How does my 1998 Hi-fi compare to a modern micro system?

[paddyb]

I have a Technics SL-HD51 mini system, which I use with some 1980's Solavox 60 speakers and are a great improvement over the ones it came with but have now died and need replacing.

As I'm playing more and more music directly from digital files, I'm trying to ascertain whether a modern system with USB input and streaming such as the Onkyo CR N755 or Marantz M CR603 would have a better sound quality or whether I should keep the Technics and use some sort of combination of Squeezebox / Sonos / NAS / DAC / Raspberry Pi / Laptop / Vortexbox / Android phone to play my digital files. I don't want to play them directly from my PC. If I don't buy a new CD Player/Amp, I would probably get better speakers to go with the Technics than I would be able to afford if I went for the Onkyo / Marantz option.

There is not that much in the way of info on the HD51 on the web. I believe it was released in 1998 and was quite a good mini system at the time, the MASH technology it uses seems to be highly regarded. I'm not sure how far things have progressed since then, but I had a demo of the What Hi-Fi award winning Denon M39DAB in Curry's as wasn't exactly blown away (though the testing situation was far from ideal), which is why I'm wondering if what I have already is just as good sound wise.

They still sell on ebay for £40-£100. Spec sheets can be download here:

http://www.hifi-studio.de/hifi-klass...51_SC-HD81.pdf

TECHNICS SE-HD51 Service Manual free download, schematics, eeprom, repair info for electronics

Many thanks in advance for your help.

 

[rjb70stoke]

Why not get yourself a reasonably cheap 3.5mm to 2 phono lead and connect it to the AUX input and play your digital files from your Android device etc, and see how it sounds?

If youre still happy with the sound, a cheap streamer may be all you need to spend on.

 

[paddyb]

Thanks for your response.

I have previously used an old 30gb ipod classic with this system in the way you suggested. The sound is good, I’d go as far as to say I am content with it, but I’m prepared to spend some money on improving it. I’ll need to spend a bit of money anyway on getting it better equipped for digital (an ipod of any capacity is not big enough for my library in a loseless format) and I need some new speakers. So i’m really trying to ascertain which of these two options would give the best improvement in sound:

Option 1: Spend £100-£200 on a streaming solution that will connect to the Technics, and £200-£250 on speakers.

Option 2: Spend £350-£500 on an Onkyo or Marantz bundle with speakers (Dali Zenzor 1, Wharfdale Active 9.1, Q Acoustics’ 2020i’s)

I would be a bit disappointed if I went for option 2 and found the results were no better than the amp I already have.

Not easy for anyone to judge unless they’re familiar with all the systems discussed, but I thought the spec sheets and knowledge of the components and standards from the time the Technics was produced might help someone shed some light on how it compares.

 

[the record spot]

If you're looking at an all in one, then Onkyo's TX8050 is the better option in all fairness. If the disc-spinner is a deal breaker (the 8050 is a networked stereo receiver) then forget my suggestion. Brilliant for the money though - you should get one for about £300 or so. Form and function in one very smart package.

 

[MajorFubar]

The kids have an SL-HD51 HiFi in their bedroom (bought from a second hand shop for £100), and while it's an ok system, I'd be really surprised it it's as good as an MC-R603.

Built will though, and I've got the optional lacquered plinth 8)

 

[hoopsontoast]

I had a very similar technics system as my first foray into hifi, with some Tannoy DC1000's that were a massive improvement over the standard speakers it came with.

To be honest, the amp/cd/tuner were actually OK, did quite well. So you may find a bigger improvement just getting some new speakers first, then changing the electronics at a later date.

After that (with a brief side skip onto 5.1) I went with a NAD L53 All-In-One which was OK, not a massive difference and only noticed a huge improvement when I went with a Rega Planet mk1/Primare A20 combo.

 

[paddyb]

Thanks everyone for your feedback and sorry I haven’t been able to respond to these as they come in, I've had a hectic 24hrs.

So, the jury's still out on the HD51? I need to do a bit more research on how to get the best out of it digitally, which looks like it can be expensive and/or difficult to achieve without losing quality, and also look at how well streaming works on the other two systems I mentioned, as I read somewhere that the Onkyo CR N755 can't handle gapless playback, which is a worry. The TX8050 sounds good, but I do need a CD player as I won't give them all up just yet, I still have vinyl as well!

I'd like to move on to ask about speakers. As I mentioned, I have these Solavox 60 speakers from the 70's-80's, which I bought for £10 or so from a junk shop in the early 90's. As soon as I hooked them up to the HD51 I soon ditched the little speakers it came with. Not much on the internet about them, I have seen them on ebay before and found this thread:

http://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=77181

They are toast now, some damp got to them when they were in storage in a friends garage and the mid range on both of them has crumbled away.

