Hifi shops in the 80s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxQqWSnsHoA
Some actually were a bit intimdating like this in my experience. The difference though is that I was about 12 years old and had a facination with the cassette tapes of the time, particularly TDK for some reason, they looked cool and high-tech (and were at the time) and had types like chromium dioxide, which I hadn't a clue about of course, and still don't - but that didn't matter - yes I was a nerdy kid. I remember going into a local record shop, can't remember what else it sold or if it sold much hifi equipment, but it did sell TDK tapes:smile: and so I was happy. However I really wanted to ask about chromium dioxide cassettes, but when the counter staff asked me what I was after I'd just point at a TDK D-60.:cry: It really did seem a little like the smith and jones sketch at times.:oops:
Some actually were a bit intimdating like this in my experience. The difference though is that I was about 12 years old and had a facination with the cassette tapes of the time, particularly TDK for some reason, they looked cool and high-tech (and were at the time) and had types like chromium dioxide, which I hadn't a clue about of course, and still don't - but that didn't matter - yes I was a nerdy kid. I remember going into a local record shop, can't remember what else it sold or if it sold much hifi equipment, but it did sell TDK tapes:smile: and so I was happy. However I really wanted to ask about chromium dioxide cassettes, but when the counter staff asked me what I was after I'd just point at a TDK D-60.:cry: It really did seem a little like the smith and jones sketch at times.:oops:
Post edited by dmsmith on
Comments
Total dickheads.
I'd buy one of those today!
"Paul Roberts, there's nowhere like it for...Hi-Fi's". wonder how long it took em to come up with that
richer sounds was and still is ACE BESTEST you miserable twot :P
still going too (although its more geared towards home cinema now :( all my seperates gear came from the one in Boro.
me and mi mate used to go to the one in sheffield all the time back in the late 80s, early 90s, normally with freshly cut out vouchers for free tdk cassettes lol
anyway the terms not jackplugs, its "phono" plugs, as thats mostly how seperates type hifis connect :P
i have everything plugged into mine lol (dvd recorder, video, ipod, sky, wii)
I have boxes full of TDK 90's, full of chart stuff from the 80's/90's.
I think the difference is chrome tapes are supposed to give a better sound quality (Mastertronic released some games on chrome tapes i think). But i never noticed the difference. Chrome tapes aren't suited to all tape decks though as i found out years ago!
Got a few carrier bags full of old tapes here too, probably more TDKs than any other brand, but I'm going to throw them all out, as I don't think I've used my tape deck in about 4 years! I've got some blank tapes as well, still in their wrapping, from the 90s, which says it all really.
In fact now I think about it, I've not used my CD player for years either, and as for the radio? I get that from the internet, ta. Even my amp is only used to output stuff from the PC now, and the icing on the cake: 90% of the time I don't even use the amp to listen to music. I usually just use the PC's speakers or a pair of headphones on the PC's front headphone socket.
It really makes you think when you realise that the stuff you'd have loved to get your hands on back in the day is sat in the corner gathering dust cos the PC has taken over from all of it...
Well as our state-of-the-art music centre was (although I am not certain) a Marantz Superscope
not this one:
http://library.uaf.edu/equipment/images/SuperscopePSD300.jpg
closer to this one:
http://www.rolandandcaroline.co.uk/html/salvage___surplus.html
I wanted to get every last drop of performance out of it!
Seriously though, this was decent at the time. And we played it to death, well...at least it was pretty far gone when I got curious about how it what was inside.
Like you I found chrome tapes didn't make a lot of difference to recording computer programs.
My memory may be failing me on some of the above details.
