Top 3 hi-fi brands (and "honorable mentions")

[SIY]

Speakers that will do everything but supply a Qobuz high rez feed (that's probably coming) may be technically excellent but where's the fun of it?

Great music! Nothing more fun than that outside of bed.

I haven't found any shortage of fun, hands-on stuff to do, and one of the benefits of some of the new technology is that things like recording become far more accessible- as well as the distribution end.

 

[Burning Sounds]

Your first paragraph may be technically correct but I'm not so sure I would call this "the golden age".
Speakers that will do everything but supply a Qobuz high rez feed (that's probably coming) may be technically excellent but where's the fun of it? The "golden age" of high fidelity as a hobby it could be argued was back in the mid 60s when high end stuff like HH Scott or Harman could be purchased either assembled or in kit form. My 1963 Allied catalog probably features kits for electronics and speakers near equally in kit and factory built forms.

Is todays world of 700+ HP supercharged musclecars the golden age of autos? The ones you might be worried that even changing your own oil might upset it's damnable computer?
Or was it the 1960s big block that we sweated over in the garage all week to make the weekend drag races?

I'll probably finish out my days in audio a more hands on type of guy.

Yes, I hear where you're coming from, Sal. I've heard both the Kii and the 8C and they are damn good. And in many ways it is the way forward.

But, this weekend I'll be getting together with a bunch of audio buddies - we've rented a large room in a pub and we'll bring different bits of kit, play lots of different music, imbibe quantities of good brew (the music always sounds better as day becomes night, funny that), eat some good food (hopefully) and generally have a good time. We call it a Bake Off (after this - The Great British Bake Off) - we'll compare different bits of gear- nobody takes it too seriously - and there's always some new music that I've never heard before. Folks travel hundreds of miles lugging great big home-brewed speakers, or vintage JBLs or whatever, there's often a least one EE with a prototype amp that will never see the light of day as a commercial product - it's just about the friendship and the hobby. It wouldn't happen if we all had system speakers.

 

[Thomas savage]

Yes, I hear where you're coming from, Sal. I've heard both the Kii and the 8C and they are damn good. And in many ways it is the way forward.

But, this weekend I'll be getting together with a bunch of audio buddies - we've rented a large room in a pub and we'll bring different bits of kit, play lots of different music, imbibe quantities of good brew (the music always sounds better as day becomes night, funny that), eat some good food (hopefully) and generally have a good time. We call it a Bake Off (after this - The Great British Bake Off) - we'll compare different bits of gear- nobody takes it too seriously - and there's always some new music that I've never heard before. Folks travel hundreds of miles lugging great big home-brewed speakers, or vintage JBLs or whatever, there's often a least one EE with a prototype amp that will never see the light of day as a commercial product - it's just about the friendship and the hobby. It wouldn't happen if we all had system speakers.

Where’s my invite..

 

[Thomas savage]

Your first paragraph may be technically correct but I'm not so sure I would call this "the golden age".
Speakers that will do everything but supply a Qobuz high rez feed (that's probably coming) may be technically excellent but where's the fun of it? The "golden age" of high fidelity as a hobby it could be argued was back in the mid 60s when high end stuff like HH Scott or Harman could be purchased either assembled or in kit form. My 1963 Allied catalog probably features kits for electronics and speakers near equally in kit and factory built forms.

Is todays world of 700+ HP supercharged musclecars the golden age of autos? The ones you might be worried that even changing your own oil might upset it's damnable computer?
Or was it the 1960s big block that we sweated over in the garage all week to make the weekend drag races?

I'll probably finish out my days in audio a more hands on type of guy.

The fun is with those whom you share the music with, you want you’re hands free and not being disturbed by messing about with ya rig can have fantastic advantages.

 

[JJB70]

The world needs more amplifiers (and other stuff) with analogue VU meters.

 

[Ceburaska]

Having a mostly Sony ES system I’d obviously nominate Sony, except they’ve already been nominated, and, more to the point, don’t make any of that amazing stuff anymore.
Still, my (30 year old) biotracer turntables are as good, at least, as any others I’ve heard. And the CD player, tuner and amp are fab too.
But, based on what a friend just bought, I’d go for
Technics
Arcam
Kef

 

[Thomas savage]

The world needs more amplifiers (and other stuff) with analogue VU meters.

It will bring people together, VU meters will heal our polarised world.

 

[Sal1950]

Klipsch
Marantz
Harman Kardon

Wharfedale
McIntosh

 

[JJB70]

Just ordered the Nakajima digital audio book from Amazon, seven quid for a hard back book, advertised as good condition. Looking forward to reading it.

 

[Burning Sounds]

Where’s my invite..

You are welcome to come and enjoy the craic Thomas! There will be a few blather skites no doubt and you might have to sing a couple of verses from the Blaydon Races to get entrance.

 

[JJB70]

Having a mostly Sony ES system I’d obviously nominate Sony, except they’ve already been nominated, and, more to the point, don’t make any of that amazing stuff anymore.
Still, my (30 year old) biotracer turntables are as good, at least, as any others I’ve heard. And the CD player, tuner and amp are fab too.
But, based on what a friend just bought, I’d go for
Technics
Arcam
Kef

Sony still make ES equipment, but these days it is very different and seems to be just a rather eclectic mix of disparate components, it is a far cry from the logical, structured range of ES system components of old. I'm also a fan of the classic Sony ES line, although the ES line lives on it's not what it once was.

