$500 Sound Design “rack” system

Good people like yourself and damacman, velocityboats, and a few others convinced me to quit being a wimp, and move on to something serious. I ended up with McIntosh XRT 20's, and even restored them myself. Because of HONEST, hard-won experience, these people moved me into another realm I couldn't have imagined, and I am in their debt. Now....
But never have I seen them running around this site putting down any equipment. If someone expresses they want to change what they have, guidance to better can be had without putting anything down even though what they have is not that great.

The joy is in the journey as much as the destination, wouldn't you say?
yes, that's why I'm open to trying things out, talk is cheap.

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Some of us are happy with what we got, some are trying to get there.

Getting there is when you can put your feet up and just listen, the rest really doesn't matter.

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Collectables have nothing to do with how well they performed it has more to do with the condition of the item and the rarity of it. Yes these were common but they were also much less likely to be take care of. I would be willing to bet there are far more mint Mcintosh amps out there than Sound Design rack systems. It is pretty hard to predict what items will become the desirable but as something gets some age even the more unlikely items can be collectable. People collect old tin cans, old bottles, yup and they even collected things as simple as a stamp.
 
We all know that you are in that top 1%, and hey man, props and thumbs up to you.
BTW I don't have a pot to piss in, sure I might have some regarded equipment and a lot of money put into some records. However you'd be surprised at how little I have and get by on. I know for a fact that members with very humble systems here are far far better set in life than I am. They own homes, have pension plans. 401ks and retirement funds and pretty much worry free for the rest of their life.

I am not that fortunate, I can be on the street tomorrow.
 
I thought we were making fun of delusional sellers not the system being sold.
I've set a few friends up with systems like that before and they've been happy. I'm just used to paying $20 for them rather than $500.
 
Anyon
I thought we were making fun of delusional sellers not the system being sold.
I've set a few friends up with systems like that before and they've been happy. I'm just used to paying $20 for them rather than $500.

Yeah and I remember when you could get hi end turntables for practically nothing all day long, and records given to you by the box loads, times change.
 
For $500 that would be perfect for a lot of people, plus they would take an offer to get it out the door.
Whilst I don't recall applying a screwdriver to precisely that model, I've worked on similar kit. They're always very poorly constructed, sound lousy, and will start to eat tapes and possibly damage records shortly before failing completely.

Dire machines of that sort will only disappoint future owners. Why compound what will inevitably be a bad ownership experience by suggesting $500 is good value, particularly when there are still plenty of genuinely good quality, good sounding, well-built systems that can often be had for less than half the sticker price?
 
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I don't see anybody "belittling" anybody else's equipment, unless you think the store owner - who is obviously trying to rip somebody off by selling that thing for $500 - needs to be defended for some reason.

I also don't think that most people here are either elitist snobs nor insecure, and if that same Soundesign had been posted by somebody saying "here's my new sound system, I love it," I would wager that almost all the responses would be positive, encouraging, etc.

Poster 4-2-7 seems to enjoy creating drama where none need exist and has a track record of doing so - I could sit around psychoanalyzing that as much as he seems to enjoy doing it to others, but who has the time or energy, really.

Collectables have nothing to do with how well they performed it has more to do with the condition of the item and the rarity of it. Yes these were common but they were also much less likely to be take care of. I would be willing to bet there are far more mint Mcintosh amps out there than Sound Design rack systems. It is pretty hard to predict what items will become the desirable but as something gets some age even the more unlikely items can be collectable. People collect old tin cans, old bottles, yup and they even collected things as simple as a stamp.

I admit stuff like this may have a certain kitsch appeal - especially if you're my age and grew up in the 80s.
 
I thought we were making fun of delusional sellers not the system being sold.
In reading your first post you said nothing about the seller or price. Just that systems like this are not good. I see nothing wrong with this estate sale putting a price sticker on something and then get the price or offer.
You forgot RARE!!! PERFECT FOR YOUR VINYLS!!!

My uncle had something like that but his had an 8 track as well. It really wasn't very good.

I'm just used to paying $20 for them rather than $500.

Show us, I'll give you a week to come home with a system like this for $20. If they cost that and are so plentiful you should have no problem right?

I could have brought a Fisher system like this home today, with all the boxes from the record store. He was asking $400 without any speakers or the factory rack, even though it was in a rack. He sells systems like this all the time for $300-$400 as it's much better for someone who wants to play records to start with for under $500.
 
Seriously? The thing is a piece of shit. If your guy is selling them for that much he's a great salesman and/or people aren't doing enough research.

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/ant/ele/d/panasonic-vintage-stereo/6637350450.html

I don't know where I'll be able to score a belt for the tape player, cardboard speakers and stereo coffin to go with it but with the extra $470 I may be able to come up with something.

Here's something legitimately decent

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/ele/d/sony-vintage-stereo-amp-fm/6629872067.html

Add inexpensive table and you have a nice system.

This took me 5 minutes to find. I'm sure I could fill a page easily but I'm not really in the mood to argue about the relative merits of Yorx.
 
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BTW I don't have a pot to piss in

I've never lived in CA, but from what I understand, it "ain't" cheap.

I watched one house flipping TV show in CA with husband and wife who are recently divorced. I almost spit-up my cold beer! A mid-1950's house, 1200sqf (like mine.) that sold when new for $18K. (like mine.) After rehab, almost $400K.
Am I paying that much so I don't have shovel my driveway in the winter and put-up with the occasional below 32F? Because for the life of me I can't figure out what else it could be. It sure isn't for the lack of traffic.
For $400K around here I'd be living high on the hog with a lot more than a little 1200sqf.
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Sorry to offend your sensibilities man.
That unit is not even close to what's posted here, a 80s rack system with multiple matching components.
Turntable
Tuner
Tape deck
Integrated amp.
Speakers
And the factory rack
In working plug and play condition.
 
I bet that is the best preserved example of that particular junk system in existence. Maybe someone will buy it as a prop in a period movie? You never know...
 
I rent because I can't afford a house, not here anyway. I have lived here all my life and my work is here but it's getting crazy and pushing me out.
A mid-1950's house, 1200sqf (like mine.) that sold when new for $18K. (like mine.) After rehab, almost $400K.
That must have been a while ago, that house in my area is the typical track home. They where starter homes for people in the 50s to raise their family in the suburbs. Right now they are 1.2 million.
 
BTW I don't have a pot to piss in, sure I might have some regarded equipment and a lot of money put into some records. However you'd be surprised at how little I have and get by on. I know for a fact that members with very humble systems here are far far better set in life than I am. They own homes, have pension plans. 401ks and retirement funds and pretty much worry free for the rest of their life.

I am not that fortunate, I can be on the street tomorrow.

Dan, I owe you an apology on one thing. I stated that we all knew you were "....in the 1%..." and I DID NOT MEAN FINANCIALLY. I meant with the quality of gear you have.

Dude, so sorry, I needed to clarify that, as I never meant that as some kind of reverse snobbery with regard to your bank account.

Going back and reading that, I physically cringed.

wasn't what I meant, but that's the medium's weakness, isn't it? Inflection and explanation often get lost.
 
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