I bought one of these (not the actual one pictured)
http://arch7.okr.ro/auctions.v3/700_700/2010/09/18/0/8/247489657-1963141-700_700.jpg
a few years ago off an ebay seller for around ?40 - was very good condition
Works fine, but I hardly use it now. Minor quibble was the speed (slightly slow) when playing back anything not recorded on it. But it was great for 40 quid and I am amazed to see these listed as "vintage" in some places!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SHARP-VZ3000-VZ-3000-DUAL-TURNTABLE-BOOMBOX-SYSTEM-/330609168287?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf9d78f9f
Seen this on You Tube?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPOi4yZkNqQ
there is this also in hi-def, lets one see the LEDs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0zylRtto94&NR=1
looking at this one on you tube you might be as well to ask about the closing mechanism in case you pay too much on one. Ask early too, if you are looking for one to fix up, might mean you get it for a reasonable price.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pDlFb6jdxE&feature=related
Theres this one on ebay now : 1 day left.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sharp-VZ-3000-Radio-Tape-Turntable-Both-Sides-/300595005867?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item45fcdbc9ab
Doesn't say much about the working condition, but its at 10 quid (3 bids)
Thanks for that link to one..UK only though..and shipping would be a killer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IWPYB0WOaM&NR=1
:smile:
The bit on the top is the turntable that i still use from time to time.
$150 to destroy your vinyl collection??? (If you still have any) You can do that for free surely? :razz:
But seriously those vertical turntables were notorious for skipping
as a kid I was trying to hook my walkman up to my ghetto blaster, via something or other, and wanted a lead
the guy in the second hand shop was an absolute arse about it, as indeed he was a few years later when I wanted to buy a marine band radio after getting a license
the guy in the posh shop could not have been more helpful
I guess 2nd hand guy liked to be king of his fiefdom, where as new shop guy saw a potential customer with more money to spend as he got older.
I had a similar experience when I was 16 in my first job in 1992, one of the guys I worked with was a HIFI enthusiast and used to tease me because I hadn't heard of some of the better quality brands (such as Nad, Marantz, Arcam, Quad, Linn, Nacamichi etc). However, although he teased me that man was responsible for kindling my interest in high quality audio.
We had a little independent shop in Oxford called Westwood and Mason (IIRC) and they were fantastic. They knew I was green around the ears and only17, but never did once patronise me, instead gave me very in-depth discussions and demonstrations on the virtues of the different brands, technologies and prices ranges. They were very quick to dispell the myths of the HIFI equivalents of snake oil and also informing me that simpler was better (i.e. higher quality electronics with fewer features to corrupt the signal path). Due their excellent service I brought a number of components from them over the years (CD Player, AMP, Tape Deck, Speakers and stands), one of which was a Marantz CD63 SE (now legendary) for which why rewarded my loyalty with a free pair of ?60 interconnects from their demo rig (I know very expensive interconnects are largely snake oil, but if your getting them for free who;s grumbling). You don't get many shops like that now. Incidentally they went out of business in the last moments of the 1990's, when Richer sounds moved into town. :(
I find richer sounds ok, but only if you know what you want before you go in. If you know little, then they can be a bit Dixons salesman.
The other sketch of the midi-system demo is funny too.
"what is dolby?"
"what does a graphic equaliser do?" - reply "it equalises your graphics" lol
But to be fair these are not easy things to explain. dolby improves signal to noise ratio on tape recordings - but basically that means it reduces background "hiss", that you tend to be more aware of with headphones. Though I am sure a better explanation can be given. How dolby works is interesting, but even more difficult to explain.
but the sad thing is , the audio on older stuff is normally better and not brickwalled within an inch of death volume wise, trashing some of the dynamic of the sounds in the process.
it's funny modern tech, but worse sounding.
Richer, I have bought a few bits another place is 7 oaks audio, dunno if they are still going.. Have some mission speakers which are very good though.
I have a marantz superscope tape deck here also that I should get looked at.. it's decent sound wise though even though it's a tape.. and a certain amount of his is expected with tape.
I've had my Technics since 1989 ad it still sounds awesome. I still use the turntable a couple of times a month, the sound is far richer and fuller than CD.