guiller
Toscaninichus Australis
I'm also looking for a cheap T-amp. Could you please let us know the brand and model of yours?
The worst piece of HiFi Equipment you've ever owned?
- Thread starter Inspector_Sw
- Start date
I'm also looking for a cheap T-amp. Could you please let us know the brand and model of yours?
js1138
Super Member
And still kept buying them. Remarkable.
TheAnt
Member
Fun thread.
I have not much to contribute since I managed to stay away from the worst by asking to listen first.
But I did one panic purchase of a pair of used Cerwin Vega when I was experimenting with advanced crossovers and had managed to blow the ribbon tweeters in my Gamma speakers. My filter design were not altogether bad, but I had used to weak capacitors that blew from the current. Yes the literally exploded!
Now the model number of the Cervin Vega eludes me, they were supposed to be speakers to be used at home, but they were only good at one single task. Of playing loud and raw, and that was it. But yes, CV makes a lot of of PA systems, so I should have known. {
The other speakers were a pair of B&W but I were only a transient owner, I had them on a return policy, so back they went. (A pair of Focal speakers nearly stayed, to say something positive in this thread - hehe!)
I have not much to contribute since I managed to stay away from the worst by asking to listen first.
But I did one panic purchase of a pair of used Cerwin Vega when I was experimenting with advanced crossovers and had managed to blow the ribbon tweeters in my Gamma speakers. My filter design were not altogether bad, but I had used to weak capacitors that blew from the current. Yes the literally exploded!
Now the model number of the Cervin Vega eludes me, they were supposed to be speakers to be used at home, but they were only good at one single task. Of playing loud and raw, and that was it. But yes, CV makes a lot of of PA systems, so I should have known. {
The other speakers were a pair of B&W but I were only a transient owner, I had them on a return policy, so back they went. (A pair of Focal speakers nearly stayed, to say something positive in this thread - hehe!)
daviddeep
Well-Known Member
I think I've only ever bought one piece of electronics that was essentially useless junk: a Realistic 31-2020 graphic equalizer.
It was great looking with a silver aluminum faceplate in the early days of BPC, didn't add any obvious distortion to the signal path, had a generally quality feel to it, and had a neat spectrum analyzer display that appealed to my teenage sense of drama.
However it was overly sensitive to something in the power supply in my parents' house because it would wink out at random intervals, about once every couple hours, causing a complete drop out of all sound before coming back on a split second later. It was under warranty, but the Rat Shack techs couldn't find anything wrong with it, so it ended up in the bottom of a closet, then the trash. Pretty much turned me off to the Realistic brand forever.
It was great looking with a silver aluminum faceplate in the early days of BPC, didn't add any obvious distortion to the signal path, had a generally quality feel to it, and had a neat spectrum analyzer display that appealed to my teenage sense of drama.
However it was overly sensitive to something in the power supply in my parents' house because it would wink out at random intervals, about once every couple hours, causing a complete drop out of all sound before coming back on a split second later. It was under warranty, but the Rat Shack techs couldn't find anything wrong with it, so it ended up in the bottom of a closet, then the trash. Pretty much turned me off to the Realistic brand forever.
E2
Addicted Member
Heuer has many more Automatic offerings then ever before. I like mine with a Lemania 5100 Movement. The watch is almost 25 years old though. The thing to remember is that most watches new retail that sell for under $2500 outsource their movements. What made Heuer famous was their styling.
Rolex didn't start making the movement in house for the Daytona until the last ten years. Before that it was the Zenith El Primero Movement that was used. Before that a Valjoux 72.
I wish I could find great watches like I can find great equipment.
I had a Kenwood CD Player bought new in the mid 90's that was a complete piece of crap!
But since I have discovered I don't need to buy new I no longer suffer with the awful problem. It's a deal, or I don't bother with it.
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I bought a stack rack system once, Teac. Had the ribbon connects in the back, and little tower speakers. I don't know why I bought it, but could never get any sound satisfaction from it. Should have known with the particle board light weight speakers, and the entire stack system was so light too. I guess I bought it because it was on a clearance - I gave it to a kid in exchange for some yard work. We were both happy about the deal.
TerrySmith
Active Member
For Christmas 1977 my mom got me a Pioneer SX-650 which I still have, and my dad got me a pair of "Ultralinear" brand speakers, 12" 3-way.
I still have the SX-650- it could use a recap and a speaker relay but is a really well built unit for something thats solid state.
The speakers however were total garbage! They never sounded good and the foam grilles crumbled within the first year. Ended up trading them to a buddy for a 1969 Cadillac!
I still have the SX-650- it could use a recap and a speaker relay but is a really well built unit for something thats solid state.
The speakers however were total garbage! They never sounded good and the foam grilles crumbled within the first year. Ended up trading them to a buddy for a 1969 Cadillac!
Buy far the best sounding worst piece of audio gear I have ever owned is the H/K DPR 2005. The DPR stands for "Digital Path Receiver". In other words there is no analog section in the amp. Rated at a true 120 wpc out of seven channels it was a monster. The sound through an array of Klipsch speakers was breathtaking. The AVR had some minor drawbacks but was a good buy.
After enjoying this AVR for a year and a half the center channel began to fuzz out and the amp would shutoff. About that time I got a job with a huge learning curve and I just put everything audio/visual on the back burner for about two years. Well, I still have the job and the learning curve has straightened out a bit.
With the couple hours of free time I now have a day I decided to get back into my surround sound movie viewing. I sent the DPR2005 to Terry DeWick and he shipped it back because it looked like it had proprietary parts in it. Indeed it did have parts in it that required repairs at one and only one service center in the US. I called and asked them if the could repair it and they said they were 99% sure they could but he would ask.
