Technics SBM1000-2 - Audiophile Class Floor-Standing Tower Loudspeaker System ...

[graz_lag]

Seriously ?
Who's is going to invest $5,000 on these Technics in today market super-competitive quality offers ?
Unless I am missing something abt. these IMPRESSIVE VERTICAL FLOOR-STANDING TOWERS ...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Technics...h=item210f8430d1:g:6fMAAOxy63FS8UTb:rk:1:pf:0

 

[JJB70]

I noticed that seller a while ago when I was looking for Technics pre-power amplifiers for some reason and found this shop with loads of "new" items at ridiculous prices. I think it begs the question of what is "new"? If the item was never sold to a consumer then I can see why it is sold as new, on the other hand the stuff in that shop must be over 20 years old it isn't new. Given you can easily find the same old Technics gear in good condition for a small fraction of the prices being asked by that seller I really don't know who is going to pay those prices.

 

[restorer-john]

Seriously ?
Who's is going to invest $5,000 on these Technics in today market super-competitive quality offers ?

Someone who really wanted a pair I guess. Consider they are a beautifully made 42kg speaker and very expensive at the time. 1996.

https://www.technics.com/global/chronicle/sb-m10000/

(scroll down to the model in question)

 

[JJB70]

I thought it was a huge blow to hi-fi when Technics withdrew from the market as they made some lovely gear in their prime. That was a bad time for hi-fi, as Kenwood basically abandoned the sector, there was the demise of Nakamichi, Sony were winding down their interest in hi-fi, Phiilips had lost interest (it's generally forgotten now just what an impact Phillips had on hi-fi and some of their CD players in the 16x4 era were among the best available) etc. Sometimes when I read the opinions of the hard core subjectivist types it is like the proverbial argument of two bald men fighting over a comb, most people lost interest in hi-fi years ago and decided that MP3 players, BT speakers, soundbars etc were perfectly good for their needs and abandoned traditional hi-fi.

 

[graz_lag]

Look @ these :

 

[Krunok]

.., most people lost interest in hi-fi years ago and decided that MP3 players, BT speakers, soundbars etc were perfectly good for their needs and abandoned traditional hi-fi.

IMO it will only get worse when millenials start to take over the audio market.

 

[graz_lag]

IMO it will only get worse when millenials start to take over the audio market.

Just a second ... If the millennial's are issued from the same DNA of the fellows @ WesionTEK Khadas ... I like them, a lot !!!

 

[bigx5murf]

IMO it will only get worse when millenials start to take over the audio market.

That's not necessarily true. EG: As bad as beats headphones are, they jump started the high end headphone market big time. Also, the review of the LG ThinQ phone on this forum shows there's potential there as well.

Lets not forget so many millennial trends are focusing on things such as vinyl, or hand made furniture, and other vintage objects.

 

[graz_lag]

... Lets not forget so many millennial trends are focusing on things such as vinyl ...

Vinyls ? Really ?
I am sure you can appreciate - so elaborate, the differences, don't you ?

While the Crosley “Portable Turntable” is cutely designed, it’s a terrible thing for vinyl records. The cheap needle and head-shell included with the unit isn’t standard or easily replaceable. The counterweight isn't adjustable, which means that records can skip and/or wear rapidly. On top of that, several reviews mention that records played on the unit actually rub on the lid (which you can see in the picture here) since it was so poorly designed.

 

[bigx5murf]

Vinyls ? Really ?
I am sure you can appreciate - so elaborate, the differences, don't you ?

View attachment 18449

View attachment 18451
While the Crosley “Portable Turntable” is cutely designed, it’s a terrible thing for vinyl records. The cheap needle and head-shell included with the unit isn’t standard or easily replaceable. The counterweight isn't adjustable, which means that records can skip and/or wear rapidly. On top of that, several reviews mention that records played on the unit actually rub on the lid (which you can see in the picture here) since it was so poorly designed.

And how does showing 2 products at opposite ends of the market counter my argument that the "vinyl revival", owes it to trends set by millennials? Remember the Technics SL-1200, it was supposed to be DOA for good, guess why it got brought back with improvements, and a premium msrp to match? The Crosley might be a bottom of the barrel product, but you can't argue it's success as a gateway for people to get into vinyl for the first time, or rediscovering it, then maybe even choosing to upgrade upmarket. At which point, many products are available at the "quality entry level" point, from old established manufactures, and even upstarts like U-turn.

 

[restorer-john]

...IMO it will only get worse when millenials start to take over the audio market...

Consider a huge proportion of them will have long term hearing damage from the excess level headphone wearing they are doing right now.

I can imagine how they will 'voice' their gear... And you thought Wilson Audio speakers were voiced for old rich men with significant HF hearing loss.

