Hi-Fi Products that totally underwhelmed you

[TonyRPH]

Howard- said:

<snip>
I preferred the sound of his old Linn Keilidhs.
<snip>

I have a pair of the Keilidhs as my main speakers - I love them, the bass is awesome too.

[Fermit and Sarah]

Alpinestars said:

Another one for Audiolab being dull.

All Linn stuff - dealers insisting you have to listen to them in a different way.

Mission and Cyrus, way too bright

Arcam - just dull.

Bose and senheisser headphones.

Didn’t really get the whole Marantz CD players either.

Most of this post I can't agree with. Mission - I have a pair of 752 Freedoms (Cyrus reference speakers) on my main set up. I've had them 22 years, and I will never part with them, brilliant speakers capable of doing justice to very high end stuff. I have some Mission 760i's on my second (more basic) set up, with you've guessed it, an Arcam 7 amp and CD. I love it too. What Hi-Fi do too, they've named the 7CD as one of their best 24 CD Players of all time!

Sennheiser, no, I can't get you either. I have some CX300 for mundane stuff (a £30 in ear pair) and a pair of HD600's for the better set up, brilliant headphones.

I suppose everybodies ears are different, and I agree that Cyrus and Mission could be described as 'bright', but I like their sound.

Interestingly I'm with you on Marantz, I haven't listened to anything of theirs for years, but the CD players I've heard don't do it for me.

I have one to add, and it is an Arcam (the only thing of theirs I've ever not rated) one of these, which I'm really disappointed with -
https://www.richersounds.com/arcam-headphone-amp.h...

[gizlaroc]

Howard- said:

Wasn't impressed by the Meridian DSP3100 active speakers that my dad owned. Quite a harsh sound with rather "artificial" bass. I know they're only standmounts, but still. I preferred the sound of his old Linn Keilidhs.



Regarding B&O, their kit is easily a cut (or six) above Bose, IMHO. Properly-engineered stuff. I heard a Beoplay A9 in a shop once and I was amazed at how good it sounded.

A few of the 3100s have been known to have issues with the tweeter drying out and becoming harsh.
A few users said they sounded harsh, and know one could understand it, but there was an issue with either tweeter or caps drying out that made them sound awful.

They are actually a super smooth sounding speaker, those with a Meridian D1600 sub sound glorious imho.

I ran them for a long time as a bedroom system.

[gizlaroc]

Fermit and Sarah said:

Most of this post I can't agree with. Mission - I have a pair of 752 Freedoms (Cyrus reference speakers) on my main set up. I've had them 22 years, and I will never part with them, brilliant speakers capable of doing justice to very high end stuff. I have some Mission 760i's on my second (more basic) set up, with you've guessed it, an Arcam 7 amp and CD. I love it too. What Hi-Fi do too, they've named the 7CD as one of their best 24 CD Players of all time!

Sennheiser, no, I can't get you either. I have some CX300 for mundane stuff (a £30 in ear pair) and a pair of HD600's for the better set up, brilliant headphones.

I suppose everybodies ears are different, and I agree that Cyrus and Mission could be described as 'bright', but I like their sound.

Interestingly I'm with you on Marantz, I haven't listened to anything of theirs for years, but the CD players I've heard don't do it for me.

I have one to add, and it is an Arcam (the only thing of theirs I've ever not rated) one of these, which I'm really disappointed with -
https://www.richersounds.com/arcam-headphone-amp.h...

Mission is not bright at all, Cyrus is however.

Missions are wonderfully smooth.

I just sold my pair of rosewood 752 Freedoms last week, needed the room.
Still have a pair in black though.




Marantz is a funny one, their CD players are razor sharp, far too bright for me, but their amps tend to be really smooth, I guess the combo works well, but I would rather have a different source with a Marantz amp.

[legzr1]

Fermit and Sarah said:

Interestingly I'm with you on Marantz, I haven't listened to anything of theirs for years, but the CD players I've heard don't do it for me.

Each to their own (ears) but Marantz make/made some excellent kit, CD players in particular.

Don’t dismiss them on the experiences of what hifi? latest ‘best in the world’ - they make some glorious machines and prices on the used market have plummeted with the constant march of streaming music.

A CD63 is not a CD7 (or even a 94 two box beauty) just as those horrid little Denon re-badged Missions bundled with mini systems years ago are anything like 780 Argonauts or 754 Freedoms.

Having said that.....Naim.....oh dear.

