Somehow, YT got me hooked on Italian movie car chases. This one is pretty good.
That was a great car chase. Not sure if those tailights were really used on the 57-58 Dodge with fins. I doubt if those cars would really have held up through all that...the stairs alone probably would have put them out of commission. I had a Dodge similar to that one...had pushbutton transmission and I forgot but that video reminded me, the rear view mirror was mounted on the dash, not the roof....looked like a today's GPS unit.
They must have cut out the scenes where the blue sedan drove through the car wash to rid it of the load of wet cement, and the scene where the Fury 2-door magically became a Dodge 4-door. Fun stunts though.
They must have cut out the scenes where the blue sedan drove through the car wash to rid it of the load of wet cement, and the scene where the Fury 2-door magically became a Dodge 4-door. Fun stunts though.
Great observations ab...I thought the front end of the Fury changed at some point too. I like it when people find inconsistencies in movies. I remember a movie where the couple were driving down the Pacific Coast and in some scenes the ocean is on the right of the car and other times it is on the left. Then in the final scene the Dodge magically turns back into a 2 door Plymouth Fury.
Brooks Brothers and the owner of Men's Warehouse have filed Chapter 11; two more victims of the new WFH lifestyle.
The last suit I bought was in 2009 for my father’s funeral. My son borrowed the jacket for some video he was shooting and promptly lost it. Don’t need a suit for any job interview that I would want at this stage of my life.
Just an update on the weather. We are looking at up to 6” of rain tomorrow. Seems the “eye” is going to past right over us. I’m going to build a large boat.
Well, now we know your first name is "Noah." Maybe you can post pictures from the hurricane as it blows through.
I’d have more faith in his boat building if he knew what a cubit is.
jmonroe
Depends on who you ask. Between 18 and 22 inches more or less.
Are you angling for a spot on the boat? Not sure it that would work as ship’s rules require passengers board two by two and you are a unique individual.
Can’t Jmonroe1 just bring Jmonroe?
Well, I heard that those two don’t get along. They can’t even show up here at the same time.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Brooks Brothers and the owner of Men's Warehouse have filed Chapter 11; two more victims of the new WFH lifestyle.
The last suit I bought was in 2009 for my father’s funeral. My son borrowed the jacket for some video he was shooting and promptly lost it. Don’t need a suit for any job interview that I would want at this stage of my life.
Just an update on the weather. We are looking at up to 6” of rain tomorrow. Seems the “eye” is going to past right over us. I’m going to build a large boat.
Well, now we know your first name is "Noah." Maybe you can post pictures from the hurricane as it blows through.
I’d have more faith in his boat building if he knew what a cubit is.
jmonroe
Depends on who you ask. Between 18 and 22 inches more or less.
Are you angling for a spot on the boat? Not sure it that would work as ship’s rules require passengers board two by two and you are a unique individual.
@stickguy beat me to the punch with what would have been my answer.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis Ultimate just like jmonroe's. '18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
Pioneer and Onkyo merged. Klipsch owns Jamo, Mirage, Athena and Energy speaker companies. Denon, in particular, has been scarce. They are also owned by the same company who owns Marantz.
Yeah, the consolidation is such that soon we'll have couple of companies, just like with TVs. Onkyo/ Pioneer were in talks to be acquired by Sound United (Denon, Marantz, Polk, etc.) some time earlier. So far didn't work out, but with Covid, it may accelerate it or finally kill it, nobody really knows. This would pretty much make us at their mercy, as only Yamaha would be left from large suppliers in the US, plus couple of very high-end independents. Sony didn't produce a new receiver in 3 years and I read somewhere they were also eager to sell this business.
Shows you how difficult consumer electronics really are. There are some upgrade cycles creating big buying rush, but between them it's basically fight for survival. The swings can also come from unexpected directions, when small non-established players come in with some product (like Sonos today) and eat significantly into established player business.
A LOT OF the electronics merchandise resellers have gone under too, including the online players (anyone remember J&R? I loved the deals I got on jandr.com or J&R.com but perhaps those deals were TOO GOOD; hence, they are no longer.
Out on the West Coast, Tweeter, Circuit City, and "The Good Guys" all bit the dust! Incredible Universe became Fry's, and carries on as one of the sole Best Buy competitors; never liked Best Buy.
Every time I go to SoCal, a friend of mine and I like to visit the local Fry's. It's like Best Buy and Radio Shack got together, given the number of components you can buy separately.
My own opinion:
I think most people today are looking for a more "plug and play" solution, which would explain the popularity of something like Sonos.
Think about the time and effort @graphicguy put into assembling and tuning his friends system - very few people have the patience to go through something like that (or, they call "the guy" to do it for them). Plus, with most everything being wireless now, who wants to connect all those wires and cables?
Will it result in better sound quality? I'm sure the audiophiles here would say yes, enthusiastically. Will 90% of the population know, or care? Probably not.
Good point. I think convenience rules. As you say, that has caused bluetooth speakers, all-in-one solutions for streaming, plug and go solutions, etc to really define the market.
