Shock horror

Happened to go into JB HiFi the other day and was dismayed to see they are selling a line of Crosley turntables.

I guess it was bound to happen as the masses will buy anything if it is cheap, but how a company with HiFi in its name can sell these vinyl wreckers is beyond me.

Cheers

there's worse than crosley in the warehouse ...

OK for the price?

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

better off admiring the artwork on the sleeves than using one of those...

Feb 17, 2017 9:20:25 GMT 12 michaelw said:

there's worse than crosley in the warehouse ...

Which they proudly display next to their vinyl selection... Make those funny little plastic tables that sat atop Aiwas and the like in the early 90s look like a fully optioned Sondek comparatively...

But then tbh their vinyl selection is pretty shit too: lots of MOV and back to black 90's reissues.

Ah for the days when there was a record store in every 'burb... Now we have the Warehouse and Crosley.
Back to the OP, I've often wondered at the name; JB HiFi. I remember when they opened their first store in Qld and they were stocking a bunch of no name TVs, DVD players, car audio gear and mini systems by some strange plastic brand called Sansui...

Feb 17, 2017 13:15:17 GMT 12 guitardude said:

But then tbh their vinyl selection is pretty shit too: lots of MOV and back to black 90's reissues.

MOV and Back to Black shit?

Really?

I've found these releases to be quite OK, flat, quiet, may be from a digital source, well priced. OK not Analogue Production or Music Matters quality but quite good sound for a very reasonable price.


And generally highly recommendedable! 

I've got some good MOVs too... But in the end, too many I got were meh and I swore off em. Never had any issue with Back To Black and for their price point, I rate em.

mov are mostly digital

back to black too but not as much

both meh

I was talking to a HiFi store recently who noted that they were selling more entry level turntables as people had gone into JB's for a look - but grown suspicious about the sales persons lack of knowledge / how they were told 'everything was good'.
The fact that some of the decks at JB's have Bluetooth should be warning for most...
But, the downside is that they will sell. Leaving the customer wondering why they wasted their money on this 'whole retro vinyl thing 'cos it sounds so crap'.

To be fair about JB's name...
They stopped their attempts at being a 'HiFi' store a while ago, most are re-branded JB Home now, that way they can sell more toasters, fridges and kettles.
For them, audio is about Bose and Sonos.

Yep, I agree that the concern is that someone buying one of these pieces of crap will then shell out $50 for a record and then be put off by the dreadful sound and go back to their mp3 and tiny earbuds.
I guess the bottom end of any market is always pretty dismal.

Yep, vinyl is a real PITA to get started unless you have someone who already knows all about it to help or you have a good retailer to rely on.

I've been to Hifi shops where the staff have no idea what they are talking about, which is fine, as long as they don't pretend.

Hey Gryffles,

Are you meaning vinyl records or players in your statement above ?

RE MOV: I honestly don't see any point in buying LP's on MOV as they are fairly average digital transfers anyhow. You might as well save some money and hassle and buy the CD, you'll get better sound without any of the problems. IMO vinyl only really comes alive with really good recordings and pressings.

Feb 20, 2017 7:54:33 GMT 12 guitardude said:

Hey Gryffles, 

 IMO vinyl only really comes alive with really good recordings and pressings.

Absolutely. And unfortunately a bad recording is a bad recording in any format.

Feb 20, 2017 7:54:33 GMT 12 guitardude said:

Hey Gryffles,

Are you meaning vinyl records or players in your statement above ?

RE MOV: I honestly don't see any point in buying LP's on MOV as they are fairly average digital transfers anyhow. You might as well save some money and hassle and buy the CD, you'll get better sound without any of the problems. IMO vinyl only really comes alive with really good recordings and pressings.

guitardude

I was referring to players/ TT's.

Feb 20, 2017 7:54:33 GMT 12 guitardude said:

Hey Gryffles,

Are you meaning vinyl records or players in your statement above ?

RE MOV: I honestly don't see any point in buying LP's on MOV as they are fairly average digital transfers anyhow. You might as well save some money and hassle and buy the CD, you'll get better sound without any of the problems. IMO vinyl only really comes alive with really good recordings and pressings.

Without starting that old digital vs vinyl debate...

If the MOV is from a CD then yes, I'd probably agree. SQ wise. But then there are other advantages to getting the LP, such as the album art, liner notes, that an old fart like myself who is half blind, can actually see etc.

So if I don't have the CD, or any form of digital copy, I will happily buy the MOV version.

 

Hi Guys,

I think MOV is all digital transfers, but I stand to be corrected. Back to Black seems to vary but theres no coding system used so it's very much pot luck. Here's the question: Does an excellent pressing on a cheap turntable sound better than a mediocre pressing on a good turntable ? Unfortunately my basic turntable is currently out of action so I cant easily test the theory but i'm picking the former. Your thoughts ?

assuming the execellent pressing was a known quantity...

i'd go for the former too... rubbish in/rubbish out etc.