Blog – Page 160 – Appliances catalogue

21 Jun

High-Frequency Fat Loss – What I Learned in Lockdown

June 21, 2020
Posted by Samson

When I came to terms with the reality of lockdown, I had to develop strategies that would help my customers continue to achieve their goals. I decided to use the time at home to lose some body fat.

Of course, sensible eating habits were essential, but since my usual physical activity was drastically reduced (this happens when you swap on the gym floor 8 hours a day to sit in front of your laptop), I had to be intelligent about my workout. One of the most important tools I've used for this is high frequency weighted cardio.

To be able to take a high-frequency approach with any training method, you need to be able to recover quickly. When it comes to high-frequency training, high muscle damage and days of pain are the number one enemy of the state!

There is an often neglected training method that causes almost no muscle damage, but provides a strong training stimulus. And that's the way I lean down during the lockdown. Here's how I developed my blocking plan.

Concentric training

There are two main phases of muscle contraction during strength training:

Concentric muscle training
Eccentric muscle training

The concentric phase is when a muscle shortens under tension. You can think of this as the lifting phase. The eccentric is when the muscle lengthens under tension. This is the lowering phase.

Most of the muscle damage occurs in the eccentric phase. By eliminating the eccentric phases, you can reduce the stress, muscle damage, and breakdown that occur with traditional training.

I would not recommend excluding all eccentric workouts from your program indefinitely as the eccentric part of the lift offers many benefits and is a key element of the size and strength puzzle. However, tactically removing the eccentric phase from certain elements of your training can have significant benefits.

Concentric training creates the potential for:

Higher training frequency
More volume

These are both very useful when it comes to fat loss. Even better, a 2017 study (Stock et al., 2017) showed that only concentric strength training (with minimal muscle damage) causes hypertrophy in just 3 to 4 weeks. Concentric training can help you slim down and gain (or at least maintain) muscle mass.

Studies show that only concentric training creates much higher metabolic requirements than eccentric training (Kraemer et al., 2001). Concentric training leads to significantly higher VO2 and lactic acid levels. These increased metabolic costs mean more calories burned.

Improved recovery through concentric training only

Concentric training is very popular in rehabilitation programs for injuries. In the early stages of rehab, many therapists use high-frequency concentric training as the first step in strengthening muscles.

Improved recovery from injuries is an advantage of concentric training. Improved recovery between sessions is also a big plus of concentric work.

Stimulating blood flow to the working muscles improves recovery time from one heavy session to the next. For this reason, only concentric training is a great addition to your regular workout.

Bonus training without overtraining

Concentric training means that you can do “extra” or “bonus” training with a much lower risk of overtraining. Concentric work allows you to get a training stimulus without the mechanical or neurological fatigue caused by regular exercise. As a result, you can do more training with minimal risk that it will interfere with your usual lifting sessions.

The more you can exercise without exceeding your recovery capacity, the better your results. The fact that concentric training gives you the opportunity to increase your workload without exceeding your recovery capacity is a huge bonus when it comes to winning the fight against body fat!

Lifts, concentric lifts and conditioning

Westside Barbell has made concentric sled training popular for conditioning work. Pushing and pulling a sled is an incredibly effective workout for burning fat. I have used it in the programs of countless customers with great impact. This is one of the best ways to maximize fat loss while minimizing muscle loss.

In contrast to conventional cardio, sledge work requires a relatively high resistance. This resistance signals the body to hold the muscles. So you don't lose the trouble of looking like a marathon runner when working with weighted energy systems.

Concentric training at home

Unfortunately, I don't have a sled or I don't have enough outdoor space to use one. Living in central London means that space is scarce. What I have are 6 stairs in my block of flats and I use them to get the same benefits of sledding.

Here's how:

I load my backpack with books and dumbbells
I go up the six stairs
I climb into the elevator and return to the ground floor
I repeat for 5-10 sentences

Going up is primarily a concentric activity. By loading my backpack with textbooks and dumbbells, I can add 50 pounds of external load. Climbing stairs is like a hundred weighted steps.

I climb into the elevator to go back down because I'm lazy. Obviously I'm joking, there is actually a method for my insanity / laziness. Going down with 50 pounds of extra weight requires a lot of eccentric work and a lot of muscle damage.

Walking up and down stairs would mean I was sore and it would take longer to recover. As a result, I would not be able to do this on a daily basis. Since I want to use this method as my daily cardio, taking the elevator down is the wise choice.

So if you have a backpack, something heavy and a staircase, you can isolate yourself.

Now it looks like a sense of normalcy is returning, although I think some people still choose to exercise at home until they feel comfortable when they go to a gym. Connect to mine on my Tom MacCormick Instagram account and send me a message if you need help.

20 Jun

Blog

Garmin Vector 3: Spinning Your Head and Feet with Data

June 20, 2020
Posted by Samson

Garmin vector 3 test pedals 8

"The Vector 3 pedals offer drivers an amazing amount of accurate information in a clear and user-friendly package."

Simply switch between bicycles
Bicycle dynamics
Slim and light
Exactly
Permanent

Batteries are not rechargeable
Garmin computer needed to maintain bike dynamics

Why would anyone want to spend a lot of money on smart bike pedals? It should be easy to tell whether you are pedaling harder or softer because you are the one kicking, right?

After 200 miles on Garmin's Vector 3 pedals, I can say they can do so much more than tell you if you smash the pedals. From tracking my average performance and left / right balance during long journeys, to easing the pace, to finding that I am pushing the outside of my right pedal (which justifies adjusting the studs). I've learned more about how to pedal with the Vector 3 pedals in my last five rides than in the previous 20 without them.

