-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B01BV1XBEI

I read that the AOC one has driver issues? Not sure if they're fixed. Install beta drivers for full freesync range.

$170 ACER http://www.costco.com/Acer-XF240H-24%22-Full-HD-Monitor-with-AMD-FreeSync.product.100316061.html

This is the best deal I've seen.

As far as I know, the 1070 cannot obtain 144FPS on ULTRA in most games (Although are you ONLY playing the latest games? No? Then it's half relevant). That said, Gsync has you the rest of the way.

Problem is, gsync is also a $150-$200 premium (at least in Canadian) to any monitor. They will tell you to buy monitors like this or this but it's hard to justify those 1440P monitors.

If you turn down your expectation to a 1080p gsync 144hz, then things become a bit more reasonable. But if you're an enthusiast, perhaps you really want to push the limit and try the 1440p 144hz g-sync bandwagon out.

Maybe some grounding issues. I have a similar problem with my op-1 and this does the job Mpow Ground Loop Noise Isolator for Car Audio/Home Stereo System with 3.5mm Audio Cable (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019393MV2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_JqeCCbQD68W2T
I bought a boss noise suppressor as well but it mostly compresses it but it does the job well for $50

I solved this by buying a Bluetooth to aux for my car. It plugs into my USB charger on my car (I have a car charger to 2 USB port that comes with the device) and I plug the aux from the Bluetooth into the car. My phone auto connects and I can still charge my device. There is no delay, no sound quality loss, it's pretty good!!

SoundBot SB360 Bluetooth 4.0 Car Kit Hands-Free Wireless Talking & Music Streaming Dongle w/ 10W Dual Port 2.1A USB Charger + Magnetic Mounts + Built-in 3.5mm Aux Cable

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RH29CJO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_L4gszbA4FYNP0

It was only 20 bucks too!!

With this, I also bought a recommended item in the reviews I read - a ground noise insulator. It goes for 9 bucks too. For my case, I didn't see a difference but you plug the Bluetooth AUX into this, then this into the car.

Mpow Ground Loop Noise Isolator for Car Audio / Home Stereo System with 3.5mm Audio Cable (Black)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019393MV2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_l5gszbMKG7BJ5


(PS: I recently got a new car with carplay and still have both of these items. If you'd like, I could ship you these two items I talked about actually! I have no use for them now.)

The Asus PG279Q is probably what I'd be looking for if I were you.

• 1440p
  
• IPS
  
• 165Hz
  
• G-sync
  
  Edit: Alternately, if it ever becomes available to buy and you can afford it (I've heard prices in excess of $2,000), the Asus PG27UQ has simply disgusting specs. 4K 144HZ IPS panel using quantum dots and full panel LED backlighting. Linus calls it the GOD of monitors.

Having used a T.V as my monitor for the past two years, I've been looking to get a 1440p, 144 Hz monitor to make the most of my gaming experience.

I have a Nvidia 970 and will be upgrading my PC when the next line of graphics cards releases.

This monitor seems perfect although I've been reading about the "monitor lottery". What other similar options are there (Two I came across: one and two? And is there any reason I should hold off on buying for now?

Edit: Also, having a Nvidia card, should I aim for G-Sync or will Freesync work as well?

For those who missed this, Amazon has some open box Asus PG279Qs for $644.27.

Do get one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Ground-Isolator-Stereo-System/dp/B019393MV2

Mine was super noisey.. to the point where I was thinking about getting rid of it, but that cleared it right up.

You need to buy a ground loop isolator to plug it in. Something like this:

Mpow Ground Loop Noise Isolator for Car Audio / Home Stereo System with 3.5mm Audio Cable (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019393MV2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_qyb5yb6R9BXA1

Does this happen when the laptop is plugged in, on battery, or both?

I have this pretty bad with my desktop rig with my noise canceling headphones, I found that using a ground loop isolator does wonders to eliminate hiss and buzz.

So I mentioned r/monitors because if you go there and mention the ASUS VG248QE, there will be some polar opinions. I actually have this monitor, but I don't know if I would purchase it again. It's not actually a budget monitor either, and mine developed a row light pixels along the center. It's still under warranty so as soon as I get a 144hz replacement I'll send it back and use it as a secondary display. Anyway, I'm a single point of anecdotal data. Many people will recommend other monitors though. The replacement I'm looking at is the ViewSonic XG2401, which appears to be generally well recieved among enthusiasts. Few people have actual standards for monitors, so if you ask somebody they'll likely recommend their own because they like it, not because they did their research.

The AOC G2460PF and ViewSonic XG2401 are both solid choices. Each have FreeSync, 144hz, 1ms, and are 1080p resolution.

AOC G2460PF

ViewSonic XG2401

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B01A0ZRR50/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493122274&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=viewsonic+144hz&dpPl=1&dpID=513sKV2DOoL&ref=plSrch

144hz and freesync

I think the issue with just recommending a single model is music listening like preference is rather personal and varies among people. Headphones have different profiles, some place emphasis on bass or highs, others are completely neutral (some people find neutral sounds off for instance due to years listening to a certain profile). You may want to have a look at r/headphones, there's handy guides in the sidebar including an interactive questionnaire that can help select suggestions.

I personally use this DAC and an
HD 598 CS. The DAC isn't strictly needed to be clear, I mainly use it to switch between set of speakers and headphones easily.

If by earphone you mean in ear buds then I can't really say I have a good suggestion, I just use a standard bluetooth pair of anker which are acceptable. I don't like having expensive earbuds, drives up cost if/when they get lost.

Hey, guy who wanted a pair of HD598 headphones yesterday, they're on sweet sale right now...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JP436TS

(These are the new closed back ones though)

EDIT: Sweet sale now gone so they're no longer super-bargain.

[Amazon Italy - Sennheiser 598 Closed Back for EUR 99,00]
(https://www.amazon.it/Sennheiser-HD-598Cs-cuffia-posteriore-chiusa/dp/B01JP436TS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479349512&sr=8-1&keywords=Sennheiser+HD+598Cs)

[Amazon Spain - Sennheiser 598 Closed Back for EUR 99,00]
(https://www.amazon.es/Sennheiser-HD-598Cs-Microauricular-cerrado/dp/B01JP436TS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479349889&sr=8-1&keywords=Sennheiser+HD+598Cs)

[Amazon France - Sennheiser 598 Closed Back for EUR 99,00]
(https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B01JP436TS/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=L7VXG384P8TB&coliid=I3ANABK1012WQT)

[Amazon UK - Sennheiser 598 Closed Back for £ 89,00]
(https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-HD-598-Cs-Around-Ear/dp/B01JP436TS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479349818&sr=8-1&keywords=598+cs)

^(As of 25/11/2016 1:00 GMT)

, have alerts on all 598 closed back in europe so will try to post them as they come, have personally decided to go for the fidelio x2 :P

They are currently on sale as well for $110 https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B01JP436TS/

Your motherboard does not have an M.2 slot on it.

You can buy a PCI-E x4 M.2 adapter that fits the 500GB Samsung EVO 970 plus (like this one https://www.amazon.com/EZDIY-FAB-Express-Adapter-Support-22110/dp/B01GCXCR7W/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=pci-e+m.2+adapter&qid=1562715160&s=gateway&sr=8-4), but it requires a PCI-E x4 slot.

Your motherboard has four PCI-E x1 slots (won't fit) and two PCI-E x16 slots (it will fit in this slot but only if you have one free -- i.e. you don't have two video cards).

If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, consider getting a regular old boring SATA III SSD. True, they aren't as fast as NVMe SSDs, but this is $30 cheaper (https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=500GB+samsung+evo+SSD&qid=1562715888&s=gateway&sr=8-3) and for gaming you actually won't notice much of a difference compared to the NVMe drive you spec'ed. NVMe gives you bigger performance boosts when reading/writing large blocks of sequential data, so for example video editing. Source: https://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/sata-3-vs-m-2-vs-nvme-overview-and-comparison/

Samsung Evo 860 is the best for performance and price.

$56 250GB

$87 500GB

This is what I picked up from Amazon, works amazing! Just plug it in, transfer D2 over, bye bye loading times!

Samsung 860 Evo 500GB 2.5... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781Z7Y3S?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

ORICO 2.5 USB 3 External Hard... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LY97QE8?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf


My brother did the same thing expect he got this SSD.