Even 25 years ago, CD boomboxes were the "go to" sound solutions. So, not a recent phenomena.
However, given vinyl record resurgence, the rise of internet only audio manufacturers (Emotiva, Schitt, PSA, Hsu, Axiom, SVS, Monoprice, etc), there's a certain section of people out there who want good sound. Even boutique brands like REL, Magnepan, Martin Logan, VPI, Ohm, etc are still kicking around and doing well. Relative new comers like ELAC are doing well, also.
Most people don't even know the brands I mentioned above.
Big brands, like Bose, Sony, Onkyo, Pioneer, etc need economies of scale to continue. Ergo, the consolidation that's taking place.
Klipsch has kept their feet in both camps. They make bluetooth speakers. They make speakers you can buy at Best Buy. They've purchased other strategic brands. But, take a look at their high end products (https://www.klipsch.com/heritage-premium-audio-speakers) and you realize they've been doing this for a long time and have adapted while keeping their high end audio core in tact. Obviously, I admire them.
The vast majority wouldn't even dream of spending the kind of money I have in my Home Theater system. Not bragging about that, but it's something I enjoy and am willing to drop some coin on. I'm sure @tjc78 and @roadburner feel the same.
Now that I've been bit by the 2-channel bug (seems what goes around, comes around), I'm realizing I can get better performance given the last time I had a true stereo system.
I have to do another dealer swap for an Acura dealer tomorrow. These are the competitors to the dealership I buy all of my Acuras from. They have furloughed a lot of employees, so they call me when they can't get one of their lot boys to do a swap.
At least they gave me some notice. Will be an early a.m. swap. Should be finished well before lunch. Will drop off an RLX, and bring back an MDX. Interested to see how the RLX drives.
Is Graphicguy Transportation hiring?
I'm always looking for an extra gig. Local, too.
Sure...I'm hiring. No salary, no benefits...if that sounds appealing, send me your resume. LOL!
Just got back. Impressions.....of the RLX Sport Hybrid, black over tan...can you get more boring?. Well...given this is supposed to be Acura's flagship sedan, and it costs well north of $60K (I think the sticker was around $63K), it's a good thing they're killing it off.
It's not a bad car. Matter of fact, it's a really good car....if it was 2015. Pretty quick...some trick handling, especially for a big car. Great ride. Seamless in the electric motor and V6 integration. Nice materials inside (very similar to a TLX, though). As always, great ELS stereo. Infotainment was seriously lacking, especially compared to today's units. My Stinger's infotainment feels light years better.
Not sure who bought it but I'm guessing an octogenarian who bemoans the demise of the Cadillac XTS.
Acura MDX....I hear they sell the living daylights out of this model. Not sure why...take everything I said about the RLX, just raise it up, expand the rear area, slow it down, and you'd have a clone of the RLX. Seriously needs an update.
Love me some Acuras, but these two models aren't their best efforts.
Picked up this little audio gem last night for $180. 100W X 2 into 8 ohms full bandwidth. Bluetooth, USB, turntable connections, etc. All loaded up and made by a highly regarded English audio company.
My 29 year old Rotel RCD-855 CD player was designed in England using a Phillips of the Netherlands TDA1541A-S1 D/A chip and assembled in Hong Kong.
Philips (and Sony) were sound royalty of the CD era. Rotel has always had a great rep. I have an Oppo CDP 205. Oppo is out of that business, but the best multi-format disk player I've ever seen/heard. I actually thought about buying a couple of them before they stopped selling them to list on eBay. Seeing what they're selling for on eBay now, I missed that opportunity. I could have made a cool $300-$500 ea if I had done that.
There are some Problems with high end stereo. One is cost obviously. You also need dedicated space, and it only works in that space.
So for an older person with money and a big house they are staying in, if you want it, go for it.
For younger/poorer/renting/mobile people that don’t have the space, may move frequently, aren’t home much, have roommates, it really doesn’t make much sense. Compact systems and speakers they can take places, that does.
Why must y’all continue to curse me? Now, after 22 years, our kenwood receiver is throwing a fit. Keeps randomly changing listening modes and won’t keep a steady volume. It will once it is set and playing, but if you change channels or whatever, it can decide it feels like a change of pace.
Actually, it's probably fixable. The potentiometer is probably dirty and the switching board sounds like the solder is breaking down. Up to you whether you feel comfortable "tinkering" with it. Then again, it's 22 years old.
would that also make it change modes, though? Meaning, I may have it set to 3-channel stereo, but then all of sudden, I find it in theatre mode, or some such thing. It likes to choose a mode that creates a fake echo. It is really annoying. Never even understood why such a mode exists.
Anyway, as you said, it probably isn't worth messing with unless I'm hellbent on not spending money. I'm now wonder what happened to my old Pioneer. I barely used it. Can't recall if I gave that away or have it in the basement somewhere.
There's a separate PCB that they probably used to control listening modes...probably part of the Digital to Analogue converter. Depending on the source, some of those were soldered by machine. If the PCB set in the jig just a little off, the solder would be askew. Given heat and time, those are usually the culprit when you have the sort of behavior you're describing. The PCBs don't fail. The solder does.