Unzip, install and set up

The components of the Garmin Vector 3 are immediately ready for use. Two pedals, two Look Keo studs, some washers, replacement seals and manuals. Gone are the ridiculous pods of the previous Vector 2 pedals. The Vector 3 pedals only require a 15 mm pedal wrench. The installation is then completed.

Connecting the devices you may be using with the pedals is not that easy. Through some trial and error, I found the best way to sort this process by:

Start the firmware update via the Garmin Connect app on your iOS or Android.
Adjust the crank length to match the cranks of your bike.
After updating the firmware, turn off Bluetooth on your phone.
Connect your pedals to your bike computer using the ANT + connection. If you use the Bluetooth connection, you will not get all the information about the bike dynamics.

It was a bit of a headache to connect everything while the Bluetooth on my phone was still active because the pedals wanted to stay connected to this Bluetooth signal instead of switching to ANT +. One of the pedals could not be connected properly and the calibration was never completed. After I found out and forced my computer to connect via ANT +, it went smoothly.

Once you're done, there's a simple calibration process where all you have to do is loosen the clip and the pedals do the rest. You should calibrate every few trips, especially after the first trip, to make sure everything is read correctly.

design

The Vector 3 pedals have been completely redesigned from the previous model and are clean, elegant and are among the lightest options available. Weight Weenies should be happy, because the Vector 3 pedals have a total of 316 grams. In comparison, my Shimano Ultegra pedals weigh 260 grams. This additional weight comes from the force measurement technology, which is neatly stowed in the pedal spindle.

The battery compartment for the Vector 3 pedals is also located in the spindle. The Vector 3 is a design option that can be a problem for some. He uses four LR44 batteries (two for each pedal). If almost every other Garmin product I've used in recent years uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, the Vector 3 pedals won't work. I'm not sure why Garmin chose this route, but the advantage is that the battery life is up to 120 hours and that's a lot of bike rides. The downside is that you may not find the LR44 you need when you are dead while traveling or at a vaguely distant location.

Garmin stuck to the Look Keo studs of the previous Vector 2 pedals. These fit on all normal road bike shoes with 3-hole fastening. However, be aware that SPD / mountain bike shoes do not work.

Bicycle dynamics

As soon as I started pedaling, the amount of incoming data was breathtaking. In first place was the power displayed in watts, of which Garmin claims an accuracy of +/- 1%. For the uninitiated, watts are essentially the measured force your legs can put on the pedals.

Why is that important? Unlike training at your heart rate or average speed, watts are not affected by external factors. With Watt, you always get consistent feedback no matter how sluggish or strong you feel right now. This makes it the most accurate measure of your fitness on the bike. Knowing how many watts you average over a workout is a great help to speed up longer trips or to understand how much power you can deliver in a sprint.

Seeing how much electricity you generate is just the tip of the iceberg. If you show exactly how to generate electricity, the Vector 3 pedals light up. In addition to the more standard left and right cadence and cadence that most other double-sided power meters capture, the Vector 3 pedals compile additional metrics to the so-called bike dynamics.

Bicycle dynamics include:

PCO (Platform Center Offset), which shows where you put more pressure on the pedal during the entire pedal stroke.
Sitting / standing position to show how much time you spend inside or outside the saddle.
Power phase to tell you at what degrees you are producing power throughout the pedal stroke and where your peak power is in that phase.

These metrics are sure to be weeds for data nerds, but PCO can help you dial your lug position. Your sitting and standing time can help you compare yourself to previous efforts to determine where you were more effective, while the performance phase can help you determine whether or not you are getting the most out of each pedal stroke. In addition, all of these statistics can be broken down into averages at any point in your journey, e.g. B. for inclines or sprints to get more information.

Hidden statistics

After my first ride, I realized that the standard setting for the torque effectiveness and pedal smoothness functions was deactivated. Oddly enough, there's no way to turn it on unless you have a Garmin Edge-compatible computer like the Edge 520 plus. This means that if you're rocking a Wahoo Element like I did on my first ride, you can only activate it if you can borrow a friend's Garmin to activate it.

This is a ridiculous problem, and in practice, I found that torque effectiveness and smoothness were measures that I could hardly understand, let alone make useful changes. I guess if you are not a top athlete you will not miss her.

If you don't have a Garmin Edge device, you'll miss the previously mentioned features of Cycling Dynamics. However, there is some hope in this regard as Garmin has released its Cycling Dynamics protocols for third-party devices. At the time of this writing, only Trainer Road and Favero Electronics have adopted it. This is a strange problem that vaguely points to the somewhat turbulent release of the Vector 3 pedals.

The data you get with a Wahoo computer isn't quite as extensive as with a Garmin, but there is still a lot to do.The data collected on a Garmin Edge computer spans the entire suite of Cycling Dynamics.

Rough start fixed

When the Vector 3 pedals first hit the market, it was firmware and product support issues that gave the Vector 3 a bad first impression. Then users had problems with intermittent blackouts due to faulty battery doors.

Fortunately, some important firmware updates have been made, including a Bluetooth smart feature that lets you use the Vector 3 pedals for Zwift. You fixed the battery door issue and shipped new doors to previous Vector 3 owners.

While the release of the Vector 3 pedals may have been a bit rocky, my experience was smooth. After my initial setup, the daily use of the Vector 3 pedals proved to be easy and reliable. After 200 miles and counting, I had no force or pedal reading interruptions.

Warranty information

The Garmin Vector 3 pedals come with a two-year warranty.

Our opinion

The Vector 3 pedals offer drivers an amazing amount of accurate information in a clear and user-friendly package. The initial problems with the Vector 3 pedals have been resolved, and with the discounts currently available, they are among the most affordable double-sided power meters on the market.

