Hello,
Few days back i saw a Listing for a HP ProDesk 400 G6 Mini for 150$. Only 4 core i3-10100T but that has about the same performance as the old 6 core i5-8500T, so why not. The Power Efficiency is extreme! This thingy uses around 3-4W in Idle. The plan was to keep it as an Offshore Backup solution. But only NVME Storage was a little disappointing. So i bought some of those flex Sata Adapters.
Backside of Flex Sata Adapter seems normal....
Sadly, or rather according to specification, those Sata Ports only use 5V and do not even have 12V Pins.
Flex Sata Cable without 12V pins....
so my choice is either use 5TB 2.5" Drives that work with 5V only, or source 12V otherwise.
Would be no fun going the easy route right?.... And i already have some old Sata Cables and a mini DC/DC Step Down converter here.
So my plan was to Cut the existing Cable in Half so i only have to source 12V and not 12V+5V+3V
Pins in a Sata Power Cable
At this point i'm not even Sure if Sata Disks use 3.3V or not.... because in Sata 3.3 Spec it got changed somewhen...
https://preview.redd.it/zv8o9gnjxe1d1.jpg?width=650&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e3536c5c85e89505d4639e0997e59ab0f873f96b
Or at leas that's what some guy on StackExchange said.
Well whatever... in my case i won't touch those pins anyway.
Half of a Flex Sata Cable
Half of a Sata Power Cable
It doesn't really look great... but it seems to be stuck well enough and is connected correctly.
All Ground / 12V Pins Safe!
The next Problem is, where to i get 12V power from?
Some Lenovo Thinkstations Tiny do come with 12V Solderpads on the Mainboard. Sadly the HP ProDesk Mini does not seem to have those. Only Valid option is to get 19V directly from the Input, there it has Checkpins.
So i use a Mini360 DC/DC Step Down converter that is rated for 1.8A continuous usage to get those 19V down to 12V
19V input to 12V Sata PowerCable... or half of it.
It took a lot of patience and caused quite a bit of despair, but i barely managed to solder the Cables onto the Checkpoints on the Mainboard.
19V Pins on the Mainboard.
And we got a working 3.5" HDD! Banzai!
3.5\" HDD connected an Working.
Now i just need to somehow figure out how to solve the enclosure problem ^^
But sadly the Sata HDD uses quite a bit of energy and prevents the System from reaching lower C-States. I have a TrueNAS Scale instance running with an empty HomeAssistant VM, Portainer with Jellyfin, Immich and Syncthing and a empty 2nd SSD on the Sata Port. Average Powerdraw was around 5.5W. With the HDD in Idle/Sleep/Standby the powerdraw is increased to 7.5W. Mainly because the System is Stuck in C7 and does not reach C9 anymore. Even Powertop --Auto-tune did not help. Writing something onto the Disk increases Powerdraw to around 12W.
Power usage of the System measured via power plug
But 7.5W is still a pretty decent value for a HomeLab that runs 24/7 and has up to 22TB Storage Capacity.
So yeah.... if your Question is "Can i add a 3.5" HDD to my Mini PC?" The answer is Yes. The other question is, SHOULD you add a 3.5" Drive with a hardware hack to your 24/7 homeserver?

I noticed there's a Planet Zoo enclosure planner available online! However, when I go to use it on my cell phone, it looks all wonky and I can't make any use of it. Is there a way to fix this? Or is it only PC accessible?

A job change and all sorts of other adventures made me take some time off from the reviews. But, as the saying is, "Don't count on it!" — there will be a lot of them in the short run, and they will be interesting, well balanced and spot on!
In short, let's talk today about the in-ear wired earphones Truthear x Crinacle ZERO: RED (or just RED later on), which I purchased for about $55 you know where.
https://preview.redd.it/9ywolwakyu0d1.jpg?width=1800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=57da9791a73200cc6d3c99ce8a3c061657ae7bb8
By the way, my old camera broke down, so I bought a new one, that's why the pictures will be even more unbelievably brilliant now. Come on and get a look, all the pictures are clickable, as always.