It's funny how things come full circle. When I was a little kid we had a record player. Mono, with one speaker. Then stereo became commonplace and we upgraded to one of the combo TV/stereo console things in the living room, which seemed high-end at the time and which today cannot be given away. Once I got out of university and got my own place I had to get a proper component stereo system, as did most of my friends/coworkers. One of my brothers was really into it as well. I remember him noting to me how you could hear, on records he was playing, the hiss when the master tape began on the record.
The return of vinyl still makes me shake my head a bit. I remember when CDs appeared how they sounded better to me than vinyl - no dust pops or scratches, consistent speed, no need to clean them, etc. Now of course we know they had some shortcomings but to most folks they just seemed far better. I think returning to vinyl is partly a nostalgia play for some, and a hipster play for others. The sound they reproduce may actually be better but most people cannot hear it because their equipment isn't sensitive enough, or their hearing can't detect it. It is a different sort of sound but whether it is always better is something I am dubious about. The large-format album art and liner notes are nice though.
Now we listen to music on iPhones and on little Bluetooth speakers and for a lot of people it sounds "good enough" even if it isn't good. Full circle. But it is convenient, portable, and a massive library can get carried in your pocket, or streamed from the cloud. Good enough is OK for a lot of folks given that.
I have to do another dealer swap for an Acura dealer tomorrow. These are the competitors to the dealership I buy all of my Acuras from. They have furloughed a lot of employees, so they call me when they can't get one of their lot boys to do a swap.
At least they gave me some notice. Will be an early a.m. swap. Should be finished well before lunch. Will drop off an RLX, and bring back an MDX. Interested to see how the RLX drives.
Is Graphicguy Transportation hiring?
I'm always looking for an extra gig. Local, too.
Sure...I'm hiring. No salary, no benefits...if that sounds appealing, send me your resume. LOL!
Just got back. Impressions.....of the RLX Sport Hybrid, black over tan...can you get more boring?. Well...given this is supposed to be Acura's flagship sedan, and it costs well north of $60K (I think the sticker was around $63K), it's a good thing they're killing it off.
It's not a bad car. Matter of fact, it's a really good car....if it was 2015. Pretty quick...some trick handling, especially for a big car. Great ride. Seamless in the electric motor and V6 integration. Nice materials inside (very similar to a TLX, though). As always, great ELS stereo. Infotainment was seriously lacking, especially compared to today's units. My Stinger's infotainment feels light years better.
Not sure who bought it but I'm guessing an octogenarian who bemoans the demise of the Cadillac XTS.
Acura MDX....I hear they sell the living daylights out of this model. Not sure why...take everything I said about the RLX, just raise it up, expand the rear area, slow it down, and you'd have a clone of the RLX. Seriously needs an update.
Love me some Acuras, but these two models aren't their best efforts.
Good review kyfdx but the car seems to be a yawner. At one time Accura had something going for it....reliability of a Honda with a bit of extra fun and performance going for it. But, it seems other cars can do the fun and performance part much better, and at a similar price. Is there really any need for this model? Well, it will run it's course in 2022, it had a pretty good run for many years.
They must have cut out the scenes where the blue sedan drove through the car wash to rid it of the load of wet cement, and the scene where the Fury 2-door magically became a Dodge 4-door. Fun stunts though.
sun just peeked out hear (a little southwest of QB). we ended up in the eye or something, and avoided the really high winds and only got about 2-2.5" of rain I think. 20 miles west (other side of Philly) they had areas with 6" or rain, and major flood problems.
That makes me think of something. My family moved a few times when I was a kid, and when visiting my mom not long ago, I was looking at some old pics, and noticed our house at the time. It seemed pretty nice for a family with 2 young kids and a stay at home mom, especially during the high interest rate era, so I asked my mom how they afforded it. Her nonchalant reply: "oh, it was bank owned, the prior owners died in a car crash". She's always been on the hunt for a deal, that seals it. There was always something off-putting to me about that house when I was little - I didn't like to be alone in some areas (it was decent sized for this area), probably haunted, like Beetlejuice
I've never bought a car one could call logical or economical, and no regrets either.
We bought houses that were over our budget, and I bought new cars I probably shouldn't have bought (used would have been more prudent)...but, I don't regret ever buying them...it all worked out for the best.
I played clarinet in high school band and I wonder if people who played musical instruments were more attuned to whether the sound from an amplifier and speakers is true to the original performance.
I bought AR3a speakers a few years later when I built my Heathkit. Still have them.
As I said earlier, I listen to friends who actually play in bands and orchestras. If they like how my system sounds I consider my installation to be a success. One day I was playing a George Winston CD and a friend who plays in a classic "Big Band" remarked that when he was standing outside or inside that room it sounded as if there was someone actually playing a grand piano. I thought that was the best complement anyone could pay my system.
Vintage Acoustic Research speakers are still very impressive- a good choice.