Silicon Power 512GB SSD 3D NAND A55 SLC Cache Performance Boost SATA III 2.5" 7mm (0.28") Internal Solid State Drive (SP512GBSS3A55S25) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07997QV4Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_aMvYBbPRF3NPX

They're not even much of that anymore. about 1997-2007 marks kind of the decade where they did that. After that, they became mostly a marketing company that knows where to blow the right amount of hot air to get people to buy their (increasingly poorly-designed) products.

The iMac, iPod, and iPhone were all killer products that really were game changers and were much better than competing products at the time, but a lot of their recent stuff is kinda crap. A lot of it is simultaneously over- and under- engineered.

Take their MacBook Pro as an example. It certainly does take some skill at engineering to fit all of what is in there into something so small. But at the same time, any decent designer or engineer should have, at a certain point in the process, thrown up the stop sign and said:

> Woah! I know we're thin-obsessed right now, but what are we doing? This thing doesn't have adequate cooling for the CPUs we want to put in it, so people who pay to upgrade won't really be getting great performance boosts. We've eliminated all of the ports that people are used to and which they have peripherals for, and we haven't even put an adapter in. And we've also made a terrible, terrible keyboard that is the opposite of a joy to type on and which gets keys stuck down really easily. We also have really skimped on the battery compared to previous generations. Maybe we should step back and consider making it just a little thicker and making it a better overall product.

Or look at something like the HomePod. It's a $350 speaker with all this acoustic processing hoopla and like 8 or 9 speakers, with all it's "beamforming tweeters". But it's not even stereo, unless you buy a second one! I'm sure it's cool and all, but there's just no way that all that price and engineering gives appreciably better sound than even a $200 pair of bookshelf speakers (and probably not much better than a $100 pair like these, at least that 95%+ of people will notice), even if they don't form a bass-derived map of your room. And then, on top of that, anything that might make a smart speaker worth the extra price is pretty lackluster on the HomePod.

First step: have you read noaudiophile's reviews? He does very thorough reviews on a lot of budget speakers, and has corrections for many of the popular options. His corrections for the Infinity P163s that I'm currently using made them sound like completely different speakers.

First let's start with powered options:

The Micca PB42X would be a good option. They are basically a powered version of the MB42X so you don't need to purchase a separate amp. Also in the similar realm that get recommended here a lot would be the Swans D1010 and the Edifier R1280T.

Personally I'm a bigger fan of passive speakers, as you get a lot more options to expand your system.

Pioneer BS22 bookshelf speakers are great and have gone on sale quite a bit lately for $70-80/pair.

Dayton B652 I am currently using as my surround speakers, but people rave about them as a budget desktop option

Micca MB42X also get great reviews.

You could also go used for your speakers, but sometimes it can be hard to parse through all the junk out there if you don't know what you're looking for.

Take any of those passive options and pair them up with an inexpensive amp like this SMSL or Lepai for a good budget setup.

I would also recommend checking your local Craigslist or Facebook marketplace for a used receiver, you could pick up a very decent one for just a few bucks and have a great starting setup. This will give you a lot more powerful amp, and the ability later to easily add a subwoofer or expand to surround sound. Personally I'm using an older Sony home theater receiver at my desk, it's old enough that it doesn't have HDMI or optical inputs, someone was just giving it away so I snagged it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B016P9HJIA/ref=psdcmw_3236451011_t1_B005SE6QBU

Ground loop isolator helps. Like this one:
Mpow Ground Loop Noise Isolator for Car Audio / Home Stereo System with 3.5mm Audio Cable (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019393MV2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_PYJYzbN0G2NCX

Get a ground loop isolator
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019393MV2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BMAdBbR3WMX52
Problem solved

I use the 3.5mm jack on my Elite and I also get white noise when plugging in a headphone directly. I got a ground loop isolator (specifically this one) and it fixed the white noise issue. It does seem to make the audio output quieter though and may affect some of the headphones' range, but I'm no audiophile so I haven't noticed anything myself.

I noticed that if I have the gain on the OP-1 from line in anything above 0, it gives feedback noise. I also have been using a noise isolator since I got my OP-Z. I noticed even when plugging into my computer via line-in it buzzes a bit. This has helped a lot.

​

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019393MV2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

If you have an AMD card: Viewsonic XG2401

If not: LG 24GM77-B

This is the same price and doesn't use PWM. It's more or less a budget one still, no freesync, but it does have DisplayPort, and just not having PWM makes it better than the ASUS, as they are similar in most other respects.

If you're willing to spend just a little more, this is looked at as the best 144Hz 1080p TN model, its great in every respect and currently at one of the lowest prices I've seen it.

Viewsonic XG2401

This monitor is much better than the other monitors you have listed, and it's 300 EUR

For starters, most people confuse input lag with response/refresh rate of a monitor. That's not the same thing, and I'm saying this as a just-in-case thing. Most monitors on their website do not have input lag listed on their website. DisplayLag has a database where they listed displays with their input lag https://displaylag.com/display-database/ If you sort their database by input lag, you'll see that the best monitor has about 9ms of input delay.

I have two monitors atm. The first one I have is this one: https://www.amazon.com/ViewSonic-XG2401-FreeSync-Advanced-Ergonomics/dp/B01A0ZRR50 ; on the DisplayLag website, it has 10ms of input lag. The other monitor I have is this one: https://www.displayninja.com/benq-gw2480-review/ ; this review claims that it has 10ms of input lag, but I don't know how reputable this website is (but I didn't buy this monitor for input lag reasons). 10ms is fine, and I think 12ms is doable.

RTings has a website where they talk about general quality of TVs. I'm pretty sure that I have this TV, which was considered the best TV for its input lag for that year (2017): https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/tcl/s-series-s405-4k-2018 . Its input lag is 14.6ms, and I can definitely feel the difference between this TV vs my more lagless monitors. On playing on other TVs with more input lag, I can definitely feel the severity of the input lag on those TVs.

No.

Get this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B6ZCNGM

It's the Oculus recommended USB expansion. You need dedicated ports, not splicing the bandwidth of 1 into 4 via hub. Cheaper PCI expansions are often not good enough, so get the one I just linked.

Change the link to .co.uk and it'll still show you the right product.

I'm a personal fan of the Vico-Marcus 3, but I've heard good things about the A119, and the G1W (or the G1WC)

Get something in your price range, and make sure it has the features you want. Do you want GPS? Ultra-high-res/FPS? Amazing night-time sensors? Automatic crash detection with saving?

Take a look at https://dashcamtalk.com/ for more info about pretty much any dashcam you want.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Box-Original-Dashboard-Dash/dp/B00FONBG1A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459362045&sr=8-1&keywords=G1w

I see this one recommended the most here on Reddit.

I have this one. Been going strong for 4 years now. Really good quality video and audio.

This one is also pretty cheap and gets great reviews. It's the G1W.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Box-Original-Dashboard-Dash/dp/B00FONBG1A

Somewhat related: After having witnessed many buses in Seattle running red lights (which doesn't seem to be the case with this story) I started a (admittedly super boring) YouTube channel "Cars Running Reds" with dashcam footage from my car. My second video shows a bus blatantly running a red light, downtown followed by a taxi. A completely common occurrence here.

I use a pretty cheap Blackbox G1W purchased from Amazon. Really easy to install. When the memory card gets full, it overwrites the oldest files. I bought it for peace of mind having purchased a new car last year and also been the victim of a hit and run here in Seattle.

I have one of these in my car, works great:
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Box-Original-Dashboard-Dash/dp/B00FONBG1A

Records at a nice clear 1080p and I can identify plates for sure during the day and mostly at night. Really easy to install, I just leave mine plugged into the cig lighter and it includes a tool to help tuck the cable out of the way along the headliner and a-pilar.

Oh god I've done that before. I have a dashcam so I guess I could look back at it if I wanted to.

Edit: Link to a really good starter Dashcam. I use a different one though.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Box-Original-Dashboard-Dash/dp/B00FONBG1A

I actually just ordered 2 dash cams for my car and my wifes car. I posted a link on another comment of mine here but I can post again.
Black Bo G1W. $50 free shipping with prime. Easy to setup. I've been running with it all week and I'm surprised at how clear the video is.

Alright, the problem here is your TV has no variable or line level RCA outputs. I'm going to offer a couple of options:

1. An optical DAC with a remote line level controller and powered monitors. DAC, Remote volume control, Really good sounding powered monitors. Wait til they go down to about $240 for the pair or buy them on massdrop now, you have 9 hours to decide. Totals to $300
   
   
2. Same setup as above, but will switch out the JBLs for something cheaper and totals to about $200. Wait til the Micca PB42X are in stock at amazon. They run $120. If you can swing for the JBLs, do it though.
   
