What did you do today?

[Phuncz]

How long did your whole process take?

I think about 10 hours, which was:

1. Preperation of everything
2. Snow foam
3. Wash
4. Rinse
5. Clay
6. Polish

...one week latuhr...

1. Preperation of everything
2. Wash
3. Rinse
4. Polish
5. Coating

Especially the polish and claying took about 2 hours each time.

Maybe today I'm going to give the leather upholstery another go as I now have a leather cleaner, not just a leather conditioner.

 

[tinyitx]

I think about 10 hours, which was:

I do not have a car now at this stage of my life. Cleaning car is an activity of days gone by. More a blessing than a curse. But I must agree that it satisfies a lot when you see your car well waxed. That slippery surface is really something to touch on.

 

[AlexTSG]

Xmas shopping for my kids (best to do it now so I don't have to deal with the xmas rush)
Car parts buying (more JDM parts for my car)
Work

Yesterday I detailed my sister's car. More car stuff recently than SFF.... ah well. Skyreach build incoming soonish.

Wow, Xmas shopping in July! That's planning ahead on a whole new level

I'm trying to be good about leaving my car stock, although I did go down the Internet rabbit hole reading about superchargers for my MX5 after seeing an Engineering Explained YouTube video recently. Fortunately, those plans were dampened by a follow up video a few days later, detailing problems he was having after fitting it. I need to spend money on my NCASE M1 build and not car stuff anyway, as I actually need that for work.

I think about 10 hours, which was:

1. Preperation of everything
2. Snow foam
3. Wash
4. Rinse
5. Clay
6. Polish

...one week latuhr...

1. Preperation of everything
2. Wash
3. Rinse
4. Polish
5. Coating

Especially the polish and claying took about 2 hours each time.

Maybe today I'm going to give the leather upholstery another go as I now have a leather cleaner, not just a leather conditioner.

If you're doing the interior, and you haven't got some already, I can highly recommend getting 303 Aerospace. I've treated all my black plastic trim with that, and it's been excellent. It's good for tyre sidewalls too. Well, any unpainted plastic, vinyl, or rubber anywhere on the car actually.

 

[ignsvn]

Xmas shopping for my kids (best to do it now so I don't have to deal with the xmas rush)

I LOL-ed but at the same time got inspired by your time management.

 

[REVOCCASES]

glad this thread reminded me that annual car washing day was due.

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

I also washed my car this morning after reading this

 

[BirdofPrey]

glad this thread reminded me that annual car washing day was due.

Maybe I should wash my car to summon rain. It's SUPER hot here this week, and the forest fire is still burning.

 

[Phuncz]

If you're doing the interior, and you haven't got some already, I can highly recommend getting 303 Aerospace. I've treated all my black plastic trim with that, and it's been excellent. It's good for tyre sidewalls too. Well, any unpainted plastic, vinyl, or rubber anywhere on the car actually.

I know, I have used 303 Aerospace Protectant for years. I used it on my previous car's vinyl softtop, now I use it for plastic trim.

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

Today I went to an escape game with MissAcoustic, TeenAcoustic and LittleAcoustic.

Also been looking into 21:9 monitors, audio interface, microphone and midi keyboard.

 

[AlexTSG]

Today I went to an escape game with MissAcoustic, TeenAcoustic and LittleAcoustic.

Also been looking into 21:9 monitors, audio interface, microphone and midi keyboard.

I have to get another monitor by the end of the year. I’ve started delivering training online using Microsoft Teams, and my 27 inch just doesn’t enough real estate for Teams, PowerPoint, a browser, chat window, etc.

There are some nice 24:10 ratio options on the horizon which are nice for that extra vertical space, but I may just go for a 32 inch 4K option for greater compatibility. I’m not sure how many games will support the 24:10 ratio, when I do get a chance to play.

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I’m using a Rode VideoMic NTG, which has been an excellent purchase for my needs, but I’m assuming yours will be for singing. Not sure how well it does for that.

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

There are some nice 24:10 ratio options on the horizon which are nice for that extra vertical space, but I may just go for a 32 inch 4K option for greater compatibility. I’m not sure how many games will support the 24:10 ratio, when I do get a chance to play.

I don't game much, only some Minecraft. I mostly use the Switch for gaming with my daughters nowadays (I love local multiplayer cough gaming).

This will be mostly for programming, music production and going back to digital arts in general. I'll also be working from home 2 days a week, so roughly 20h a week and I need something more covenient as I missed my dual screen setup during lockdown.