Is there a better alternative?

The main competitor is the Assioma Duo Favero. They weigh a little less for the couple at around 300 grams, are cheaper at $ 644, have rechargeable lithium-ion batteries with a battery life of 50 hours, and have Garmins Cycling Dynamics built in, so you get all the information. The main difference is in the design, as the Favero houses all of its technology in a pod mounted on the spindle for a much more voluminous overall look. The PowerTap P2 pedals are even more bulky – they look ridiculous.

Another promising option is an emerging company called iQ. They promise most of the same functionality at a fraction of the price, but are still extremely new to the market.

While the Vector 3 pedals struggled, the amount of support and investment that comes with a Garmin product is difficult to favor. While the other companies may shake the electricity meter industry, there is confidence in buying from a name like Garmin that should not be overlooked.

How long it will take?

A big advantage of the Garmin is its repairability. The Assiomas inject resin into their meter housing to make it water and shock resistant. That is, if something goes wrong, you have to replace the entire device. With the Vector 3 everything is stowed in the spindle, which makes it much easier to repair and replace defective parts. This is an important reason why reconditioned Garmin units are available so quickly. In addition to the physical design, Garmin's software engineering and subsequent firmware updates are reliably among the best in the industry.

Should you buy it

If I had done this check at launch when the Vector 3 pedals were only available for the MSRP of $ 1,000, I would have hesitated. Now that you can find sales of new units for $ 750 and can be refurbished for $ 650, the Vector 3 pedals are a breeze.

Editor's recommendations

20 Jun

Blog

High-Frequency Fat Loss – What I Learned in Lockdown

June 20, 2020
Posted by Samson

When I came to terms with the reality of lockdown, I had to develop strategies that would help my customers continue to achieve their goals. I decided to use the time at home to lose some body fat.

Of course, sensible eating habits were essential, but since my usual physical activity was drastically reduced (this happens when you swap on the gym floor 8 hours a day to sit in front of your laptop), I had to be intelligent about my workout. One of the most important tools I've used for this is high frequency weighted cardio.

To be able to take a high-frequency approach with any training method, you need to be able to recover quickly. When it comes to high-frequency training, high muscle damage and days of pain are the number one enemy of the state!

There is an often neglected training method that causes almost no muscle damage, but provides a strong training stimulus. And that's the way I lean down during the lockdown. Here's how I developed my blocking plan.

Concentric training

There are two main phases of muscle contraction during strength training:

Concentric muscle training
Eccentric muscle training

The concentric phase is when a muscle shortens under tension. You can think of this as the lifting phase. The eccentric is when the muscle lengthens under tension. This is the lowering phase.

Most of the muscle damage occurs in the eccentric phase. By eliminating the eccentric phases, you can reduce the stress, muscle damage, and breakdown that occur with traditional training.

I would not recommend excluding all eccentric workouts from your program indefinitely as the eccentric part of the lift offers many benefits and is a key element of the size and strength puzzle. However, tactically removing the eccentric phase from certain elements of your training can have significant benefits.

Concentric training creates the potential for:

Higher training frequency
More volume

These are both very useful when it comes to fat loss. Even better, a 2017 study (Stock et al., 2017) showed that only concentric strength training (with minimal muscle damage) causes hypertrophy in just 3 to 4 weeks. Concentric training can help you slim down and gain (or at least maintain) muscle mass.

Studies show that only concentric training creates much higher metabolic requirements than eccentric training (Kraemer et al., 2001). Concentric training leads to significantly higher VO2 and lactic acid levels. These increased metabolic costs mean more calories burned.

Improved recovery through concentric training only

Concentric training is very popular in rehabilitation programs for injuries. In the early stages of rehab, many therapists use high-frequency concentric training as the first step in strengthening muscles.

Improved recovery from injuries is an advantage of concentric training. Improved recovery between sessions is also a big plus of concentric work.

Stimulating blood flow to the working muscles improves recovery time from one heavy session to the next. For this reason, only concentric training is a great addition to your regular workout.

Bonus training without overtraining

Concentric training means that you can do “extra” or “bonus” training with a much lower risk of overtraining. Concentric work allows you to get a training stimulus without the mechanical or neurological fatigue caused by regular exercise. As a result, you can do more training with minimal risk that it will interfere with your usual lifting sessions.

The more you can exercise without exceeding your recovery capacity, the better your results. The fact that concentric training gives you the opportunity to increase your workload without exceeding your recovery capacity is a huge bonus when it comes to winning the fight against body fat!

Lifts, concentric lifts and conditioning

Westside Barbell has made concentric sled training popular for conditioning work. Pushing and pulling a sled is an incredibly effective workout for burning fat. I have used it in the programs of countless customers with great impact. This is one of the best ways to maximize fat loss while minimizing muscle loss.

In contrast to conventional cardio, sledge work requires a relatively high resistance. This resistance signals the body to hold the muscles. So you don't lose the trouble of looking like a marathon runner when working with weighted energy systems.

Concentric training at home

Unfortunately, I don't have a sled or I don't have enough outdoor space to use one. Living in central London means that space is scarce. What I have are 6 stairs in my block of flats and I use them to get the same benefits of sledding.

Here's how:

I load my backpack with books and dumbbells
I go up the six stairs
I climb into the elevator and return to the ground floor
I repeat for 5-10 sentences

Going up is primarily a concentric activity. By loading my backpack with textbooks and dumbbells, I can add 50 pounds of external load. Climbing stairs is like a hundred weighted steps.

I climb into the elevator to go back down because I'm lazy. Obviously I'm joking, there is actually a method for my insanity / laziness. Going down with 50 pounds of extra weight requires a lot of eccentric work and a lot of muscle damage.

