Things you should like but for some reason don't.
- Thread starter JohnVF
- Start date
I guess my recent R2R cd-player exploration, including a TDA-1541 S1 crown equipped Mac, could go here, too, and also one of the Sony ES flagships. They both just kind of reminded me how far I think digital has actually come in the last few decades, with the exception of build quality (the Sony is a TANK). Neither sound bad, but I don't hear the "musical" magic so many others report. They're supposed to be up my alley but... they just collect dust.
The "magic" is in the original B6 - that I still own. When they moved to the forward facing port in the 6.2, it lost its magic.
Sorry, I'm not selling my B6.
Laughing !
Snade
BMWCCA
Junior Member
Full disclosure: I had brussell sprouts with my dinner of salmon and sweet potato last night.
But, on the equipment question, a while back I purchased the first pair of JBL L100 Century I ever heard back in 1971. Now I'd already been a JBL snob for over ten-years at that time having rescued my Dad's original 030 system (D130 15-inch, with 075 ring radiator) from his Goodwill contribution curb-side when he bought his first stereo, so I had a basis for judgement. I never liked my friend's L100s. And I told him so. But 50-years later after his kids were grown, his wife had divorced him, and he'd moved enough times that the L100s were now in storage, he offered them to me.
So I have a bit of a reputation as a JBL hoarder. I really don't understand why over a dozen pairs of vintage speakers makes one a hoarder, but that's for another thread. He drove them to me, still wrapped in their mover's cardboard and I paid him what he thought was reasonable. When I finally got around to unwrapping them, I found both tweeters punched in and the grille frames trashed. The Quadrex foam was good enough to reuse because I'd turned him on to replacements several years back. I sent him pictures of what a mess they were and he refunded half of my money. So now I had a project. Or rather, another project. After cutting new strips of mahogany for the frames, gluing, clamping, straightening, painting, staining and finishing I had presentable grilles. Two used tweeters (these are the original in-line versions) later and removing kids toys from inside the cabinet, I had them functioning about as good as new. And I still didn't like them.
I keep them only because 1). I have my sweat equity and limited skills tied up in them, not to mention some small change, and 2). because they are iconic JBLs that outsold nearly everything in their heyday. And 3). because people won't ever believe how many better JBLs there are out there unless someone like me has the ability to do A–B–C and even D comparisons. Do I hate them? No. Do I revere them like so many others who pay up to $2k for them today? Definitely not!
But, on the equipment question, a while back I purchased the first pair of JBL L100 Century I ever heard back in 1971. Now I'd already been a JBL snob for over ten-years at that time having rescued my Dad's original 030 system (D130 15-inch, with 075 ring radiator) from his Goodwill contribution curb-side when he bought his first stereo, so I had a basis for judgement. I never liked my friend's L100s. And I told him so. But 50-years later after his kids were grown, his wife had divorced him, and he'd moved enough times that the L100s were now in storage, he offered them to me.
So I have a bit of a reputation as a JBL hoarder. I really don't understand why over a dozen pairs of vintage speakers makes one a hoarder, but that's for another thread. He drove them to me, still wrapped in their mover's cardboard and I paid him what he thought was reasonable. When I finally got around to unwrapping them, I found both tweeters punched in and the grille frames trashed. The Quadrex foam was good enough to reuse because I'd turned him on to replacements several years back. I sent him pictures of what a mess they were and he refunded half of my money. So now I had a project. Or rather, another project. After cutting new strips of mahogany for the frames, gluing, clamping, straightening, painting, staining and finishing I had presentable grilles. Two used tweeters (these are the original in-line versions) later and removing kids toys from inside the cabinet, I had them functioning about as good as new. And I still didn't like them.
I keep them only because 1). I have my sweat equity and limited skills tied up in them, not to mention some small change, and 2). because they are iconic JBLs that outsold nearly everything in their heyday. And 3). because people won't ever believe how many better JBLs there are out there unless someone like me has the ability to do A–B–C and even D comparisons. Do I hate them? No. Do I revere them like so many others who pay up to $2k for them today? Definitely not!
That's a great writeup. Similar to my HK "The Citation Receiver" here. I got into this hobby as a vintage receiver collector, and it was always my holy-grail. Yet, by the time I got it, I'd just kind of moved on to other things. I still have it and think it's super cool, but it's in storage. It just doesn't sound that good (in my opinion, none of what I collected really did, in hindsight). But that's not really the point. I will probably drag it out for dining-room duty at some point.Full disclosure: I had brussell sprouts with my dinner of salmon and sweet potato last night.