   
3. The best option in my opinion, would be to get a cheap 5.1 receiver with an optical input. You can pair this with any pair of passive speaker you want, you can purchase a used receiver from craigs or ebay, you can add a center channel at a later date, and more importantly, you can add a subwoofer when your budget allows and have proper bass management with high and low pass filters and eq.

If you can stretch that budget ever so slightly, the Micca PB42X looks like a winner for you. They're powered, don't need an amp.

EDIT: ahhh, didn't see the "live under the display" part. Maybe you could set them on their side?

have you looked at the Micca PB42X?

Haven't used either of those so I can't help you there.

I use the Micca MB42x for computers speakers and I love them.

They make a version with an amp built in too:

https://www.amazon.com/Micca-PB42X-Powered-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B00NXAEPDC/

If you can stretch just a little, get these + used portable CD player + 3.5mm to RCA adapter + RCA cable.

I got a PB278Q this year (also unsure how to tell the difference between new and old models, I have one and like it alot. I don't know if my eyes can detect PWM, but I usually see its quite well reviewed. It's also usually at least $100 cheaper than the Dell models and can sometimes be had for as cheap as $400.

Edit: I have done some research, and if this article is to be believed, the new models have a Black bezel, whereas the old ones have gray. Mine has a black bezel and I haven't noticed any PWM. This is the exact model I purchased.

For the device manager, the two most common are an ASMedia USB controller, or an Intel USB controller. ASMedia basically has a crap load of issues. If you have that, you'll want to buy a PCIe USB 3.0 card ($20 or so) to fix your issues. The Inateck 4 port card works best I've found (do not buy a 5 ports as half the ports are also crap), as long as you don't install their custom drivers and stick to the microsoft defaults.

If you have Intel ports, I'm not sure what the issue would be, and an external card might still solve your problems

I think I'll actually try to answer your questions (instead of just spamming my fanboy agenda).

1. What matters in regards to USB ports is the total bandwidth available. Some motherboards aren't able to supply enough bandwidth for the Rift and 3 sensors. I wouldn't worry about this issue unless the Oculus software reports "Poor tracking quality" on your sensors. If that happens you might have to buy a PCI-E USB expansion card ($25).
   
   
2. A third sensor will improve tracking quality for room scale and larger play spaces. You can do smaller room scale with 2 sensors, by placing them in opposing corners of your play area. Mount them as high up as possible, pointed toward each other, and angled downward. Your milage may vary depending on the size of your play space, and if you are able to place the sensors optimally.
   
   Some further notes:
   
   
3. You should be fine starting out with 2 sensors, and expanding to 3 if you notice tracking issues. Note that a 3rd sensor may in some cases require the previously mentioned PCI-E USB expansion card (Link: Oculus recommended card).
   
   
4. Since it's your first time trying VR: Take it easy in the beginning. All the experiences in the Oculus app has a comfort rating. Start with things that are rated "Comfortable", before moving on to Moderate and Intense levels. If you start experiencing nausea or discomfort, exit VR and take a break. Never try to power through the discomfort. And don't worry if VR sickness happens a lot in the beginning. Your VR legs will get stronger.
   
   
5. If you have a beefy computer congratz! Download the Oculus Tray Tool and experiment with super sampling for a sharper visual experience.

You could buy something like this and add usb 3 to your pc though

I bought this one recently. Its a little expensive, but its an official one made for xbox one by seagate, so decided to spend the extra money to get it as i had gift cards i needed to use anyway.

If you want one thats much cheaper that should work just as good, get this one:

Drive: https://www.amazon.com/Silicon-Power-Performance-Internal-SP256GBSS3A55S25/dp/B075RJS55D/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1548282759&sr=8-3&keywords=ssd+256

Case: https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1548283038&sr=8-4&keywords=ssd+enclosure

SSD and Enclosure

Lets break it down. Most people are getting external ssd's. Why because it adds on to the memory without removing existing storage. USB 3.0 provides enough throughput for an ssd. But heres the deal, ssds connect through sata ports. So to protect and connect an ssd to an xbox, you need a sata 3 to usb 3.0 connector.

Super important, depending on your xbox, the internal connection could be sata 2. If you have an og xbox it is sata 2 inside. one x and xbox one s have sata 3. Therefore a ssd will do nothing for speed increase if you do an internal one on an original xbox one. You need to connect via usb 3.0 externally to see performance gains.

So buy a decent solid state with at least 240gb, the actual minimum spec. And spend 10 bucks on a sata 3 to usb enclosure. https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=sr_1_4/135-4131140-8815732?ie=UTF8&qid=1525800622&sr=8-4&keywords=usb+3+external+hard+drive+enclosure

Silicon Power 256GB SSD 3D NAND With R/W Up To 550/450MB/s A55 SLC Cache Performance Boost SATA III 2.5" 7mm (0.28") Internal Solid State Drive (SP256GBSS3A55S25) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RJS55D/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_B806AbHMAB1AP

Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool-free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized For SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

This is the exact setup I just bought for my 1TB Xbox One. PUBG is amazing as well as I found a massive improvment in Tera Online. I also just needed more space.

Linked is what i got about a month ago. Works fine, and seemed reasonably priced when I researched SSDs.

Samsung 860 EVO 250GB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-76E250B/AM) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07864WMK8?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool-free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized For SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

yeah usb 3.0, came with the case I bought.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OAJ412U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

What this guy said, my brother bought this ssd and enclosure, he loads in faster than me now and I'm playing on the X.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B071KGRXRH/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00OJ3UJ2S

SSD $59.50
Enclosure $8.99
I have this setup myself on original xbox, works great.

https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-3200MHz-Desktop-Memory/dp/B0143UM4TC

NH-D15

I use this RAM Corsair CMK16GX4M2B3200C16 Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4 3200 MHz C16 XMP 2.0 High Performance Desktop Memory Kit, Black https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0143UM4TC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_NJc2CbGSZ8TP1

and it fits inside a Meshify C Dark TG no problem

Get this .. fixed it for me (with an asus mobo)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inateck-Superspeed-Ports-PCI-E-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1501513258&sr=8-4-fkmr1&keywords=itek+usb+pcie+card

Valve specifically recommends an inateck card .. see here https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=8566-SDZC-9326 (I assume they all use the same chipset)

960 is min spec.

970 is recommended spec.

CPU should be ok, I used a fx 8350 from last July until a month or so after Ryzen came out. On a Gigabyte 990FX-UD3 actually, I think. There were a couple of different versions of that board and they did change the usb3 controller at one point.

Everything looks good, the only potential problem is the sensors not liking the USB3 ports (the headset isn't that picky), but the sensors will work on the USB2 ports and you can get one of the known working USB3 cards if you want to give your sensors more omph. I got the Inateck one way back at the beginning, but there are more known working ones now.

In Oculus's roomscale extra equipment blog post they listed a few more controllers:

Here are a few USB cards we’ve used with reasonable success:

Four Controllers (One Per Port. Requires placement in x4 or x16 PCI-E slot)

• HighPoint RocketU 1144d

• Startech SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Card Adapter

Two Controllers (One Per Two Ports)

• Startech SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Card Adapter

One Controller (One Across Four Ports)

• Inateck Superspeed USB 3.0 Expansion Card

They did put a footnote at the bottom of the blog post, but I think it was more in reference to the hdmi/usb extension cables, which are notoriously finicky.

Footnote is:

**Non-Oculus equipment/service references are not recommendations, guarantees, or endorsements of products or performance. Your results may vary. These are instead options to vary your own customized experiences. Furthermore, incorrect installation or use of any products or items can damage your computer, space, or otherwise impact performance. If you’re not experienced or qualified to do so yourself, please seek assistance.

Unfortunately that isn't the 'Oculus' recommended card, but this is. https://www.amazon.com/Inateck-KT4001-SuperSpeed-Ports-Expansion/dp/B00B6ZCNGM/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1522101057&sr=8-6&keywords=inatek

It is very likely that the chipset on that Rosewill isn't 'properly' compatible

Few useful links to get you started.

