BobPhila
BobPhila's Stats
- Review Count3
- Helpfulness Votes0
- First ReviewMarch 25, 2021
- Last ReviewJune 4, 2021
- Featured Reviews0
- Average Rating4
Reviews Comments
- Review Comment Count0
- Helpfulness Votes0
- First Review CommentNone
- Last Review CommentNone
- Featured Review Comments0
Questions
- Question Count0
- Helpfulness Votes0
- First QuestionNone
- Last QuestionNone
- Featured Questions0
- Answer Count12
- Helpfulness Votes5
- First AnswerJanuary 23, 2019
- Last AnswerOctober 26, 2021
- Featured Answers0
- Best Answers1
BobPhila's Reviews
Amazon - Echo Show 8 Smart Display with Alexa - Charcoal
Echo Show 8 connects to Alexa to give you rich stereo sound with vivid visuals on an 8" HD screen. Set alarms and timers, display your favorite photos, check weather and traffic as you head out, or catch up on news highlights and movie trailers. Connect with your favorite people by making hands-free video calls to the Alexa app or another Echo with a screen, use Announcements to send voice messages to every room with a supported Echo device, or use Drop In as a two-way intercom between rooms.
Easy voice access to useful video & audio sources
Customer Rating
5.0
Quality
4.0
Value
4.0
Ease of Use
4.0
The Echo Show 8 is a compact device with a clear video display on its 8-inch screen, and good sound for its size. When connected to home wi-fi it provides Alexa voice recognition access to many types of useful video and audio information sources, including movies, streamed music, home security cameras, Amazon shopping, and a wide range of other sources suggested on the screen. It is reasonably priced. There appears to be no ability to access search engines or websites and the touch screen seems to be limited to adjustment of device settings, but most people have smartphones. tablets, or computers for those targeted information needs.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Verified Purchaser:Yes
Mobile Submission: false
Length of ownership: 26
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![TIDAL - HiFi Plus, 3-Month Music Subscription starting at purchase, Auto-renews at $14.99 per month [Digital]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/6407/6407162_sd.jpg)
TIDAL - HiFi Plus, 3-Month Music Subscription starting at purchase, Auto-renews at $14.99 per month [Digital]
TIDAL HiFi Plus allows you to hear the difference in your favorite songs with high-fidelity sound quality, Master Quality Audio, Dolby Atmos, and Sony 360 Reality Audio. Enjoy your music ad free or offline from anywhere on all your favorite devices.
Good streaming service for some use cases
Customer Rating
3.0
Quality
3.0
Value
3.0
Ease of Use
3.0
I am interested in exploring the canon of classical music using entry-level audiophile headphones (Sennheiser HD 560S, connected to a Windows PC through a hi-res MQA-enabled DAC/AMP USB dongle). I have recently started this trial subscription to Tidal and another to a different music streaming service that also claims to have a broad selection of millions of "songs" with many offered in lossless CD quality or a better hi-res format. This is my early, inexpert, and possibly misleading evaluation of the two services.
Both services appear to provide the claimed quality of audio format for a song when using their provided Windows apps. The difference is in the selection of music available in each format and the ease of finding and playing it. My limited research and experience indicate that Tidal specializes in modern music, especially popular songs and new releases. Historic classical music at first seemed to be limited to excerpts of the more popular movements rather than albums of complete works. My randomly chosen example, a search for “Beethoven Eroica Symphony” produced 10 results on Tidal, only one of which was the complete symphony and that was offered at less than lossless CD quality; the others appeared to be single movements, one with a video. However, this was labeled as a “Top Result” and I noticed an option for “Albums” that displayed images of 132 CD sleeves for the symphony, 16 with MQA Master audio quality. I tried several of the others and did not find one with lossless CD quality. On the other streaming service, the same search immediately produced 70 CD sleeves, with 11 in hi-res and the rest in lossless CD quality. I noticed that Tidal recognized my subscription each time I selected the app, but the other service required two separate sign-ins. For new releases and popular items of modern music I saw many MQA Master offerings in Tidal but don’t recall finding any with lossless CD quality. This may be done to reduce file sizes for users who want to store many songs on their phones.
The two services are good and would have the same monthly cost. It is high enough to discourage subscribing to both. For my purposes, I want access to a large selection of performances of each classical work with all music at least of lossless CD quality, and do not need to store files for offline playback, so I am currently inclined to discontinue the Tidal service. But this could change after more use of the services.
Any recommendation to a friend would depend on his/her preferences for music.
Both services appear to provide the claimed quality of audio format for a song when using their provided Windows apps. The difference is in the selection of music available in each format and the ease of finding and playing it. My limited research and experience indicate that Tidal specializes in modern music, especially popular songs and new releases. Historic classical music at first seemed to be limited to excerpts of the more popular movements rather than albums of complete works. My randomly chosen example, a search for “Beethoven Eroica Symphony” produced 10 results on Tidal, only one of which was the complete symphony and that was offered at less than lossless CD quality; the others appeared to be single movements, one with a video. However, this was labeled as a “Top Result” and I noticed an option for “Albums” that displayed images of 132 CD sleeves for the symphony, 16 with MQA Master audio quality. I tried several of the others and did not find one with lossless CD quality. On the other streaming service, the same search immediately produced 70 CD sleeves, with 11 in hi-res and the rest in lossless CD quality. I noticed that Tidal recognized my subscription each time I selected the app, but the other service required two separate sign-ins. For new releases and popular items of modern music I saw many MQA Master offerings in Tidal but don’t recall finding any with lossless CD quality. This may be done to reduce file sizes for users who want to store many songs on their phones.
