Product Recommendations
From DuncanWiki
Every so often someone asks me for my opinion of what/where/how to buy something.
Contents |
I CANNOT Recommend
There are a few companies I absolutely refuse to buy anything from, these are typically moral choices I have as well as quality & customer support issues.
- Samsung : Their automated sentry system hits me in every wrong way possible.
Finding Deals
I mostly watch http://slickdeals.net for good deals on a daily basis, every so often something comes up that's just an insanely awesome deal. Most of what you see on the site is a limited time only deal, typically lasting less than 24 hours.
In the year since I've started watching the site I've scored :
- Several video games at nearly 1/3rd their original price.
- XBox Live Point cards at 25% off.
- Home theater system for $150 off.
- DVDs almost 75% off.
- Hard drives at rock-bottom prices.
I'm certainly going to watch the site for my next HDTV (I'm due for an upgrade after 3 years =])
Consumer Electronics
Computers
I find it hard to recommend a PC to anyone unless there's a piece of software that JUST WON'T WORK on a Mac.
Windows
For a very long time it was nearly impossible to buy a PC from a major manufacturer without it being a nonstandard piece of garbage. Over the last few years HP has really turned around & gone with standard high quality name-brand parts. I've purchased 4 HP PCs over the last 5 years & every single one of them turned out to be an excellent investment.
As far as warranty support I had a fan go bad on an Intel Core 2 Duo HP machine, they sent me a pre-paid box to ship it out to Dallas, TX. I had the machine back in my hands 4 days after I sent it out & it didn't cost me a dime. The only issue I had was that the technician who fixed my PC installed a slower processor when the box was updated so I had to ship it back to HP to get that fixed. Other than that I haven't had any issues.
Mac
I'm a HUGE fan of my 24" iMac & my 13" MacBook Pro. AppleCare is a necessary purchase with your new computer within the first year of ownership. It extends your warranty to become 3 year comprehensive coverage.
You may wind up paying a bit more for your Mac than a PC (a few hundred, but nothing that will bankrupt you) but the experience is definitely worth the money. Sure a Toyota Corolla will get you from point A to point B, but it definitely won't be the same experience as driving a Mercedes for the same trip.
Audio/Video Equipment
Headphones
The hands-down winner for studio headphones would be the Sony V-6 headphones.
From the amazon.com description :
The Sony Monitor Series Headphones are ideal for professional audio artists ranging from DJs to recording engineers. The 40 mm driver delivers deep, accurate bass and broadcasts a broad frequency range. The circum-aural design cuts down outside noise while giving your ears comfort, and reversible swivel earcups also help keep your ears comfortable. A copper-clad aluminum wire voice coil enhances movement of the PET diaphragm, and an oxygen-free copper cord keeps noise down. The cord is 10 feet long, making it easy for you to concentrate on your work rather than being hampered by a tight, restrictive cord.
What all of that gobbledygook translates into is that the range of these headphones is quite dynamic. The base is definitely present without drowning everything out... and due to the way they engineered these headphones they don't drain my iPod's battery much faster than earbuds.