But, on the equipment question, a while back I purchased the first pair of JBL L100 Century I ever heard back in 1971. Now I'd already been a JBL snob for over ten-years at that time having rescued my Dad's original 030 system (D130 15-inch, with 075 ring radiator) from his Goodwill contribution curb-side when he bought his first stereo, so I had a basis for judgement. I never liked my friend's L100s. And I told him so. But 50-years later after his kids were grown, his wife had divorced him, and he'd moved enough times that the L100s were now in storage, he offered them to me.
So I have a bit of a reputation as a JBL hoarder. I really don't understand why over a dozen pairs of vintage speakers makes one a hoarder, but that's for another thread. He drove them to me, still wrapped in their mover's cardboard and I paid him what he thought was reasonable. When I finally got around to unwrapping them, I found both tweeters punched in and the grille frames trashed. The Quadrex foam was good enough to reuse because I'd turned him on to replacements several years back. I sent him pictures of what a mess they were and he refunded half of my money. So now I had a project. Or rather, another project. After cutting new strips of mahogany for the frames, gluing, clamping, straightening, painting, staining and finishing I had presentable grilles. Two used tweeters (these are the original in-line versions) later and removing kids toys from inside the cabinet, I had them functioning about as good as new. And I still didn't like them.
I keep them only because 1). I have my sweat equity and limited skills tied up in them, not to mention some small change, and 2). because they are iconic JBLs that outsold nearly everything in their heyday. And 3). because people won't ever believe how many better JBLs there are out there unless someone like me has the ability to do A–B–C and even D comparisons. Do I hate them? No. Do I revere them like so many others who pay up to $2k for them today? Definitely not!
Someone mentioned the Dynaco A25XL earlier. Recently, I happened to be tracing the price of the A25 over time by skimming old LRE catalogs. Recall that the economy, and the rate of inflation, was particularly dynamic in some of those years.
I noticed the arrival of the A25XL and (as is my wont) I mused that the A25XL might have been (????) a deliberate Muntzing* of the A25 recipe to keep the price down.I don't think I've ever knowingly heard an A25XL, so for all I know it might be superior. But I'm wondering.
_____________
* I am presuming I don't need to tell this audience what Muntzing was/is(?).
A lot of movies come to mind, like The Magnificent Seven (sorry for the boomer reference).
Or because the marketers thought the market wanted a version 2.
JoeThePop
Known member
Or the bosses want something new to create buzz, and get people talking about their product again and boost sales. In the automotive sector, they're called Buzz Models. Usually nothing more than repackaging options and some new paint color options.
That’s a clearer wording of what I meant. It’s something I think about a lot when feeling the nag to upgrade to the next model. The logic of “why didn’t they do this the first time? The technology hasn’t exactly moved that much”.
Though I know that some upgrade cycles are pre-planned before the first product is launched.
Someone mentioned the Dynaco A25XL earlier. Recently, I happened to be tracing the price of the A25 over time by skimming old LRE catalogs. Recall that the economy, and the rate of inflation, was particularly dynamic in some of those years.
I don't think I've ever knowingly heard an A25XL, so for all I know it might be superior. But I'm wondering.
_____________
* I am presuming I don't need to tell this audience what Muntzing was/is(?).
View attachment 72422
I had a pair of the XL for a time. I don't recall them sounding better or as good as the A25.
I own some A25 speakers in excellent shape, but they don't sound very clear - possibly resulting from replacing the original caps?? Or possibly my modest hearing loss in upper frequencies (age related) in combination with the rolled-off highs of the A25 has them sounding unexciting (to my ears).
(smile)
Aren't you working on some A25 speakers? Waiting on your current take.
Yes -- and, in full disclosure: after @ICTWoody extremely kindly provided me with a hank (or is it a bolt... or some fraction of a bolt?) of lovely grille cloth for them... I got chicken* and haven't finished 'em yet!I had a pair of the XL for a time. I don't recall them sounding better or as good as the A25.
I own some A25 speakers in excellent shape, but they don't sound very clear - possibly resulting from replacing the original caps?? Or possibly my modest hearing loss in upper frequencies (age related) in combination with the rolled-off highs of the A25 has them sounding unexciting (to my ears).
(smile)
Aren't you working on some A25 speakers? Waiting on your current take.
_____________
* Saggy Grille Anxiety
There are zero pieces of Sony ES equipment here... which I have long felt is most unfortunate.
Just thought I'd take that opportunity to mention that, apropos of other recent chatter in this thread.
Just thought I'd take that opportunity to mention that, apropos of other recent chatter in this thread.
Shoot…I liked my Modwright modded XA5400es so much, I have bought it thrice! Lesson learned and it ain’t leaving again.
So odd, as I love mine. To each his own as they say!
I was getting rumble that I shouldn’t have been getting. But I could not figure it out. I still kinda kick myself for giving up on it, but I do love the table I got in trade.