One philosophy my father impressed upon me was, "If you can't afford to go First Class, don't go at all." I guess that's why I'm so averse to compromise when It comes to my cars, my tools, or my audio systems.
You guys keep talking about audio systens and I just might crank up (literally) my old Victroler.
I have to do another dealer swap for an Acura dealer tomorrow. These are the competitors to the dealership I buy all of my Acuras from. They have furloughed a lot of employees, so they call me when they can't get one of their lot boys to do a swap.
At least they gave me some notice. Will be an early a.m. swap. Should be finished well before lunch. Will drop off an RLX, and bring back an MDX. Interested to see how the RLX drives.
Is Graphicguy Transportation hiring?
I'm always looking for an extra gig. Local, too.
I want the franchise for Canada!
People in hell “want” ice water but they never get it.
jmonroe
LOL, my mom's favorite saying when I said I wanted something. Thx for the memories !
I'm of the generation that didn't really get into components much - a single unit with detachable/individual speakers seems to be the most common setup I recall seeing, and still use. I remember my first "real" stereo was a Sony boombox with detachable speakers - the cassette player had the feature where it could sense the gaps between songs. That seemed really cool then, around 1985. From there, it was a CD changer with separate speakers, worked well enough in a bedroom. Today I still have a turn of the century bookshelf system with separate speakers and a complicated CD changer mechanism that opens automatically and presents the CD cartridge - I am hosed if it breaks, but I don't use it anyway, just feel bad letting it go, as it is pristine and would probably end up in the skip. I mostly listen to Sonos now, sounds good enough for my small place and it is convenient. I also have a wind up Victrola and a few old radios, but I am an outlier there
It's funny how things come full circle. When I was a little kid we had a record player. Mono, with one speaker. Then stereo became commonplace and we upgraded to one of the combo TV/stereo console things in the living room, which seemed high-end at the time and which today cannot be given away. Once I got out of university and got my own place I had to get a proper component stereo system, as did most of my friends/coworkers. One of my brothers was really into it as well. I remember him noting to me how you could hear, on records he was playing, the hiss when the master tape began on the record.
The return of vinyl still makes me shake my head a bit. I remember when CDs appeared how they sounded better to me than vinyl - no dust pops or scratches, consistent speed, no need to clean them, etc. Now of course we know they had some shortcomings but to most folks they just seemed far better. I think returning to vinyl is partly a nostalgia play for some, and a hipster play for others. The sound they reproduce may actually be better but most people cannot hear it because their equipment isn't sensitive enough, or their hearing can't detect it. It is a different sort of sound but whether it is always better is something I am dubious about. The large-format album art and liner notes are nice though.
Now we listen to music on iPhones and on little Bluetooth speakers and for a lot of people it sounds "good enough" even if it isn't good. Full circle. But it is convenient, portable, and a massive library can get carried in your pocket, or streamed from the cloud. Good enough is OK for a lot of folks given that.
In 1980 I had subscriptions to Stereo Review and High Fidelity magazines. Between the two I found the commentary provided by Julian Hirsch (including the test results of Hirsch-Houck Laboratories) made Stereo Review a more interesting read for me. And the humor I found in Stereo Review seemed to lean in the direction of D.E.D. school of irreverent commentary. Both in text and the occasional cartoons here and there.
I recall a panel cartoon in Stereo Review depicting a glowering Incredible Hulk figure crashing into the listening room of a middle aged audiophile and holding up a tiny new Philips invention called the Compact Disc as the era of vinyl was dying. Today's equivalent would be Dr. David Banner crying, "I want my records back!"
Even now the best advice I've ever heard for recreating the most satisfying home audio experience is to match the range and capabilities of all components along with proper set up in the appropriate environment. I don't see a problem with shopping or collecting audio equipment for whatever coin when it's all about creating that music experience which can be so very satisfying to build over time.
Although as I typed that I recalled another 1 panel cartoon from an old Stereo Review issue. It depicted a guy unpacking a new turntable to add to a large rack filled with audio equipment in his music room. 2 women stood in a doorway looking at the man with the caption, "All I can say is thank God for food stamps Harriet."
My favorite scene in Gran Torino was the part where Walt tries to explain his impressive arsenal of tools in the garage to the kid he calls "Toad," who tried to steal his car. But it takes years to put together a toolbox like Walt's so he gave the kid basic tools which every man needs to get started: a pair of vice grips, duct tape and a can of WD40. "Any man worth his salt can do half the household chores with just those three things."
And the same beginnings for any kid who starts out with a tuner, amp and speakers as well. That's just another toolbox collection which grows over time. I read somewhere that we collect things that we someday hope to master. Not a problem unless the drive to collect things gets in the way of enjoying that which we had hoped to master. Music, cars, car repair, whatever.
Meanwhile, also in 1980, audio advertising was still focused on a moon race to the lowest inaudible, intangible THD claims. I remember so many ads inviting consumers to "listen to the difference" between our clean amp power versus our competitor's trash, etc. I listened to a lot of really clean tuner/amp power back then. It wasn't that hard to find and not really that much coin unless you wanted some of the beautiful things in the glossy ads. And who didn't?