 

[Sal1950]

The Golden Age of Audio.

 

[restorer-john]

...I'm also a fan of the classic Sony ES line...

Quite simply, as a complete line of various products (CD players, DATs, integrated, power/pre, tuner, cassette and speakers) there was nothing at the time from any other brand that came close to the Sony ES range.

I have 2 of these:

Pioneer had their Reference line (later named Elite in the US) and had some great gear too (think C90s/M90s, A-91D, PD-91, CT-91, F-91 etc). If you want to see a lovely, high performance integrated amplifier, look no further than the A-91D, the heaviest integrated amplifier Pioneer ever built, 65.7lbs of it (29.9kg). AU$2699 list. It took me years to find a perfect one for my collection. Pioneer had no speakers of note and had to tap into the TAD line from Japan and bring them over for the shows.

Here's my A-91D which is currently out for exercise with a pair of Sony CDP-338esd players and a CDP-X7esd, all bought brand new in the early 90s and sealed up for 20+ years in my storeroom. I recently unpacked them all, replaced all the loading belts, checked lubrication and they are perfect. As good as the day they were made. Such is superlative engineering.

In 1987/8, Yamaha did their Centennial Series (pre/power/CD and speakers) which was in a whole other league again, but not a complete line and made in very small numbers. We sold a $10K CD player from that series and we sold a few of the NS-10000Xs IIRC.

For the 1988/9 ES series, Sony produced two Japanese home market TOTL speakers (SSG-777es and SSG-333es) and we were lucky enough to get a very small number into Australia of the SSG-333es. (primarily as promotion or to show the halo range at shows etc) I secured a sealed pair at the time, along with their matching WS-333 stands (they are 10kg each- just the stands). When I get them out of the storeroom, I'll post some interior shots- the crossovers are works of art, three independently mounted with identical lengths of cable to them and each driver. Copper bussbars etc. All up, 32kg each. Those are the speakers sitting behind the components in the Oceania/Aust brochure shot above.

At the time, I compared them side by side to all of Yamaha's range, including the NS1000Ms and the NS1000Xs (on the comparator). The Sonys were a lot better and a lot cheaper. Unfortunately, the natural rubber roll surround on the bass driver had a short life and they are languishing in their original packaging waiting for me to find suitable rubber surrounds and re-roll them. I have a bass driver here, so I'll take a few pics and post them.

...although the ES line lives on it's not what it once was...

Sadly, Sony stuck the ES badge on anything and everything in the mid to late 90s and utterly destroyed the legacy that had taken so many years to establish. I suppose someone high up said "This endless pursuit of perfection has cost us a fortune and not really returned enough- it's time to make it pay." It was disappointing to see the ES brochures deteriorate, get riddled with home theatre rubbish, then disappear altogether and end up in Sony's lifestyle magazine/catalogs.

 

[restorer-john]

This is why I call little Chinese Class D amplifiers-in-a-can, toys:

They remind me of the miniature kitchen set my baby sister had with pretend appliances and a little stove that opened...

The volume knob alone of the Pioneer weighs more than the SMSL thing.

 

[Blumlein 88]

This is why I call little Chinese Class D amplifiers-in-a-can, toys:

View attachment 17441

They remind me of the miniature kitchen set my baby sister had with pretend appliances and a little stove that opened...

Well its not like there weren't similarly done poor quality amps back then. A more appropriate modern comparison might be the MolaMola gear. Smaller tin, much greater power, build quality and performance. These aren't integrated amps, but much smaller, 400 wpc in 8 ohms and 1200 into 2 ohms. Inflation adjusted not out of line price wise.

 

[restorer-john]

...Well its not like there weren't similarly done poor quality amps back then... Inflation adjusted not out of line price wise...

Very true. There were plenty of shockers back then too. The pic was just for fun really.

What's the little silver dot? Power button and LED above?

 

[Blumlein 88]

Very true. There were plenty of shockers back then too. The pic was just for fun really.

What's the little silver dot? Power button and LED above?

Yes I think so. Haven't any hands on time. I seem to recall that is what the button is for in reviews of it.

Also they aren't plain square boxes the way they look in that particular view.

 

[RayDunzl]

My top 3 brands are Auvio, Behringer, and miniDSP.

In the middle are Oppo, Benchmark, and Tascam.

At the bottom of the rack are Krell and Equitech.

I suppose I could rearrange them, but I'm busy with other totally unexciting household stuff.

 

[watchnerd]

I see the future of audio gear as being system speakers.

Is a system speaker an active speaker, with wifi and DSP, that can act as a steaming endpoint and room correction combined?

 

[restorer-john]

...Also they aren't plain square boxes the way they look in that particular view...

The do look very attractive and I'm sure a lot of effort has gone into the milling of the metalwork. I can see how they will appeal to deep-pocketed audiophiles who have been waiting patiently for Class D to rival top conventional designs.