1980's HiFi v 2020's HiFi

[matthewpianist]

But what of Sony as a brand, are they as good now as they were then?

As a brand, yes. They still make superb kit in the areas in which they operate. As a hi-fi manufacturer, no - they only play at the lower end, and have shown no signs of returning to the ES or QS days.

 

[SteveH72]

What has changed is the merging of big names into “stables” with other brands. E.g. Bowers and Wilkins are now part of the Marantz/Denon stable. Audiolab are now stable mates with Wharfedale & Quad etc. There are others, too.
Technology is now shared and brands don’t plough their own furrow as before.

 

[matthewpianist]

What has changed is the merging of big names into “stables” with other brands. E.g. Bowers and Wilkins are now part of the Marantz/Denon stable. Audiolab are now stable mates with Wharfedale & Quad etc. There are others, too.
Technology is now shared and brands don’t plough their own furrow as before.

Some still do however. The likes of Naim, Rega, Linn, Exposure, Harbeth, Spendor, Sugden, PS Audio, Leema, Audio Note etc. all still retain their independence and do things their own distinct way. I believe these brands still have some cache, and some of that is down to performance.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

and have shown no signs of returning to the ES or QS days.

I hope they do make a return 👍 Some of Sony's great products -

Sony CDP-R1a on thevintageknob.org

vintage Sony "R" CD drive with 3x BSL motor and Twin Link bidirectional clock output

www.thevintageknob.org

Sony DAS-R1a on thevintageknob.org

vintage Sony "R" reference converter with two 50MHz CXD2552Q PULSE and Twin Link bidirectional Direct Digital Sync circuit. A reference then, and still today.

www.thevintageknob.org

Sony TA-ER1 on thevintageknob.org

Sony R1 Reference audiophile preamplifier - absolute top-5 best of all time.

www.thevintageknob.org

Sony TA-E1 on thevintageknob.org

vintage Sony Series "1" SACD audiophile preamplifier with Metallic Core modules

www.thevintageknob.org

Sony TA-N1 on thevintageknob.org

Sony SACD audiophile power amplifier - 70kg

www.thevintageknob.org

 

[podknocker]

I hope they do make a return -

Sony CDP-R1a on thevintageknob.org

vintage Sony "R" CD drive with 3x BSL motor and Twin Link bidirectional clock output

www.thevintageknob.org

Sony DAS-R1a on thevintageknob.org

vintage Sony "R" reference converter with two 50MHz CXD2552Q PULSE and Twin Link bidirectional Direct Digital Sync circuit. A reference then, and still today.

www.thevintageknob.org

Sony TA-ER1 on thevintageknob.org

Sony R1 Reference audiophile preamplifier - absolute top-5 best of all time.

www.thevintageknob.org

Sony TA-E1 on thevintageknob.org

vintage Sony Series "1" SACD audiophile preamplifier with Metallic Core modules

www.thevintageknob.org

Sony TA-N1 on thevintageknob.org

Sony SACD audiophile power amplifier - 70kg

www.thevintageknob.org

I can imagine buying all these many years ago and being astounded by the sound quality. It's a pity Sony have disappeared from this sector. There are a few great brands and models around these days, but they can't get close to the great kit from Sony. If Sony had the incentive and wanted to, imagine the streaming amps they could produce. Be top drawer. They could sweep NAD, Denon, Eversolo and others under the carpet. These devices are incredible quality and I wish I owned them.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dylVLHz0zrg

 

[davidf]

But what of Sony as a brand, are they as good now as they were then?

It’s a shame Sony aren’t still in the audio market - they made some great stuff in the 80s, and most likely could still do if they cared about the market.

 

[SteveH72]

True. Although Nait and Focal are now part of the same company.

 

[Oxfordian]

What has changed is the merging of big names into “stables” with other brands. E.g. Bowers and Wilkins are now part of the Marantz/Denon stable. Audiolab are now stable mates with Wharfedale & Quad etc. There are others, too.
Technology is now shared and brands don’t plough their own furrow as before.

Good point, companies that were previously independent and proud of it now find themselves in a group with others, I wonder how much autonomy these brands have in these groups.