And whatever happened to the dire warnings of TIM distortion theories back then? I never hear anything about that now. But I couldn't hear it then either. See what I did there?
Interesting list of old "boutique" audio brands like Magnepan posted. And I'll mention Polk speakers as a very good but non-boutique brand as well. Sound United now owns Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, Boston Acoustics and also Denon and Marantz. A month ago I read that they were set to acquire B&W speakers.
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
I think it's true that most people who in their childhood/youth played any kind of instrument, sang, or otherwise participated in any musical activity end up preferring hi fidelity sound systems, whatever they can afford. It can be a component system, or even a single unit system, but it had to be good enough within their financial means. It's probably due to their developed discriminate musical ear. There may be others who never played or sang anything, but still have high appreciation, but it's probably not very high number. The reason would be if one has musical talents of any kind, even modest ones, they'll likely be discovered and encouraged to be developed by their parents or teachers, at least a little (children get bored quickly, as I did after two years of piano), which in turn will make them more attune with sound quality for life. Basic reinforcement.
The problem is once you know what's missing, you can't really unhear it. I remember when first .mp3 files came around, I purchased a downloadable album, saved it into the CD and played in my system. I never felt more ripped off in my life than that day and it was only 11 or 12 bucks.
The problem is once you know what's missing, you can't really unhear it. I remember when first .mp3 files came around, I purchased a downloadable album, saved it into the CD and played in my system. I never felt more ripped off in my life than that day and it was only 11 or 12 bucks.
"...what's missing, you can't really unhear it. "
I asked before about SiriusXM sound quality (or lack of) vs CD/DVD vs USB drive when playing the same song on my Pioneer system in the Malibu. I still felt the USB drive quality was better than the CD quality. I decided it had to be in the quality of the electronics reading the CD because both it and the USB drive were reading digital versions.
I'm almost ready to take my AR3a speakers and my Heathkit AR-29 to a local trader market like @graphicguy and see what I can get. I saw a pair of speakers like mine for $1299 on Ebay (of course they were refurbished).
I don't recall the pricing for the receiver amplifier I built... but it was enough to offer it for sale.
Nice. Ours played regular 78 records. After the records were worn out, my brothers and I would bash each other over the head with them and shatter them into pieces. Probably worth a fortune today.
I asked before about SiriusXM sound quality (or lack of) vs CD/DVD vs USB drive when playing the same song on my Pioneer system in the Malibu. I still felt the USB drive quality was better than the CD quality. I decided it had to be in the quality of the electronics reading the CD because both it and the USB drive were reading digital versions.
There is also file format. I would be really surprised if your USB was better than the original CD as it was sold in stores (.wav file format which is 10 times larger than lossy .mp3 format), but if you burnt both USB and CD using same compression format then it may be the sound processor (DSP) inside of the CD player sending the signal to the receiver vs. USB decoded directly by the receiver.
sun just peeked out hear (a little southwest of QB). we ended up in the eye or something, and avoided the really high winds and only got about 2-2.5" of rain I think. 20 miles west (other side of Philly) they had areas with 6" or rain, and major flood problems.
Our current radar shows all reds and yellows.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I used to feel ripped off when I would buy LPs with 20 Greatest Hits........and they weren't the original singers.
I bet the x-ray specs and the sea monkeys must have made you furious. I bought an album like that once and it turned out the songs were all the flip side of the actual hits. Never trusted the back of a comic book ever again.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
sun just peeked out hear (a little southwest of QB). we ended up in the eye or something, and avoided the really high winds and only got about 2-2.5" of rain I think. 20 miles west (other side of Philly) they had areas with 6" or rain, and major flood problems.
Our current radar shows all reds and yellows.
My son sent a screen shot of the forecast showing tornado watch. He has a dead tree in the front yard, tree guys supposed to come out next week to remove it. Told him he might get a freebie. Hopefully falling toward the road, not on the house.
I think most people today are looking for a more "plug and play" solution, which would explain the popularity of something like Sonos.
Think about the time and effort @graphicguy put into assembling and tuning his friends system - very few people have the patience to go through something like that (or, they call "the guy" to do it for them). Plus, with most everything being wireless now, who wants to connect all those wires and cables?
Will it result in better sound quality? I'm sure the audiophiles here would say yes, enthusiastically. Will 90% of the population know, or care? Probably not.
I think that an overwhelming majority of the public have no clue about what an accurate music or home theater sounds like. Just give them a wireless speaker with a single 5.25 driver that plays loud and they will be happy as pigs in mud.
I think it helps if you've had a "few too many" adult beverages. Then perhaps I won't notice that you've over driven your 90's Aiwa shelf system to high sound levels, and of course, high sound distortion to go with it. Nothing against Aiwa, they probably made some of the best mini-shelf systems, but that's not saying much.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
Pioneer and Onkyo merged. Klipsch owns Jamo, Mirage, Athena and Energy speaker companies. Denon, in particular, has been scarce. They are also owned by the same company who owns Marantz.
