# mini stereo systems?



## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

Ok, I'm thinking about ditching my current 80s /90s stereo components in favor of a more modern mini stereo system.
Normally I would go to Consumer Reports for info & recs, but they dont seem to have rated these lately?
Been googling around & considering this one: (currently on sale at Best Buy & elsewhere for $200):

https://www.pioneerelectronics.ca/POCEN/Home/Mini+Stereo+System/X-CM56B

or this one which SD Mart is clearing at $200:
https://m.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/...ss-speaker-cmtsbt100-black-cmtsbt100/10266457

I know you can get pricier (better?) equipment, but i'm past the days when I think I must have "top o' the line, best-in-class, all the bells & whistles stuff". Plus, I've always been a kinda "best bang for da buck" type of guy.

Would always appreciate comments / suggestions from interested parties here in CMF!
(one caveat- any system I'd consider MUST have AM /FM ...a lot just have FM. Gotta maintain access to the wonderful VOWR am radio station here in St. John's !)

Thoughts?


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## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

Take a look at this earlier thread:
https://www.canadianmoneyforum.com/showthread.php/135100-Speakers-and-stereo-systems

The Pioneer one is showing 15 Watts per speaker. I think that's too weak to really get any significant sound output. For example, I bought this one (currently $125 on Amazon) which doesn't have a CD player, but just as a comparison point:
https://www.edifier.com/int/en/speakers/studio-1280t-2.0-powered-bookshelf

The audio quality out of this is great. But this is 21 Watts per speaker and I wouldn't want to go any less than that in my apartment. Based on that, I'm thinking that the Pioneer may not have enough power and you might be better off with that Sony one instead.

My suggestions: look for at least 20 watts per speaker (2x20 W), and maybe minimum 25 watts (2x25 W) if you are playing music in a really big room. Also make sure you have the option to use wired inputs, since audio quality is generally better with wires instead of wireless (bluetooth). Find some reviews and see what people say, because even some of the brand name equipment can come with really disappointing speakers.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

thanks james

btw that edifier link seems to just speakers? (not a system?)


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

jargey3000 said:


> (one caveat- any system I'd consider MUST have AM /FM ...a lot just have FM. Gotta maintain access to the wonderful VOWR am radio station here in St. John's !)
> 
> Thoughts?


The paradox is you want to get rid of 80s/90s stereo but want to keep AM..

I follow some audiophile groups and they all want 80s/90s stereo equipment because the technology for sound quality hasn't really improved much since then while they can get what was $$$ Hi-Fi stereos for dirt cheap today. The modern trend of soundbars and tiny bluetooth speakers are convenient and cute but the sound quality is very poor in comparison and often delayed and under-powered. My parents got a soundbar for the TV and the sound is much worse to me but they prefer the look to the bulky old Yamaha receiver and box speakers and claim they can't hear a difference anyways (age maybe?)

Something "new" would be Apple HomePod, Google Home, amazon echo etc but I don't think those have an AM antennae

If you have an AM source already here is a list of powered speakers that rate very well in price to performance



james4beach said:


> My suggestions: look for at least 20 watts per speaker (2x20 W), and maybe minimum 25 watts (2x25 W) if you are playing music in a really big room. Also make sure you have the option to use wired inputs, since audio quality is generally better with wires instead of wireless (bluetooth). Find some reviews and see what people say, because even some of the brand name equipment can come with really disappointing speakers.


The watt rating is kind of a misnomer because it depends on the efficiency of the speaker to use the power and the rating of peak power varies wildly from each manufacturer. It's kind of like choosing a car based on peak HP and not considering everything else. Bluetooth is generally bad but there's also many different bluetooth (4, 4.1,4.2 etc) and now aptX is considered better. Problem is you need to power the sound after the wireless anyways to that means wire to charge or power


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## Mukhang pera (Feb 26, 2016)

m3s said:


> I follow some audiophile groups and they all want 80s/90s stereo equipment


And some prefer the 50s/60s vacuum tube equipment, best represented by McIntosh.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Mukhang pera said:


> And some prefer the 50s/60s vacuum tube equipment, best represented by McIntosh.


Yes the tubes are also still highly sought after as they add warmth and distortion that people like. Guitar players swear by them for that distortion but since they record this distortion already I don't see the point of adding more of it imho. Vinyl records and players are also still very popular for the apparent distortion or hipster factor, but modern music is recorded/mixed digitally anyways so it's kind of moot as well.

For the same amount of money though you can get way better value out of old speakers/amps because they technology hasn't really changed while the products are just made cheaper today. I wouldn't be surprised if a new "small" stereo was a downgrade in sound from what jargey already has. My parents old Yamaha system is actually really good and you can still connect any modern sources to it


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

right now, i have a Panasonic receiver, Sony cd player & Bose accoustimass speakers (Cerwin Vegas before that &#55357;&#56833
all have served me well....


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## dotnet_nerd (Jul 1, 2009)

Costco sells some excellent Bluetooth speakers that sound great. Pair it with your phone, tap Spotify and voila. Instant, portable tunes.