Oculus Rift Room Scale Setup Guide

List of recommended cable extensions

I'm using 3 Sensor setup in L configurations with CableCreation CD0034 and Inateck Superspeed 4 Ports PCI-E to USB 3.0 Expansion Card. My sensors are mounted about 10 inches and 40 degrees away from the ceiling. Perfect tracking in the play area. Good tracking out of usual play area, when in bed playing seated games in view of only two sensors which are 12 to 15 feet away.

I think this is the officially reccomended card

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00B6ZCNGM?colid=1NWO799606SRK&coliid=I4XNUHZFED1DM&psc=1&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl

Passive: Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Andrew Jones Designed 4" Compact 2-Way Bookshelf Speakers (Pair) + 16 AWG Speaker Wire 100ft + Brass Speaker Banana Plugs 5-Pair (open screw) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0751D212W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_mM5YBbK9ZHTR0

Powered: Micca PB42X Powered Bookshelf Speakers With 4-Inch Carbon Fiber Woofer and Silk Dome Tweeter (Pair) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NXAEPDC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_FN5YBb6JH1QQE

go and get the self powered version of the speakers, the PB42x.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NXAEPDC

hook them up to your TV using an RCA connection

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D5H8P0G/

in your TVs menu, under audio settings, set the audio output to variable. voila, your TV remote controls the volume of the RCA outputs.

your done at around $130-140.

start saving for subwoofer. preferably one with high passed outputs. if you are fine with sticking to 2ch for the foreseeable future, you can skip the receiver.

Looks like a small Micca bookshelf speaker

Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool-free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized For SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf
SanDisk 250GB Ultra 3D NAND SATA III SSD - 2.5-inch Solid State Drive - SDSSDH3-250G-G25 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071KGRXRH?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf
I'm not very tech savvy, and I got it to work pretty easily. Just put one in the other and use the USB connection in the back of the OG Xbox (side one didnt work). It'll ask you if you want to format it for games. Do that then transfer PUBG over and you're on your way. It'll say you need 256gb, but my 250gb works with no issues.
There's tutorials online also.
There may be cheaper ones out there, but this worked for me. Got the model from someone else on this sub

Can you remove the end piece? That just looks like an adapter of sorts. If you can then all you need is an enclosure such as this.

I got this.

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Tool-free-Enclosure-Optimized-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_1

You just need a USB a to c cable and it'll function the same.

If you're worried about speed, the transfer rate of that is around 500 Mbps on the T5. This one goes up to 5 Gbps if you use a USB 3 cable. It all depends on how fast your SSD is. Realistically any storage drive SSD will be practically just as fast

Just purchased a different set on Amazon this morning, is this a much better deal?

Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 DRAM 3200MHz C16 Desktop Memory Kit - Black (CMK16GX4M2B3200C16) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0143UM4TC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_b2qPCb2X5VJD2

MoBo

This says it supports 3200(OC) Ram should i not get this board and this ram together?
Ram

Im also in the middle of a build and this question has me confused im not as good with specs as i should be. thanks!

Either of these: https://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Core-i3-8350K-vs-AMD-Ryzen-5-3600/3935vs4040

RAM: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0143UM4TC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Any NVME M.2 SSD if you want fast load times


You can megabase to at least 5K SPM with those specs without issue.

Logitech C 920HD. Amazon link, around 60 dollars today, I got it for more.

I use it, many big Youtubers use it. Clear recordings, the software gives you good controls, it sticks nicely to your screen or on a flat surface. My latest video shows you how it looks, visit my flair if you wanna check it out.

You might still have to buy lighting and be able to edit it in right, but that's with any webcam. :)

I have the Logitech C920, which is a really excellent 1080p webcam with great low-light performance. It used to cost an arm and leg, but I see it's now below 70 USD on Amazon.

Mic quality is very good as well. It has stereo mics, one on each side (used for natural audio and noise cancellation). It's also Skype certified and is (as far as I know) one of very few that actually work with 1080p over Skype.

I can't recommend it enough, especially now that the price has dropped so much since I got it!

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Webcam-Widescreen-Calling-Recording/dp/B006JH8T3S/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1451697738&sr=1-1&keywords=logitech+c920

First off this is for small business. Second, you get a webcam that does hardware encoding like the Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920, 1080p Widescreen Video Calling and Recording. As for CPU usage in the reviews someone mentioned this

> The C920 does seem to use a lot less CPU than the C910. 640 by 480 on a core 2 Duo HP laptop was up to 80% CPU. With the 920C this dropped to 45% at 1280 by 920 by 30FPS.

That should work perfectly fine on a laptop like this: Inspiron 15 Non-Touch

I think the market for most webcams are video chats, like skype, so you will be pressed to find one without a mic. I understand you reasoning, but what you are looking for is more specialty, it does not fit what most people are looking for. This in turn would actually drive up the cost of a product like this.

TL;DR: Just pick up one of these guys, you can't go wrong: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Webcam-Widescreen-Calling-Recording/dp/B006JH8T3S/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1427560529&sr=1-1&keywords=webcam

This is mainly aimed at photo editing so it's designed for color accuracy first and foremost. It has a response time of 12ms (color to color) and 5ms GtG.

For gaming there are cheaper / better options or some around the same price for new items.

This is just a random example I grabbed from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/PB278Q-2560x1440-DisplayPort-Ergonomic-Back-lit/dp/B009C3M7H0

Is the Thunderbolt Display a good display? Yes. Is the Thunderbolt Display worth the $1000 price tag? No. There are displays with the same specs that are less costly. For example, this.

That being said, Apple will also likely release an updated Thunderbolt Display that has the same 5K panel as the riMac when Thunderbolt 3.0 is released as part of the Skylake generation of processors (maybe this summer).

Something like this

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005HGM1D6/ref=sxts_kp_bs_tr_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=8778bc68-27e7-403f-8460-de48b6e788fb&pd_rd_wg=dbvVV&pf_rd_r=RBNP7VWXFTWQEFFDDP75&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B005HGM1D6&pd_rd_w=URFvj&pf_rd_i=3.5+mm+to+1%2F4&pd_rd_r=07adf82d-8513-4aec-8728-7bc3131f30fe&ie=UTF8&qid=1543252309&sr=1

More speakers doesn't equal more immersive. When buying sound equipment a lot of the value comes from things not properly listed on specifications, such as total range frequency within a certain amount of total harmonic distortion.

A good set of studio monitors is a better sound solution than most people have ever owned.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GP56OYA - Some slightly above entry level studio monitors.

https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMP-159-Stereo-Breakout-Cable/dp/B005HGM1D6 - Connection cable needed.

https://www.amazon.com/Studio-Solutions-Density-Isolation-Monitors/dp/B01FGCC2FM - Isolation pads to prevent desk vibration and angles them towards your ears properly.

Assuming your motherboard isn't using a really poor audio chipset and you are using a high quality audio source they will sound pretty good. If you want to hit frequencies below 70Hz with significant volume I suggest adding a dedicated subwoofer of 10" minimum, although 12-15" is more ideal.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005HGM1D6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_0eCJwbBQKJXP3

A pair of LSR305s and this cable.

You need a 3.5mm to TS cable like this. If you were to use optical, you would need a DAC (because the speakers take an analog input and optical is digital.

It's really, really easy to get started. Don't get me wrong, there is definitely a high level of production value that you can achieve (later on if you want to, or maybe never), but starting off is quite a simple thing.


All you really need is a laptop, a webcam, and decent internet... and maybe a soft lamp. It's best to have an ethernet cable running to your router if you can, for faster speeds than wifi. You can get a pretty cheap webcam that does a decent job, or shell out a little more and get something a little better. The best (or at least most popular) webcam for camgirls I have found is this one. Inbuilt laptop webcams might do the trick, but use your judgement on whether it looks good enough or not. Would you watch something of the quality you're producing?

There is sooo much information on ambercutie forums, but a trap that I fell into early on is feeling like you need expensive lighting, the best webcam, an amazing mic and so on when you really dont.

On the subject of lighting, it really makes a difference to be well lit, but you don't need photography-standard umbrella lights. I have two soft lamps a little bit behind my laptop so I'm lit from two angles, and it works really well. You just want to make sure they're soft and you're not casting yourself into shadow on one side, and MOST IMPORTANTLY not solely lit from above, like from a ceiling light. That is some unflattering shit.

I really like Myfreecams.com because it's easy to use, high traffic, the token conversion is easy to understand, the payment methods are easy and reliable, and probably least importantly is that there seems to be fewer rules regarding what you can and can't do (which makes it a little less stressful). Have a look at the aforementioned forum for advice regarding choosing a site. Verification can sometimes be a pain but if you have a driver's licence and a scanner you'll probably have a really easy time.


