Worst value for money hifi component you ever bought

[admin_exported]

As a counterpart of the recent post on the best Value for Money component maybe this is fun too. So what was the component you enthousiastically bought, maybe after reading the glossy adds or raving reviews (elsewhere of course) but was really so bad you couldn't believe it, and where did it end up?

For me probably a TEAC cassette recorder with Dbx noise reduction: the so called professional NR that worked very well with new tapes, but after a few months of tape aging the sound of the recordings was horrible, a sort of pumping and pushing that was impossible to listen too. Had to use better tapes they said, but I had to dump all tapes, and go back to Dolby B. Even found it again at http://www.vintagecassette.com/Teac/A-550RX, instant memories..

Or was it the Thorens record player where the lid could not close if the record was a bit larger than usual or not completely round? Imagine the first time when a record started scratching and scraping the perspex lid! All dumped, eventually.

Pete

 

[matthewpiano]

Arcam A65+ amplifier. £450, and not worth the time, money or effort. I found it bland and boring to listen to, although I generally like Arcam gear. Ended up selling it, but made a loss.

 

[Anonymous]

Now bear in mind this is only relative to your own experience...a pair of Monitor Audio Silver 4i speakers. Didn't like them. Ever. In a wide second place, REL Quake. Just can't get it right, too slow!

 

[Tear Drop]

Some Russ Andrews mains extension many years ago. Ignorance was to blame.

 

[Tonestar1]

A £50 HDMI cable. The one I got free with my £40 wall bracket is exacty the same. Don't want to cause a cable war again, but you would ask!

 

[Anonymous]

For me bose lifesyyle surround system. Bleeeeeeeeetch.Amp, as part of the sub would rattle when Radiohead is playing.Thrown away money.Also had the two channel bose system which had a better constructed amp- sub section. sold it to finance the bleeeeeeeeeetch.

 

[Johnno2]

A project debut turntable,I thought Iwould get back into listening to records again, It just sounded lifeless,the crackles annoyed me,and it was very microphonic,highley rated by the mags too. Got rid

 

[Tonestar1]

Johnno2:A project debut turntable,I thought Iwould get back into listening to records again, It just sounded lifeless,the crackles annoyed me,and it was very microphonic,highley rated by the mags too. Got rid

I was seriously thinking of buying one of those as well:-( I've never really experienced a proper analogue sound since i listened to my dads Elvis records. Think 2nd hand reel-to-reel may be the way forward. I'm not intending it to be a prime source just something that looks good and gives a half decent sound.

 

[matthewpiano]

Tonestar1:
Johnno2:A project debut turntable,I thought Iwould get back into listening to records again, It just sounded lifeless,the crackles annoyed me,and it was very microphonic,highley rated by the mags too. Got rid

I was seriously thinking of buying one of those as well:-( I've never really experienced a proper analogue sound since i listened to my dads Elvis records. Think 2nd hand reel-to-reel may be the way forward. I'm not intending it to be a prime source just something that looks good and gives a half decent sound.

Look for a decent 2nd hand Rega Planar 2 or Thorens TD150 or TD160. Will eat the Project alive (and I currently have a Debut III).

 

[Tonestar1]

Matthew,

How much are you talking about? I'm thinking £200 tops it's gonna be more of a dabble than anything else.

 

[matthewpiano]

Tonestar1:
Matthew,

How much are you talking about? I'm thinking £200 tops it's gonna be more of a dabble than anything else.

You should be able to pick up a decent second hand example of either for around £100. Spend about £50 on a decent budget cartridge, and you are up and running with much better performance than the Debut will give you. I'll be looking for a used Rega myself in the next couple of months.

Even cheaper, if you can find a good Pioneer PL12D that is close enough for you to pick up in person, you'll be amazed at the performance £50-£60 can buy. A true classic. Just don't rely on anyone posting one out to you.

 

[Tonestar1]

Thanks mate.

I'll keep my eyes open. Like I say, no immediate need. Just something I'd like to get at somepoint just to see how it fairs up to cd.

