Ripp-off Hifi

[drummerman]

Maybe not ripp-off but 'economising'.

To give RussAndrews a break I thought of other things that reek of wrong economy, more so the further up we go.

Example; Roksan's K3 CD Player. - A parts bin Dot Matrix Display complete with 80's style track calender. Must have cost 'em a few pence. Perhaps a left over wholesale purchase for a few quid. Yours for 900 quid.

Worse, I read a 2013 review of MBL's £8000 1511F High End DAC. A crappy, low(est) resolution display adorning the Front. You wouldn't accept this on £40 phone ... .

Many more.

(I'll excuse Cyrus and Naim with their displays as they could be deemed iconic) 🙂

 

[Thompsonuxb]

B&W speakers....

The range has doubled in price - or gone up by £500 or so in the last few years.

Shocking!

Although the CM range look the part admittedly the lower range.....well it's just bang out of order. For how they sound.

 

[Gazzip]

On the bright side most of it blows up, packs up or sets on fire well within its warranty period so you get a brand new replacement for nowt. If you want a replacement for your screechy, overly bright indoor BBQ that is...

Also I would like to add Cyrus upgrades. Fecking disgrace.

 

[Gazzip]

Lovely sounding kit but appalling quality control for components costing in excess of £10K. My Reference CD9 arrived in the UK with the transport not properly fitted, the DAC incorrectly connected to the circuit board, and a fault in the power stage. The guy who repaired it said I was lucky it didn't fry when I switched it on.

 

[Gazzip]

Sound = complete tripe. £23K loudspeakers they are most definitely not.

 

[spiny norman]

On the bright side most of it blows up, packs up or sets on fire well within its warranty period

The guy who repaired it said I was lucky it didn't fry when I switched it on.

The sound you can hear is that of the shadowy mods running to find the number of a good media lawyer. ;-)

 

[Al ears]

On the bright side most of it blows up, packs up or sets on fire well within its warranty period

The guy who repaired it said I was lucky it didn't fry when I switched it on.

The sound you can hear is that of the shadowy mods running to find the number of a good media lawyer. ;-)

I find it advisable to use the word allegedly a lot, m'lud.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Also I would like to add Cyrus upgrades. Fecking disgrace.

A lot of the current upgrades are complete swap outs for the new models, as the time taken to physically upgrade a single unit wouldn't be cost effective. So basically you get a new unit and a new warranty.

 

[Frank Harvey]

B&W speakers....

The range has doubled in price - or gone up by £500 or so in the last few years.

Shocking!

Although the CM range look the part admittedly the lower range.....well it's just bang out of order. For how they sound.

683s went up from £999 to £1149. The 685s went up from £399 to £499. But to be fair, there was quite an improvement with the double dome tweeter, for starters.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Sound = complete tripe. £23K loudspeakers they are most definitely not.

🙂

 

[Gazzip]

On the bright side most of it blows up, packs up or sets on fire well within its warranty period

The guy who repaired it said I was lucky it didn't fry when I switched it on.

The sound you can hear is that of the shadowy mods running to find the number of a good media lawyer. ;-)

I find it advisable to use the word allegedly a lot, m'lud.

Personal experience that the manufacturer is aware of, m'lud.

 

[jonathanRD]

Sound = complete tripe. £23K loudspeakers they are most definitely not.

Now I've listened to a whole album (vinyl) played through the Kef blades in a room appropriate for their size. I sat there thinking maybe my ears needed a clean and that I would rather be at home listening to my own system.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

B&W speakers....

The range has doubled in price - or gone up by £500 or so in the last few years.

Shocking!

Although the CM range look the part admittedly the lower range.....well it's just bang out of order. For how they sound.

683s went up from £999 to £1149. The 685s went up from £399 to £499. But to be fair, there was quite an improvement with the double dome tweeter, for starters.

Not so long ago they were approx 700quid.

The cm8 were a grand or so.....ether way their prices a're criminal.

 

[Infiniteloop]

Ever seen the insides of Harbeth speakers? - Oh lordy!

(*cough* Stereophile Harbeth HL5 Plus *cough*).

Do these things really need to be close on £3500?

 

[MajorFubar]

(I'll excuse Cyrus and Naim with their displays as they could be deemed iconic) 🙂

Funnily enough Cyrus displays were right at the top of my list. The fluorescent displays on their early 4000, 7000 and PCM II machines were of their day and IMO looked fitting for their price. (You could argue I would say that, seeing I've just bought a used PCM II). But I'm afraid the displays on modern Cyrus equipment look like something they stole out of a Matsui / Saisho parts bin.

 

[Infiniteloop]

(I'll excuse Cyrus and Naim with their displays as they could be deemed iconic) 🙂

Funnily enough Cyrus displays were right at the top of my list. The fluorescent displays on their early 4000, 7000 and PCM II machines were of their day and IMO looked fitting for their price. (You could argue I would say that, seeing I've just bought a used PCM II). But I'm afraid the displays on modern Cyrus equipment look like something they stole out of a Matsui / Saisho parts bin.

Modern Cyrus equipment looks so dated you might be forgiven for thinking that they play 8 Track cartridges.

C'mon Cyrus, stop being cheap and hire a good product designer.

 

[manicm]

Not so long ago they were approx 700quid.

The cm8 were a grand or so.....ether way their prices a're criminal.

Compared to what? The Q Acoustics Concept 40s are 1000 quid. I think the 683s2 are just not to your taste, and not a bad or poor value for money one.

 

[MajorFubar]

Modern Cyrus equipment looks so dated you might be forgiven for thinking that they play 8 Track cartridges.

Nah, they looked waaay cooler 🙂

 

[Frank Harvey]

Not so long ago they were approx 700quid.

The cm8 were a grand or so.....ether way their prices a're criminal.

Maybe when they were reduced when discontinued? CM8s were £1250...

 

[MajorFubar]

...and presumably the 511/611. Perhaps we were spoiled by the build quality of the 603, but the build quaity and materials used in the 603's successors are straight from the sub-£50 bargain basement shelf at Curry's and most definiely are not what you expect from something costing ten times more.

 

[drummerman]

The new black 'anodized' Audiolab 8300 Series.

They look ok but when I visited RS the black version of the amplifier had scratch marks in line with the volume dial (around the volume dial) and the power button.

Whatever the coating is, it seems very thin and prone to damage.

I'd go for the silver version if anyone is interested in buying these.

 

[plastic penguin]

There are many things that can be classed as a "rip-off". Doesn't stop us from purchasing them though, does it?

 

[drummerman]

There are many things that can be classed as a "rip-off". Doesn't stop us from purchasing them though, does it?

Indeed and perhaps not the most apt choice of wording for the title though I did correct it somehow.

What I meant was things that could be deemed as unacceptable by some.

 

[MajorFubar]

There are many things that can be classed as a "rip-off". Doesn't stop us from purchasing them though, does it?

I think we're all happy to accept a certain number of what we consider faux pas or compromises, providing as a whole the product lives up to our expectations in its prime purpose. The two examples I gave concerned dubious choice of materials which I feel lessen the perceived value of the products value at first glance. But presumably as a whole product, Cyrus owners and Marantz 51x/61x owners are happy with what comes out the sockets, and that's the main factor.

 

[Vladimir]

Noticing manufacturers cheapening out on capacitors, transformers and pots is my ache.