This is a loooot of information to take in all at once, I know. Even though I could go on and on for ages, like I said before, keep it simple to start with and don't stress yourself out with the nitty gritty - you might get so stressed you don't want to even begin. Bear in mind, this is all about the SOLID parts of camming, the technical aspects. The mental game is a whole other topic entirely, and I would be happy to answer more questions if you're asking.

Good luck! xx

If you have money to spend, I'd use a camera like This along with an adjustable arm like this one and attach the arm to something high up and look down. I used a similar setup for playtesting other card games and had a meterstick taped down on top of a bookshelf, attached the camera arm to that, and the camera directly above the playmat. In total will cost about 60 bucks but is as easy as it gets if you have to move it somewhere else.

If you already have a camera and a tripod, you may be able to secure that in a similar fashion to a nearby bookshelf though I dont know if you can get a perfect top down like you could with an adjustable arm as linked above.

Best of luck!

Hey Crimson! I have a pretty good amount of experience with camera work for my gaming videos!


I'm not sure what your budget looks like, so I'll start with the cheapest solutions first.


I would suggest the most easily obtainable camera for live action stuff would be just to simply use your smart phone! For example, the iPhone camera shoots with a Sony CMOS sensor in full HD! Just make sure you stabilize it on a tripod or flat surface because the auto image stabilizer is pretty terrible at times. Secondly, if you do choose this option, I would highly recommend using a different audio source. Smart phones traditionally don't always have the best audio recorders on board.


A web cam is probably your second best solution! Full HD cams can run about 50-100 bucks, but they usually get the job done. Though again, with all these recommendations, I'd suggest you use an alternative microphone for audio.


If your not willing to use cheaper alternatives like a smart phone or a webcam, then I think your best bet would be the GoPro. These products are massively popular for a reason; they can provide BEAUTIFUL footage if used correctly. You can probably find one of these bad boys USED for under 200 on craigslist. For the relatively small price tag, this is one of the best all purpose cameras on the market.


Finally, if you have a decent budget at your disposal, I'd suggest the T3i. If you only plan on using this camera for rare occasions, then I'd advise against purchasing it. However, if your hoping your channel would rely heavily on live action content, then this is it. This is your solution! It might end up running you a little over 500 bucks, but this is the camera a majority of youtube creators have been using. There is a slight learning curve, but when you get the hang of it, your videos will look fantastic.


Like I said though, never use the on board audio recorders these solutions provide for you. Buy a separate microphone if quality is a big concern for you in your videos!

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDRV6-Studio-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00001WRSJ/ref=pd_cp_267_1?pd_rd_w=IxdYz&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=66TTJYW5SZ7RFEMNS8EY&pd_rd_r=b082a0bd-7061-11e9-a30c-45137eaa8a8d&pd_rd_wg=CmyK8&pd_rd_i=B00001WRSJ&psc=1&refRID=66TTJYW5SZ7RFEMNS8EY

MDRV-6's

Sony MDRV6 - pretty legendary studio monitors for the budget minded (they can be had for ~$60). I've been using these for years. I'd recommend upgrading with velour earpads.

On the go, I use the JVC HA_FXT90 (here and here).

Don't buy a headset, they're shit.

Go with some decent headphones, probably either this or this (or if you want to go cheaper this which will still sound leagues better than any $200 headset) as I know they both have good soundstage.

For mic, get a Modmic which is $30 and will have better voice quality than most $200 headsets.

Now to connect it to your 260 you need an adapter which luckily Steelseries makes a nice one.

If you still really want an all in one headset though, go with an Astro they're still a bit pricy but at least they're not shit like TBs are.

I'll recommend the three pairs of headphones that I use on a regular basis. I know you asked for over-ear, but even as an over-ear guy myself I've still gotten a lot of utility from all three of them, so they're all certainly worth considering.

--

MEE Audio Sport-fi M6P- These are my daily workhorse earbuds. I wear them a good 6 hours a day, and they stay fairly comfortable throughout; they wrap around the ear and fit quite nicely. Includes an on-cord volume adjustment, microphone, and pause/play button, if that matters to you. They run around $19, and they're far and away the best headphones I've ever used in this price range.

--

Sony MDR-V6- These were my first step into the world of "real" headphones. They've been industry standard studio monitors since the 80s, and for good reason. Sound is clean and crisp, with a fairly balanced sound signature and particularly good mids (seeing as classical music isn't particularly "bass heavy" having mids as a strong point is ideal; you definitely wouldn't want a bass-head pair of cans). They're foldable, and so I find them rather portable. They're over-ear and closed-back so they're not going to bleed sound all over the place, but they don't have the best isolation so if your daily traffic is particularly noisy (e.g.: downtown of large city or louder) that might be a bit of an issue for you, but if you're in areas a bit more quiet (e.g.: office, cafe, smaller city) they'll do you fine. They're not the most fashionable things and they also have a coiled cable, neither of which bother me but could be an issue for some. They run about $80, and if you're coming from cheap gas station quality headphones these will probably knock your socks off.

Sennheiser HD 598- Of the three, these are the best. Amazingly warm and rounded, with a spacious, open, and detailed sound. They have really good instrument separation as well, which obviously lend themselves quite well to listening to classical music. Extraordinarily comfy for an indefinite period of time. However, these are my "home" headphones, as they are open back and provide absolutely no isolation whatsoever- I can hold a conversation perfectly well with someone with these on and my volume at 70%, so they'd be utterly useless in any public space. The open back provides an excellent soundstage, but that's the price you pay. Speaking of price, they run at around $150, but they go on sale with some frequency for $99.

--

I personally would recommend getting the earbuds and the 598s, with one being an out and about pair and one for being a home pair. That's what I usually roll about with, and between the two of them I don't really use the V6s anymore as a consequence. That being said, if you're only going to buy one pair as your be all end all, the V6 is a great purchase- I used them exclusively for 4 years and was never disappointed. If these don't float your boat though, I'd recommend hopping over to /r/headphones or www.head-fi.org and see what they have to say- they're both extraordinarily helpful communities with huge and knowledgeable user bases.

Depending on your intended use, I'd suggest the CAL!, Sony MDR-V6, or Audio Technica ATH AD700 with a Zalman clip-on mic.

With any of these headphones plus the mic, you will get much higher sound quality than any headset in the price range.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-V6-Monitor-Series-Headphones/dp/B00001WRSJ

How bout these?
http://www.amazon.ca/Sony-MDR-V6-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00001WRSJ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1368676499&sr=1-1&keywords=mdr+v6

These have been used in the audio and video industry for a long time. They are pretty flat and are good for monitoring. They were my first headphone and I think they are great. Just be careful you don't get a fake. There are fakes out there.

Weird thing is the headphones Dre would actually use in a studio can be had for like half the price of Beats, you can get a pair of Sony MDR-V6's for $70 or the later model Sony MDR-7506's for $85, these things are pretty much industry standard for audio quality and can take some punishment.

Do you just want good sound for cheap? I bought these after getting them recommended on this sub and I love them.

https://www.amazon.com/Koss-KSC75-Portable-Stereophone-Headphones/dp/B0006B486K/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1TK17HYCP2WQL&keywords=koss+ksc75&qid=1562093222&s=electronics

This is a horrible head set. The sound quality is awful, and there's a constant hiss from the USB amplifier. On max bass boost, the bass is muddy and intrudes on the other sound ranges; on minimum bass boost, the sound feels empty and tinny. There's no good middle ground that I found. The soundstage is also horrible, which makes it far from ideal for gaming as you can't really perceive positional audio well.

You will honestly get much better sound quality out of the Koss KSC75 with a Zalman Mic attached, for even a few bucks cheaper.

Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006B486K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_OuoCCbZPVPF4A

Kramer Mod, Ear-clip mod, recabled, new pads and a bit of sharpie love.


I adore these headphones and cannot give them any fault.
Nothing needs to be said about the price:performance of these.

If you've never tried them, just buy them.

The only way for a headphone to wrap around the neck is for some piece of the headband to be resting behind the back of your ear. If by "studio headphone" you mean an over-ear headphone, then I can't imagine how a piece of the headband could rest behind the back of the ear while having ear cups that surround the ear.

Here is the best sounding, and best priced, headphone with a headband that goes behind the head. It is on-ear, because it's physically impossible to have an over-ear headphone with a band that goes behind the head.

http://www.amazon.com/Koss-155475-SportaPro-Stereo-Headphones/dp/B00001P505

Here's a picture of what they look like with the headband adjusted behind the neck.