Truthear in a nutshell

Truthear, a Chinese company, has just turned 2 years old, but they have already released 5 models of earphones and one portable DAC. The company was allegedly founded by one or more Moondrop people. With all the trimmings of modern Chinese fashion, Truthear has a mascot, which is an anime girl named Shiroi, weighing 45 kg, 170 cm tall and... I have no idea why I say all this.
Their partner in the field of 3D printing technology is HeyGears, whose equipment or capacities, I believe, Truthear uses to produce its devices (at least, earphones).

What's included

The proud owner of this top-quality cardboard box will find in it as follows:
https://preview.redd.it/ea3yvoxpyu0d1.jpg?width=1800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd5ea91ac6fdb1ec11c76dd3f8c77c81b7b7b7e9
1. the earphones themselves;
2. a cable with a 3.5 TRS connector;
3. an adapter with an additional load of 10 Ohms (I'll tell you why we need it later);
4. a set of 7 pairs of eartips;
5. a fair-to-middling cover made of faux leather;
6. a pile of papers with the image of Shiroi.
The box, I will repeat myself, is perfectly made, I've never seen anything like this. I'm totally cool with the set, it's a good one.

Technological features, build quality

RED use a less common structure 'a larger dynamic driver + a second smaller dynamic driver'. The first one is responsible for the subbass and bass up to 200 Hz and has a diameter of 10 mm, and the second one plays the rest of the range and has a diameter of 7.5 mm.
The manufacturer talks about the 'CCAW voice coil', that is, about the fact that the driver coil is made of copper-plated aluminum wire. Usually, when it applies to headphones, this is made to reduce the weight of the driver's mobile system. This technology is not new: for example, it is also used in Moondrop Aria Snow.
Besides, 'DLP', or 'Digital light processing', 3D printing technology is mentioned. This is a three-dimensional printing process, characterized by high accuracy and the ability to correctly reproduce extremely small details.
And the last but not the least, the earphones are optimized for use at high volume (over 94 dB) and configured in accordance with the 'IEF Neutral 2023' curve by Corin Ako (better known as Crinacle), but with some adjustments in the bass and subbass sections, giving the sound of RED more weight and physicality.
So, RED are earphones printed on an industrial 3D printer, based on a 2-driver scheme. And Crinacle, a well-known reviewer and owner of the largest IEM measurement database, is responsible for tuning RED.
The earphones have a simple but distinctive design. The enclosures are completely glossy and slightly transparent on the inside. On the outside, there are mildly glaring red inserts under a coat of varnish.
https://preview.redd.it/5og1uxwsyu0d1.jpg?width=1800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b0403d22e9fcb489cf8da789149869145fcf8349
You can discern bass speakers inside at a definite angle.
https://preview.redd.it/9v2r688uyu0d1.jpg?width=1800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=846183aa032e50b66ae4344c5af8fe6109e1cc26
The grids of the sound ducts are neat, inserted smoothly.
https://preview.redd.it/6b569ycvyu0d1.jpg?width=1800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4a2a9a4c28e277808efd6e80c2b767457ee7e640
There is one compensation hole per each earphone, located in close proximity to a 2-pin connector. L and R are marked in bright golden letters. Small edgings for fixing the eartips were made, too.
Overall, they are quite good and even stylish. The only issue is microscratching that affects the enclosure right off the bat. But it's not really perceptible to the eye.
On top of that, the earphones act as a magnet to fingerprints.
The cable is just decent. It doesn't get too tangled, and the earholders are made at the right angle. The metal splitter is solid black, with the company logo printed on it.
https://preview.redd.it/c7331knwyu0d1.jpg?width=1800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d66836329928887b3fc396b7bb6596bf486eae20
The very same cable comes with Truthear HEXA and Zero earphones.
The case is made decently, too, but it does not have any internal compartments or partitions. I already wrote about how an adequate case should be designed 5 years ago – no one has released anything alike yet.
https://preview.redd.it/3rbvma2zyu0d1.jpg?width=1800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cc21b72be8af06e6cd816a5903135b0e1255c46a

