What is the difference between two models - i have noticied recently on both Onkyo and Yamaha kit UK Tuned stickers on the front panels in what way is it different to the others sold in Europe or is it just a gimmick for out market?
Whats with the UK tuned business?
- Thread starter matengawhat
- Start date
I had an onkyo 805 on a trial before buying the 875 and found the 875 to sound ever so sligtly warmer! it could be down to extra grunt it could be my ears or even my imagination but my conclusion was the uk tuned unit it maybeba bit warmer sounding
Some manufacturers such as Sony, Yamaha and Onkyo fine-tune some of their products to better suit what they perceive to be the preferences of UK listeners. I suppose the stereotypical view is that German customers prefer products that sound a little more clinical and unforgiving, while in Japan they may prefer more openness and purity, but it's hard to make generalisations.
After all, not all British hi-fi manufacturers produce products with the same sound. In the past Arcam kit had a tendency towards a warm sound, which you couldn't say of Naim or Linn. I don't thing there's necessarily such a thing as a "UK sound".
After all, not all British hi-fi manufacturers produce products with the same sound. In the past Arcam kit had a tendency towards a warm sound, which you couldn't say of Naim or Linn. I don't thing there's necessarily such a thing as a "UK sound".
Your probably right and there isnt really such a thing as the british sound, but the bods from from japan seem to think there there is!!
garethwd:Your probably right and there isnt really such a thing as the british sound, but the bods from from japan seem to think there there is!!
Couldnt disagree with this more - having lived in Australia for 8 years now I can confirm that the tendency here is towards what I would call a more 'American' sound - big, loud, bassy - you know, lots of Bose & Cerwin Vega etc. Just awful. There is a distinct difference in what most UK users tend to go for and you can hear it plainly by comparing the more popular 'British' kit (albeit few of these are British owned or produced anymore) - Mission, Monitor Audio, Cambridge, Cyrus etc etc.
Compare this stuff to some of the US or Australian-made stuff and you'll hear a 'very' different thing.
Couldnt disagree with this more - having lived in Australia for 8 years now I can confirm that the tendency here is towards what I would call a more 'American' sound - big, loud, bassy - you know, lots of Bose & Cerwin Vega etc. Just awful. There is a distinct difference in what most UK users tend to go for and you can hear it plainly by comparing the more popular 'British' kit (albeit few of these are British owned or produced anymore) - Mission, Monitor Audio, Cambridge, Cyrus etc etc.
Compare this stuff to some of the US or Australian-made stuff and you'll hear a 'very' different thing.
So does an denon amp sold in the usa have a compleatly differnt sound to sold in the uk?
I think the question is more about same brand differences and what is perceived to be the british sound ie(not strictly accurate ;-) cyrus detailed and lean, arcam warm ,niam energetic ect ect! which one has the british sound?
I think the question is more about same brand differences and what is perceived to be the british sound ie(not strictly accurate ;-) cyrus detailed and lean, arcam warm ,niam energetic ect ect! which one has the british sound?
garethwd:So does an denon amp sold in the usa have a compleatly differnt sound to sold in the uk?
Actually - to a degree yes, they are tuned differently - also due to difference in spec and marketing in the US, similar models are also released under different model numbers - the AVC-A1HD for example - on sale in the US as the 5308CI
This goes further when you look at how some manufacturers pair kit to go with their 'system' offerings - Denon for a long time included Mission designed & built speakers with theirs to go along with the kind of sound people were looking for with those units.
I'm not saying the whole thing is going on to a huge degree but it happens in most industries, cars, other white goods - they build what will sell int he respective country and to suggest otherwise is naive. There's also the marketing b.s. factor of course - like the 'UK tuned' stickers - the units may or may not be tuned at all but the sticker will help the unit to sell nonetheless. Be interesting to hear from Yamaha etc o what 'tuning' exactly is involved in these units.
I know from my own experience I've always preferred the Mission or Monitor Audio sound as far as speakers go and whereas a lot of the Aussie HiFi stores think some of the local speakers are superb I can't get away with them. Dunno what the last word is on this one. WHF team got anything to add?
Actually - to a degree yes, they are tuned differently - also due to difference in spec and marketing in the US, similar models are also released under different model numbers - the AVC-A1HD for example - on sale in the US as the 5308CI
This goes further when you look at how some manufacturers pair kit to go with their 'system' offerings - Denon for a long time included Mission designed & built speakers with theirs to go along with the kind of sound people were looking for with those units.
I'm not saying the whole thing is going on to a huge degree but it happens in most industries, cars, other white goods - they build what will sell int he respective country and to suggest otherwise is naive. There's also the marketing b.s. factor of course - like the 'UK tuned' stickers - the units may or may not be tuned at all but the sticker will help the unit to sell nonetheless. Be interesting to hear from Yamaha etc o what 'tuning' exactly is involved in these units.