Walking up and down stairs would mean I was sore and it would take longer to recover. As a result, I would not be able to do this on a daily basis. Since I want to use this method as my daily cardio, taking the elevator down is the wise choice.

So if you have a backpack, something heavy and a staircase, you can isolate yourself.

Now it looks like a sense of normalcy is returning, although I think some people still choose to exercise at home until they feel comfortable when they go to a gym. Connect to mine on my Tom MacCormick Instagram account and send me a message if you need help.

20 Jun

Blog

Sony HT-G700 Review: Virtually Irresistible

June 20, 2020
Posted by Samson

Sony HT-G700

Sony HT-G700 review: practically irresistible

"The Sony HT-G700 remains competitive thanks to its compact design and virtual surround sound."

Easy setup
Compact design
Excellent sound for music
Effective virtual Dolby Atmos

No wi-fi connectivity
Not quite as impressive as real surround sound

Sony has contracted its new soundbar to do the impossible: create the immersive experience of a home theater without the many speakers that normally work together to deliver that kind of sound. To increase the challenge, Sony tried to do so at a reasonably affordable price.

With the HT-G700, the company almost made it. While the 3.1-channel soundbar has its physical limitations, it has impressive under-the-hood technology that not only allows Sony to restore surround sound and even Dolby Atmos, but also helps make this bar sound great small budget delivers package.

Out of the box

There is usually a lot to unpack with these soundbar systems, but not with the HT-G700. The entire system simply consists of the soundbar and a wireless subwoofer. No rear speakers need to be unpacked and no speaker cables need to be untangled. Apart from the included accessories such as a remote control, an HDMI cable, a quick setup guide and a user guide, there's not much else.

Sony HT-G700 Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

For the minimalist who prefers good sound and less elbow grease, which is required to set up a traditionally solid audio setup, the uncomplicated setup is definitely a good thing. As simple as connecting this system to someone who literally sets up sound bars for a living, connecting the HT-G700 is so easy for less experienced people.

Both the soundbar and the sub require power, and the soundbar must be connected to your display via HDMI or an optical audio cable. That's so. The subwoofer will automatically connect to your bar, and Sony will give instructions on how to manually pair the two if it doesn't. The HT-G700 has no Wi-Fi connectivity, so there is no need to download an app or configure updates. At a time when everything is becoming smarter and more connected, including sound bars, the HT-G700 is a modern representation of the plug-and-play systems of yesteryear.

design

It is the unofficial official stance at Digital Trends that the ideal soundbar blends aesthetically into your existing entertainment ensemble instead of taking on the role of the spotlight stealer. In this case, the HT-G700 passes this test with flying colors.

Sony HT-G700 subwoofer Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

Both the bar and subwoofer have a sharp black coating that helps them disappear when the lights go out for the movie night. Apart from the front panel of the soundbar, which comes to life when you adjust the volume or when you call up a setting, this system takes a well into the background of a dark room.

The soundbar itself hardly differs from comparable alternatives. At 38.58 inches long, it's slightly longer than Vizio's $ 500 Dolby Atmos bar, and roughly the same height at just over 2 inches. However, the sturdy housing of the subwoofer with front connection protrudes and weighs 16 pounds in contrast to the more compact 10-pound woofer from Vizio.

There are three drivers in the bar that represent the left, middle and right channel. There are no loud speakers, and as mentioned, there are no wireless rear speakers to speak of. From a physical point of view, it can only technically produce true 3.1 sound, but thanks to a fascinating technology, this bar can at least imitate a much more extensive experience.

Dolby Atmos-ish

You cannot scroll through the HT-G700 product page without repeatedly mentioning "7.1.2-channel surround sound". As already mentioned, in reality you will not get 7.1.2 without two rear loudspeaker pairs and either height channels or high-powered drivers that bounce the sound off the ceiling towards your ears.

Sony HT-G700 remote control Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

The reason why Sony can make these claims is because of two technologies under the umbrella of "Immersive Audio Enhancement". Sony's Vertical Surround Engine processes the sound to virtually add height to a sound field, according to the Sony manual, while a technology called "S-Force Pro Front Surround" does the job of creating the illusion of surround speakers.

While the HT-G700 can accept a variety of audio formats – from Dolby Digital to Dolby Atmos to DTS: X – it can only produce these formats virtually using its processing technology. The bar automatically processes Dolby Atmos or DTS: X content to achieve this effect, but Sony doesn't stop there. According to Sony, the HT-G700 can even scale up stereo audio to its virtual 7.1.2 sound by pressing the Immersive AE button on the bar's remote control.

It's a little underhanded by Sony, as the average person may not dive as deep to affect the sound capabilities of this bar. However, I'm going to give Sony a pass because the HT-G700 creates an experience in one minute that is credible enough that most people don't care anyway.

Connections and functions

Other than its expansive and somewhat confusing relationship with audio formats, the HT-G700 doesn't have many other bells and whistles. It has an HDMI input and an HDMI output, the latter supporting both ARC and eARC to optimize data exchange between the bar and your TV. There is also an optical audio connection for older televisions.

Sony HT-G700 connections Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

You can also connect the soundbar to your TV via Bluetooth, although this configuration only gives you stereo sound. I'm also worried about the noticeable delay between audio and video in this setup and would recommend saving the effort and sticking to a physical connection.

This Bluetooth 5 technology is best reserved for pairing a mobile device for music playback. Surprisingly, Sony has quite limited this bar when it comes to supporting audio codecs via Bluetooth, with only AAC and SBC formats to mention. In particular, codecs like aptX or even the LDAC technology from Sony are missing.