Yeah, the consolidation is such that soon we'll have couple of companies, just like with TVs. Onkyo/ Pioneer were in talks to be acquired by Sound United (Denon, Marantz, Polk, etc.) some time earlier. So far didn't work out, but with Covid, it may accelerate it or finally kill it, nobody really knows. This would pretty much make us at their mercy, as only Yamaha would be left from large suppliers in the US, plus couple of very high-end independents. Sony didn't produce a new receiver in 3 years and I read somewhere they were also eager to sell this business.
Shows you how difficult consumer electronics really are. There are some upgrade cycles creating big buying rush, but between them it's basically fight for survival. The swings can also come from unexpected directions, when small non-established players come in with some product (like Sonos today) and eat significantly into established player business.
A LOT OF the electronics merchandise resellers have gone under too, including the online players (anyone remember J&R? I loved the deals I got on jandr.com or J&R.com but perhaps those deals were TOO GOOD; hence, they are no longer.
Out on the West Coast, Tweeter, Circuit City, and "The Good Guys" all bit the dust! Incredible Universe became Fry's, and carries on as one of the sole Best Buy competitors; never liked Best Buy.
Every time I go to SoCal, a friend of mine and I like to visit the local Fry's. It's like Best Buy and Radio Shack got together, given the number of components you can buy separately.
My own opinion:
I think most people today are looking for a more "plug and play" solution, which would explain the popularity of something like Sonos.
Think about the time and effort @graphicguy put into assembling and tuning his friends system - very few people have the patience to go through something like that (or, they call "the guy" to do it for them). Plus, with most everything being wireless now, who wants to connect all those wires and cables?
Will it result in better sound quality? I'm sure the audiophiles here would say yes, enthusiastically. Will 90% of the population know, or care? Probably not.
Good point. I think convenience rules. As you say, that has caused bluetooth speakers, all-in-one solutions for streaming, plug and go solutions, etc to really define the market.
Even 25 years ago, CD boomboxes were the "go to" sound solutions. So, not a recent phenomena.
However, given vinyl record resurgence, the rise of internet only audio manufacturers (Emotiva, Schitt, PSA, Hsu, Axiom, SVS, Monoprice, etc), there's a certain section of people out there who want good sound. Even boutique brands like REL, Magnepan, Martin Logan, VPI, Ohm, etc are still kicking around and doing well. Relative new comers like ELAC are doing well, also.
Most people don't even know the brands I mentioned above.
Big brands, like Bose, Sony, Onkyo, Pioneer, etc need economies of scale to continue. Ergo, the consolidation that's taking place.
Klipsch has kept their feet in both camps. They make bluetooth speakers. They make speakers you can buy at Best Buy. They've purchased other strategic brands. But, take a look at their high end products (https://www.klipsch.com/heritage-premium-audio-speakers) and you realize they've been doing this for a long time and have adapted while keeping their high end audio core in tact. Obviously, I admire them.
The vast majority wouldn't even dream of spending the kind of money I have in my Home Theater system. Not bragging about that, but it's something I enjoy and am willing to drop some coin on. I'm sure @tjc78 and @roadburner feel the same.
Now that I've been bit by the 2-channel bug (seems what goes around, comes around), I'm realizing I can get better performance given the last time I had a true stereo system.
Polk Audio has managed to survive as well, having been bought out by a larger consumer electronics firm.
I liked that I used to be able to get warranty service without having to spend $$$$ on shipping, by driving up to their offices and warehouse locally in Vista, CA.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
It's funny how things come full circle. When I was a little kid we had a record player. Mono, with one speaker. Then stereo became commonplace and we upgraded to one of the combo TV/stereo console things in the living room, which seemed high-end at the time and which today cannot be given away. Once I got out of university and got my own place I had to get a proper component stereo system, as did most of my friends/coworkers. One of my brothers was really into it as well. I remember him noting to me how you could hear, on records he was playing, the hiss when the master tape began on the record.
The return of vinyl still makes me shake my head a bit. I remember when CDs appeared how they sounded better to me than vinyl - no dust pops or scratches, consistent speed, no need to clean them, etc. Now of course we know they had some shortcomings but to most folks they just seemed far better. I think returning to vinyl is partly a nostalgia play for some, and a hipster play for others. The sound they reproduce may actually be better but most people cannot hear it because their equipment isn't sensitive enough, or their hearing can't detect it. It is a different sort of sound but whether it is always better is something I am dubious about. The large-format album art and liner notes are nice though.
Now we listen to music on iPhones and on little Bluetooth speakers and for a lot of people it sounds "good enough" even if it isn't good. Full circle. But it is convenient, portable, and a massive library can get carried in your pocket, or streamed from the cloud. Good enough is OK for a lot of folks given that.
My opinion is that if your equipment is good enough to take advantage of vinyl sound, then it is good enough to take advantage of digital sound. I'll say Lossless/DVD-Audio/Super Audio CD beats vinyl. But I'm not sure regular 16-bit 48Khz CD audio beats vinyl in every way. Of course, a lot depends on the quality of the recording and mastering used.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
Picked up this little audio gem last night for $180. 100W X 2 into 8 ohms full bandwidth. Bluetooth, USB, turntable connections, etc. All loaded up and made by a highly regarded English audio company.