Ergonomics

The geometry of the RED enclosures turned out to be perfectly compatible with my ears. They don’t have any strange concavities, bulges, or sharp edges, the sound ducts are positioned at a natural angle, the dimensions of the enclosures are... ordinary, only a little thick. Just put them in and listen to music. And they don't have much weight at all.
I'll assume that the sound ducts may turn out to be uncomfortably large for owners of small ears, because, let's be honest, these are not sound ducts, they are simply muzzles. Probably, when you get a first taste of these earphones, you will want to change your favorite eartips for the same, but smaller ones.
The flipside is the noise insulation — RED's one is above average because the earphones fit in tightly.
As for the 10-Ohm adapter, it is not convenient to use it on the go: a few centimeters long, thin rigid structure will stick out of the player audio output, which can easily damage the connector if stressed accidentally.

Quick specifications overview

• Design: in-ear closed-back.
• Drivers: 2 dynamic drivers.
• Impedance: 18 Ohms.
• Sensitivity: 117 dB.
• Connectors: classic 2-pin, 0.78 mm.
• Weight: 6 g (each earphone).

Subjective sound impression

RED sound great: balanced and new at the same time. Imagine that a 'top-up' of a very weighty and fast subbass was added to neutral sound delivery, which never overlaps the bass for a moment, not a iota, let alone the mid-frequency range. What's more, a lot of well-articulated high frequencies were poured in (we're talking about the 3-10 kHz range), but not those that get sandy, filled with sibilants that grate on the ear. They are just heard very well. This is, you know, sort of 'a joy of a HF-phobe who still wants a lot of HF'. With this in mind, the middle range is perceived to the utmost, there are no dips and curbs there, and it is just excellent.
The result is a 'smooth', but vibrant and simultaneously informative sound delivery with a stable low-frequency basis, perceived as 'dynamic' and 'detailed'. It is ten kinds of cool, simply brilliant tuning that retains its uniqueness and accuracy far beyond the price category of these earphones.
Against the background of the high frequencies delivered in this fashion, RED have a clear and wide virtual sound stage with a clear localization of instruments. It could be better, but in a very, very different price bracket.
Why the RED sound might not work for someone:

• The sound is not 'thick'. And that's exactly how a normal bass, separated from the subbass, not affecting the midrange, sounds like.
• "I hear something that's out of place". When mixing, the authors decided to make the recording 'brighter' or simply did not handle the sound very carefully, having thought that no one would hear the nuances. If this was the case, RED will let you hear weird synthetic glide sounds, abrupt high-frequency sounds etc. To cut it short, you will hear a lot of blatant defects in the music poorly recorded and mixed, as well as a lot of new and amazing things in the well-recorded and -mixed one.
• There's not enough subbass. And here comes the 10-Ohm adapter included. Upon its connection, the bass and subbass are raised by 3 dB (see the next section). Even if everything is fine with your subbass perception, when using RED in an urban environment, the low-frequency range being masked with external sound sources may require the usage of this adapter.
• The ultra-high frequency range (from 10 kHz and above) could be more delicate. Actually not, it couldn't because the earphones cost $55 and not $550.
• To sum up, in terms of frequency balance, the RED sound is truly unique and one of a kind. For me, RED have become the first in-ear headphones in a month of Sundays that made me freeze on the spot when listening to music that I've been familiar with for a lifetime.

Measurements

The earphones were connected to the RME ADI-2 DAC (IEM output). A measuring rig conforms to the IEC60318-4 standard. The provided eartips were used for measurements. The smoothing is indicated on the graphs. For the info about rigs, graphs and headphones measurements, refer to my article.
Frequency response:
https://preview.redd.it/eri2gsdezu0d1.jpg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=290174f139b73f2f312471e985e624548293bc9b
Keep your eye out for the dashed green line – this is the target curve conventionally named Crinacle Neutral Target 2023. This target curve was proposed by Ako in April 2023 as an alternative to the Harman curve, which is appreciated by far from everyone. The diffuse field curve measured at the Type 5128 rig manufactured by Brüel & Kjær was used as a basis, which was then transferred to the IEC711 rig and 'tilted' clockwise. Why it was done and why this way – I will try to answer these questions in detail in another article on the theoretical part of measurements, but I won't go deep at the moment.
What matters is that this is not just a tuning. This is a very specific tuning that has been contemplated on for quite a while.
To put this in perspective and see something more common, here is the frequency response of RED and the most current Harman curve:
https://preview.redd.it/hi0j1bkuzu0d1.jpg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8fd9854f18d81798fc43e769f6eca16027dbb144
And the situation here is very interesting:

