Question for Clare and team.

Thaiman

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In the recent issue of WHF&V you give Saxon cd player just 1 star! Now I haven't heard it so I can't fully comment on that but 1 star! How bad is that!
Firstly Saxon is base on Talk electronic's technology which I have own in the past and I thought it was excellent cdp, secondly a lot of cd player sound very similar (for that price range) as the transport and DAC come such a long way now I can not see how any new cd player could sound that bad. and lastly if the product is that bad why don't you just refuse the review, I mean saxon is not a big name anyway so the chances are most of WHF readers would never heard of them. Now the company will have even more difficulty to sell their products.

I just feel sorry for them!
 

hifikrazy

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If I remember correctly from a What Hi-Fi issue from years ago, a Saxon CD player did get a rather decent review. Can't speak for Clare and team, but how would they know the product is bad before they conducted the review? Wouldn't that be pre-judging a product just because it's not as established as the big boys? If they started rejecting reviews based on what they think rather than what they hear, we would never discover the next big thing in hi-fi, and small family owned companies like Clearer Audio would never have had their cables discovered. Anyway, just my two cents worth.
 

Andrew Everard

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FWIW, I know that when a product appears to be very poor against expectations the WHFSV reviewers will spend more time than usual checking for problems in an effort to coax more from the unit. It's a lot harder to give a product a truly bad review than it is when something shines straight from the box, or at least after a sensible running-in period.
 

Clare Newsome

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[quote user="Thaiman"]
if the product is that bad why don't you just refuse the review, I mean saxon is not a big name anyway so the chances are most of WHF readers would never heard of them. Now the company will have even more difficulty to sell their products.

I just feel sorry for them!

[/quote]

Thaiman, we're not a magazine run for the benefit of manufacturers, we're a consumer buyer's guide, designed to help all you lovely lot towards the products that offer the very best performance per pound.

However, as Andrew points out, we do try our utmost to make a product perform at its peak - matching it with different kit, changing cables, racks, popping the lid to make sure everything's in place etc.

In the case of the Saxon, it simply is an incredibly overpriced player - beaten by the best you can buy for £250, let alone at £600 (if it had cost £250, it would have been lucky to scrape a three-star review).

Add in the poor fit and finish and a remote control so cheap it isn't even branded and we felt you all deserved to be told to steer clear of this particular player.

It's nothing against Saxon - their cables get an average review elsewhere in the issue - but everything about value for money.

Strangely enough, there are three one-star reviews in this issue - the first time I can ever remember us having to so strongly dismiss that many products at once. But with standards rising across all the product sectors we cover, such below-par kit is simply not acceptable.
 

Thaiman

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Thanks for your comment and if that is the case then fair enough. The remote control look very similar to cyrus though! I would certainly would like the hear it just too see what the worst CD player for the money sound like? but after that review, it would be very hard to find a dealer that brave enough to stock them!

I am not questioning your ability to test such a product by the way....just wondering that's all.

Happy bank holiday.
 

hifikrazy

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Talking about the Cyrus remote, it is exactly the same one used by Roksan, only that the buttons are labeled differently. And now you say Saxon too?

Geez, can't all these manufacturers design and manufacture their own unique remotes rather than buy some generic product? Small time manufacturers I can understand, but shame on you Cyrus (hope they're listening).
 

Thaiman

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After more research and a few phone calls, it look like the product is really that bad! a real shame as their parent company "Talk" did make some cracking gears. I think I need to hear it for myself!
 
A

Anonymous

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I must say I do find this rather interesting regarding the Saxon.In 1994 it was I believe the Cd700 was reviewed were it received 4 stars,and a decent review,so what happened in the intervening years?did Talk electronics forget how to make CD players?there was no mention then that the player was of poor build quality,or the sound was worse than a player a third of it's price,therefore it makes the latest review that much harder to swallow.

Of course it can't compete price wise on something like the Cambridge audio,the Cambridge Audios are massed produced in China,the Saxons are hand built in the UK.Cambridge Audio is only cheap in the UK,get outside the UK and the prices of Cambridge Audio are much higher.Also the build of Cambridge Audio isn't 'that' great,they have a thin front facia,and the buttons arn't that responsive and the trays are slow to respond and open,but these things are never mentioned.

Obviously the Saxon has a very distinctive sound,making it therefore very easy to spot in a blind test,I think it would be fair to Saxon if this player being so poor could be identified in a ABX,come on,it's that easy,it would certainly for one like to see it,and any other product that doesn't get universal praise.

Look forward to your thoughts.
 

Thaiman

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Silly, I don't know what else the WHF team could explain more than Clare's reply above. The end of the day some like Naims's sound and some don't, my MF (Gorgeous!!!) come under fire so many times, I am not too keen on Cyrus gears but it seem the rest of UK do! and on it goes.....
As for the test itself I don't think WHF use an ABX or double ABX method as it's only the first test. I am not on anybody side here and Yes, I was very surprised myself (that's why I started the thread here), may be you should go out and demo one! (I certainly will!)
 

Clare Newsome

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Oh come on. "In 1994 xxx received four stars, so what happened in the intervening years"...

Er, 13 years of development??? DVD. The iPod.Not to mention, hi-fi that offers ever more for less money.
 
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Anonymous

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Sorry,it was 2004,I wrote it late at night.So lets now make that 2-3 years.A Cd player that uses Talk Electronics,has in the space of two years, metamorphosing itself into a piece of worthless junk,hmmm

True, their are superb pieces of affordable hi-fi out there,after years of looking I know know where to find them.
 
A

Anonymous

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[quote user="Thaiman"]
Silly, I don't know what else the WHF team could explain more than Clare's reply above. The end of the day some like Naims's sound and some don't, my MF (Gorgeous!!!) come under fire so many times, I am not too keen on Cyrus gears but it seem the rest of UK do! and on it goes.....
As for the test itself I don't think WHF use an ABX or double ABX method as it's only the first test. I am not on anybody side here and Yes, I was very surprised myself (that's why I started the thread here), may be you should go out and demo one! (I certainly will!)

[/quote]

Thank Thaiman,

I will certainly try to hear and see one,personally I find differences in CD players to be quite small,yes they are there,and people have their personal preferences,I prefer a smooth sound,than the rather more upfront sounding players.
 

Thaiman

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[quote user="silly"],personally I find differences in CD players to be quite small[/quote]

Yeb, I think the same! but on the budget to Midrange CDP. as they are sharing many components inside the lid.
 

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