My 29 year old Rotel RCD-855 CD player was designed in England using a Phillips of the Netherlands TDA1541A-S1 D/A chip and assembled in Hong Kong.
Philips (and Sony) were sound royalty of the CD era. Rotel has always had a great rep. I have an Oppo CDP 205. Oppo is out of that business, but the best multi-format disk player I've ever seen/heard. I actually thought about buying a couple of them before they stopped selling them to list on eBay. Seeing what they're selling for on eBay now, I missed that opportunity. I could have made a cool $300-$500 ea if I had done that.
Others thought like you.... I pulled the trigger quickly upon hearing the news, and before I could decide to buy another, they were sold out.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
I had a conversation with a Sirius rep about the sound quality (or lack thereof) of XM radio. It was like talking to someone that never heard of the term "audiophile." They thought sound quality issues could be resolved by resetting the signal to my radio.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
Just saw that Honda is recalling huge numbers of Pilots and Odysseys for things like sliding doors that don't latch, rear backup cameras not correctly functioning, displays improperly displaying data, etc.
Just saw that Honda is recalling huge numbers of Pilots and Odysseys for things like sliding doors that don't latch, rear backup cameras not correctly functioning, displays improperly displaying data, etc.
Shhhh....we’ll never hear the end of it from Imidazol...
Just saw that Honda is recalling huge numbers of Pilots and Odysseys for things like sliding doors that don't latch, rear backup cameras not correctly functioning, displays improperly displaying data, etc.
Just saw that Honda is recalling huge numbers of Pilots and Odysseys for things like sliding doors that don't latch, rear backup cameras not correctly functioning, displays improperly displaying data, etc.
Fake news, can’t be. Lol
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
Comments
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Then in the final scene the Dodge magically turns back into a 2 door Plymouth Fury.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2020/08/04/ford-announces-jim-hackett-to-retire-as-president-and-ceo.html
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
Even 25 years ago, CD boomboxes were the "go to" sound solutions. So, not a recent phenomena.
However, given vinyl record resurgence, the rise of internet only audio manufacturers (Emotiva, Schitt, PSA, Hsu, Axiom, SVS, Monoprice, etc), there's a certain section of people out there who want good sound. Even boutique brands like REL, Magnepan, Martin Logan, VPI, Ohm, etc are still kicking around and doing well. Relative new comers like ELAC are doing well, also.
Most people don't even know the brands I mentioned above.
Big brands, like Bose, Sony, Onkyo, Pioneer, etc need economies of scale to continue. Ergo, the consolidation that's taking place.
Klipsch has kept their feet in both camps. They make bluetooth speakers. They make speakers you can buy at Best Buy. They've purchased other strategic brands. But, take a look at their high end products (https://www.klipsch.com/heritage-premium-audio-speakers) and you realize they've been doing this for a long time and have adapted while keeping their high end audio core in tact. Obviously, I admire them.
The vast majority wouldn't even dream of spending the kind of money I have in my Home Theater system. Not bragging about that, but it's something I enjoy and am willing to drop some coin on. I'm sure @tjc78 and @roadburner feel the same.
Now that I've been bit by the 2-channel bug (seems what goes around, comes around), I'm realizing I can get better performance given the last time I had a true stereo system.
Sure...I'm hiring. No salary, no benefits...if that sounds appealing, send me your resume. LOL!
Just got back. Impressions.....of the RLX Sport Hybrid, black over tan...can you get more boring?. Well...given this is supposed to be Acura's flagship sedan, and it costs well north of $60K (I think the sticker was around $63K), it's a good thing they're killing it off.
It's not a bad car. Matter of fact, it's a really good car....if it was 2015. Pretty quick...some trick handling, especially for a big car. Great ride. Seamless in the electric motor and V6 integration. Nice materials inside (very similar to a TLX, though). As always, great ELS stereo. Infotainment was seriously lacking, especially compared to today's units. My Stinger's infotainment feels light years better.
Not sure who bought it but I'm guessing an octogenarian who bemoans the demise of the Cadillac XTS.
Acura MDX....I hear they sell the living daylights out of this model. Not sure why...take everything I said about the RLX, just raise it up, expand the rear area, slow it down, and you'd have a clone of the RLX. Seriously needs an update.
Love me some Acuras, but these two models aren't their best efforts.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Philips (and Sony) were sound royalty of the CD era. Rotel has always had a great rep. I have an Oppo CDP 205. Oppo is out of that business, but the best multi-format disk player I've ever seen/heard. I actually thought about buying a couple of them before they stopped selling them to list on eBay. Seeing what they're selling for on eBay now, I missed that opportunity. I could have made a cool $300-$500 ea if I had done that.
So for an older person with money and a big house they are staying in, if you want it, go for it.