You have to live with that though, as Bluetooth is your best (and essentially only outside of streaming from a TV app) way to easily play music. With many bars connected these days (the new Sonos Arc is the industry leader in this regard, but even the Vizio bar has Chromecast built-in), the HT-G700 is a little disappointing when it comes to the world of Wi-Fi. Despite the advances that Bluetooth is making in quality, native streaming from a speaker or soundbar is still the best way to hear, and the fact that Sony doesn't offer you this option in a $ 500 bar is disappointing .

Powerful for music

If you're reading this review, you're probably interested in the HT-G700, mostly because of the cinematic experience that Sony advertised it to be. After all, almost everything about this soundbar points first to films and then to everything else.

Sony HT-G700 Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

However, here is a nice advantage: The HT-G700 is also ideal for listening to music. I should have expected that, given the pedigree that Sony has in terms of audio. Still, making music sound good is not an easy task when you're working with smaller drivers housed in the same case.

With the HT-G700, it not only works, but also exceptionally. With every genre I've tested over a couple of weeks – from Puddle of Mudds She Hates Me to Eric Churchs Like A Wrecking Ball, with some funnier selections like MIA's Paper Planes – the bar stayed impressively clear and impressive. Overall, a pleasant sound signature.

The submarine is also a powerful little workhorse. It won't exactly replace the booming authority of a full-size home theater subwoofer, but it has adequately filled the bottom end of most of the tracks I've sent it. You could assume that sometimes it is too bass-heavy, although you can adjust the sublevel using the bar's remote control.

In this sense, there are countless easily accessible audio settings on the remote control. The more invested enthusiast will love this because they have the opportunity to tinker with each of the many options to get the preferred hearing result. It is far too easy for me to fall into a rabbit hole full of options and preferences. There is a music preset on the remote control itself that would do miracles to most people when disturbed.

Testing the virtual cinema

When it was time to finally see what the processing skills in this soundbar really do, I called old believers: that is, I referred to our list of the best Dolby Atmos films and got to work.

In Pops Deadpool and immediately, the HT-G700 made an impressive film debut. During the opening scene of the film, in which the Merc crashed through the roof of an SUV to arrest a henchman, my poor dog was shaken awake. For him and me, the soundbar made us believe for a moment that the glass-breaking sequence took place directly above us.

Sony HT-G700 Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

As was to be noted, this was with the Immersive AE button activated. As with the previous music, there are many settings for watching movies. There is a Dolby Speaker Virtualizer that, according to the Sony manual, "enhances the surround and treble speaker channels to achieve an immersive and enveloping virtual surround effect" and a setting to enable DTS Virtual: X.

Other presets are Voice (extends the dialogue range), Night (reduces the dynamics of the sound for late night viewing) and Cinema. For something even more optimized, there is an automatic preset that switches between standard, music and cinema sound depending on the content. It was interesting to navigate through these settings and notice the effects of the sound, which were sometimes subtle and sometimes less. But again, this can be a lot to deal with for the average soundbar buyer, and the default presets will likely be enough.

To get back to how the HT-G700 actually sounds like content, here's my setting after hours of watching movies and TV, including everything from Logan to Family Guy to Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope: This is a soundbar that will take serious steps Increase your audio experience, but it has its limits.

As mentioned earlier, the subwoofer delivers solid bass, and the center speaker does an excellent job of keeping up with the left and right channels. The processing technology we cover is surprisingly good, which means that most listeners generally get the cinema experience they want. However, compared to a similar product with actually upward-facing drivers and rear speakers, Sony's limits are exposed. The virtualization of Dolby Atmos surround sound simply cannot be compared to the actual offer. The Vizio system offers real immersion at the same price.

Our opinion

The Sony HT-G700 is value for money and offers great sound for music and movies in a minimalist package. While its technology commendably compensates for the lack of true surround sound, it doesn't fully compensate for the missing components.

Are there any better alternatives?

For standard audio, I would probably prefer the HT-G700 to Vizio's alternatives. But the $ 500 SB36512-F6 or the slightly more expensive $ 700 SB36514-G6 would probably be better Dolby Atmos options for a limited budget. However, these have rear speakers that may not be suitable for certain setups.

The connected, more music-friendly option is the Sonos Arc for $ 799, which still has Dolby Atmos, but in particular has no subwoofer. This is an add-on for $ 700 that brings Sonos to the premium buying area.

How long it will take?

Sony has a long tradition of making and sticking to quality products and I wouldn't expect anything else from the HT-G700.

Should you buy it

Yes. There may be a better Dolby Atmos bar for the money, but by effectively simulating this sound, the Sony HT-G700 remains competitive with a more compact system.

Editor's recommendations

20 Jun

Blog

Memento Mori: A Simple Practice for a Complex Time

June 20, 2020
Posted by Samson

There is nothing safer in life than the certainty of death. It is the great balance of the world and it is blind – whether a person is rich or poor, healthy or unhealthy, good or bad, wise or ignorant, Every living being that experiences life must also experience death. Anyone who wants to improve must be aware of death and mortality.

Memento Mori: A simple exercise for a complex time - fitness, fitness, meditation, motivation, focus, ego, mind-body connection, self-confidence, inspiration, delay, mindfulness, goal planning, life challenges, fitness motivation

Does that seem bleak?

It doesn't have to be if you have the right attitude. You can choose to live relatively comfortably, avoid most of the risk of harm, assume that the story is about heroes, and arrive at the bank of death relatively safely and intact without being involved in the work of a cause be greater than your existence. At the same time, you experience the burden of regret never knowing the true extent of your skills.

On the other hand, you can choose to leave a legacy that is shaped by a life that is lived with deep purpose, meaning, moral character, beliefs, compassion and courage and is strong enough to inspire people for a long time after your flesh and bones have returned to dust and particles silence.