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## OnlyMyOpinion (Sep 1, 2013)

I think you forgot the "pay monthly" part?


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

dotnet_nerd said:


> Costco sells some excellent Bluetooth speakers that sound great. Pair it with your phone, tap Spotify and voila. Instant, portable tunes.


yuk! no thanks.


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## Dilbert (Nov 20, 2016)

Mukhang pera said:


> And some prefer the 50s/60s vacuum tube equipment, best represented by McIntosh.


That’s really a matter of opinion although I won’t dispute their performance on a test bench and glitzy Americana styling!


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## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

jargey3000 said:


> thanks james
> 
> btw that edifier link seems to just speakers? (not a system?)


Yes the one I linked to is just an amplifier and speakers, but doesn't have radio or CD (which I realize you're looking for).

The actual amplifiers have come a long way since the old days. These are all integrated circuits now, generally made from a few well known part makers and they get put into all the equipment. Most of the amplifiers you'll find in equipment these days is just fine. However, speaker quality can vary quite a bit so I would definitely look at reviews to know what kinds of speakers you're getting.

I understand the appeal of an all-in-one system, it's nice to be able to select radio or CD sources instead of connecting all kinds of external gadgets.


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

the killer is....i did have a nice little Yamaha compact system....but i regrettably sold it...at a bit of a loss...in fit of 'de-cluttering'...a few years ago..
wish i had it back now.....although it was pre-bluetooth etc. days...


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## Userkare (Nov 17, 2014)

jargey3000 said:


> the killer is....i did have a nice little Yamaha compact system....but i regrettably sold it...at a bit of a loss...in fit of 'de-cluttering'...a few years ago..
> wish i had it back now.....although it was pre-bluetooth etc. days...


Same here, I sold all my old stereo equipment in a de-clutter binge about 2 years ago. I had an old ( 70's ) Sony AM/FM tuner, preamp, and power amp combo, as well as a couple of other various integrated receivers collected over the years. The Sony preamp/power amp pair was considered almost studio quality in their day. Trouble is, they didn't have any video or digital audio capabilities; these days most audio/video equipment uses HDMI and/or S/PDIF coax and optical Toslink. ( There's some more stuff for you to google  ). 

I have my main entertainment system setup still using a 10 yr old Denon 100W/ch receiver. It doesn't handle HDMI video, but has the S/PDIF coax & optical audio inputs for Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound. The sub-woofer is self powered; so for watching movies, when something blows up, I want to feel it!

Just for background music in my home office/lab, I use the computer as the audio source, but feed its output into a 10W/ch audio amp and small bookshelf speakers. I just want to listen to music while working, not have a dance party. Sounds just fine for that purpose

So, what's the best system to buy really depends on where/how you're going to use it and what you might want to connect to it ( Bluetooth, etc ).


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## Jimmy (May 19, 2017)

Just made 2 nice purchases for PC listening recently. Bought a pair of SteelSeries Arctis 3 headphones, one of the top rated headphones for music listening per https://www.rtings.com/headphones (A good site that reviews headphones FYI , a Canadian company) for $79 on sale at BB. Same speakers w out all the extras as the the top of the line wireless Arctis 7 which is $189.

Bought a little FiiO e10k Olympus USB DAC/amp as the digital analog converters DACs in pcs are lousy. This makes a world of difference in quality and provides more and cleaner power than the limited pc amps. Worth the $80 on sale at Canada Computer.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

james4beach said:


> Most of the amplifiers you'll find in equipment these days is just fine.


Even if they use the same components though, depending on how they separate components or shield you always get some noise, crosstalk, electric interference etc that all adds distortion or "colouration" to the sound. The ones that add less colour are considered better but you can't really tell from their advertised specs or cost. You'd never really know the sound is coloured though without testing side by side



Jimmy said:


> Bought a little FiiO e10k Olympus USB DAC/amp as the digital analog converters DACs in pcs are lousy. This makes a world of difference in quality and provides more and cleaner power than the limited pc amps. Worth the $80 on sale at Canada Computer.


I also recently bought a USB DAC/amp and Beyerdynamic 990 headphones on your list from massdrop. I found it really interesting how you can get such better quality at a fraction of the cost the "Beats by Dre" that get so much more marketing hype. I'm pretty much rediscovering all my music again with these and the surround sound of games/movies is really impressive using free HeSuVi EQ/virtualization software

Massdrop has relaunched some old Sennheiser headphones from the '90s that get rave reviews like HD 6xx which are the same as HD 600 at lower cost. They don't look as cool as Beats though


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## Jimmy (May 19, 2017)

m3s said:


> I also recently bought a USB DAC/amp and Beyerdynamic 990 headphones on your list from massdrop. I found it really interesting how you can get such better quality at a fraction of the cost the "Beats by Dre" that get so much more marketing hype. I'm pretty much rediscovering all my music again with these and the surround sound of games/movies is really impressive using free HeSuVi EQ/virtualization software
> 
> Massdrop has relaunched some old Sennheiser headphones from the '90s that get rave reviews like HD 6xx which are the same as HD 600 at lower cost. They don't look as cool as Beats though


The Beyerdynamic are really nice. You can get them in a higher impedance too if you have a little amp. Will be less distortion. They are always a recommendation for best studio headphones at any price. https://musiccritic.com/equipment/best-studio-headphones-for-recording/

I was looking at some of them on Kijiji because they are $239+ at BB. Was also looking at the Audio technica Ath m50x and the Sennheiser HD280 pro - an older model too and have heard about the HD 600 series old and new. 

