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I need your advice on system for a non-audiophile

While I am sure this type of thread may have been posted before, I'd really like your input on this. At the risk of sounding like an out of touch audiophile, I simply have been away from the lower end market (e.g., the Best Buy scene for audio) for so long that I really don't know if I can be of help to a work colleague who asked for my help in buying a new "stereo."

My colleague told me she has a "crappy Sony system" that really doesn't sound that good and would like my suggestion for buying something new. I suspect its an older cheap rack-type all Sony system. She tells me it has "5 tiny little speakers."

I asked her to tell what three things are most important to her in this new system and here is her reply:

1. Sound quality that is clear

2. Not small system, but not too large. My house is really small so I don't' want a system that takes up all of my free space (she has seen my 300 pound Rockports and triple wide loaded SRA rack so she may be thinking about that when she worries about a system taking up all of her "free space.")

3. Price, between $700 - $1,000 if possible.

Any suggestions? Thanks
fmpnd
maddoggy
77 posts
 
My Mom had a wave.Free.But I had put a cheap nad receiver.with paradigm atoms with a sub.Pretty nice sound.The sound coming from the wave was poor ,in comparison.Having nothing to compare the sound against it may sound pretty good. Coudnt fool mom.Yugo, the car.It had 4 wheels,engine,all the components that make a car were there.Yea the wave .I see and hear the ads and my question is, is this a product for the masses.In my question I may be implying that Bose only is gimmicking selling.If you like the sound ,great.Some will,many dont. this of coarse is IMHO Good luck
loomisjohnson
1,940 posts
 
no disrespect to any boseophiles out there, but $499 for that wave system doesn't strike me as good value, esp. when you can get a comparable product from, say, crosley or sharper image for a hundred bucks or so. now, i fully concur that, purely from a design perspective, the bose is very impressive, and i recognize that there's a whole class of affluent consumers who value portable, cool-looking designs. what you'll never convince me of is that the thing sounds good--i've actually a/b'd my doltish brother's wave system against my $79 philips-boombox-with-megabass-and-discolites and there was no real comparison--the boombox had scads more detail, presence and dynamic range. now, i genuinely admire bose's genuinely masterful marketing strategy--on a certain level they're deserving of their success. however, like most of us i feel this odd compulsion to keep the audiophile torch lit, and i would never personally steer someone i liked away form the path of good sound.
sit
315 posts
 
Loomisjohnson,
I'd have to hear your remarkable philips boombox because it is quite difficult for me to believe your comparison with the Wave. I'm no "Boseophile" and have never owned one. I've been around them and have friends that have them at home and at their businesses. I've been in large NYC ad agencies where the creative directors have had them in their offices for quick sampling.

I stand firm about it being a value for the sound one can achieve on it. I'm not steering anyone in the wrong direction here. By the way, I'm a career marketing guy who understands quite clearly the difference between quality vs. some company trying to sell one on quality.

What is the model of Phillips boombox you're referring to? I might get one for my younger daughter for her bedroom.
shadorne's avatar
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shadorne
7,467 posts
 
she has seen my 300 pound Rockports and triple wide loaded SRA rack so she may be thinking about that

Frank

Watch out! It sounds like she might be after you...a guy packing a pair of heavy Rockports with a triple wide rack.

I'd recommend something like an audioengine 5 with s8 sub, an airport express an Apple iTunes account and let he play music using airtunes. That is the future. Only issues are microwave oven or 2.4 Ghz wireless telephone interference.
loomisjohnson
1,940 posts
 
sit: since yo uasked, i went down to the basement to check. my particular piece of sonic nirvana is the philips pwb-c798/17 and it's quite the jewel of the disco. in fact, i regard this multi-function, brightly-lit unit as the finest exemplar of audio engineeering extant--something i would hold proudly against the "high end" crap so futiley touted on these very pages. i'd rush to ebay and buy several before word gets out.



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