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Audio bargain fad components

240sx4u said:
The one that comes to mind is the sony playstation as a CD player. It was all over the place for awhile, and seemed to kinda vanish.
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Yep, was it the SCPH-1001 (had those jacks on the back)? I had one of those back in '96, but the machine croaked by '00. I did get another one for a couple of bucks (luckily in good shape, and read every capable disc), but it is a 7000-series, a model without the jacks.

I'm actually loving the Sega Saturn - for its gimmick tricks on board with CD audio. But that's just for hearing, not listening. :D
 
I really like the Accurian amp....

Still can be found if you look hard enough. $14.95 on closeout. $149 originally, 25 wpc, and you don't even have to take the board out to convert it. Just disconnect the two wire traces to the top circuit board, hook up your speakers and a source, and off you go...:zoom:

I turned on Macaltec to it, and even he's a believer now. I actually found one of the transmitters too, and so now my garage system features 6 speakers, 4 running off the Denon amp, and 2 running off the Accruian wireless system. In fact, the Accurian is driving my Insignia's, and I haven't heard any amp I tried them with produce so much bass. They sound great and the garage has never sounded better:music:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049804

I'd highly recommend one. Even if you don't like it, the value of the parts most likely exceeds the cost. Got a big ol' torriodal transformer in it....:thmbsp:
 
Fisherdude said:
I think all of the specific items mentioned attained "fad" status because they were all inexpensive enough to be approachable by ordinary lovers of hi-fi gear, and they offered the possibility of real performance at that lower than expected price. It's not often you get to try out something hot and new at, essentially, a no-risk price.

Some panned out, some didn't.
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If a single thread had a sticky, this would be it.

Well said.
 
analog addict said:
Still can be found if you look hard enough. $14.95 on closeout. $149 originally, 25 wpc, and you don't even have to take the board out to convert it. Just disconnect the two wire traces to the top circuit board, hook up your speakers and a source, and off you go...:zoom:
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Interesting.

They also list the transmitter for $19.97

http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...1&origkw=15-1938&kw=15-1938&parentPage=search

They have the speakers on sale too:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104193


This gives me ideas. :D
 
Good luck...

stuartk said:
Interesting.

They also list the transmitter for $19.97

http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...1&origkw=15-1938&kw=15-1938&parentPage=search

They have the speakers on sale too:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104193


This gives me ideas. :D
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I haven't looked for the speakers, but the transmitter is essentially unobtainium. I had the local Rat Shack look around regionally, and NADA...As far as Puerto Rico....However, I did just happen to find one a couple of weekend's ago in Aberdeen NC, so you never know....

The receiver is still floating around though....
 
Yep, with the Insignia speakers, Accurian modified amp and Toshiba SD-3990 DVD player to play CDs, well, it ain't your dad's vintage stereo system anymore.

Didn't need any of 'em, but just can't pass up a bargain, especially when I picked up everything locally.
 
I thought a fad was by nature a trend that had a short life span. Then please strike the Minimus 7 off that list because they have had a long following.
 
Well the only one ive bit on was the oppo player, 970-HD I still have it and am amazed virtually daily just how good this thing really is especially as a transport paired with a decent DAC it truly becomes a world class player.

Comparable to those costing many thousands of dollars believe it or not. I know this is a bitter pill to swallow for those that have spent big bucks on there players but its a fact:yes:

The 971-HD in secrets of home theater benchmark shootout was the winner for best overall picture scoring the highest of any player ever tested by them!!

Beating out out players made by krell, esoteric, etc. costing thousands of dollars. And they still make great players today so if fad is considered something that was popular once but quickly faded away these players are not in this group

REGARDS
 
dr.ido said:
The closest I've come to any of these is the T-amp. I was intrigued when I read numerous posts about them, but for a confirmed tightwad like me $25 is too much if $25 is the retail price.

So I bought a dead DVD player with a built in amplifier based on the same class T power amp IC. It's still sitting on my ever growing to-do pile, but eventually I'll get around to gutting it and building my T-amp.
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If you canabalize an old trasistor radio you could make a small receiver!
 
I had been sitting on the Tosh 3950 for two years before I knew it was a fad/sleeper. My first DD HT receiver (an Onkyo...can't remember model #) wen't belly up on me within the manufacturer's warranty :0 I know, how often does that happen? But in store credit trade I got a new headboard that the wife wanted and......yes the ol' 3950. Just picked it off the shelf for the kids secondary system in the basement not knowing it's fad status. Last spring I learned about it on the Polk board and have since collected all the parts for both mods, except the Blackgate caps, which I understand are out of production now :(

Anyhow, did I bite on a fad? I don't think so, but I'm definately buying in at this point. I have more time than money and monkeying around with this stuff is great fun (even if I don't know how to soder...yet).
 
I'd like to start a new fad: The Senn HX-450. I'm listening to them right now, and they're really pretty remarkable for ear buds. They don't have the bass of my 580s. They don't have the detail of my Etys. But they're ear buds, ferchrssakes, and what they do have is warmth, decent bottom end and a sweet, palpable midrange that makes voices, horns, guitars and the like sound very nice, if a bit forward. They're what you audiophiles call musical. And they make 128 kbps streams sound pretty good.

$13.

Got an MP3 player? You need a pair of these.

Tim
 
I recently got the Carver Pro ZR1600 Tripath digital amp. Was faddish a few years ago, but a $1300 fad. Amazing sound.
 
When we needed a DVD player I looked at Sony, found it was a re-badged Samsung so I bought the Samsung for $50 less. It is a combo DVD VHS as we have quite a few tapes still around. When we bought the Sony HDTV we needed a DVD/VHS player with progressive scan, this time I found the Sony through our Amex Shoppers Advantage at a large discount. It may well be built by Samsung but they both do an excellent job. It is connected to the HDTV and the Yamaha CR-2020/Polk Monitor 7B system. Last evening we watched the Celtic Woman DVD - fantastic picture and sound.

So I guess HDTV is our only 'fad' thing but in general most DVD players do a great job with CDs. Everey other system in the house is vintage like the owner.
 
My EPI's were a fad (2 pair). I still have have them after 30 plus years. One pair (EPI 50s) got hot rodded with B&G drivers for more bass, the 100's are in the shop right now getting new foams, a little cab bracing and caps. Yeah fads :)
 
I had one of those Accurian amps months ago not because it was a fad but because it was cheap and I wanted to mess around with it, turning it into an amp as mentioned here. Problem was it was defective out of the box, didn't work at all. So back it went. That was enough of that for me.
 
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