I suppose I'm trying to get my head around these modern bookshelf speakers, which are tiny compared to the Solavox and others I owned before that. Even if I spend £400-£500, they don't get a whole lot bigger than something like the What Hi-Fi award winning Q Acoustics 2020i's. I know there are of course the more hefty floor standers, but am I right in thinking the technology has advanced so much that these small unites can chuck out the same sort of sound as those heavyweight retro speakers?

 

[paddyb]

Forgot to mention, dimensions of the Solavox are:

H44cm W25cm D21cm

 

[Blackdawn]

Hi, I don't think the Technics system will last for ever, it might be good to go for a deal with some new speakers. I'd be tempted to go for cheaper seperates rather than micro-system but its down to personal taste, money you have and space. You could always get a new amp and CD player, use the old speakers then when funds allow get some new speakers. If you have an output from the Technics CD player you could use this into a new amp, saving a little.

First off I'd be looking at what speakers I want/need for room you have.

Heres some examples -

Speakers - Monitor Audio BX2, Boston Acoustics A26, Dali Lektor/Zensor etc.

Amps - Pioneer A30, Marantz PM6004, NAD C326BEE, CA 351 etc

CD players- Cambridge Audio C351, Marantz CD6004, Pioneer PD30, Denon 720 etc

 

[paddyb]

Yes, that was a concern also, its nearly 15 years old and had a fair bit of use. If I’m going to upgrade I can save a fair bit of money by buying the whole lot as a bundle. I don’t know if I can quite stretch to separates and there don’t seem to be as many deals for amp/cd player/speaker deals, but I’ll keep looking.

So do how do you think the speakers you mentioned would stack up against the Solavoxes?

I can’t find an exact picture online, this is the nearest I could find:

http://viewitem.eim.ebay.no/VINTAGE-SOLAVOX-PR45-MKII-SPEAKERS/400273105756/item/index.en-US.html

Mine have a bass vent where the control knob is and black rather than silver trim on the cones.

 

[nopiano]

To be honest, I'd expect the Solavoxs to sound awful, and they were nothing special when new. You might like them, but they are not anywhere near 'accurate' which may disguise the weaknesses in your old gear.

There are lots of minisytem packages from the likes of Richer Sounds and shops like this:

http://www.hifix.co.uk/Hi-Fi-Package-Deals

The Onkyo and Marantz you mention are top-rated kit, as are the Denon models like the one you heard. Even if you go with a streaming add-on, your sound is still being held back by the aging Technics and those speakers! Just to add that I've no problem with old gear as such, and much of mine is a decade or more old. But do try to get a proper listen - which means anywhere but Currys!

 

[paddyb]

Thanks for the link. I realised after posting that I had been browsing "mini system" deals at Richer Sounds and they also have a "Hi-fi systems" deal sections, where there are CD player/amp/speakers deals.

I can afford a few of these offers, but none have streaming capability. Some have USB input, but don't handle lossless formats and I think browsing a collection of way over 500 albums on their tiny displays is going to be hopeless. I think Cocktail Audio and Brenan are the only two in my price range where this would work and I've discounted them as I don't think the sound qualities going to be good enough.

So I need a better solution, probably involving a smart phone app as a remote (I have an old Galaxy S1 I can dedicate to this). I could possibly get a second hand Squeezebox classic for under £100, or I'm back to looking at the mini systems. I think I'll start another thread about streaming etc options once I've digested what's available.

I'll ask my local Richer Sounds for a demo, they have very competitive prices so for once I won't need to order online and it makes it easier to take back if I'm still not happy once I've heard it at home.

The Curry's "demo" was hilarious by the way. It took them 15mins to find a mains lead, then I had to wire up the speakers myself as they didn't know how to do this! They gave me a CD to try, which showed up on the display as MP3, and from the sound of it, a very low bit rate MP3 as well. Not a great way to impress someone with the capabilities of a system. I drew their attention to this and they seemed to vaguely grasp of the idiocy of the situation and they eventually managed to find proper CD, though it was labelled in pen, so who knows what the original source of the material was. Then they watched as I walked past them and out of the shop.

 

[paddyb]

I meant to ask, what does 'accurate' mean in terms of speakers? I'm not fully up to speed with a lot of the terms used to describe hifi these days.

 

[nopiano]

I meant to ask, what does 'accurate' mean in terms of speakers? I'm not fully up to speed with a lot of the terms used to describe hifi these days.

...well, accurate to the sound of real instruments and voices. Rather than rose-tinted or "impressive". If you cup your hands over your mouth and then talk, that is what yours sound like - coloured and cuppy!