Countless people in human history have thought about death in order to experience life and live it to the fullest. The practice has had many names in many languages over the millennia, but nowadays it is mostly referred to as Memento Mori.

A short story from Memento Mori

Memento Mori translates: "Remember you have to die"Practice has a very long history that crosses cultures, continents, religions and philosophies: from the ancient philosophers of Greece to Roman generals, Buddhist monks to Islamic Sufis – meditation on death made it possible for everyone to pursue life.

In Plato's Phaedo, the great philosopher Socrates says before he dies: “… whoever lived as a true philosopher has reason to be in good spirits when he dies, and that is what he can hope for after death. Receive the greatest good the other world … Because I believe that the true student of philosophy is likely to be misunderstood by other people; They don't notice that he ever pursues death and dies … "

The example that Socrates gave during his life and before his execution would leave a lasting legacy throughout western civilization and would result in the birth of many different schools of philosophy. One school in particular – Stoicism – became known as a practical school of philosophy that emphasized the importance of thinking about death. The extant writings of the old Stoics are full of exhortations to remember death and the three most famous Stoics:

The slave epictetus
The Roman statesman Seneca
The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius

Everyone has something to say about death.

"Everything you see will soon perish. Those who witness this doom will soon perish themselves. Die in extreme old age or die before your time – everything will be the same. "- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 9.33

"Keep the prospect of death, exile, and all of these obvious tragedies – especially death – in front of you every day and you will never have a bad thought or wish for anything too much." – Epictetus, Enchiridion, 21

"I I try to live every day as if it was a complete life. I don't snatch it up like it's my last; However, I consider it as if it could even be my last. This letter is written to you in this sense, as if death would call me up as soon as I wrote it. I am ready to go and I will enjoy life just because I am not worried about the future date of my departure. “- Seneca, letters from a Stoic, letter 61

The ancient Romans also practiced contemplation of death, where Memento Mori was a Latin phrase.

Memento Mori comes from a Roman tradition in which a general would take part in a triumphal march through the city, after returning to Rome after a significant victory. To be the subject of such a march was a great honor and the wish of many ambitious soldiers.

When the triumphant general was carried through the city in his horse-drawn carriage to the great applause and praise of the people of Rome, a slave would stand behind him, holding a crown over his head and whispering: "Answer post te. Hominem souvenir. Remember death! "

"Look behind you. Remember you are mortal. Remember you must die!"

This tradition was an opportunity for the general to hold a big celebration, and it enabled him to advertise himself, which could prove useful if he were to apply for political office one day. It is a bit difficult to run for office when none of you have heard.

The purpose of the slave whispering in his ear was to keep the general's ego and perspective at bay throughout the celebrationso that he does not forget himself and does something shameful and insulting to the gods.

Memento Mori: A simple exercise for a complex time - fitness, fitness, meditation, motivation, focus, ego, mind-body connection, self-confidence, inspiration, delay, mindfulness, goal planning, life challenges, fitness motivation

A few hundred years later, in the late Middle Ages, Memento Mori had developed into an art style known as Danse Macabre or the Dance of Death. At this point in history Europe had just been devastated by the Black Death pandemic, with the most deaths ever recorded in human history. Everyone was talking about death.

The Danse Macabre was a meditation on the universality of death:: No matter how rich or how poor you are, death comes for all of us. Art usually shows a personification of death (a skeleton or a corpse) leading people from different stages in life – typically the Pope, King, Emperor, worker and child – to their graves in a dance.

Memento Mori: A simple exercise for a complex time - fitness, fitness, meditation, motivation, focus, ego, mind-body connection, self-confidence, inspiration, delay, mindfulness, goal planning, life challenges, fitness motivation

In the 17th century, Dutch artists used a style of still life painting known as Vanitas art (from the first chapter of Preacher, "Everything is vanity") as Memento Mori. The artwork showed skulls, rotting fruit, candles, hourglasses, dead and withered flowers and more on tables as powerful images to remind the viewer of death.

By the 19th century, Memento Mori had gone from painting to jewelryPeople from all walks of life wear rings with skulls, coffins, the words "Memento Mori" or a combination of the three as a permanent reminder of the wearer's mortality.

Although not nearly as widespread in the minds of the general population as it used to be, Memento Mori is experiencing a modern revival. People buy Memento Mori medallions to carry in their pockets, constantly reminding them that one day they will die. Well-known personalities like Tim Ferriss, Casey Neistat and others wear a Memento Mori medallion, and even Memento Mori rings are making a comeback.

I am part of this modern revival.

Memento Mori and The Twelve Labors Project

Memento Mori is the tool I use to overcome the challenges of my life and find the inspiration to overcome every obstacle I see in front of me. When I face physical challenges as part of my Twelve Laboratory project, Memento Mori is what keeps me on the ground, focuses on the present, and makes me aware of what's really important in a universe that seems to be unraveling.

Memento Mori: A simple exercise for a complex time - fitness, fitness, meditation, motivation, focus, ego, mind-body connection, self-confidence, inspiration, delay, mindfulness, goal planning, life challenges, fitness motivation

In 2016, for my fifth job, I went alone into the barren wilderness of the northern Mojave Desert to alert veterans to suicide by pulling a 2.5 ton pickup truck through Death Valley. With a landscape as beautiful as bleak, My only companions during the 22-mile challenge were stones shaped by the desert wind and rain over the millennia, dunes reflecting the blinding light of the sun, the scorching heat that burns everything that comes down to the valley, and mine Thoughts.