I find 21:9 and 32:9 aspect ratio to be far more comfy than old school dual screen setup. I'm especially looking at screens with an USB-C with display port atl mode + data + charge since it'll allow me to connect and charge my laptop from work with a single cable.

I’m using a Rode VideoMic NTG, which has been an excellent purchase for my needs, but I’m assuming yours will be for singing. Not sure how well it does for that.

I've been reading lots of good things about that mic. I'll be using mine for Skype/Teams meeting when working from home, but also to sing and record acoustic instruments. There are lots of viable options without breaking the bank (Neat KingBee, AKG P120, MXL 770, etc.).

My oldest daughter will be entering singing courses at the music conservatory starting September, so having something decent that she can use to practice is a good bonus.

I've been watching those videos lately, very helpful and does not push you to go nuts when starting...

 

[Valantar]

I don't game much, only some Minecraft. I mostly use the Switch for gaming with my daughters nowadays (I love local multiplayer cough gaming).

This will be mostly for programming, music production and going back to digital arts in general. I'll also be working from home 2 days a week, so roughly 20h a week and I need something more covenient as I missed my dual screen setup during lockdown.

I find 21:9 and 32:9 aspect ratio to be far more comfy than old school dual screen setup. I'm especially looking at screens with an USB-C with display port atl mode + data + charge since it'll allow me to connect and charge my laptop from work with a single cable.



I've been reading lots of good things about that mic. I'll be using mine for Skype/Teams meeting when working from home, but also to sing and record acoustic instruments. There are lots of viable options without breaking the bank (Neat KingBee, AKG P120, MXL 770, etc.).

My oldest daughter will be entering singing courses at the music conservatory starting September, so having something decent that she can use to practice is a good bonus.

I've been watching those videos lately, very helpful and does not push you to go nuts when starting...

Did you see the recent Optimum Tech video where he showed off his new audio setup? He had a very nice looking interface with dual XLR inputs + instrument input. Quite compact and sleek looking, and IIRC around $100. The mic he was using is crazy expensive though.

 

[ignsvn]

I don't game much, only some Minecraft. I mostly use the Switch for gaming with my daughters nowadays (I love local multiplayer cough gaming).

This will be mostly for programming, music production and going back to digital arts in general. I'll also be working from home 2 days a week, so roughly 20h a week and I need something more covenient as I missed my dual screen setup during lockdown.

I find 21:9 and 32:9 aspect ratio to be far more comfy than old school dual screen setup. I'm especially looking at screens with an USB-C with display port atl mode + data + charge since it'll allow me to connect and charge my laptop from work with a single cable.



I've been reading lots of good things about that mic. I'll be using mine for Skype/Teams meeting when working from home, but also to sing and record acoustic instruments. There are lots of viable options without breaking the bank (Neat KingBee, AKG P120, MXL 770, etc.).

My oldest daughter will be entering singing courses at the music conservatory starting September, so having something decent that she can use to practice is a good bonus.

I've been watching those videos lately, very helpful and does not push you to go nuts when starting...

FWIW, I am using Thronmax Mdrill One.

Not the best in terms of sound quality. The main selling point for me is the physical buttons & switches (I like to have physical mute, mic gain & earphone volume buttons)

However, if you think about singing or recording musical instruments, perhaps you'd want something different. I've read good reviews about the Rode, Blues, Shures, and Samson microphones.

 

[AlexTSG]

I find 21:9 and 32:9 aspect ratio to be far more comfy than old school dual screen setup. I'm especially looking at screens with an USB-C with display port atl mode + data + charge since it'll allow me to connect and charge my laptop from work with a single cable.

I have to agree that the USB-C option is great. I'm using a Dell S2719DC at the moment and it's USB C port allows charging up to 45W which is just enough for my Lenovo X1 Carbon. Overall it's an excellent monitor, and even okay for gaming with FreeSync support up to 75Hz. My girlfriend can't wait to take it over when I do get something new.

I've been reading lots of good things about that mic. I'll be using mine for Skype/Teams meeting when working from home, but also to sing and record acoustic instruments. There are lots of viable options without breaking the bank (Neat KingBee, AKG P120, MXL 770, etc.).

My oldest daughter will be entering singing courses at the music conservatory starting September, so having something decent that she can use to practice is a good bonus.

I've been watching those videos lately, very helpful and does not push you to go nuts when starting...

My sister and her husband run a company that rents audio equipment and staging, mainly for live performances, and they use quite a few of the Shure SM58, which is excellent for vocals, and tough enough to stand up to being rented out frequently. I would have considered that had it not required an audio interface.