For younger/poorer/renting/mobile people that don’t have the space, may move frequently, aren’t home much, have roommates, it really doesn’t make much sense. Compact systems and speakers they can take places, that does.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
The return of vinyl still makes me shake my head a bit. I remember when CDs appeared how they sounded better to me than vinyl - no dust pops or scratches, consistent speed, no need to clean them, etc. Now of course we know they had some shortcomings but to most folks they just seemed far better. I think returning to vinyl is partly a nostalgia play for some, and a hipster play for others. The sound they reproduce may actually be better but most people cannot hear it because their equipment isn't sensitive enough, or their hearing can't detect it. It is a different sort of sound but whether it is always better is something I am dubious about. The large-format album art and liner notes are nice though.
Now we listen to music on iPhones and on little Bluetooth speakers and for a lot of people it sounds "good enough" even if it isn't good. Full circle. But it is convenient, portable, and a massive library can get carried in your pocket, or streamed from the cloud. Good enough is OK for a lot of folks given that.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I've never bought a car one could call logical or economical, and no regrets either.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
I recall a panel cartoon in Stereo Review depicting a glowering Incredible Hulk figure crashing into the listening room of a middle aged audiophile and holding up a tiny new Philips invention called the Compact Disc as the era of vinyl was dying. Today's equivalent would be Dr. David Banner crying, "I want my records back!"
Even now the best advice I've ever heard for recreating the most satisfying home audio experience is to match the range and capabilities of all components along with proper set up in the appropriate environment. I don't see a problem with shopping or collecting audio equipment for whatever coin when it's all about creating that music experience which can be so very satisfying to build over time.
Although as I typed that I recalled another 1 panel cartoon from an old Stereo Review issue. It depicted a guy unpacking a new turntable to add to a large rack filled with audio equipment in his music room. 2 women stood in a doorway looking at the man with the caption, "All I can say is thank God for food stamps Harriet."
My favorite scene in Gran Torino was the part where Walt tries to explain his impressive arsenal of tools in the garage to the kid he calls "Toad," who tried to steal his car. But it takes years to put together a toolbox like Walt's so he gave the kid basic tools which every man needs to get started: a pair of vice grips, duct tape and a can of WD40. "Any man worth his salt can do half the household chores with just those three things."
And the same beginnings for any kid who starts out with a tuner, amp and speakers as well. That's just another toolbox collection which grows over time. I read somewhere that we collect things that we someday hope to master. Not a problem unless the drive to collect things gets in the way of enjoying that which we had hoped to master. Music, cars, car repair, whatever.
Meanwhile, also in 1980, audio advertising was still focused on a moon race to the lowest inaudible, intangible THD claims. I remember so many ads inviting consumers to "listen to the difference" between our clean amp power versus our competitor's trash, etc. I listened to a lot of really clean tuner/amp power back then. It wasn't that hard to find and not really that much coin unless you wanted some of the beautiful things in the glossy ads. And who didn't?
And whatever happened to the dire warnings of TIM distortion theories back then? I never hear anything about that now. But I couldn't hear it then either. See what I did there?
Interesting list of old "boutique" audio brands like Magnepan posted. And I'll mention Polk speakers as a very good but non-boutique brand as well. Sound United now owns Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, Boston Acoustics and also Denon and Marantz. A month ago I read that they were set to acquire B&W speakers.
It's probably due to their developed discriminate musical ear. There may be others who never played or sang anything, but still have high appreciation, but it's probably not very high number. The reason would be if one has musical talents of any kind, even modest ones, they'll likely be discovered and encouraged to be developed by their parents or teachers, at least a little (children get bored quickly, as I did after two years of piano), which in turn will make them more attune with sound quality for life. Basic reinforcement.
The problem is once you know what's missing, you can't really unhear it. I remember when first .mp3 files came around, I purchased a downloadable album, saved it into the CD and played in my system. I never felt more ripped off in my life than that day and it was only 11 or 12 bucks.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I asked before about SiriusXM sound quality (or lack of) vs CD/DVD vs USB drive when playing the same song on my Pioneer system in the Malibu. I still felt the USB drive quality was better than the CD quality. I decided it had to be in the quality of the electronics reading the CD because both it and the USB drive were reading digital versions.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I don't recall the pricing for the receiver amplifier I built... but it was enough to offer it for sale.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
And I just found this on their website. My town is 100% without service.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
2018 430i Gran Coupe
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
The growth of China is spectacular!
Top Ten Car Producing Countries - 1950 - 2019
https://para-rigger.posthaven.com/top-ten-car-producing-countries-1950-2019
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polk_Audio
I liked that I used to be able to get warranty service without having to spend $$$$ on shipping, by driving up to their offices and warehouse locally in Vista, CA.
These area measly 80 lbs each: https://www.polkaudio.com/en-us/floor-standing-towers/lsim705
And if those are too light, here are 120 lb speakers : https://www.walmart.com/ip/Polk-Audio-LSi-M707-MT-VERNON-CHERRY-Ea-Certified-Refurbished-Tower-Speaker/124257130
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
2018 430i Gran Coupe
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech