Hi-Fi Products that totally underwhelmed you
Discussion
As per the title.
It's natural to rave about stuff we like and it's nice to read about such stuff
I'm sure though that along the way individual items or even technologies have just left an "I don't get it" feeling.
Call them bad buys, mistakes or over hyped whatever you will.
My first one was the Musical Fidelity T1 Tuner (mark 2 version) as per the piccie below. It was a total dog of a tuner about as insensitive a tuner I ever owned. Just couldn't get on with it didn't like its sound at all
It's natural to rave about stuff we like and it's nice to read about such stuff
I'm sure though that along the way individual items or even technologies have just left an "I don't get it" feeling.
Call them bad buys, mistakes or over hyped whatever you will.
My first one was the Musical Fidelity T1 Tuner (mark 2 version) as per the piccie below. It was a total dog of a tuner about as insensitive a tuner I ever owned. Just couldn't get on with it didn't like its sound at all
Deranged Rover said:
Where do I start?!
- Pioneer A-400 amplifier. Ths was a real fave of the 1980s. I've no idea why.
- Linn Sondek LP12. Yes it's good when it's set up perfectly. But it's not the greatest turntable ever, nor has it ever been.
.
Ah yes the Pioneer that of the made in japan but designed by the British craze that took off. I agree I tried one myself and just didn't get it either- Pioneer A-400 amplifier. Ths was a real fave of the 1980s. I've no idea why.
- Linn Sondek LP12. Yes it's good when it's set up perfectly. But it's not the greatest turntable ever, nor has it ever been.
.
LP12 - I had the Linn Axis - loved it. It was better than my Dual 505-3 I just didn't go the whole hog on an LP12
Mission 700LE's - for a second system. innovative different design that just left me cold.
Marantz ST35 Tuner - shrill and tiring lasted 6 months. That's when the T1 came in that lasted a week. Fortunately my favourite dealer came up with a suggestion when they took the T1 back.
"it isn't really something we normally sell and to be honest we have taken it in as a part ex but do you want to try this Sony deposit us a £100 and try it for say 3 weeks ? "
A total winner that lasted with me for 23 years - Sony STS 700ES - heaven in a tuner
Oh yes. Some others
Marantz cd65 SE - the one that slew giants. It was good but in a direct comparison to my then Phillips CD473 it sounded so similar - not better. Funnily enough it was later realised my CD473 had the TD1541A chip in it -some did some didn't. That probably accounted for the not much difference. The 473 lasted around 18 months then the 2nd best CD Player I owned caught my eye, Philips CD880
Marantz cd65 SE - the one that slew giants. It was good but in a direct comparison to my then Phillips CD473 it sounded so similar - not better. Funnily enough it was later realised my CD473 had the TD1541A chip in it -some did some didn't. That probably accounted for the not much difference. The 473 lasted around 18 months then the 2nd best CD Player I owned caught my eye, Philips CD880
colin_p said:
Sony minidisc players, I boought a walkman type and a component type for home.
A right faff to fill with music which had to be done in real time with other kit I had. I do seem to remember a matched CD player being available that could do it quicker but still a right old faff doing a "mix" disc.
And also bought only a few years before MP3 arrived.
This is going to sound me too but I did the same thing. I had a Sony deck cant remember the model and a Sony Portable.A right faff to fill with music which had to be done in real time with other kit I had. I do seem to remember a matched CD player being available that could do it quicker but still a right old faff doing a "mix" disc.
And also bought only a few years before MP3 arrived.
I really liked the tech and the results were great. I could have a player and say 5 discs in the bag and it was great for the train
Blank mini discs dropped in price and I copied affair few CD's onto them.
But then I saw the I pod Nano and that took my breath away. Then I also got a bigger may have been 80gb I pod and that was awesome
The mini disc went It was probably the costliest short lived piece of tech I owned.after say S-VHS
TonyRPH said:
techiedave said:
If I recall correctly mini disc was one such new recording system. At around the same time Phil;ips came up with DCC - Digital compact cassette
DAT was also around that time, although possibly aimed at the more professional end of the market.I always thought DAT had been around a good few years longer. I only thought that as I looked into getting a portable one a DAT Walkman to use instead of a standard Walkman and that was around 1992ish. From memory it was a lot dearer tan the mini disc portable and was dearer than the eventual purchase price of both the mini disc portable and home based player/ recorder.
I think what happened ish that mini disc got a big push in 1997/ 1998 and that's when I got into it.
This article was the one that surprised me:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2012/s...
These were the 2 items I had or as near to them as memory served.
