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Audiophile Equipment

I learned the value of audiophile equipment early in my pursuit of the high end. I had accumulated enough gear for a system and was looking for the best possible tape deck… with Dolby C. From the popular magazines… Stereo Review, Stereo Times… the Harman Kardon T392 seemed to represent the pinnacle. So I bought one. It was OK… but such a huge step down from vinyl that I was genuinely bummed, especially since it cost something like $650… a lot of money at the time.

A few months later I was browsing a high-end audio shop and, somewhat morosely, told my story to a salesman. He just started laughing. “Those things are junk… you need a real tape deck.” He led me over to the window, where there was a seven-year-old used Nakamichi 1000… huge, with wood paneling all around it… looking more like a reel-to-reel than a cassette deck. He wanted $1,200 for it. That was an astronomical amount of money… and it was old. Then he said, “Take it home… try it.”

My first real jaw-drop moment.

It had the full depth and bass of vinyl… it was simply astonishing. It made the so-called “flagship” Harman Kardon sound like a cheap plastic transistor radio and without Dolby C.  All that glossy magazine talk about bandwidth and specs… page after page of marketing… well, that’s all it was. This old, purpose-built audiophile machine performed leagues above the consumer-level product.

I was hooked.

It wasn’t my last audiophile purchase… but it was my last consumer-level purchase for decades.

ghdprentice
rauliruegas
13,347 posts
 

Dear @ghdprentice  :  I still own The Nakamichi 700ZXL ( came with Dolby C. ) and was one of my first high end audio item, superb. Over the time I had to change its recording/play heads through Nakamichi that because in those times they planned to go out of the market send me free of charge the book ( yes a book ) to repair it in the future. It is a wonderful machine where you can't ask for more and where you can " live " its marvelous technology even for today times.

In those times nothing beats it not even the latter Dragon that's too very good.

Yes, Tandberg was very good but only that: very good when the 700ZXL is just outstanding.

 

My main vintage " high end " ( did not know it was HE ) audio item were my old ADS L2030 speakers that are the ones that I still listen/use today and for me and after several comparisons are just unbeatable anda challenge to almost any today top speakers.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=ads+2030+speakers+review&oq=ads+2030+speakers&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCggCEAAYExgWGB4yBggAEEUYOTIJCAEQABgTGIAEMgoIAhAAGBMYFhgeMgcIAxAAGO8FMgcIBBAAGO8FMgcIBRAAGO8FMgoIBhAAGIAEGKIEMgcIBxAAGO8F0gEJMjI1NTdqMGo3qAIIsAIB8QU_ST4mgrxCUw&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/who-uses-ads-speakers?__cf_chl_tk=sz07lHikFcJe1a0LdUC8o9si6nllWt.E6Z39.GbX3Po-1777753981-1.0.1.1-CFj.4q0I.hnRzepDm1c51rXiNJOjo8EBi7S4SSrCQp8

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/vintageaudio/comments/1kx349s/finally_scored_my_dream_vintage_speakers/

 

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.

 

 

rauliruegas
13,347 posts
 

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Archive-HiFI-Stereo/80s/HiFI-Stereo-Review-1981-08.pdf

 

https://es.scribd.com/doc/79466151/ADS-1980-Brochure

 

 

R.

ghdprentice's avatar
ghdprentice OP
9,419 posts
 

 Great how many folks remember Nakamichi fondly. I remember being rather broken hearted after purchasing the new teen Nakamichi CD player and having it sound terrible.... then over time them become a consumer goods level company. So it goes. But in the seventies and early 80's they were a tremendous force in the high end.

rauliruegas
13,347 posts
 

@ghdprentice  : Sorry to disturb your thread again.

 

I was really lucky to bougth the ADS L2030 because in those old times my Audio ignorance levels were way way higher than today and because I born and live in Mexico all my life .

 

In those times even we can’t introduce audio electronics/speakers in our country, was forbiden but thighs are that my father had family at the USA-MEXICO border in Laredo and we gone 2-3 times a year to visit tha family.

In Laredo, TX there were low-fi stores and the best names that you can seen were Pioneer, Denon, Technics, Sansui and the like. Well one of those stores handled ADS and for the last 2 years I look that they still had its L2030 sample and I ask why and the seller told me that were to big a no one was interested on them and gave me 50% discount that was an excellent price and can afford but the critical probles was how made I to introduce in Mexico those very big speakers inside 1,000 miles at my place. Anyway I bougth the ADS and after 1.5 year finally were in my home and I was truly exited to listen paired with Crown amplifier..

 

That’s the way I started to learn about audio in wider way and was a hard road to walk with trial and error and patience. Just learning as some one else of us.

 

Btw, the Google link I posted has some errors made by the IA information.

 

R.

ghdprentice's avatar
ghdprentice OP
9,419 posts
 

@rauliruegas 

Thanks for your story.

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