For my video conferencing at home I went with the Rode VideoMic NTG as it can attach via USB or 3.5mm, and it's super cardioid pattern is perfect for reducing background noise. My girlfriend is often on another call in the next room, and her Samson Meteor, while also really good for the price, does pickup a lot more of what's going on around her, despite it's cardioid pickup.

As for audio interfaces, this Audient EVO 4 may be worth a look:

 

[Valantar]

I have to agree that the USB-C option is great. I'm using a Dell S2719DC at the moment and it's USB C port allows charging up to 45W which is just enough for my Lenovo X1 Carbon. Overall it's an excellent monitor, and even okay for gaming with FreeSync support up to 75Hz. My girlfriend can't wait to take it over when I do get something new.



My sister and her husband run a company that rents audio equipment and staging, mainly for live performances, and they use quite a few of the Shure SM58, which is excellent for vocals, and tough enough to stand up to being rented out frequently. I would have considered that had it not required an audio interface.

For my video conferencing at home I went with the Rode VideoMic NTG as it can attach via USB or 3.5mm, and it's super cardioid pattern is perfect for reducing background noise. My girlfriend is often on another call in the next room, and her Samson Meteor, while also really good for the price, does pickup a lot more of what's going on around her, despite it's cardioid pickup.

As for audio interfaces, this Audient EVO 4 may be worth a look:

That is the exact interface from the Optimum Tech video I mentioned above! Thanks for relieving me of the duty of looking up its name and info I've been considering getting a good USB mic, but that thing looks good enough that I might go XLR instead (could be useful as there's other XLR audio devices in the household).

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

Thanks for the ref @AlexTSG. It looks like it works quite well on Linux too. I'll add it to my list of hardware to check.

 

[AlexTSG]

That is the exact interface from the Optimum Tech video I mentioned above! Thanks for relieving me of the duty of looking up its name and info I've been considering getting a good USB mic, but that thing looks good enough that I might go XLR instead (could be useful as there's other XLR audio devices in the household).

All my initial choices were XLR microphones, but once I started looking into it there were cases where audio interfaces didn’t have enough gain, and a cloudlifter had to be added, and then additional software needing to be installed.

The 3.5mm option is basically plug ‘n play, and despite running a 3m extension I’m not getting any interference (one of the main advantages XLR has).

If I do need multiple audio channels later, I’ll revisit the options. Another more expensive option which looked good was the GoXLR, but I probably like that mostly for its motorized sliders, which I would end up playing with endlessly. ?

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[Valantar]

All my initial choices were XLR microphones, but once I started looking into it there were cases where audio interfaces didn’t have enough gain, and a cloudlifter had to be added, and then additional software needing to be installed.

The 3.5mm option is basically plug ‘n play, and despite running a 3m extension I’m not getting any interference (one of the main advantages XLR has).

If I do need multiple audio channels later, I’ll revisit the options. Another more expensive option which looked good was the GoXLR, but I probably like that mostly for its motorized sliders, which I would end up playing with endlessly. ?

TC Helicon | Catalog | Product Categories

Search TC Helicon products by Application, Category or Series to find what you need.

www.tc-helicon.com

I've never heard a built-in mic input that doesn't have tons of noise, but I guess that might at least partially be due to poor microphones too. It's noted in the OT video that the Evo 4 had too little gain for his mic too, but he added an in-line preamp to overcome that, with good results. That preamp was a ~$100 cost though, so about as much as the interface itself. I was hoping less expensive microphones might not need quite as much gain (considering that my partner's Zoom H6 seems able to handle pretty much anything thrown at it, and that's a portable unit powered by 4 AA batteries, it certainly ought to be possible).

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

I'll go with condenser mic so I'll need phantom psu (+48V) built-in the audio interface. I'll need high-Z capable input too, for electric (bass) guitar. And ideally, midi in/out for legacy Roland interface (I grew up with the MT-32 and later the SC-55).

Since it'll be used to record singing, it must have direct monitoring too. I'll prefer stuff with physical buttons (gain, phantom psu, high-z, etc), instead of software switched features as I'm a Linux user.

That's quite the journey but since I was able to find a solution to recover a nice 4m² closet, I'll make sure to build myself a nice geek cave

 

[AlexTSG]

Today I'm working on redoing all my branding for stationery, email signatures, and social media, including my profile pic for SFF.NETWORK

The full image has more detail, like circuitry running through the lettering, but I think it gets lost in smaller images, so I've removed it. Not sure about a plain black background vs a subtle circular gradient.

What do you think?