Splurgebook

Hi. I'm Andy and welcome to Splurgebook

[splurgebook]

Re-visiting "Reduce Transparency" in MacOS

Re-visiting “Reduce Transparency” in MacOS

The introduction of translucency effects in MacOS Yosemite back in 2014 was a step backwards in usability and power efficiency as I discussed here. Translucency effects were computationally intensive to render and on older systems, can result in high GPU utilisation and frame drops during normal everyday activities like scrolling or browsing the web. Fast forward to 2022 and the Mac hardware…

View On WordPress

[splurgebook]

Bringing the 6-year old Shure SE846 into 2020

Bringing the 6-year old Shure SE846 into 2020

I’ve always been a massive fan of IEMs ever since my first pair of Shure SE315’s I bought a decade ago, and still use my second-hand SE846’s on a daily basis. The SE846 retains Shure’s signature slightly mid-forward/relaxed treble sound signature but is also able to deliver subwoofer-like performance when tracks call for it. I’ve yet to try another IEM or even full sized headphone (maybe apart…

View On WordPress

[splurgebook]

Nuraphone Review: The search is over.. for now

Nuraphone Review: The search is over.. for now

Over the past 7 years or so, I’ve used or tried countless earphones, IEMs and headphones in search of the perfect sound

Shure SE315

Etymotic ER4-XR

Shure SE425

Shure SE535

Sony WH1000XM2

Bowers & Wilkins PX

Background

Nura started in 2015 by Dr Luke Campbell, Dr Dragan Petrovic and Kyle Slater and was wildly successful in their Kickstarter campaign back in 2016 exceeding their $100,000 goal…

View On WordPress

[splurgebook]

dGPU Low Performance Bug in MacOS 10.13 High Sierra

dGPU Low Performance Bug in MacOS 10.13 High Sierra

With every release of Mac OS comes a host of bugs and issues for users. A particularly annoying one in Mac OS High Sierra (10.13) involves the dGPU underperforming in graphically intensive applications after the system has been asleep for a few hours. Users typically report a massive drop in FPS in games and performance drops in applications which require dGPU. I’ve linked some of the reports of…

View On WordPress

[splurgebook]

Yes, but we still need more Solar power in the UK

According to this article on The Guardian, the UK met 25% of its energy needs from solar power on the 26th May 2017, setting a new record for solar power generation in the UK. Although this is great news, I do think that we need to put this into perspective with how the energy grid works, and that much more needs to be done if we are to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and limit carbon…

View On WordPress

[splurgebook]

Automatic Graphics Switching woes on the Macbook Pro

Apple has used multiple GPU’s in their 15” MacBook Pro’s since 2011, and have also implemented a system to automatically switch between the slower but power efficient integrated GPU (iGPU) and higher performance discrete GPU (dGPU) depending on what the user’s applications require. At first, many applications didn’t play nice with automatic graphics switching and unnecessarily activated the dGPU…

View On WordPress

[splurgebook]

Role of Plants in the Nitrogen Cycle (in the Home Aquaria)

Possibly the most persistent myth in the aquarium hobby is the belief that the primary role of aquatic plants in the nitrogen cycle is to uptake nitrates. This has been repeated many times in older aquarium literature, but frustratingly many recently published sources (including books) incorrectly describe the role of plants in the nitrogen cycle. Understanding the “correct” nitrogen cycle in an…

View On WordPress

[splurgebook]

Split-Blade Fans and Dust in the "Touchbar" MacBook Pro

I noticed that the fans in my 15” 2016 “Touchbar” MacBook Pro have been making a strange rattling sound when they spin up, so I decided to open it up and investigate. The first thing I noticed was the dust build up on the fan blades, which was surprising for 2 months of normal use. This might be due to the “split-blade design” Apple uses on their 15” MacBook Pro fans. The split blade design…

View On WordPress

[splurgebook]

Easy-Peasy Amazon Biotope Aquarium

Easy-Peasy Amazon Biotope Aquarium

Biotope There is something quite rewarding about setting up a biotope tank. With high lighting, dosing and CO2 readily available to more everyday hobbyists, it is tempting to go the purely artistic route and select plants, fish and decor for our tanks that look nice and have aesthetic appeal together. But sometimes, it’s nice to limit choice and select flora and fauna originating from a specific…

View On WordPress

[splurgebook]

Shure SE425 In-Depth Review

Shure SE425 In-Depth Review

Background I know IEM reviews can be very subjective, and everyones ears and preferences in sound are different, so to give you a better idea where I’m coming from, heres some background information about my listening preferences. I won’t call myself an avid audiophile, but uncoloured sound reproduction is a must. I don’t like heavy bass which takes over the soundstage and I find a good treble…

View On WordPress

[splurgebook]

MRes poster prize on research day at #SGUL ☺️ My project looked at immunotherapy as a way to treat TB and MDR-TB, a disease which kills 1.5 million people per year and is becoming more difficult to treat. This year I'm starting a PhD in the @emitb_h2020 group, please follow us for sciencey lab posts 🙊🤗☺️🔬 (at St George's Students' Union)

[splurgebook]

New addition to my room, an 80 litre Jungle #aquascape 🤗, 10 days after planting 🌿. #fishtank #plantedtank #honeygourami #amazonsword #cryptocoryne #maxspect #tmcsignature #tropica #co2injection

[splurgebook]

These #penguins looking like they gonna drop the hottest album of 2016 #zsl #zoo (at ZSL London Zoo)

[splurgebook]

My favourite fish the #otocinclus. They appreciate the simple things in life, like blanched vegetables and algae wafers 👌🍆🌿 #aquascape #anubias #micranthemum

[splurgebook]

The #Walstad bowl as of 08/12/15, slow burner and still going strong. Temporary home to a clan of Golden White Cloud Minnows who always swim clockwise ☺️🐋 #aquascape #plantedtank #anubias #duckweed #cherryshrimp #minnow

[splurgebook]

Finally got to see @nero live tonight 🎙🤘👌 #womp #dubstep #edm (at Brixton)

[splurgebook]

Main tank at #Copenhagen #Aquarium with @ivorstankov #winterholiday #aquascape #marine #sharks (at Den Blå Planet)