I have these and they sound really nice: http://www.amazon.com/Koss-KSC75-Portable-Stereophone-Headphones/dp/B0006B486K/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1417476998&sr=1-1&keywords=koss+ksc75

When you say it has to be USB, are you saying a DAI (Digital Audio Interface) and XLR mic is out of the question? It's definitely more expensive, but the DAI typically connects via USB, and allows you to record straight into the computer. I wouldn't consider this route, however, if you don't plan on doing a lot of recording.

Now if you mean it has to be something akin to the Snowball or Yeti, then I'll give you what I used, and realize you can easily go up from there. I used to use (and still sometimes do) the Logitech G930 Wireless Headset, and it's around 7 years old. I've EQed the headset and paired it with a program call VoiceMeter Banana.

A brief note: I don't recommend, nor I would I be adverse to recommending VMB; it just overrides some sound drives, and can cause a bit of messiness. I can't know how savvy any one person is, so I don't personally recommend programs unless the community as a whole accepts it.

Anyway back to business. This turned my barely audible, tinny sounding voice into what sounded like a real person, and not like I was using soup can communication. The price listed for that headset is way off and not worth more than $40; Logitech discontinued it. You can get a solid USB mic, shock absorber, and quality headphones for a little over $100 or more.

The Snowball and Yeti are two of the most common recommendations I see, but I personally know nothing about them. Sometimes these threads can be buried quickly, so I wanted to jump in, offer what I could, and hopefully people with better knowledge can fill in the rest.

E: I appreciated the humor of the $200 mic being the best. As Bender would say, "Put a 1 and two 0s after that, and we got a deal." (that might be slight hyperbole)

Amazon has the g930 for $70 and it's live already.

For the record, Newegg and Amazon have the cordless version of this (G930) for only $10 more. Original price $159.99. Better deal, in my opinion.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VANOFY

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104399

Hiya!

I'm a gamer and parront, and can say that loud birdy squawks can sometimes be an issue when I'm trying to communicate. I typically use Discord, but your toolkit might vary depending on what you're using to talk to your team.

I'm currently using this headset, and get few complaints about the birds. Granted, I am always on push-to-talk, so there's no risk of the birdy squawks activating my microphone. If push-to-talk isn't an option, look into your micrphone sensitivity settings (both in the program and in your OS) and reduce them a bit. Hopefully this will make it less likely that little chirps will activate and open the micrphone for all to hear.

Also, give them something else to do with their beaks. Chop, a bit of millet, or a long-lasting foraging toy might help keep them occupied while your SO is gaming.

G930's are wireless headsets, so the cut cable can be replaced with any microUSB cable.

Amazon Item Page

So I bought a new wireless headset from Amazon that had the promo tag on it, (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VANOFY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) however I never got the code. Amazon chat told me a few minutes ago that the item wasn't fulfilled by Amazon so it doesn't count, so I'm hoping senpai notices me :P

My MMO life hasn't been too long, roughly 8 years or so. I'm a huge fan of FF, and played just about every game in the franchise except for XI...so I picked it up and it was so much fun, but really really quiet. I started the game maybe 5-6 years after launch, so there really wasn't anyone to play with, not even considering that I joined right when Abyssea came out, which coincidentally was when much of the population left the game.

When rumors of XIV came out, I was so excited. The biggest thing for me was that I could finally play a FF MMO on the same playing level field as other players, and I could actually do and play content while it was new. I always hated that I was "left behind" in XI, so this was a big deal for me.

I partook in the beta test for 1.0 and was there the day the game launched and continued to stay, even while others I met and played with in the game left. While others griped about the game and how bad it was, I was looking around looking at everyone like they were crazy - because I really loved the game and it was MUCH MUCH better than XI IMO. I also really really liked the changes Yoshi and his team brought to 1.0 even though I understood the game I grew to love was going to come to an end one day.

Yoshi and his team had done a really good job to pull those who really paid attention to the world and lore together (not including all of the special "hidden" surprises as time continued to tick away) so The Calamity felt immersive, and it was pretty special. You could feel the tension in the air while we were all waiting in Mor Dhona for the Empire on that last day....then the servers went down and we were greeted with "the end of an era" trailer - perfect ending. Tears were shed. I was devastated. NO game could ever come close to this experience.

Fast forward a few years and I still play every day, slowly making more progress. I recently got my 240 relic (BRD) on Friday, and my static recently cleared AM6 (for the FIRST TIME after 11 weeks) last Monday, and again on Tuesday, so even though I am a "legacy" player, I'm still celebrating milestones... even almost 5 1/2 years in.

I love this game very much and I have lot of hope for the future. Yoshi P and his team really do seem to listen to what the players want (contradictory to what most would believe) and I believe it shows. I think our best days are ahead of us in this game and I can't wait to see what the expansion has to offer.

There are a few options out there, Motorola's are consistently rated very highly. I've linked to one here that supports up to a 172 mbps downstream, but doesn't have a built in wireless router (you would have to plug in a wireless router to access the internet wirelessly). There are also a few options to pick from that include wireless routers, and/or support faster speeds if you need it (it won't make your existing connection faster though, it just supports a higher level of bandwidth).

https://smile.amazon.com/SURFboard-SB6121-DOCSIS-Retail-Packaging/dp/B004XC6GJ0

This would be a good option if you want a built-in wifi router:

https://smile.amazon.com/SURFboard-SBG6782AC-DOCSIS-AC1800-Router/dp/B00GJ7Y7MU

You will have to call Comcast to provision the modem (basically just read them the MAC Address on the bottom of the modem and wait a few minutes). I've done this twice, and it's been straightforward. You can always just tell them that you don't like the idea of hosting a public hotspot (which you do if you have a Comcast modem with built in wifi-- it broadcasts on SSID "xfinitywifi" and is accessible by anyone that has a Comcast subscription).

Worst case scenario, your modem keeps breaking a day out of the one-year warranty and you have to buy a new one every year, but you're still breaking even and at least you haven't given more money to Time Warner than absolutely necessary.

I got the "Motorola SB6121"

Also the "Motorola SB6141" is a good one too. It's technically "better" since it has an more down stream channels then the 6121. I bought the lower model since it was cheaper.

I got it on amazon and made sure it was new in retail box, direct from Amazon and not a 3rd party seller.

Yeah, getting your own pays off in less than a year. Everyone should do this.

http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ can handle up to 160mbps
http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6141-DOCSIS/dp/B00AJHDZSI/ can handle up to 320mbps

Not that it matters right now, but the 6141 has a little more futureproofing.

So the first thing you should decide is what type of internet to get. The vast majority of people get cable or fiber (if they can afford it and if it's available). Both of those options give you good reliable internet. The cheap option is to get DSL which works over telephone lines. DSL usually has low speeds and isn't as reliable but only costs like $30 a month compared to $60-100 for better internet. If you like to stream movies or do anything outside of very basic browsing, I would say to get cable if you can afford it. What you do then is find a provider for that internet (internet service provider - ISP). Comcast, Cox, AT&T, Verizon, and many local companies are ISPs but you're probably limited to only one or two in whatever region you live (assuming USA). You should also know that these companies have random naming conventions for their services (Comcast calls their cable Xfinity while AT&T calls theirs Uverse) So you go to their web sites and compare plans and find something that works for you (if you don't know what speed you need, I would recommend 20 Mbps or more for streaming and normal use, 50 Mbps if you're a really heavy user). You can use this to find out what providers even have wiring in your area (if the top speed for a certain provider only shows as 10-25 mbps, then it's likely only DSL).

If you go with cable, you'll need both a modem (which receives the internet connection from the cable built into your apartment) and a router (which takes that wired connection and turns it into wireless - wifi). I would recommend buying your own hardware because companies like Comcast charge you something like $7-10 a month per modem/router that you get from them, which ends up being more expensive than buying your own to start with. If you buy your own modem, make sure it will work with whatever cable provider you select (something like this is standard). After that, you hook up your router. There are many to choose from. You can get one for as little as $10-30, but I would recommend getting a better one like this if you can as it performs exceptionally well and is easy to set up as well.

If you have any specific questions, let me know.

Make sure it's DOCSIS 3.0 and also look at the number of channels up and down.
http://www.amazon.com/Arris-SURFboard-SB6121-Download-Packaging/dp/B004XC6GJ0/
That one is 4 channels up and 4 channels down. It says on the box that it'll max out at 172Mbps. If you're paying for more than that, you're going to need a better one.