I know from my own experience I've always preferred the Mission or Monitor Audio sound as far as speakers go and whereas a lot of the Aussie HiFi stores think some of the local speakers are superb I can't get away with them. Dunno what the last word is on this one. WHF team got anything to add?
It's racism to think that UK ears are better than everyone elses. Master-race and all - isn't that what Germany started a war for?
Actually...its a very valid point. (Not the "UK ears are better" thing.
)
I accept that very different market regions may have hardware differences that may be described as "tuning" after all, the UK and US have very different domestic power generation, transmission and operating frequencies. This will natually have an effect on power supplies installed, and possibly on the "sound" of audio equipment.
However, most European nations operate essentially the same domestic power generation system, therefore, the idea that Denon or Yamaha may build products destined for the UK market with superior components as part of a "UK Tuning Programme" essentially implies that the rest of Europe are getting inferior equipment.
I find this in fact actually quite infuriating. As a Londoner born and bred...but now living in Sweden, I of course HAVE UK ears!!! I also read UK reviews (often where new equipment appears first) and participate in UK Forums. - like many continental europeans.
That UK prices are often significantly lower than European prices, especially Scandinavian ones is enough of an annoyance....to then discover that the product I am expected to pay more for in Sweden may in fact, in a very real hardware sense be inferior to the same brand and model sold cheaper in the UK is more than a little disturbing.
Prices can be different enough in fact that flying to the UK to buy and bring back (even with excess baggage costs in some cases) or pay for shipping yourself becomes a realistic money saver...and really with open borders and increasingly open trade retailers should also be looking at some degree of price parity here!
(a random example. - as of 28/01/2010 )
Yamaha RX-V1065
UK Price (not even lowest I am sure.) £499 - plus shipping of maybe £40Swedish Price £645 (This is the lowest I could find, the average is maybe £677 and the highest £823)
Clearly Swedish retailers think that the Swedish buyer is an utter muppet, because not even the higher rate of VAT on "luxury electronics" explains this massive difference...and to rub salt into the wound? The cheaper UK version may well even be built with better components, making it in fact a better product!!
There is a finer margin of difference between the Denon AVR-2310 in the UK and Sweden of only £100 (The whole of Scandinavia only has ONE Denon dealer, they can charge what they like if they want I suppose.) - However, £100 more for something that is less good than the UK version? My instinct as a buyer is to say "No, I don't want your scabby sub-standard cast off, I'll look to another manufacturer instead."
So yes....The whole tuning issue DOES VERY MUCH matter
I accept that very different market regions may have hardware differences that may be described as "tuning" after all, the UK and US have very different domestic power generation, transmission and operating frequencies. This will natually have an effect on power supplies installed, and possibly on the "sound" of audio equipment.
However, most European nations operate essentially the same domestic power generation system, therefore, the idea that Denon or Yamaha may build products destined for the UK market with superior components as part of a "UK Tuning Programme" essentially implies that the rest of Europe are getting inferior equipment.
I find this in fact actually quite infuriating. As a Londoner born and bred...but now living in Sweden, I of course HAVE UK ears!!! I also read UK reviews (often where new equipment appears first) and participate in UK Forums. - like many continental europeans.
That UK prices are often significantly lower than European prices, especially Scandinavian ones is enough of an annoyance....to then discover that the product I am expected to pay more for in Sweden may in fact, in a very real hardware sense be inferior to the same brand and model sold cheaper in the UK is more than a little disturbing.
Prices can be different enough in fact that flying to the UK to buy and bring back (even with excess baggage costs in some cases) or pay for shipping yourself becomes a realistic money saver...and really with open borders and increasingly open trade retailers should also be looking at some degree of price parity here!
(a random example. - as of 28/01/2010 )
Yamaha RX-V1065
UK Price (not even lowest I am sure.) £499 - plus shipping of maybe £40Swedish Price £645 (This is the lowest I could find, the average is maybe £677 and the highest £823)
Clearly Swedish retailers think that the Swedish buyer is an utter muppet, because not even the higher rate of VAT on "luxury electronics" explains this massive difference...and to rub salt into the wound? The cheaper UK version may well even be built with better components, making it in fact a better product!!
There is a finer margin of difference between the Denon AVR-2310 in the UK and Sweden of only £100 (The whole of Scandinavia only has ONE Denon dealer, they can charge what they like if they want I suppose.) - However, £100 more for something that is less good than the UK version? My instinct as a buyer is to say "No, I don't want your scabby sub-standard cast off, I'll look to another manufacturer instead."
So yes....The whole tuning issue DOES VERY MUCH matter
Gort1951:It's racism to think that UK ears are better than everyone elses. Master-race and all - isn't that what Germany started a war for?
And the Oscar for over-reactive post goes to...
And the Oscar for over-reactive post goes to...
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