Every mile I drove through the desert was one of the 22 lives lost every day from veteran suicide. With every step I took and every inch of soil I won, Death Valley tried a little more to convince me to remove the chest strap and complete the challenge. It got hotter and drier as the trip progressed. The loneliness that I experienced during the challenge naturally forced me to face the worst of myself – my doubts, my fears, my insecurities and everything I had ever regretted in my life.

I took a step and heard a voice: "Give up! It's no shame to stop. "

I would take another step and say to myself: “Memento Mori! Remember you must die! Remember why you are here! "

Thinking about my mortality and remembering those we lost through suicide reinforced my steps and made the seemingly impossible possible. The dichotomy between death and the present moment became more obvious than ever and opened my eyes to perspectives and insights that had never occurred to me. It was the catalyst I needed to regain my momentum and accept my destiny from moment to moment with all my heart and relentless determination.

Just being in Death Valley with a 2.5 ton pickup on your back is a surefire way to face your mortality Memento Mori's practice allowed me to focus on a goal that was bigger than me. I didn't seek recognition when I was dragging a truck through the desert.

I wanted to raise awareness of an alarming problem that troubles veterans. Whether I finished the job or someone else was irrelevant as long as people were made aware of the cause that spurred the challenge. I could have died at any time during my hike through the desert – I could really die any moment – the recognition, the awards, after that everything would be meaningless to me.

However, the cause would live on.

"For fame. Look at their thoughts, the way they think and what they're looking for or avoid. And see how, like drifting sand, constantly overlays the previous sand, what we did in our lives is very quickly covered by subsequent layers. "- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 7.34

How Memento Mori can track action

Memento Mori is not just a tool to motivate yourself to pull a truck through a hellish landscape.It can also act as a catalyst for motivation and productivity every day.

Delay is a challenge most people face every day, and I'm no exception. Why get out of bed every morning to face an uncomfortable world when you can already find comfort under the covers? Why do anything at all??

What kind of life would that be?

"It is like this: we do not have a short life, but we make it short and we are not badly looked after, but we are wasteful." – Seneca, On the shortness of life

Seneca knew that we so often waste lives holding on to idleness and comfort that only distract us from realizing our highest potential. A life lived in search of comfort as we postpone our duty is a life in which we waste the limited time we have. Find comfort in the uncomfortable and remember that you have to die: why waste your time on trifles when your time is short?

If you want to achieve certain fitness goals, Memento Mori is the motivator you need to get to the gym (or your home gym for now) and achieve those goals. When you wake up in the morning, confirm to yourself that you will do anything to achieve your goals, regardless of the obstacles you may face. Remember your mortality and that you would rather not spend the precious time you have left watching TV or sleeping.

I tell myself that every day before I exercise, and you can tell yourself that too.

If you want to eat healthier, Memento Mori can help you develop healthier eating and drinking habits. Life is short – do you want to spend your last moments in a drunken haze?? I doubt that.

Sure, we're all destined to die someday, but that doesn't mean we should use every moment we have for hedonistic activities. The cake is good, but should we eat it with every meal? Of course not. Excessive consumption of unhealthy food and drink only leads to death more quickly, while healthy habits help to last a lifetime and reach your full potential.

After all, a healthy body ensures a healthy mind.

Memento Mori and world events

The world is currently experiencing turbulence that has not been felt for a long time. Climate change causes extreme weather conditions that have led to intense droughts, massive forest and bush fires and hurricanes. Mankind has never seen anything similar since biblical times.

We are in the middle of a global pandemic in which COVID-19 is spreading in cities reminiscent of the Black Plague of the Middle Ages. Governments are using the pandemic's fear and distraction to push agendas at both ends of the political spectrum.

Law enforcement agencies are being investigated further in cases where excessive violence and lack of human decency have resulted in inadequate death. These things happen in an atmosphere of violent unrest and peaceful protests against racial injustice and police brutality.

Some social problems are conflicted with broader issues to encourage movements and attacks against certain groups. In contrast, other important topics are drowned out by a deafening silence only because of their lack of utility or sheer convenience within the popular narrative.

As Americans with deep love and hope for this country, which happens to be a colored person, let us step through these troubled waters together. I believe that the greatest opponent of justice and inequality for all people is the unrecognized unions between indifference and leadership, ignorance and power, and apathy and fear.

In the words of American writer and activist James Baldwin: "Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced."

We must have the courage to fight and dissolve these shadow alliances today and after, long after the media has moved away, and it is no longer a trend.

As Og Mandino once wrote: "Tomorrow can only be found on the fool's calendar."

Memento Mori as a practice in this complicated time in history enables us to face our fears, mistakes and failures individually and as a country. These events force you to act with a sense of urgency, not a place of hate or revenge, but a place of compassion and compassion, provided that this day, this hour, this moment is all we have.

Tomorrow is not a promise, just a thought– an assumption of an uncertain future time and an uncertain future place in the present.

These measures include defending the right of people to criticize and peacefully protest our country's shortcomings, while supporting the constitutional principles on which America is built – all with the same touch of passion and unreserved conviction.

We all die from a chronic illness called life. In truth, we lose every second of laziness, delay, or indifference that belongs to death forever. Every opportunity to do good in the world, regardless of race, politics, religion or social class, becomes a gift if we accept the fact that every person on earth will one day experience the same loss of loved ones and sufferings as you will experience. It makes sense to be kind to everyone we meet in these complex times when we remember that death is the final judge.

Of the four stoic virtues, wisdom, courage, moderation, and justice, Marcus Aurelius considered justice to be the most important of all.

"And a commitment to justice in your own actions. Which means: thinking and acting lead to the common good. What you were born for “- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 9.31

Given a type of turmoil that we haven't seen in generations, Memento Mori can be the guide that helps us navigate the current climate. Every time you see current events in the news or witness injustices, you have a choice of action or inaction. If we think about our mortality, we can see the big picture, face injustices like a true stoic, and present solutions based on reason and sound judgment.

