PDA

View Full Version : I'm an idiot: or always check what you have and are already using before buying new..


griff74
15-07-2017, 12:36
A story of caution (for me anyway!)

After much procrastinating over which speaker cable to buy, Steve (soundsheavenly) mentioned in a post that he uses QED Classic 79 strand in his system, good enough for him, more than good enough for me.

I order 10 metres and some gold plated banana and spade connectors (my C60's are so old school!).

Measure it all this morning, ended up just cutting into equal lengths, added the connectors and pulled out the old cable.
The cable I had been using was just some that I had in a box, one length or generic white stuff and a longer piece of generic black stuff, or so I thought. Upon checking the black stuff is actually (can you guess yet??) QED Classic 79 strand, oh now I remember buying a load of it when I got all new AV kit a few years, never mind it was only 21 quid delivered for the 10 metres and I guess it's always good to have some spare.

Moral of the story, always check what you have stored away or even in use before you got spending your pennies, you could well have what you need already! :lol:
Macca
15-07-2017, 12:44
Nearly did that the other day. Decided I needed a SCART to RCA cable. Went into Richer Sounds but they had never heard of SCART and laughed me out of the place.

Good job too as not only did it turn out that I did not need one for what I was doing but just found a perfectly good one while tidying up earlier today.
griff74
15-07-2017, 12:50
Nearly did that the other day. Decided I needed a SCART to RCA cable. Went into Richer Sounds but they had never heard of SCART and laughed me out of the place.

Good job too as not only did it turn out that I did not need one for what I was doing but just found a perfectly good one while tidying up earlier today.

What's SCART?????








I jest, I jest, got a box full of them somewhere cos you never know................................
Macca
15-07-2017, 12:55
Yes, I am also fully equipped should I involuntarily travel back in time to circa 1990 and need to set up an a/v system there. :)

Also found a DIN to RCA adaptor. I mean that has got to come in useful again, right?
griff74
15-07-2017, 13:01
It could happen Martin, it is why I didn't chuck out the DIN PC Keyboard and serial mouse I found when clearing out the cellar a few months ago and why I have a box of Toslink cables from my 2 revisions ago AV setup (and the now dead Denon AV amp that powered it).

Involuntary, spontaneous time travel could happen at any time and some of us will be prepared for it!
walpurgis
15-07-2017, 13:52
Not quite the same, but my vacuum cleaner packed up. Tried it a few times, no joy and it smelled as though something had burned out. So, I went and bought a new one. Got home and my daughter was using the old one. I told her it had stopped working and she said "oh, it's always doing that if the filter needs cleaning"!

Now I have two. :rolleyes:
struth
15-07-2017, 14:02
thought you'd have opened it up:D 90% of hoover faults are jams, brushes and belts
walpurgis
15-07-2017, 14:15
thought you'd have opened it up:D

Nah. It was a cheapo and I thought it had had it. Must have a thermal cut-out! :)
struth
15-07-2017, 14:19
aye, my panasonic has one of those. cuts in early if the hopper and its filter is full. also has a flap of rubber that opens and stops it taking up any more dirt.. makes a damn loud noise too lol.
i clean it with my compressor outside
griff74
15-07-2017, 14:48
Oh god we're talking about vacuum cleaners now!! lol

Oh having matching cable on both speakers does seem to have improved the balance of them.
Arkless Electronics
15-07-2017, 15:04
For me it's usually electronic components... I buy in parts needed for a specific repair job or custom build and then find an unopened bag of identical parts a week later:doh:
walpurgis
15-07-2017, 15:27
Me too. Boxes of pots, switches, caps and resistors I keep forgetting I've got. And tools, must have a dozen wire cutters! :rolleyes: Oh and rolls of cable.
Barry
15-07-2017, 20:50
Oh god we're talking about vacuum cleaners now!! lol

Oh having matching cable on both speakers does seem to have improved the balance of them.

Has anyone found changing the mains cable on their vacuum cleaner can improve the performance? :D
Macca
15-07-2017, 20:55
I was going to fit a 13 amp fuse until I found out it already has a 13 amp fuse. I suppose I could polish it.
Barry
15-07-2017, 21:16
I was going to fit a 13 amp fuse until I found out it already has a 13 amp fuse. I suppose I could polish it.

Better to replace it with a graphene fuse! :D
Macca
15-07-2017, 21:30
Or I could replace it with a properly designed vacuum cleaner that is immune to mains effects...
walpurgis
15-07-2017, 21:32
Or I could replace it with a properly designed vacuum cleaner that is immune to mains effects...

Take the fuse out. It'll definitely be immune then! :D
Barry
15-07-2017, 21:50
Or I could replace it with a properly designed vacuum cleaner that is immune to mains effects...

Just buy a Miele and throw away that Dyson.
Macca
15-07-2017, 22:32
Just buy a Miele and throw away that Dyson.

Miele? I'm not the bleedin Aga Khan. And if I had that kind of money I wouldn't be squandering it on expensive vacuum cleaners. I'd buy a cheap one and have it gold-plated.
Minstrel SE
17-07-2017, 09:10
Weve all done that with something in the past Andrew. I dont do it so much now as I know how bad I can be so Ive done a full computer inventory of my cable boxes and drawers.

Infact thinking about it Im even worse. I have some Silver Anniversary Biwire and fitted airlocks that Ive never used. I bought it before even having any biwireable speakers and I dont really want biwireable speakers now. I think I bought it in preparation for some future plans at the time and it wasnt particularly cheap. Very silly when I think about it.

Best wishes