billinkansas
Older I get, better I was
Hey! Thanks for the post. There are indeed el cheapo gems to be had. I just did not expect a high end, high dollar component to be such a turd.
The worst piece of HiFi Equipment you've ever owned?
- Thread starter Inspector_Sw
- Start date
Hey! Thanks for the post. There are indeed el cheapo gems to be had. I just did not expect a high end, high dollar component to be such a turd.
2channel*
Well-Known Member
Bose Acoustimass 5II 2.1 speaker system. My wife wanted something very unobtrusive after she redecorated the family room. It was about 5 years before I got the leverage to make her accept some PSB bookshelfs.
I am on the fence about a Thorens TD-180 I have. It certainly doesn't do the Thorens name proud, but I believe it cost very little when I got it to play my parents' 78s. I never did get to a point where I could stand listening to the 78s and it certainly won't do for my good 33s; but I recently got a smaller, 0.7 mil conical stylus for the Stanton 500 it came with. It's now a pretty good option for older 33s that got their battle scars from conicals when they were young. I has saved me from throwing out some fond memoties from my childhood and 70s rock LPs that my sister ruined on her cheap table.
I am on the fence about a Thorens TD-180 I have. It certainly doesn't do the Thorens name proud, but I believe it cost very little when I got it to play my parents' 78s. I never did get to a point where I could stand listening to the 78s and it certainly won't do for my good 33s; but I recently got a smaller, 0.7 mil conical stylus for the Stanton 500 it came with. It's now a pretty good option for older 33s that got their battle scars from conicals when they were young. I has saved me from throwing out some fond memoties from my childhood and 70s rock LPs that my sister ruined on her cheap table.
Splatter Pak
High-End Scrounger
If you still have it, and it has a digital output, try connecting it to a good DAC - that is what I did with a Yamaha carousel machine, and they may have been built in the same factory.
That was my impression on the ESS AMT-1 as well. Driven by a Kenwood 9340 receiver. Probably not an ideal match, but the tonal balance of some Bose Interaudio 1000 driven by the same receiver was better to my ears.
1984_C10
Active Member
Unfortunately it didn't have a digital output, it was analog only. The motor on the carroussell stoped working after a while, and i got a NS900V from Sony to replace it, now that's a good machine!
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armyslowrdr
I don't want one..LOL
A late 80s Yamaha carousel type CD changer. The mechanism was always breaking. I bought a Sony one of VERY similar design a few years later that does DVD and SACD too, and it is still going strong.
BillJGW
Active Member
As a few others have said, a Marantz 2270. A gutless wonder.
However, even though it was my parent's "system" when I was a kid in the '60's, the Sears Silvertone takes the cake. It had a fold down turntable with an arm/cart/stylus that could burn through your vinyl in one play. The speakers were anemic, it probably put out about 0.1 wpc on a good day, and the speaker cable was so thin you could bite through it with your teeth. This was my introduction to the world of audio reproduction. Needless to say, things only got better from there.
However, even though it was my parent's "system" when I was a kid in the '60's, the Sears Silvertone takes the cake. It had a fold down turntable with an arm/cart/stylus that could burn through your vinyl in one play. The speakers were anemic, it probably put out about 0.1 wpc on a good day, and the speaker cable was so thin you could bite through it with your teeth. This was my introduction to the world of audio reproduction. Needless to say, things only got better from there.
Tandberg owners - please don't be offended. No offense is intended.
The worst piece is my Tandberg TR2080. I got it seven years ago, professionally refurbished ("Good Old Hifi", Niemegk/Berlin). Poor sound, bass like a kitchen radio when hooked for example on Bang&Olufsen Beovox S120. When I held the receiver on the side panels, the left one broke off. The reason is that the panels are mounted by a lousy plastic construction.
However - it looks nice.
The worst piece is my Tandberg TR2080. I got it seven years ago, professionally refurbished ("Good Old Hifi", Niemegk/Berlin). Poor sound, bass like a kitchen radio when hooked for example on Bang&Olufsen Beovox S120. When I held the receiver on the side panels, the left one broke off. The reason is that the panels are mounted by a lousy plastic construction.
However - it looks nice.
2channel*
Well-Known Member
Actually, I should correct myself. It was a pair of Stax headphones I bought in the '70s. Before that I lived in blissful ignorance. After hearing them I wanted more and more and more. I did recover or go into remission when the kids were born. Then I bought another set of Stax headphones and totally relapsed. Now I have a $3,000 a year habit again. Not even trying to kick.
Luckyorleans
Super Member
Plasicky early 80s ADC turntable with no redeeming qualities - sonically or athestically. I returned it and swung a deal for a Luxman table outfitted with a Signet TK7E cartridge.
Vincent SP-T100 monoblocks, the absolute worst purchase ever. 
Tim64
Super Member
Yamaha A-700 touting a class A mode I thought it was going to be the last amplifier I would be buying for quite some time. I was wrong it had a in your face sound that had a lot of detail but sounded sterile at the same time not musical at all. I sold it and put my Sansui A-80 back into service which I thought sounded better but no where near the build quality of the Yammie.
danj
modern primitive
I had one of those, too. Lovely to look at, painful to listen to.
Natasha Bell
Super Member
I had an Yamaha A700 for about a year, which I had bought used on Ebay. At first, it sounded spectacular. Then, after a while, the sound began to degrade. Finally, I was so fed-up with it, I sold it again. I then bought an A1020. This one sounded better, but still not what I wanted. I ended up switching to an Adcom GTP500 and GFA 545, which I loved.
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