[Zod]

My system is Cyrus and I wouldn't describer it as bright. I trialled NAIM, Arcam and Cyrus and found I preferred Cyrus. The amps are a DAC XP+ and a pair of Mono-Xs. They feed Audiovector M3 AvantGarde speakers, which are wonderful.

[Howard-]

gizlaroc said:

A few of the 3100s have been known to have issues with the tweeter drying out and becoming harsh.

Interesting. My dad bought them brand new though, and only had them for <5 years.

[Fermit and Sarah]

gizlaroc said:

Fermit and Sarah said:

Most of this post I can't agree with. Mission - I have a pair of 752 Freedoms (Cyrus reference speakers) on my main set up. I've had them 22 years, and I will never part with them, brilliant speakers capable of doing justice to very high end stuff. I have some Mission 760i's on my second (more basic) set up, with you've guessed it, an Arcam 7 amp and CD. I love it too. What Hi-Fi do too, they've named the 7CD as one of their best 24 CD Players of all time!

Sennheiser, no, I can't get you either. I have some CX300 for mundane stuff (a £30 in ear pair) and a pair of HD600's for the better set up, brilliant headphones.

I suppose everybodies ears are different, and I agree that Cyrus and Mission could be described as 'bright', but I like their sound.

Interestingly I'm with you on Marantz, I haven't listened to anything of theirs for years, but the CD players I've heard don't do it for me.

I have one to add, and it is an Arcam (the only thing of theirs I've ever not rated) one of these, which I'm really disappointed with -
https://www.richersounds.com/arcam-headphone-amp.h...

Mission is not bright at all, Cyrus is however.

Missions are wonderfully smooth.

I just sold my pair of rosewood 752 Freedoms last week, needed the room.
Still have a pair in black though.




Marantz is a funny one, their CD players are razor sharp, far too bright for me, but their amps tend to be really smooth, I guess the combo works well, but I would rather have a different source with a Marantz amp.

They do look lovely in Rosewood, although when I bought them I plumped for oak, with no regrets since.

TBH, it's many years since I've heard anything Marantz, and whilst I was once a hi-fi 'nerd' (working at Nottingham Hi-Fi Centre when I was 18 planted the bug) my years of reading what hi-fi are long gone. I have a nice little Rotel amp, and a spare pair of 760's, so have been looking for a 7CD to go with them for mum and dad, to give that set to them. An ad on eBay for one stated as much in the ad, with a link to the piece.

[colin_p]

I've had my Marantz NR1506 AV amp (in black) for about 18 months now

https://www.marantz.co.uk/uk/products/pages/produc...

Very pleased with it although it could be a bit louder when going at full chat but full chat music sessions are a rare thing so it really isn't an issue. The old Yamaha AV amp it replaced was a bruiser but as I've said, hoiking the volume right up is now a rare thing, especially as I've given up drinking!

I bought the Marantz mainly for the latest connectivity and where it really shines is as a surround / cimena amp. HDMI's from HDCP2.2 capable components in and a single HDMI out to the TV all in glorious 4k. The next step up would an ATMOS capable thing but I'd struggle with siting the extra speakers so I think the current Marantz will be around quite a while.

As for CD players, doesn't everyone just use their blu-ray for that these days? .... I'll get me coat.

[Warmfuzzies]

Deranged Rover said:

Where do I start?!



But the king of them all has to be:

- The original Audiolab 8000A amplifier. Life just doesn't seem worth living any more when listening to this dreary, grey miserable sounding device.

MkII or MkIII any better.... MkII over here driving PMC FB1’s, plenty of rythmn and clout

[troika]

legzr1 said:

Each to their own (ears) but Marantz make/made some excellent kit, CD players in particular.

Don’t dismiss them on the experiences of what hifi? latest ‘best in the world’ - they make some glorious machines and prices on the used market have plummeted with the constant march of streaming music.

A CD63 is not a CD7 (or even a 94 two box beauty) just as those horrid little Denon re-badged Missions bundled with mini systems years ago are anything like 780 Argonauts or 754 Freedoms.

Having said that.....Naim.....oh dear.

That’s what makes HiFi such an interesting and personal thing. I’ve had some 754’s, found them poor to be honest. My Naim rig however is a treat every time I listen.

[troc]

This thread reveals two things to me one is that we all hear and appreciate sound differently and the second is how important it is to audition any new additions to your system before purchase!

Oh and third (of two) don’t waste money on green pens and audio power cables (but there’s a whole thread for that)

My main system is an arcam a29 amp with a nail CD player and Rega turntable as the main sources. Speakers are monitor audio and I also have an ancient (but awesome) nad cassette deck and a chord 2qute dac for stuff from my computer and the Sonos.