Couldn't agree more. Had issues last year, then got this modem and this router and have been flying ever since. Spending $90 may seem steep, but you pay monthly to rent it anyways.

Those messages about speeds being inadequate is done because owners of modems with the DOCSIS 2.0 or lessor are not going to get the speeds they pay for. Those messages do not come through on modems DOCSIS 3.0 or higher because you can get the full speeds.

I own a DOCSIS 3.0 modem - this is the one I purchased: http://amzn.com/B004XC6GJ0

Here is also the list of DOCSIS 3.0 modems approved by comcast based on speed tiers, just select what speed you're getting and it'll show you the compatible modems: http://mydeviceinfo.xfinity.com/

I like these: http://www.amazon.com/Koss-PortaPro-Headphones-with-Case/dp/B00001P4ZH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465207814&sr=8-1&keywords=koss+porta for working out. They are on-ear, not over-the-ear and have replacable foam pads. You can still hear what's going on around you and the don't get as sweaty. Sound is pretty OK for the price.

Koss Porta Pros. Best you can find for under 35 dollars. Check out those amazon reviews if you dont believe me. http://www.amazon.com/Koss-PortaPro-Headphones-with-Case/dp/B00001P4ZH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301871390&sr=8-1

those JVCs look more sturdy. not sure what the hinges are made of. the HD201s are all plastic. the hinges are plastic too where its most prone to breakage.

edit: maybe consider the porta pros as an option. ive read good things about its durability.

Porta Pros baby. They let out a lot of sound, but have amazing balance.

That's great but we have been giving you recommendations and you have been ignoring them. Everything Xodium recommended would work. Anything from the sidebar links in your price range will work.

Here, I'll even do the work for you:

Fostex T50RP

Shure SRH440

Incipio F38

Koss PortaPro

Grado SR80i

ATH M50

If you're a not a fucking audiophile, then ANY of these headphones will be fine for you. All of them are a better value than Beats/Bose. If you will be using it primarily on the train, pick a closed headphone for noise isolation, like the ATH M50 or Incipio F38.

There, done.

If you don't mind a retro look, I would recommend the Koss PortaPro. They're a little more than $30 on Amazon right now, but sound great. I've had mine for three years, and they've held up under frequent airline and car travel. They have a lifetime warranty, though.

If you're looking for something really affordable with great sound, check out the Grado SR-60i - read the reviews... for sound, and price, they can't be beat.

For a good alternate set that are really portable, get the Koss Portapros - cheap, great sound, and they have a lifetime warranty. I fold these up and toss them in my backpack every day, and when they break I'll just send them back to Koss for a new set.

I don't remember him talking about headphones, but I love my Koss Portapros. They fold up tightly and fit in my bag, and have excellent audio quality. They also don't mess up my hair as much as other over-ear headphones tend to. Here's a [link] (https://www.amazon.com/Koss-PortaPro-Headphones-with-Case/dp/B00001P4ZH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484145123&sr=8-1&keywords=koss+portapro). $39.99 on Amazon. They also have a lifetime guarantee.

That is true. I'm old enough to remember making mix tapes and mix CDs for my wife when we were dating.

I've been very nostalgic for a Walkman lately. I used to walk all over the place with my Walkman and headphones on my head when I was a teenager. Heck, to this day, I still throw headphones on whenever I do housework or need to walk anywhere.

I even bought a pair of Koss PortaPro headphones, for that great sounding but still retro look.

I bought a pair of [JayBird Bluebuds X] (http://www.amazon.com/JayBird-BlueBuds-Sport-Bluetooth-Headphones/dp/B00AIRUOI8) last summer.


They are the most expensive headphones ive ever bought and i think they are very good. To put this in perspective I thought id list my previous inferior headphones; [Koss porta pro] (http://www.amazon.com/Koss-PortaPro-Headphones-with-Case/dp/B00001P4ZH) , [AKG k81] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/AKG-K81-Closed-Back-Headphones/dp/B000BDD56W) , [Urbanears plattan] (http://www.amazon.com/Urbanears-00150609-Plattan-Headphones-Black/dp/B0030IY17C) , and SEVERAL IF NOT ALL of the Beats by dre headphones that i tried in store.

Why do i think they are good? Well they have a clear crisp sound, i can hear tones in songs that i haven't heard before, and as long as you get a good fit the bass is good too (they come with three different bud sizes and three different [wing thingies] (http://puu.sh/da4SO/a4261bc450.jpg))

The battery life is 8 hrs and that is fine by me as long as you remember to charge them every other day.


I dont know if these are the most "bang for buck" headphones but unless you are a headphone and not an earbud person you probably wont be dissapointed.

spend 10 more bucks: http://www.amazon.com/Koss-PortaPro-Headphones-with-Case/dp/B00001P4ZH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1291311724&sr=1-1
ok not over the ear, but really nice headphones.

Not buds nor are they small but I love my Sennheiser 555s. I got them for around $90. Great build quality. I've had them for awhile now and no signs of wear or tear.

Koss PortaPro are loved by pretty much everyone for their incredibly low price and great sound quality. They fall under "small cans."

How about for $40? Koss PortaPros. They have a great warranty and last a long time. If something breaks on them, you send them back to be repaired. Usually they just send you a new pair.

https://smile.amazon.com/Koss-155491-Porta-Headphones-Silver/dp/B00001P4ZH/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1503532753&sr=1-1&keywords=koss+portapro

Koss Porta-Pros

http://www.amazon.com/Koss-PortaPro-Headphones-with-Case/dp/B00001P4ZH

They're cheap, light and sound better than their $35 price tag suggests.

They're not sound blocking.

Huge circumaural cans (IE Sennhieser HD-280, AKG k270, et al) are great if you're sitting at home, but they're lousy for using on public transit or while walking and they make you a better target for ipod theft than the guy with the white earbuds.

If you really want sound isolation and portability, in ear monitors are a much better route to take than cans, they really are a totally different breed than the ubiquitous earbud.

For running I can only give you some advice. Don't get overears and don't get a fully isolating headphone. I don't where you run but, not hearing an approaching bicycle, or God forbid a car, can result in accidents. Especially with the sheer amount of bikes where I studied, getting different headphones might be better.

So here is my suggestion: Koss Porta PRO

There also is the Sporta PRO, with a 90° rotatable headband.

They are very good sounding, highly portable earpad cans, that have been around since the 80's. They have an open back build, which means you can hear your surrounding a little bit and especially your breathing.

Also weight is very important when you chose a headphone for running, and the Koss' are a whopping 83gr and additionaly have adjustable clampforce. This means you can actually decide how strong they press against your head.

You may think they look cheap and outdated, but Koss has a lifetime exchange warranty on their headphones and the Porta Pro's are rocking incredible 80's swag.

$50 Sony MDR-v6 headphones. These are what I use for most of my live gigs, they're good enough to do a very good job, and not so expensive that I'm scared to take them out of the studio. Usually they run around 80-90, this is a pretty great deal.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDRV6-Studio-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00001WRSJ/ref=lh_ni_t?tag=slicinc-20&ascsubtag=0db60ae04067459583c3fa7a3b784ad6&ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

There's no reason to spend twice as much money for some branding by Dr. Dre or whoever. The Sony MDR-V6 Monitor Series Headphones for $77 will reproduce every frequency your ears can hear, will last forever, and feel great.

Sony MDR-V6 Enjoy :)

https://www.amazon.com/Koss-KSC75-Portable-Stereophone-Headphones/dp/B0006B486K/ref=sr_1_6?__mk_de_DE=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&keywords=koss+porta&qid=1566472054&s=gateway&sr=8-6

+

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3664007

Good. Cheap.

Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones

​

https://www.amazon.com/Koss-KSC75-Portable-Stereophone-Headphones/dp/B0006B486K/ref=pd_sbs_469_10?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0006B486K&pd_rd_r=8b08c544-7e97-11e9-9902-df0ec59c45d5&pd_rd_w=NKdXq&pd_rd_wg=RLToh&pf_rd_p=588939de-d3f8-42f1-a3d8-d556eae5797d&pf_rd_r=ENKP5P0GNXHHH09W422B&psc=1&refRID=ENKP5P0GNXHHH09W422B

Just to clarify, you bought a $150 capture card just to capture camera feed from your iPhone?

If you don't plan on streaming console games and are only using it to capture your camera feed I would highly recommend you return it if you can and just spend the money on an actual webcam. The Logitech c920 is less than half the price and will result in much higher quality video.

Oooh nice. Well congrats. Lots of good info in r/digitalnomad (though that can be more for actively traveling remoters).

I'd encourage you to google a few articles on common pitfalls of remote work to help you avoid. And if you're doing any video conferencing get a nice webcam. I did some research and this HP webcam is about the best bang for your buck.

If you're doing work on the phone, get a nice bluetooth headset that has excellent noise cancelling, so you can take calls in coffee shops/public environments & not worry about background noise.

The C920, which seems like a cheaper model, stands around 80-100$ on Amazon, lowest being 60$

One option:

ASUS PB278Q 27-Inch WQHD LED-lit Professional Graphics Monitor

How about this one: ASUS PB278Q 27-Inch WQHD LED-lit Professional Graphics Monitor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009C3M7H0/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_gJ9Gub0GPCPAE/

In amazon its only $10 more then his price point.

Here ya go

It will work. You just need this:

https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMP-159-Stereo-Breakout-Cable/dp/B005HGM1D6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478647838&sr=8-1&keywords=1%2F8+to+1%2F4

Your rental place might even through one in.

TRS cable out of your headphone jack -> split to two TS cables -> inputs of the 4 track cassette recorder

https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMP-159-Stereo-Breakout-Cable/dp/B005HGM1D6/

If a good quality/price ratio, I suggest the Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920 and the Blue Snowball.

Here are the suggestions:

Motorola SB5101u if you just want to keep service and essentially tread water. This modem is old, but still supported. It won't take advantage of the newer DOCSIS 3.0/3.1 technologies, but neither will your Comcast service.

Motorola SB6121 or SB6141 will allow you to keep service, be supported for a longer time than the older SB5101, and take advantage of DOCSIS 3.0/3.1 technologies

Motorla surfboard has been working well for me on comcast.

Welcome, /r/cordcutters! Dropping TV is really the best way to diminish the money and influence of corporate media, even if you're stuck paying your cable company because it's the only decent internet provider in your area. Whether or not you drop cable, you can save a further $8-10/mo by buying your own cable modem instead of renting from your ISP.

Excellent modems are just $50 or $70, or cheaper secondhand. I'd recommend retaining your return receipt long-term, as cable companies frequently continue charging for stuff you canceled/returned, and you'll want some evidence down-the-line to shut down their fraudulent fuckery.

Lists of Compatible Modems for Different ISPs: Comcast, TimeWarner Cable, Cox, Charter, MediaCom, Bright House

The following modems all have exceptional ratings:

• Motorola SB6141 ($69) (pretty future-proof, and necessary for speeds over 150Mbps)
  
• Motorola SB6183 ($99) (only necessary if you have top-tier speeds of 300Mbps+)
  
• Motorola SB6121 ($49) (fastest payback, and good enough for most plans)
  
  
  Any DOCSIS 3.0/3.1 modem will do, but I'd recommend against getting a combined modem/router (also called a "gateway"). Wireless standards get updated a lot more frequently than internet speeds, and if there's ever a problem with your internet, it's much easier to isolate the problem if you have separate devices.

I have had Comcast in bellingham for the last 3 years and have only had an outage or slowdowns twice. The first outage was out for about 5 hours when there was a windstorm and then just last week I believe when there was another. The downside reason for these is that we up here in bham do not have under the ground fiber in a lot of areas as they are on the power lines in most cases.

Now, I am not defending comcast, but I also used to do networking for companies and 90% of the time people were having slowdown issues (not service issues) was because they were using an old/really bad router/modem. What I would recommend is not using the modem and router that they give you (they give you a combo now), they are complete shit.

1. They have xfinity wifi which if a bunch of people connect to will slow your connection down a lot.
   
2. a router is just like a computer. I could turn the computer you are reading this on into a router if I wanted to.
   
   Now with this in mind slow downs are all about connections. Connections are the bane of shitty hardware routers. Let's say that every time you go to a website you make 1 connection. well if you have 200 people on your router that is 200 connections per website. But that isn't really the case. Every time you go to a website you are going to be making at least 5-8 different connections, because of all the ads and other things that have been coded into the website. so lets say you have 4 people on your router and that is now 32 connections. Well now lets say you have 8 different tabs open per 4 people with 8 connections per tab now you have 256 connections. For a bad router that is getting up there and add to the fact that it is probably the modem router combo. It is going to be even worse in its ability to handle connections. This is even worse if you have xfinity wifi as while it may not affect your "speed" like they say it will overwhelm the router. My friend had one in the UW area in seattle. It was incredibly slow and we upgraded the router/modem to ones that I had them buy and now they have no issues what so ever.
   
   If you want to have less issues with slow downs you really need your own router and modem. here is what I would recommend.
   
   Motorola SB6121
   
   http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415128088&sr=8-1&keywords=motorola+modem
   
   D-link DIR-655
   
   http://www.amazon.com/D-Link-Wireless-Extreme-N-Gigabit-DIR-655/dp/B000LIFB7S/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&srs=2529294011&ie=UTF8&qid=1415128174&sr=1-1&keywords=d-link
   
   These are the best for the price and they get the job done better than everything else I have tried without getting into really expensive business hardware. That modem is rock solid. Also the benefit of owning your own is that it pays for itself. You don't have the 8$ equipment rental fee anymore.
   
   TL;DR buy that stuff I linked above and 90% of your issues will go away. I can handle over 800 different connections at once on that router. AND IT WILL SAVE YOU MONEY IN THE LONG RUN.

I have the Motorola SB6121 SURFboard DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem. There is a newer version SB6141. I am not sure what do you get with the newer version though.

They use DOCSIS 3.0. Here is a modem that would suit you very well:

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1367523882&sr=1-1

Midco is very fast and reliable.

I'll suggest that you get them separate, mainly for two big reasons in my head:

1. As /u/wft_gamer pointed out below somewhere around here, combo units typically aren't as reliable (in my experience as well) and will lack features.
   
2. Separation allows you to only replace one of two devices, instead of one whole device in case. You'll want a reliable modem and a separate router also because you can replace just the router if you are so inclined to, such as when you're looking for some shiny new features, like 802.11ac or Gigabit Ethernet.
   
   I suggest getting the SB6121, which supports DOCSIS 3.0, something important that you'll need to keep in mind when purchasing modems so that you'll get the most bandwidth out of your connection. Then pick out a router that you like.
   
   If you are set on picking out a combined router/modem combo (again, not advised), here are key words you'll want to find (they're usually promoted somewhere on the box in big letters):
   
   

• DOCSIS (that's the cable modem standard)
  
• Wireless-N (That's a home router feature)
  
• 4-port (Router)
  
• Router/Modem (Okay, this one is sorta obvious.)
  

Do you currently rent a modem? If so, you can buy your own for $60.....you have probably 'bought' your current modem a dozen times over in rental fees.

There are benefits to a new modem if you are on a higher-speed package. That being said, the ones provided by Comcast now let you 'share' your connection with other Comcast users (which can be disabled, but it isn't well documented).
Comcast will eventually stop supporting Doscis 2.0 modems (which you likely have if you have not upgraded for a while), but you can simply buy one like this and be okay. http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6121-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426271479&sr=8-1&keywords=motorola+surfboard

Grab a C920 or two and use Skype. You can run multiple instances easily for multiple camera angles. You may also desire an omnidirectional mic such as the Yeti for audio, but you can try a laptop built-in mic first and see if it picks up everyone at the table without noise canceling getting in the way. Of course, if the Hero 4 can be used as a webcam, then you can substitute it in place of a C920 without issue. I'm not sure how well it will work: I know the 4 is a huge improvement, but I definitely wouldn't bother with my 3 in any case.

Consoles

Xbox One

Modern Warfare 2 Edition Xbox 360

Monitor

ASUS VS248H-P

Controllers

Scuf Hybrid FPS with two paddles, trigger stops, scuf grip, and a Kontrol Freek on the right stick.

Headsets

(Main Headset) Black Kingston HyperX Cloud running throught a 2013 MixAmp

SteelSeries Siberia V2

Astro A40 in White

Microphone

Audio Technica AT2020 USB on a scissor arm clamped to my desk with a popfilter attached.

Webcam

Logitech C920

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PC that i use here is nothing special, just my ultrabook i use for school and stuff.