 

[Krunok]

That's not necessarily true. EG: As bad as beats headphones are, they jump started the high end headphone market big time. Also, the review of the LG ThinQ phone on this forum shows there's potential there as well.

Oh, sure - headphones and phones will be further developed, no doubt about that. But speakers, amps..

Lets not forget so many millennial trends are focusing on things such as vinyl, or hand made furniture, and other vintage objects.

My son has several vinyl records, I wouldn't be surprised if he buys some more. Although he has no gramophone.

 

[Frank Dernie]

Oh, sure - headphones and phones will be further developed, no doubt about that. But speakers, amps..



My son has several vinyl records, I wouldn't be surprised if he buys some more. Although he has no gramophone.

The local record shop tells me a significant number of people buying LPs from him are collectors who do not play them.

 

[Krunok]

The local record shop tells me a significant number of people buying LPs from him are collectors who do not play them.

My guess is most of them are millenials.

 

[bigx5murf]

Oh, sure - headphones and phones will be further developed, no doubt about that. But speakers, amps..

Amps have developed a lot in just the last decade. Primarily in class D amplification, it wasn't too long ago when class D was only suitable for subwoofer use. Class D also handles extremely low impedance better, which could eventually influence speaker design by increasing efficiency. Maybe even bring back electrostatic speakers, which tend to be a difficult load for most amps. There was a time when neodymium magnets, and ribbon tweeters were solely found in high end products. Today there are entry level products with these technologies. I believe one day plasma tweeters will end up in affordable products.

The local record shop tells me a significant number of people buying LPs from him are collectors who do not play them.

My local record shop just moved and increased their floor space by 2.5x, and 2/3 is dedicated to vinyl. Also, most new LPs comes with digital downloads, so even if you don't play them.

 

[Krunok]

Amps have developed a lot in just the last decade. Primarily in class D amplification, it wasn't too long ago when class D was only suitable for subwoofer use. Class D also handles extremely low impedance better, which could eventually influence speaker design by increasing efficiency. Maybe even bring back electrostatic speakers, which tend to be a difficult load for most amps. There was a time when neodymium magnets, and ribbon tweeters were solely found in high end products. Today there are entry level products with these technologies. I believe one day plasma tweeters will end up in affordable products.

All I wanted to say is I'm not sure many folks will be buying amps and HiFi speakers in 10 or so years from now. Heaphones, soundbars, .. yes. But amps, HiFi loudspeakers, not so much.

 

[bigx5murf]

All I wanted to say is I'm not sure many folks will be buying amps and HiFi speakers in 10 or so years from now. Heaphones, soundbars, .. yes. But amps, HiFi loudspeakers, not so much.

No one can predict those trends though. Over ear headphones was a dead market till Beats came along, then the market exploded with competitive offerings across the board. Vinyl was all but dead as well, until it became cool. Look at the amount and quality of amplification we can get from a chip amp nowadays for $10-20. No one could've predicted this 20-30 years ago. You're also only looking at western markets. Hifi is alive, and thriving in eastern markets. Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, all have literally entire hifi malls with 100s of shops in one location.

 

[Roen]

No one can predict those trends though. Over ear headphones was a dead market till Beats came along, then the market exploded with competitive offerings across the board. Vinyl was all but dead as well, until it became cool. Look at the amount and quality of amplification we can get from a chip amp nowadays for $10-20. No one could've predicted this 20-30 years ago. You're also only looking at western markets. Hifi is alive, and thriving in eastern markets. Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, all have literally entire hifi malls with 100s of shops in one location.

One of the biggest highlights of visiting Asia in 2017 was seeing the abundance of audiophile and hi-fi shops, relative to North America. I got to sample to really amazing gear and shoot the shit with knowledgeable people, something I'll never have in a Best Buy Magnolia.

 

[graz_lag]

One of the biggest highlights of visiting Asia in 2017 was seeing the abundance of audiophile and hi-fi shops, relative to North America. I got to sample to really amazing gear and shoot the shit with knowledgeable people, something I'll never have in a Best Buy Magnolia.

I agree, FWIHSSF - on the "music" topic, the main difference between the western countries, some not all, and Asia in general, is the ratio between the number of "stores where one go to buy/rent musical instruments" and "stores where one go to buy gears to play music".
In many of the western countries, there are much more the "guitar center-type shops" (big business corporations as well as family business shops) than auditoriums. Music is produced above all, not only consumed like in Asia.

 

[bigx5murf]

Music is produced above all, not only consumed like in Asia.

I highly doubt this, Asian cultures in general put a much greater priority on education than western cultures. This includes musical education. In fact, it's not all that uncommon in Asian countries for private tutors to make six figure incomes. Asian nations probably do consume more physical media per capita though. Japan in particular kept many physical medias alive much longer even though they had died off in the rest of the world (MD, LD, DAT, SACD, etc).