 

[Revolutions]

Good point, companies that were previously independent and proud of it now find themselves in a group with others, I wonder how much autonomy these brands have in these groups.

I’d imagine “stay in your lane” for 7% yoy growth is probably a good description of the brand level goals set by the parent company.

“You can innovate as much as you like. As long as it sits in this, this, or this price bracket. Oh, and if it doesn’t compete with this, this, this, or this product.”

 

[podknocker]

Good point, companies that were previously independent and proud of it now find themselves in a group with others, I wonder how much autonomy these brands have in these groups.

I doubt Wharfedale, Luxman, Mission et al, have any say in what they produce. The parent company, IAG, will decide what gets made and what market it gets sold in. It's a shame because the design philosophy and essence of the company becomes indistinct and I think quality control goes out of the window.

 

[Dom]

While I implore your use of Caveat Emptor, it doesn't eliminate the possibility of encountering problems.

While I believe you to be cautious and informed before making a purchase. This doesn't ensure that you won't end up purchasing items associated with criminal activity.

 

[davidf]

Good point, companies that were previously independent and proud of it now find themselves in a group with others, I wonder how much autonomy these brands have in these groups.

To be fair, B&W is still B&W, and aren’t affiliated with Denon other than the fact they have the same owner/distributor. They are still run in the same way as they used to be - it’s just the same people calling the shots.

 

[matthewpianist]

I doubt Wharfedale, Luxman, Mission et al, have any say in what they produce. The parent company, IAG, will decide what gets made and what market it gets sold in. It's a shame because the design philosophy and essence of the company becomes indistinct and I think quality control goes out of the window.

There's a lot of shared componentry but also a lot of brand engineering. Mission and Wharfedale speakers still sound different to each other, both retaining their traditional character. Audiolab and QUAD also both sound as you would expect them to.

 

[Cricketbat70]

Likewise with my Denon CEOL or pretty much any similar product.

Which model of the CEOL have you got? Mine is a very early 7. Wish I'd waited a couple of years for the 9 when Spotify was added.

 

[Jasonovich]

Your Omnia wasn't even a designer's pipe dream back then, so although your statement maybe true this is not what I was asking about, I am interested in whether people perceive the big names of yesteryear as good now as they were alleged to be then.

The big names of yesterday was certainly foremost in my mind and came close to winning the eBay auction for the Naim Nait 5si but I got cold feet and withheld from the bidding.
In ny youth, I secretly longed for it, it was the exclusive club.
It must have been Naims pulling power that lured me into the auction.
I kind of snapped out of it, and purchased another brand.

 

[podknocker]

Many companies are revered to a point where some people won't even look at another brand. Some brands manage this by overinflating their prices and they become unattainable for most people. This elevates the company into an elitist sector, where only a few can even think of buying. The reality is, it's nice looking boxes, full of generic circuitry. I would never buy Naim, or Linn. It's too expensive and you can find 95% of the performance and reliability, with more modest brands and designs. The expensive brands have much more competition these days and it makes them work a bit harder, but the HIFI world is much more varied and exciting now, compared to 20 or 30 years ago.

 

[JDL]

I’ve said it before & will continue to tell everyone: my 1980 Sony cd player cannot be bettered and never will.

Which Sony CDP are we talking about?
After all, Sony have made hundreds of CD players from the bottom end of the sound/quality/price spectrum to the other? I'd be very interested to know which model you're referring to.
Another question. Does your Sony have one of those 'puck' thingys.
I just got hold of a Sony XA30ES., without its puck. I've found one though, I think. Unfortunately many of them are different and extremely hard to source.

 

[Deleted member 201267]

Which Sony CDP are we talking about?
After all, Sony have made hundreds of CD players from the bottom end of the sound/quality/price spectrum to the other? I'd be very interested to know which model you're referring to.
Another question. Does your Sony have one of those 'puck' thingys.
I just got hold of a Sony XA30ES., without its puck. I've found one though, I think. Unfortunately many of them are different and extremely hard to source.

Please may i ask what are your thoughts on the sound of the Sony XA30ES ?

 

[Jasonovich]

1980's HiFi v 2020's HiFi?​

Some classic designs based in the eighties are still used today but based on modern components and technology, so the comparison is a little blurred.
I think it's fair to say, advancements have been made in the last forty years and some budget brands today perform way beyond their price tag. Look how far class D amplifiers has come.
I always reminisce the beautiful sound of my tube amps and the human soul emitting from my Musical Fidelity speakers from yesteryear but how much of it is just pleasnt memories or placebo?

 

[SteveH72]

Just for fun, I recently reassembled my first - albeit budget - system from 1988. Pioneer A223 amp, Pioneer PD5100 cd player, Mordaunt Short MS10 speakers and was very pleasantly surprised with how listenable it was. Of course my current system is better, but it is all a step up in relative cost. Good sound is good sound, it’s not something we’ve invented in the past few years.
However, older kit has a limited life before something pops and internal components are deteriorating inside.

 

[Oxfordian]

1980's HiFi v 2020's HiFi?​

I always reminisce the beautiful sound of my tube amps and the human soul emitting from my Musical Fidelity speakers from yesteryear but how much of it is just pleasnt memories or placebo?

Totally agree re our recollections from yesteryear.

 

[JDL]

Which Sony CDP are we talking about?
After all, Sony have made hundreds of CD players from the bottom end of the sound/quality/price spectrum to the other? I'd be very interested to know which model you're referring to.
Another question. Does your Sony have one of those 'puck' thingys.
I just got hold of a Sony XA30ES., without its puck. I've found one though, I think. Unfortunately many of them are different and extremely hard to source.

Please may i ask what are your thoughts on the sound of the Sony XA30ES ?

Oh, I ain't got it yet. I probably won't know until the New Year. And that's dependent on either of the pucks I've got, fitting and not needing modification. Ha ha. It's a game this vintage Sony CD player thing. But it was cheap and I know from my researches, that Sony really did make some absolutely top players. The XA30ES seems to get good reviews but I know Sony made much better CDPs than the one I just got. Apparently, I've forgotten which model, was so well built that they were losing money on it. Pretty decent of them really because some manufacturers were charging £30,000 or more for their top players.
Maybe Sony wanted more of the public to experience their engineering prowess, even if they lost on it.
Anyway, which model do you have Sir....91?

 

[mikeyc38]

My setup was originally a Marantz CD63 KI-SIG, AudioLab 8000s and Mission 782. The Marantz is still an excellent player and i did some clock stage upgrades to improve it even further. However the transport failed and I can't get an exact replacement. I upgraded to an Audiolab 8200CD which I got used for £400 and nirvana. My speakers are old but since bi-amping, the system is awesome. Can I improve it? - probably but there is the case of obsession and diminishing returns. After all , there's more to life!

 

[Deleted member 201267]

Oh, I ain't got it yet. I probably won't know until the New Year. And that's dependent on either of the pucks I've got, fitting and not needing modification. Ha ha. It's a game this vintage Sony CD player thing. But it was cheap and I know from my researches, that Sony really did make some absolutely top players. The XA30ES seems to get good reviews but I know Sony made much better CDPs than the one I just got. Apparently, I've forgotten which model, was so well built that they were losing money on it. Pretty decent of them really because some manufacturers were charging £30,000 or more for their top players.
Maybe Sony wanted more of the public to experience their engineering prowess, even if they lost on it.
Anyway, which model do you have Sir....91?

Thanks for the reply. This exact one the CDP-XB930E U.K tuned model which purchased in 1999 rrp £300. I believe its the cheapest model to feature the "puck" transport but i may be wrong ?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWOs_Yhpr3g

 

[JDL]

Oh yes, a very nice machine. I was looking at a couple of those and contemplating buying one, but I couldn't resist the ES because of the price.
Did you say that no player is going to sound as good as your Sony? Or am I mistaken.
I got my Meridian 508.20 back the from Russell Phillips, that is "Mr Tech Guy Ltd" yesterday, Meridian experts, him and Ed. In addition yesterday, the crossovers for my B&W 802 Matrix S2 arrived from Dave Smith of Wilmslow Audio, the speaker specialists. They've had nice new top quality Mundorf and Jantzen capacitors fitted and some other new components. The original B&W quality control test stickers are dated October the 18th 1989.
The Meridian, has had New lasers (the best available) full re-cap, new transformer and full service.
That player is terrific.