Videoton Minimax - forgot how good they were.

[admin_exported]

Hi all, first post here. I don't own kit of the quality of some of the stuff I see on here but would welcome some advice.

For about 16 years I have had a Denon D110 mini system hooked up to a pair of Kef Q10 speakers. I've been very happy with this but not really listened to anything else over the years. Anyway, to get to the point, at the weekend I was clearing out and came across an ancient pair of Videoton Minimax 2s which I had stored away many years ago. I hooked them up to the Denon to see if they still worked and it was something of a revelation. They sound so much clearer than the Q10s and although my first impression is that there is less bass, I think it is a case of less is more. Amazing sound for such a small speaker. The Q10s sometimes sound boomy in comparison and the bass can overwhelm the mid / upper frequencies.

So, for now I'm happy listening to the Videotons but they have set me thinking about more modern speakers. Do you think I could get more out of the Denon by upgrading to something else. Small bookshelf / stand mounts would be required with a budget up to £300. There isn't a lot of information on the internet about the Denon system, the D110 was one of a range of mini systems produced by Denon in the 90's. It has a 40W amp if that helps. There are some pictures of a D110 here if it jogs anyones memory - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/faulty-DENON-D-110-CD-twin-tape-tuner-amp-hi-fi-system-/380215053224 it was a £900 system when I bought it in 1994.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[the record spot]

I'd do a compare and contrast with the Videotons (I recall the name - Hungarian weren't they?). If you like the KEF sound, I've heard good things about the KEF IQ30, while the Q Acoustics 2010 and 2020 are worth a look. Up to £300, that also gets you the Dali Lektor 2 which many people seem to rate on here.

Don't be too surprised however, if you find you might still have a hankering for the oldies - I've no idea of the sound, but you might find that the speakers would benefit from a better amplifier. Not sure if that's the way you'd want to go, but it's at least another consideration.

 

[Anonymous]

As a 'Speaker Obsessive' who has tried the "more modern", but now that older, previously much too expensive (for the average young guy in the 70's!) classic units are easily accessible & affordable (God Bless E-Bay!) -

I just go back & back to brilliant top rated 'oldies' as I find them on E-Bay & elsewhere -

My 'thing' is primarily opera, but also most classic orchestral & jazz vocal - best rated for Voice (& Piano) in that (70's) era were the JR-149s, M-S Pageants - & the MINIMAX (amongst smaller, cheaper 2-Unit speakers) - the other contender - the 'winners' - were ctually the Yamaha 1000s - neither small nor cheap (also in the bigger super-espensive mix were Quads, KEF 104s & Tannoy 'somethings') - so that gives you some idea of how GOOD the others were - & still ARE!

So now I have JR-150's* (big 3 unit big brothers of the 149s), M-S Pageants (Mk1!), JR-149s*, Gale Mini-Monitors*, JBL Control 1s*, Wharfedale Diamonds*, Boston A40s - & the Minimax - all hooked up to a NAD Amp & an 8-way Selector & thus all endlessly compared & enjoyed!

They are all cracking performers (for MY music choice) - & - the * items all came from E-Bay @ between £15 - 250. The Pageants & the Minimax I picked up 'somewhere' for £45 & £15 respectively 20 years ago (God Bless the UK's plethora of 2nd Hand Electronic shops too!) The A40s are the only units bought from new - £200'ish in '85 - & twice refoamed (they sound exquisite but are desperately sensitive & vulnerable - too small for my amp - & rubbish French electrical cutout / hideous 'spike' tendencies - really! Interestingly & amazingly, the truly venerable, but equally 'small' Videotons stand up to it all!)

My message, therefore, is that where speakers are concerned, neither modern nor expensive are necessarily best &, unless you want real 'boomers', the older 'timeless' Brit & US classics really ARE timeless & can outdo or equal anything new on the market today - & at significantly lesser cost!

Hope that helps if it's not too late (only just joined the Forum, today.)

 

[crang]

Thanks for this post! Completely forgotten that I to had a pair of these ! Around 1974-5

ended up giving them to my father.

astounding little boxes together with an old Rotel amp with the huge output meters about 40 wpc and a Thorens turntable & SME arm Shure cartridge ende up selling for about £70! Dread to think what they would fetch now?

Thanks for the memory !

 

[CnoEvil]

Thanks for this post! Completely forgotten that I to had a pair of these ! Around 1974-5

ended up giving them to my father.

astounding little boxes together with an old Rotel amp with the huge output meters about 40 wpc and a Thorens turntable & SME arm Shure cartridge ende up selling for about £70! Dread to think what they would fetch now?

Thanks for the memory !

It was the first big sounding little speaker that I remember hearing, and being genuinely astounded by it.....was about 15 or 16 years old at the time and dipping my toe into the world of hifi for the first time. It made a lasting impression.

 

[mdhardcastle]

By sheer chance I came across this page.

My Father "Cliff Hardcastle" started the company that imported and sold Videoton Minimax's in 1972. It was called Perdix Components, later became Taylor Miller and floated in 1986 as Densitron International PLC (now Densitron Technoligies plc). It still exists and in the early 80's sold the HiFi business to Richer Sounds and Sevenoaks Sound and Vision.

The minimax was the first commercial success he had and I remember touring round the UK exhibiting the product at HiFi trade fairs. I remember one in particular in Blackheath London.

My Father is retired, but still gets involved helping business. He can be found at www.cliffhardcastle.com and I am in the Internet Industry www.mikehardcastle.com

I'd love to hear any more feedback on the minimax's or any other Videoton products you have (especially if you got involved in their computers later on). We owned a Videoton VT6000 mini computer which I learned to run and program in the 1980's. I wish I had photos or could find more information about them online.

Drop me a line or post here if you know anything.

All the best

Mike Hardcastle