The end result is they can't repair it because parts are no longer available. I have owned the unit less than five years. What happened is D2Audio the company that made the digital amp was bought out by another company. Once they sold out all the amps for this unit that were used for repairs they discontinued it with no replacement planned.
I have been a loyal H/K customer for years. Today I would recommend steering clear of a company that sells for top end dollars equipment they don't support. Their own repair center told me not to even bother writing H/K because they are no longer in the country and THEY DON'T CARE.
That was hard to write without using profanity ;>)
After enjoying this AVR for a year and a half the center channel began to fuzz out and the amp would shutoff. About that time I got a job with a huge learning curve and I just put everything audio/visual on the back burner for about two years. Well, I still have the job and the learning curve has straightened out a bit.
With the couple hours of free time I now have a day I decided to get back into my surround sound movie viewing. I sent the DPR2005 to Terry DeWick and he shipped it back because it looked like it had proprietary parts in it. Indeed it did have parts in it that required repairs at one and only one service center in the US. I called and asked them if the could repair it and they said they were 99% sure they could but he would ask.
The end result is they can't repair it because parts are no longer available. I have owned the unit less than five years. What happened is D2Audio the company that made the digital amp was bought out by another company. Once they sold out all the amps for this unit that were used for repairs they discontinued it with no replacement planned.
I have been a loyal H/K customer for years. Today I would recommend steering clear of a company that sells for top end dollars equipment they don't support. Their own repair center told me not to even bother writing H/K because they are no longer in the country and THEY DON'T CARE.
That was hard to write without using profanity ;>)
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JonVH
Active Member
Joe Rosen would the one and only, but he's the high reigning troll of all things audio.
Over the years I've read his posts when they popped up but it's easy to see his bias against Mac.
When talking with experienced people in electronics, I learned alot of what Joe wrote at times was fibs an he will often contradict himself.Joe Rosen said:
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reggaenaut
Addicted Member
McIntosh C26: Build quality good, but the worst sounding pre for me. I sold it without hesitation or regret.
cnolanh
Ad astra
A couple decades ago, drunk on wattage, I bought a used Carver M4.0t power amp. Yes, it was ridiculously powerful but I didn't think it sounded better than my previous NAD amps. Always seemed kind of brittle. And it produced a soft constant-volume hiss through the speakers whenever it was powered on. Now I realize that maybe it could have been adjusted/fixed but I ended up selling it and was much happier moving to other gear.
reggaenaut
Addicted Member
Need to be driven with some low wattage tubes - Radio Craftsmen 500a or old Sony ss - receiver 6060, amp 1120.
frankxbe
Super Member
w 70's
I would agree. I was driving them with Pioneer sx 650 nice low power rec. btw
they got replaced as did the sx 650 . I got stupid, just playing around and hooked them up to an sx980... that was the end of them poof ! In retrospect a low power tube set probably would have been better for those particular speakers .
Best regards .
I would agree. I was driving them with Pioneer sx 650 nice low power rec. btw
they got replaced as did the sx 650 . I got stupid, just playing around and hooked them up to an sx980... that was the end of them poof ! In retrospect a low power tube set probably would have been better for those particular speakers .
Best regards .
a91gti
http://www.audiokarma.org
Many years ago as a 15yr old I was using a "midi" system as my amp, it worked well enough I guess but was somewhat large.
Eventually I took it apart and using a ripsaw cut the top off of it, leaving only the amp section.
I continued to use it for a good while after, finally I think getting a small 80's Technics I wish I still had.
Eventually I took it apart and using a ripsaw cut the top off of it, leaving only the amp section.
I continued to use it for a good while after, finally I think getting a small 80's Technics I wish I still had.
Plenty that dont live to the hype IMHO.
The JBL L100 and the L60's I have cabs for as well as the L80's and LX55's I have had in the last few years ... The L100 sounded good, so did the 80's, the 60's I never had nothing but the cabs and the 55's I got with the problem ... they all tend to eat tweeters. Every one of em had a dead tweeter either when I got it, or after I got it.
The l60's killed the tweets before I got it and I got the cabs only free. I made my own X and am fitting piezo's and a good 8" that is capable of a 60hz-4khz and a piezo that takes it from there.
There is plenty more, but most of it is personal opinion like, I have started to not really like the 50 series pioneer, the TX-x500 onkyo's and a few more amps cos they sound too blunt IMHO.
I like the cap coupled or the non cap coupled marantzes almost without exception. Cap coupled sansui's sound great (like the 2000) I also like teh R yamaha's R500, R300, R700 etc.
Cool.
Srinath.
The JBL L100 and the L60's I have cabs for as well as the L80's and LX55's I have had in the last few years ... The L100 sounded good, so did the 80's, the 60's I never had nothing but the cabs and the 55's I got with the problem ... they all tend to eat tweeters. Every one of em had a dead tweeter either when I got it, or after I got it.
The l60's killed the tweets before I got it and I got the cabs only free. I made my own X and am fitting piezo's and a good 8" that is capable of a 60hz-4khz and a piezo that takes it from there.
There is plenty more, but most of it is personal opinion like, I have started to not really like the 50 series pioneer, the TX-x500 onkyo's and a few more amps cos they sound too blunt IMHO.
I like the cap coupled or the non cap coupled marantzes almost without exception. Cap coupled sansui's sound great (like the 2000) I also like teh R yamaha's R500, R300, R700 etc.
Cool.
Srinath.
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