• up to 200 Hz, the RED frequency response corresponds to the Harman curve in shape;
• 200 Hz are 'sunk', and this is what gives a feeling of elastic, full-fledged subbass;
• at low frequencies and in the middle, there is a smooth addition of up to 2 dB at maximum;
• the midrange rise is shifted from 2.7 kHz slightly to the right;
• peaks after 13 kHz are most likely aberrations of the rig, I personally do not hear them.

Does such sound tuning have a right to life? My ears tell me that yes, more than that.
As a reminder, there is a 10-Ohm attenuator included.
https://preview.redd.it/gna9eigwzu0d1.jpg?width=1800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cb2c1b9ed0b29c76a2e156215626383ff72c6ca4
When it is connected, the left part of the frequency response graph rises predictably, and the sound becomes more 'common':
https://preview.redd.it/n5egvhryzu0d1.jpg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5b3d26d901780a7eca911071bd68f838b2ce6b88
The left/right volume balance is not ideal, but acceptable:
https://preview.redd.it/iwsc9mh00v0d1.jpg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e7fb32e88c180e2183a53c7747464d5ab8382ef5
Nonlinear distortions (these are measurements that should not be 100% trusted because my equipment is far from perfect):
https://preview.redd.it/m8ozge320v0d1.jpg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b47fde9e64b1857e633b8adebc82a2f182f5da6

Sound source choice

For my listening tests, I've connected the earphones to the following devices.

• PC + RME ADI-2 DAC fs (IEM output) – unbalanced connection
• PC + RME ADI-2 DAC fs ('High Power' mode) – unbalanced connection
• Hiby R6 gen 3 ( Gain – High, Amplifier Operation – Class AB/A)

The sources were switched by a mechanical input switch.
With Hiby R6, the earphones' sound is a little more bassy and solid. I didn't hear any other difference in the sound of RED when using various sources.

Eartip choice

I didn't like the eartips provided.
https://preview.redd.it/ibe7nc860v0d1.jpg?width=1800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fbd68bf567e714ad6809423295c8e0b049af3048
Three left pairs have a clearly smaller diameter compared to one of the sound duct and are just difficult to pull on. The right pairs fit the sound ducts easier, but just like the left ones, they're not really soundproof.
As for foam eartips, I just don't like them.
In short, I tested RED with TRI Clarion, and the same I recommend to you. The fit is comfortable, deep and tight enough.

Comparisons

PLEASE NOTE: everything I say below is only applicable to the earphones from the point of view of comparison to other models, nothing more!

RED vs. Truthear HEXA

The Truthear x Crinacle ZERO: RED and Truthear HEXA frequency response graphs compared:
https://preview.redd.it/690dctkb0v0d1.jpg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=901456e8b5ae27dfe60ab024099b82a41dd4f49a
Subjective difference in sounding

• RED are much bassier as compared to HEXA.
• HEXA have a more pronounced middle range and less accentuated upper frequencies.
• However, the upper frequency range of HEXA is less even, so the peak of nearly 7.5 kHz is perceived more clearly with HEXA.

Compared to each other, RED's sound can be called 'V-shaped', with their sound delivery more versatile, whereas HEXA are more 'reserved' and 'neutral'.

RED vs. Moondrop May

I'd like to note that comparing RED earphones and, in fact, DAP+earphones, which is what May is, is incorrect. Therefore, below we will talk only about the sound. May were connected via their standard DSP cable, and the equalizer was set to 'Standard'.
The Truthear x Crinacle ZERO: RED and Moondrop May frequency response graphs compared:
https://preview.redd.it/up1nlade0v0d1.jpg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=10b015a8032de6440aefc8033fde02c579d72268
Subjective difference in sounding

• May highlight the range of about 6 kHz in a stronger manner, their sound is more sonorous and sharp.
• The voices in May's interpretation sound noticeably closer.
• May give the sound a little more 'physicality' and 'dirt'.