 

[idc]

 

[8009514]

Worst value for money thing I bought was a Sansui AU666 amp. Pretty well top of the range and very expensive in UK. But, much cheaper in Singapore where I bought it whilst on leave there in 1973 for a couple of weeks. It was a wonderful amp. Unfortunately though, when I bought it back to UK, found there was no way I could afford deck or speakers to go with an amp that good.

So it had to go.

 

[aliEnRIK]

KEF CODA 9 floorstanders. Sounded really dull. I should have auditioned first methinks............

 

[Anonymous]

A £150 Chord interconnect I bought to go between a Naim CD player and Naim amp I had at the time. Convinced myself for a few months it was an improvement before trying the Naim interconnect again and admitting to myself it was much better.

Also around 1994 I paid £400 for a Techincs CD player because I knew nothing about hifi and the shop selling it would give me credit. It was very lifeless though it had some good reviews at the time. Sounded a bit like Arcam still does.

Weirdly though the worst buy was a complete Naim set up pre/power, cd player and tuner with some B&W P4s on the end of it. I bought Naim power supplys etc and kept upgrading without being able to afford it. I fell down the hifi black hole and paid far more than I could afford. I think at that point I was more obsessed with upgrading than with music. Glad I got my hands burnt then when I was young. I was glad to see the back of that system to be honest.

Now I am older and wiser and I know a system will only sound so good given certain conditions most people's listening space imposes on it. Current system would be £3000 or so new though I didn't pay that for it.

Now when I see people buying £300 mains cables I feel sympathetic not jealous.

 

[a.g.]

Arcam CD192. I see that Arcam is a recurring theme on this thread! Why am I not surprised?

 

[idc]

(Vote for the Arcam Alpha 7 and the CD62

Don't regret owning either) My original Sony CDP which cost about £100 and was soundly thrashed by the sound from the Yamaha KX390 cassette player. The Sony was soon replaced with the first Arcam, but it was not a complete waste of money as I was able to part exchange it.

 

[seasiders rock]

Wharfedale Evo 30, mk1...bought of e bay for £167, horrible, hated the top end, far to bright.

Imaging terrible, gave up trying to get them to sound half decent, just did not work in my room....

Can not understand how they got such good reviews.

Sold for £89 a few weeks later...

YOU LIVE AND LEARN...

 

[Anonymous]

Without doubt Micromega Amp and stage 6 CD player,great sound, awful longevity, 13 and 18 months respectively before they became unrepairable. £1200 found it's way into file 13.

 

[Anonymous]

idc:(Vote for the Arcam Alpha 7 and the CD62

Don't regret owning either) My original Sony CDP which cost about £100 and was soundly thrashed by the sound from the Yamaha KX390 cassette player. The Sony was soon replaced with the first Arcam, but it was not a complete waste of money as I was able to part exchange it.

That Sony player was the best value for money component, not the worst idc. Remember what happened when you went into Richer Sounds to audition its replacement.

 

[aliEnRIK]

a.g.:Arcam CD192. I see that Arcam is a recurring theme on this thread! Why am I not surprised?

What was so bad about it?

 

[Anonymous]

JCR1:Without doubt Micromega Amp and stage 6 CD player,great sound, awful longevity, 13 and 18 months respectively before they became unrepairable. £1200 found it's way into file 13.

Yep i agree, I used to have a Micromega stage 3 cdp it sounded fantastic but went in for repair three times in less than 12 months on the forth occation SMC simply gave me a full refund, all credit to them 😉

 

[matthewpiano]

JCR1:Without doubt Micromega Amp and stage 6 CD player,great sound, awful longevity, 13 and 18 months respectively before they became unrepairable. £1200 found it's way into file 13.

I think that might win the award for worst value of all!! Absolutely shocking but not too dissimilar to a French car I once owned...

 

[margetti]

Without doubt the Phillips MP3 player I bought a few years ago when the MP3 player market was just getting going - £100 for 128Mb of storage! Have no idea where it is now...