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Kit you regretted buying

Mr Underhill said:
Quad 405

M
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Owning well used Quad II/22 and Quad 33/303, I bought a brand new Quad 405 in 1976. I was disappointed in the sound. It sat unused on the shelf until about 1987, when I changed the op amps to TL072 (those being used in the 405-2).

There was a distinct improvement, so I purchased the whole 405-5 upgrade kit from Quad. To my surprise (with my speakers) no difference to the mod that I had already done, but much better than the original.
 
Nad 3220PE (I think that was the name) - tarted up version of the even more overrated Nad 3020.
Audiolab 8000 - harsh sounding and therefore painful to listen too.

The best thing however was my Philips CD850 - still going strong (with some mods) after nearly 20 years.
 
Technics SL1200 (this thing just killed the music)
Alison speakers (forget the model)
Any of the Pioneer tape decks that I owned
Monster cable speaker wire
 
Magneplaner MG 3.3 R Speakers...stunningly awful in my room..ok in my sisters though.

Linn LP 12 Valhalla, LVX arm...overrated to hell..sold for a song

Naim NAC 72, NAP 250, Hi Cap, see above..sold for a song..preferred my previous 180 for some strange reason...

KEF C80's...just bloody awful...hateful on many levels..
 
Linn Axis / Akito - thin, a-musical, unreliable

BNS Quintet speakers - awful

Promitheus TVC - bought one, have no use for it, never even connected it, it is just sitting there

Avid turntable spirit level - looks the part, but extremely inaccurate
 
Oh, one more thing, I once lashed out on a fancy interconnect, some AudioQuest Quartz or similar. Cost about £70 and sounds...exactly the same as a £5 Tandy special, or a £10 Maplin job, or...any other decent IC.
 
packtech said:
Naim NAC 72, NAP 250, Hi Cap, see above..sold for a song..preferred my previous 180 for some strange reason...
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I've heard a few people say they prefer the 180 over the 250. It's a synergy thing. My old Kans were better on the end of a 250 (Chrome bumper though)
 
Linn Kan iv's second hand.
I reckon some of the above kit would sound very good if it was being played with different separates?
Not the kan iv's though. Shockers.
 
With the honorable exception of the CD4SE, anything featuring the words "Cambridge" and "Audio". Latest was the 640P. Why did I believe the reviews???
 
packtech said:
Magneplaner MG 3.3 R Speakers...stunningly awful in my room..ok in my sisters though.

Linn LP 12 Valhalla, LVX arm...overrated to hell..sold for a song

Naim NAC 72, NAP 250, Hi Cap, see above..sold for a song..preferred my previous 180 for some strange reason...

KEF C80's...just bloody awful...hateful on many levels..
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Yes I had the much rated 72/140 combo with a flat cap....wasn't doing anything.
 
Radfordman said:
Owning well used Quad II/22 and Quad 33/303, I bought a brand new Quad 405 in 1976. I was disappointed in the sound. It sat unused on the shelf until about 1987, when I changed the op amps to TL072 (those being used in the 405-2).

.
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TLO72s as an improvement? It is a good everyday op amp but I hate to think what must have been in there before them. Surely there was something better in 1987? If you want a further improvement you now have a wide choice.

CT
 
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