There is / was a whole thread devoted to that kind of stuff (cables etc)
I'll admit I bought some QED interconnects for the seperates and they worked fine and I do have a Sony interconnect between the pre and power amp that is as thick as my wrist (ok exaggeration) and works fine
Thing was the QED's were all bought at ( half price as the place was closing and the sony was just £12 being end of range.
The speakers have all been wired in electric cable and sound just fine.
Another thing I purchased was a Denon DAB/FM tuner it was fine but purely by chance I saw a NAD C445 DAB/FM at a good price in a second hand shop. Pretty much on impulse I bought it and its a much better performer than the Denon was. Its very sensitive and detailed. its pulled in a lot more DAB stations
I'll admit I bought some QED interconnects for the seperates and they worked fine and I do have a Sony interconnect between the pre and power amp that is as thick as my wrist (ok exaggeration) and works fine
Thing was the QED's were all bought at ( half price as the place was closing and the sony was just £12 being end of range.
The speakers have all been wired in electric cable and sound just fine.
Another thing I purchased was a Denon DAB/FM tuner it was fine but purely by chance I saw a NAD C445 DAB/FM at a good price in a second hand shop. Pretty much on impulse I bought it and its a much better performer than the Denon was. Its very sensitive and detailed. its pulled in a lot more DAB stations
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 15th September 13:01
colin_p said:
Circa 2003 during the "Great" CD ripping event,]
It is uncanny how some of my own experiences mirror yours. Mine was done over the Easter weekend of 2006. The reason I recall is that my wife and daughters both went away on a holiday weekend I couldn't go on as I was on standbye call that weekend. I started the rip but then realised that tagging them individually would be required. Back then we had flakey 0.5meg broadband at home.So I took them in in boxes to work and used the PC's there. I can't remember the number involved then but it would have been around 150 I think. Anyway job was jobbed and a portable hard drive filled.
Have to disagree about the LP12.
May not have been the best in the world (everyone has a different opinion as everyone has different ears and brain) but back in 1981 it was orders of magnitude better than anything else that could be bought in Sheffield!
It really did make the hairs in the back of your neck stand up.
I still have the same deck all these years later, although it's a bit like Trigger's broom, the only thing original left on it is the platter.
Still sounds amazing with the right bit of vinyl, and that's the problem with vinyl, some is amazing like the anniversary Beatles box set. Some, like the Sabbath albums box set should be converted to rubbish bins and never listened to (although I suspect the stream and CD versions are equally like listening through mud)
May not have been the best in the world (everyone has a different opinion as everyone has different ears and brain) but back in 1981 it was orders of magnitude better than anything else that could be bought in Sheffield!
It really did make the hairs in the back of your neck stand up.
I still have the same deck all these years later, although it's a bit like Trigger's broom, the only thing original left on it is the platter.
Still sounds amazing with the right bit of vinyl, and that's the problem with vinyl, some is amazing like the anniversary Beatles box set. Some, like the Sabbath albums box set should be converted to rubbish bins and never listened to (although I suspect the stream and CD versions are equally like listening through mud)
counterofbeans said:
keirik said:
Have to disagree about the LP12.
May not have been the best in the world (everyone has a different opinion as everyone has different ears and brain) but back in 1981 it was orders of magnitude better than anything else that could be bought in Sheffield!
It really did make the hairs in the back of your neck stand up.
If you'd popped all the way over to Chesterfield (Audio Scene) you could have had a Pink Triangle which in PT TOO form wiped the floor with the LP12, to my ears anyway.May not have been the best in the world (everyone has a different opinion as everyone has different ears and brain) but back in 1981 it was orders of magnitude better than anything else that could be bought in Sheffield!
It really did make the hairs in the back of your neck stand up.
I had mine playing into DNM amplifiers and Epos ES14 speakers, happy days...
Also while it may have existed in 1981 I don’t think I remember reading about it until after I’d bought the linn, and I’m not sure I’d have bought it over the longer established product.
When I’d do finally see and hear one I preferred the linn anyway, but each to their own
brickwall said:
colin_p said:
Sony minidisc players, I boought a walkman type and a component type for home.
A right faff to fill with music which had to be done in real time with other kit I had. I do seem to remember a matched CD player being available that could do it quicker but still a right old faff doing a "mix" disc.
And also bought only a few years before MP3 arrived.
I remember this as well; and they were expensive at the time (I seem to remember something like £180-220 in 2001). Everyone had an iPod by 2004.A right faff to fill with music which had to be done in real time with other kit I had. I do seem to remember a matched CD player being available that could do it quicker but still a right old faff doing a "mix" disc.
And also bought only a few years before MP3 arrived.
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