We have to die, it's true, but do we have to die if we haven't done anything for the common good? No. Our life makes sense if we live by our principles and stand up for what is right and good in the world. Death comes to everyone, for sure – there is no point in worrying about when or how it will come when the most uncertain part of life is how we want to live it.

After all, death is just the end assuming that the story is only about you. Our good deeds and strength of character are immortal and stand as living monuments in those we inspire – more powerful than mere words on a tombstone can ever be.

There is a Greek saying that I think illustrates the point I want to make wonderfully:

"A society grows great when old men plant trees in the shade of which they know they should never sit."

Maybe we're not all old yet, but if we want our society to grow, then we are We must plant the seeds of justice and love so that future generations can enjoy the shade of these trees. This is a decision that we must make, being fully aware of the fact that death will come to all of us at some point, but the consequences of our decisions continue to live in the world and affect future generations.

"You can leave this life at any time; Keep this in mind in everything you do, say, or think. “- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 2.11

If we follow Marcus Aurelius' advice, we can make the inevitability of our lives affect our way of life. With every decision we make and every action we take, we can look at them in the light of our death before we make that decision or take that action. Ask yourself the following questions:

"Do I want to be remembered as the person who turned away from injustice?" "Do I agree to be the cause of inequality and suffering?" "Do I really feel indifferent to the plight of the oppressed?"

If society does not have adequate leadership, you must learn to follow your principles to guide yourself. Living by your principles can make you stand alone against a crowd. it can lead to fear and doubt and will almost certainly relieve the pressure of individual members of society on you – but you must remain determined.

If you can't stand firm in your beliefs as you try to improve society and collapse at the first sign of a setback, or join the crowd when it violates your principles, then you have not represented anything. In Chapter 24 of the Enchiridion, Epictetus has the following to say about the good of the community:

"Well, what will my job in the community be? & # 39; Whatever position you can hold as long as you keep the man of trust and integrity. If you lose your zeal to be a public benefactor, which one Benefit you in the end will you be in the community if you have become shameless and corrupt? "

For this purpose, we must assert ourselves against indecency in the form of violence and unrest. What would you hear if you walked around your community and told people that you robbed their businesses for their benefit and destroyed their real estate to protect their rights? It is Victims of violence and theft are unlikely to be grateful, don't you think?

Memento Mori can be the catalyst for action, but it can also be the catalyst for reluctance. Use it to remember what kind of behavior people should remember. Just as you can ask yourself questions to take action, you can also ask questions that encourage reluctance:

"Do I want to be remembered as the person who destroyed a person's livelihood?" "Am I willing to sacrifice my beliefs just to satisfy the mob's lust for violence?" "Will that help my case or hurt it?"

Memento Mori will be the guide that reminds you that there is always a bigger picture and that it is not always wise to act, just as it is not always wise to remain inactive. The epictetus in chapter 33 of the Enchiridion again exhorts us to be firm in our beliefs:

"Choose the type of person you want to be and stick with it, whether alone or in company."

When you've decided who you want to be, Memento Mori will help you stick to it and remind you when to act and when not to. It takes courage and sacrifice to do something bigger than yourself, but you will not lose yourself in the lower instincts of the ego as long as you remember:

"Look behind you. Remember you are mortal. Remember you must die!"

19 Jun

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Memento Mori: A Simple Practice for a Complex Time

June 19, 2020
Posted by Samson

There is nothing safer in life than the certainty of death. It is the great balance of the world and it is blind – whether a person is rich or poor, healthy or unhealthy, good or bad, wise or ignorant, Every living being that experiences life must also experience death. Anyone who wants to improve must be aware of death and mortality.

Memento Mori: A simple exercise for a complex time - fitness, fitness, meditation, motivation, focus, ego, mind-body connection, self-confidence, inspiration, delay, mindfulness, goal planning, life challenges, fitness motivation

Does that seem bleak?

It doesn't have to be if you have the right attitude. You can choose to live relatively comfortably, avoid most of the risk of harm, assume that the story is about heroes, and arrive at the bank of death relatively safely and intact without being involved in the work of a cause be greater than your existence. At the same time, you experience the burden of regret never knowing the true extent of your skills.

On the other hand, you can choose to leave a legacy that is shaped by a life that is lived with deep purpose, meaning, moral character, beliefs, compassion and courage and is strong enough to inspire people for a long time after your flesh and bones have returned to dust and particles silence.

Countless people in human history have thought about death in order to experience life and live it to the fullest. The practice has had many names in many languages over the millennia, but nowadays it is mostly referred to as Memento Mori.

A short story from Memento Mori

Memento Mori translates: "Remember you have to die"Practice has a very long history that crosses cultures, continents, religions and philosophies: from the ancient philosophers of Greece to Roman generals, Buddhist monks to Islamic Sufis – meditation on death made it possible for everyone to pursue life.

In Plato's Phaedo, the great philosopher Socrates says before he dies: “… whoever lived as a true philosopher has reason to be in good spirits when he dies, and that is what he can hope for after death. Receive the greatest good the other world … Because I believe that the true student of philosophy is likely to be misunderstood by other people; They don't notice that he ever pursues death and dies … "

The example that Socrates gave during his life and before his execution would leave a lasting legacy throughout western civilization and would result in the birth of many different schools of philosophy. One school in particular – Stoicism – became known as a practical school of philosophy that emphasized the importance of thinking about death. The extant writings of the old Stoics are full of exhortations to remember death and the three most famous Stoics:

The slave epictetus
The Roman statesman Seneca
The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius