HiFi prices from 1987

[CnoEvil]

While trying to answer a question on another thread, I came across a "HiFi review" mag from 1987.

In case it's of intrest, here's a few products/prices/comments from back then.

Heybrook HB1 £149 (Dynamic and impressive if a little bright for some tastes)
Linn Kan £271 (With right ancillaries gives outstanding results)
Linn Isobarik £1569 (Editors favorite and very musical)
Kef 103/3 £599 (Great bass weight with dynamic and clean sound)
Kef 104/2 £768 (This was the speaker that broke the mould for Kef)
Kef R107 £1900 (Superlative with deepest bass you can imagine)
MA R852 £349 (Seemless,dynamic & beautifully integrated)

Dual CS505 £129 (A classic budget turntable)
Rega Pl 2 £135 (Outstandng)
3 £188 (One of the best sounding sub £300 decks)
Dunlop Sys dk £115 no arm (good sounding)
Linn LP12 £471 no arm (best sounding we've heard)
Roksan Xerxes £545 no arm (Next to Linn)
Michael Gyrodec £595 no arm (Seductive)

Rega RB300 £90 (VFM)
Linn Ittok LV11 £399 (The best by some margin)

A&R E77 £55 (Th best A&R cartridge)
Linn Asaka £260 (Refinement & polish)
Troika £546 (Best at any money)

Nakamichi Dragon £1750 (If you want auto reverse, buy this)

Naim NAT-01/Snaps £998 (Without peers)

Creek CA4040 £145 (Good sounding with tone controls)
Nad 3130 £149 (Latest contender from Nad)
A&R Arcam Alpha £149 (Sets the standard)
Rotel RA820BX2 £149 (Better sounding than Mk1)
Naim Nait £241.50 (King of budget amps. Smooth powerful & eloquent)
Naim 42.5/110 £595.70 (First rung to audio nirvana)
42.5/140 £661 (Adds power and grace)
32.5/Hi/Cap 250 £1641 (Can only be bettered by 2x135 monos)

Bring back any memories?

 

[the record spot]

Read somewhere that my amp (Sansui AU-717) was around £400 when it came out in 1977. Did a conversion unsing the Bank of England inflation calculator and it came out somewhere in the £1800 mark I think. Puts upgrading into another league...!

 

[Lost Angeles]

The Planar 3 price is the same as I paid in 1986 so no inflation.
Where is the 8000A amp.

 

[chebby]

A highly skewed list. (Only three items from non-British companies.)

Ten from Linn & Naim. (Inseperable in those days.)

Blatantly expressed favouritism. (Even by the editor!)

Dark days.

 

[chebby]

Where is the 8000A amp.

Or indeed anything from Meridian, Quad, Pink Triangle or any number of other highly respected and very innovative companies.

 

[CnoEvil]

Chebby you're quite correct.

That is about half the list, but it continues in the same vain. I picked out the products that might be of intrest here. Aside from some cassette decks, tuners and CD players it's British all the way, but that,as you know, was the way back then.

Nothing you have mentioned is listed - good as they were - surprising.

 

[chebby]

Chebby you're quite correct. That is about half the list, but it continues in the same vain. I picked out the products that might be of intrest here. Aside from some cassette decks, tuners and CD players it's British all the way, but that,as you know, was the way back then.

Nothing you have mentioned is listed - good as they were - surprising.

The - not very deeply buried - subtext to that list is that everything else was some kind of 'stepping stone' to a Linn/Naim system (with just a couple of exceptions in Nakamichi and KEF. Probably because Linn/Naim didn't make cassette decks and KEF provided the drivers for Linn's top speakers!)

 

[chebby]

"Naim NAT-01/Snaps £998 (Without peers)"

So long as you only listened to Radio 3 and Radio 4 and had a Ron Smith Galaxie aerial as big as a garden shed (some were enormous) that was mounted on a pylon! (Here is what I mean.)

Again, they totally ignored the - legendary - Audiolab 8000T and a couple of superb Marantz and Luxman tuners.

 

[Frank Harvey]

I don't believe the 8000T was available in 1987 - I think it was early 90's, may be slightly wrong though.

The 8000A was £350.

 

[Anonymous]

Linn lp12 best sounding we have heard.

I guess they never listened to any other decks then.

 

[CnoEvil]

Further info;
Editor: Chris Franklin
Dep. Editor: Malcolm Steward
Contributors: Noel Keywood; Peter Herring; Peter Turner; Derek Whittington; David Kay;
Chris Thomas; Johnny Bolton; Paul Benson; Mark Prendergast; John McNamara.

The magazine was published bi-monthly, but from memory wasn't around for that long - unlike Mr.E who probably remembers more 😉

 

[Lost Angeles]

I don't believe the 8000T was available in 1987 - I think it was early 90's, may be slightly wrong though. The 8000A was £350.

Frank Harvey may have been expesive in those days, I paid £299 in November 86, or did we have raging inflation.

 

[Mr Morph]

Bring back any memories?

Many! Picking up my current speakers, and a pair of Heybrook HBS1 stands. But the thing that really caught my attention in the shops were those 'Dreadnought Class' Sony CDP's which appeared to be getting heavier by the year... CDP-333ESD (£600) and CDP-555ESD (£999).

 

[audioaffair]

Wow - look at the price of the NAD - £149! With the time value of money in mind this is worth around £327 today according to an online calculator. Goes to show how great value the entry level NAD amps are today with the C316 being a lot less than £327!