The main thing I’ve noticed is that it’s all British. Which is genuinely accidental but I must like the sound.

[troika]

troc said:

This thread reveals two things to me one is that we all hear and appreciate sound differently and the second is how important it is to audition any new additions to your system before purchase!

Oh and third (of two) don’t waste money on green pens and audio power cables (but there’s a whole thread for that)

My main system is an arcam a29 amp with a nail CD player and Rega turntable as the main sources. Speakers are monitor audio and I also have an ancient (but awesome) nad cassette deck and a chord 2qute dac for stuff from my computer and the Sonos.

The main thing I’ve noticed is that it’s all British. Which is genuinely accidental but I must like the sound.

The room is one of the major success factors. For example, speakers which sound wonderful in one room can sound dreadful in another. It’s why home demo is so important, not just in a dealers specifically designed demo room.

[T1547]

Roksan Caspian M1 pre/power, I still have it now after 2 years in my living room, but I've just never really gelled with it. It's not bad but find it a bit dull and not very emotive compared to a fantastic Musical Fidelity separates system I had before (A308). The Roksans do one thing excellently though which is fit in my TV unit out of site, which is why I still have them. Have serious hankering after something Luxman/Accuphase though

[Digger]

gizlaroc said:

Fermit and Sarah said:

Most of this post I can't agree with. Mission - I have a pair of 752 Freedoms (Cyrus reference speakers) on my main set up. I've had them 22 years, and I will never part with them, brilliant speakers capable of doing justice to very high end stuff. I have some Mission 760i's on my second (more basic) set up, with you've guessed it, an Arcam 7 amp and CD. I love it too. What Hi-Fi do too, they've named the 7CD as one of their best 24 CD Players of all time!

Sennheiser, no, I can't get you either. I have some CX300 for mundane stuff (a £30 in ear pair) and a pair of HD600's for the better set up, brilliant headphones.

I suppose everybodies ears are different, and I agree that Cyrus and Mission could be described as 'bright', but I like their sound.

Interestingly I'm with you on Marantz, I haven't listened to anything of theirs for years, but the CD players I've heard don't do it for me.

I have one to add, and it is an Arcam (the only thing of theirs I've ever not rated) one of these, which I'm really disappointed with -
https://www.richersounds.com/arcam-headphone-amp.h...

Mission is not bright at all, Cyrus is however.

Missions are wonderfully smooth.

I just sold my pair of rosewood 752 Freedoms last week, needed the room.
Still have a pair in black though.




Marantz is a funny one, their CD players are razor sharp, far too bright for me, but their amps tend to be really smooth, I guess the combo works well, but I would rather have a different source with a Marantz amp.

Mission 751's my favourite speaker that I owned. Magical sound. Unfortunately I forget what was partnering them!

[gizlaroc]

I loved the 751 as well, such a great speaker even today.


I agree with the above, the room makes such a difference.

I took out the carpets in our front room, the room in the 752 pic above, and that ruined the sound in there.

So much so I took the hifi out. I went trough loads of speakers from Harbeth to Quad ribbons, Quad Electrostatics, 752 freedoms and just couldn't get a sound I truly enjoyed, hence ditching itall and buying the Bang & Olufson TV with the soundbar. That might sound silly, but because I am not looking for perfection, I actually enjoy the music more because it sounds great and exceeds expectations.

The Meridian 5200s sounded nice in there but just looked wrong.

Someone who has plasterboard walls will need a very different system to someone with thick brick walls to get the same result.
Same with wooden floors vs carpets, blinds vs curtains etc. etc.

The fact we all hear differently as well, I used to hear 20khz no problem at all, in the last 5 years I am now struggling to hear 16khz.
Blimey, give it a few more years and I will probably buy a Naim system for my 50th!

[curlyks2]

Grado headphones. Tried them, and tried to like them, but no.

[Alpinestars]

curlyks2 said:

Grado headphones. Tried them, and tried to like them, but no.

I love them.

[selym]

Alpinestars said:

curlyks2 said:

Grado headphones. Tried them, and tried to like them, but no.

I love them.

I like them, no-one else in the vicinity does.

[Alpinestars]

selym said:

Alpinestars said:

curlyks2 said:

Grado headphones. Tried them, and tried to like them, but no.

I love them.

I like them, no-one else in the vicinity does.

Best non electrostatic headphones I’ve tried.