Dr Dre and Bose to me too are overrated and over priced. Not worth the $300+ IMO vs a high end Sennheiser, AT or Beyerdynamic


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

_"Massdrop has relaunched some old Sennheiser headphones from the '90s that get rave reviews like HD 6xx which are the same as HD 600 at lower cost. They don't look as cool as Beats though_"

sorry jimmy, but I had to laugh.... I've been going to the gym for a looong time now....when people there first started wearing headphones all the time during their workouts...it was usually those over-the-head jobbies with those bigger ear covers.
then, styles changed....and everyone wanted the little bud-type earphone. you wouldnt be caught dead with big headphones!I looked like a dork with my old sony walkman & head set.(still do!)
now, styles have changed again. buds are "out" & everyone must have the big ol' beats style - which to me STILL look dorky - not cool! LOL.
I'm predicting the big ol bulky beats style will go the way of the dodo soon.
maybe they already have...i see a lot of the younger generation now with wireless earsets...not sure how they work, but they almost look like those Zulu warriors who used to fashion things into their earlobes & noses etc. lol


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)




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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Jimmy said:


> Dr Dre and Bose to me too are overrated and over priced. Not worth the $300+ IMO vs a high end Sennheiser, AT or Beyerdynamic


Their prices are criminal when you compare what you get..

Beyerdynamics go on sale on massdrop and amazon tax free (US). I got the 250 ohm and really impressed with them, I had rediscover all my music again. I missed my home speakers while working remote but I never realized headphones could be this good. They're actually better than speakers in a lot of ways, especially when you compare bang for the buck. I considered the audio technicas as well they would be better for travel.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

jargey3000 said:


> sorry jimmy, but I had to laugh.... I've been going to the gym for a looong time now....when people there first started wearing headphones all the time during their workouts...it was usually those over-the-head jobbies with those bigger ear covers.
> then, styles changed....and everyone wanted the little bud-type earphone. you wouldnt be caught dead with big headphones!I looked like a dork with my old sony walkman & head set.(still do!)


You wouldn't want to wear Sennheiser HD6xx in public for fashion (open back with no sound isolation)

They look really lame but apparently some of the best headphones you can buy especially for the price


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## Jimmy (May 19, 2017)

jargey3000 said:


> _"Massdrop has relaunched some old Sennheiser headphones from the '90s that get rave reviews like HD 6xx which are the same as HD 600 at lower cost. They don't look as cool as Beats though_"
> 
> sorry jimmy, but I had to laugh.... I've been going to the gym for a looong time now....when people there first started wearing headphones all the time during their workouts...it was usually those over-the-head jobbies with those bigger ear covers.
> then, styles changed....and everyone wanted the little bud-type earphone. you wouldnt be caught dead with big headphones!I looked like a dork with my old sony walkman & head set.(still do!)
> ...


Depends on the usage. For critical listening, mixing , indoor only use etc accuracy , sound quality and comfort (wearing them for long periods of time) are the critical features. So the usually larger well padded over ear or on ear types are preferred. They are too bulky to wear for walking around and are not designed really for that use anyway.

The earplug though or light on ear type are for people using them on mobile devices walking around or working out. so weight and size are the priority.


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## jdc (Feb 1, 2016)

jargey3000 said:


> (one caveat- any system I'd consider MUST have AM /FM ...a lot just have FM. Gotta maintain access to the wonderful VOWR am radio station here in St. John's !)


Well, I know its not for you jargey, but I ditched all my equipment and CDs a few years ago and now have a few Sonos speakers around my house to stream my music without an amplifier or receiver. I can play any music I want in any room or throughout my house, including radio, and can even listen to your VOWR am radio station here in Vancouver. 

The Tunein radio service is free, but I pay ten bucks a month for a Spotify subscription.

I know that it isn't what you're looking for, but I listen to music or radio here all day long and really like my setup. I thought it worth mentioning.

PS. Note that you could also play VOWR through a Google Home if you had one by saying, "Hey Google, play VOWR radio."


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## jargey3000 (Jan 25, 2011)

jdc said:


> Well, I know its not for you jargey, but I ditched all my equipment and CDs a few years ago and now have a few Sonos speakers around my house to stream my music without an amplifier or receiver. I can play any music I want in any room or throughout my house, including radio, and can even listen to your VOWR am radio station here in Vancouver.
> 
> The Tunein radio service is free, but I pay ten bucks a month for a Spotify subscription.
> 
> ...



s-i-i-i-gh....... 
thanks.....
for making me feel so old....and" out of touch"....


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