The two services are good and would have the same monthly cost. It is high enough to discourage subscribing to both. For my purposes, I want access to a large selection of performances of each classical work with all music at least of lossless CD quality, and do not need to store files for offline playback, so I am currently inclined to discontinue the Tidal service. But this could change after more use of the services.
Any recommendation to a friend would depend on his/her preferences for music.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Verified Purchaser:Yes
Mobile Submission: false
Length of ownership: 33
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The HD 560S indulges the audiophile evaluating their music’s entire journey through the audio path. With linear acoustics and exceptional low-frequency performance the HD 560S was crafted for the analytical audio enthusiast. This open-back headphone is tuned to reveal every detail in your music without sacrificing the gratifying bass response. When combined with its ultralight chassis and luxurious comfort, it’s a breakthrough value in reference monitoring.
Splendid headphone if sound leakage OK in your use
Customer Rating
4.0
Quality
4.0
Value
4.0
Ease of Use
4.0
The HD 560S is a new headphone design for which I found favorable expert reviews with an Internet search engine (review guidelines prohibit naming other products and websites). I am using it with a MQA-enabled DAC/AMP to stream CD-quality and hi-res music from a USB port of a Windows 10 PC. It fits comfortably and performs well, particularly with hi-res music from two streaming services that I have on trial subscriptions. The open back design provides a satisfying sensation of spaciousness but unavoidably allows sound to leak both ways, so I deducted one star just as a warning. Any external sound, like a TV, will leak in and the headphone sound may be overheard by anybody nearby. It comes with only a detachable long (10 ft) cable that has a heavy 6.3mm jack (for AVR use) and a heavy 3.5 mm adapter. For use with a smartphone that has a 3.5mm stereo output port it would be better to use a short (4 ft) cable with a 3.5 mm jack. A Sennheiser rep. told me that the 1.2m cable provided with the HD 599 is suitable but they have no spares in stock for purchase now.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Verified Purchaser:Yes
Mobile Submission: false
Length of ownership: 13
-5points
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BobPhila's Questions
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LG - 27UK600-W 27" IPS LED 4K UHD FreeSync Monitor
Get the most out of your computer with this 27-inch LG monitor. HDR10 produces the levels of color and brightness necessary to carry out your vision, and FreeSync minimizes screen tearing and stuttering for a fluid gaming experience. This LG monitor is HDCP 2.2 compatible to display video from consoles and Blu-ray players.
Where can I find the settings or bottoms on this monitor to adjust the brightness?
This answer applies to LG 27UK600 and 27UK650, which seem to differ only in the stand and the back panel that connects to it
Note "up" means also slightly inward because the button is mounted at an angle - take a look from below and behind.
Press up on the button at the center of the lower back edge of the screen to turn on the monitor and then up again to get the circular menu displayed at the bottom of the screen.
Press the button to the right to get to the settings menu
Press it to the right again to get to the brightness menu
Press up to select the brightness adjustment slider
Press left or right to adjust the slider as needed
Press up to finish brightness adjustment
Press left twice to get out of menu system
Enjoy your 4k display!
Note "up" means also slightly inward because the button is mounted at an angle - take a look from below and behind.
Press up on the button at the center of the lower back edge of the screen to turn on the monitor and then up again to get the circular menu displayed at the bottom of the screen.
Press the button to the right to get to the settings menu
Press it to the right again to get to the brightness menu
Press up to select the brightness adjustment slider
Press left or right to adjust the slider as needed
Press up to finish brightness adjustment
Press left twice to get out of menu system
Enjoy your 4k display!
5 years, 4 months ago
by
Posted by:
BobPhila
NordVPN is a virtual private network (VPN) – an online security tool that routes your internet traffic through a secure tunnel, changing your virtual location in the process. But NordVPN does more than just that — it comes equipped with powerful features against common online threats.
Hi I have amazon firestick I need to watch RAI replay from Italy if I buy the VPN u think is going to work?or I need something else thank you
I bought this product from Best Buy but could not find it when I was ready to install it! It gets good reviews but there is always the worry that you are letting the VPN service look at all of your internet activity.
I suppose that you want to use a VPN so that you can appear to be located in the country of the source service. This article from Google.com Search Engine may help.
Copy and paste this link into your browser.
https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/nordvpn-fire-tv-firestick/
You could repeat my search question "use nordvpn with firestick" to get other help from Google.
You can get information directly from Nordvpn at their website www.nordvpn.com
Good luck with your project.
I suppose that you want to use a VPN so that you can appear to be located in the country of the source service. This article from Google.com Search Engine may help.
Copy and paste this link into your browser.
https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/nordvpn-fire-tv-firestick/
You could repeat my search question "use nordvpn with firestick" to get other help from Google.
You can get information directly from Nordvpn at their website www.nordvpn.com
Good luck with your project.
5 years, 5 months ago
by
Posted by:
BobPhila