Compared to each other, RED's sound can be called more 'neutral' and even 'intelligent', whereas I would characterize May's sound delivery as 'rougher', less 'balanced', more 'subjective'.

Summary

The Chinese economic ramp-up, the development of manufacturing technologies for drivers and enclosures, as well as the development of knowledge about sound in in-ear headphones let us buy a product for $55 in 2024, for which sound they would have charged us good $550 without batting an eyelid and turning a hair 10 years ago, although it seems questionable to me that someone would have been up to such tuning at that time.
And I'm quite agreeable to give credit to Crinacle: while I honestly wrote in the KZ Zex Pro review that the earphones were frankly poorly tuned (whether through Crinacle's fault or not, I have no idea), RED is a completely different story. This is just an example of how to proceed from competence in the field of headphone measurements to successful headphone production.
I am not inclined to believe, of course, that this was a sole effort of Crinacle — everyone sang in harmony, both him and Truthear as the immediate manufacturer.
In general, everything is both clear and complicated about RED at the same time: these are earphones with a universal fit and eminently calibrated tuning, combining neutrality, detail, weight, dynamics and lack of listening fatigue in equal measure. Top it off, there is a 10-Ohm attenuator included for those who 'starve for the lower section'.
To buy or not to buy: to buy, at least just for the fun of learning what kind of tuning is this!

First off I'd like to thank again everyone who helped me on my previous post to determine what accessories would be best to get my boyfriend to get started on his new A1 combo I bought him. Everything but one item has arrived! I'll summarize what I ended up getting below.
Original Bambu Lab order:

• Bambu A1 and AMS combo
• 20 rolls various Bambu filament
• Bambu hot ends kit (0.2mm, 0.4mm, 0.6mm)
• Bambu liquid glue (I realize I likely don't need it now)
• Bambu dual-texture PEl plate

From your suggestions:
Tools and maintenance

• Flush cutters
• Superlube (21-series)
• 2" Putty knife
• 6" Digital caliper
• 10 pc Deburring tool
• 7 pc Tweezer variety set

Filament drying/storage

• Filament storage bags kit
• Decassant (orange)
• 6 pk Hygrometers
• 2x 5 Gallon bucket with lid (not pictured)

Project hardwarez

• 860 pc M3 M4 M5 M6 screw assortment kit
• 400 pc Tiny 2mm thick magnets variety (6mm, 5mm, 4mm, 3mm sizes)
• CNC kitchen short threaded inserts kit (not pictured)

You wanna take a guess at the total $$$ before I post it?? Winner gets absolutely nothing because I just spent all my fun money for the summer lol
Future project: build an enclosure! Waiting to see where he wants to keep the printer and how he wants to situate the AMS as top-mount or side-by-side. I've got some crazy ideas about modifying an old stereo cabinet or maybe a server rack if I could find a good deal. Or maybe just start from scratch with a custom frame. Hoping to come up with a solution that is cheaper than a pre-built solid enclosure but a more sturdy/permanent solution than a tent. If we do not go the enclosure route, I anticipate I'll be investigating a filament dryer / feed system similar to the cereal boxes or maybe one of the SUNLU dryer boxes I was suggested. All TBD!
Thank you all so much for your help. And keep sending suggestions of accessories you love! There's a few things on the old thread that are still on the wishlist, too. I'll be gifting him this evening, currently dying of anticipation... I'll share on this thread how he reacts!
https://preview.redd.it/ebbhe8t1iu0d1.png?width=1440&format=png&auto=webp&s=0a504d0d15a904d4d94340eba7eb19e76a58f1e2
https://preview.redd.it/qdo88yg2iu0d1.jpg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bff67347033b23afb8afa85c8f6e8d58f7e69fd6
https://preview.redd.it/fmylm303iu0d1.jpg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=96ea250de5cdf9d8942667dd33e90fde92e9bb1a