It is a crap name, no argument there. They offered some pretty chunky receivers on the US market in the 1970s, not budget stuff. Don't know how many if any were sold over here though. Before my time really. I've got one of their personal tape players and that's pretty good.
Current Lash Up:
TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.
Realistic was a Radio Shack brand if I’m not mistaken.
Not really known over here but pretty well known in the States.
They could come up with some quality gear now and again.
I was given a leaving gift ( I had hinted ) of the now legendary Optimus CD-3400 by my workmates in Santa Cruz when I returned to the UK in the mid 90s.
This was the $130 portable cd player that had Stereophile raving. It was very good (bought some Grado SR60 to go with it)
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A mainly digital setup with a musical amplifier and endearing 1970's speakers. A CD player that hardly ever gets used and a turntable that is good enough to remind my how enjoyable my old vinyl is. Some cables and things.
A lot of people raved about those little Optimus Linaeum 'ribbon' speakers. I was less impressed, they were OK'ish, but the dipole tweeters were not really true ribbons anyway.
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 520
I'm Steve.
I never really lusted after any Audio gear, still don't actually.
Amstrad? I had a piece of their gear once... a belt drive TT rip off of a Rega. Not bad at all.
TP12D it was called, had a shure M55e on it and later a G800.
Steve.
Kit I have:
CD player, TTs, Phono stages, Pre amps, Power amps, Integrated amps, DACs, Streamers, Speakers and a bunch of cables.
Location: East Riding of Yorkshire these days
Posts: 4,779
I'm Shaun.
LOL, the usual mindless concoction for the time; Linn LP12, Naim 42/110 and Linn Kans. I ended up though with a Logic DM101 MkI, Naim 42/110/SNAPS and QLN MkI's. Bloody lovely back then.
Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex
Posts: 7,096
I'm Dave.
Back 'then', there were all sorts of gear I lusted after, saved for and could never afford. Now, I have most of it Revox G36, Ferrograph Ser.6, Amcron DC300A, Amcron IC150, Thorens TD124, Garrard 301, SME 3012, Ortofon SPU or SL15E, Koetsu (The), Koetsu x'mer. Don't use any of it but it's nice to have along with Accuphase E302 and various Transcriptor turntables which I did buy.
I just dropped in, to see what condition my condition was in
T/T: Inspire Monarch, X200 tonearm, Ortofon Quintet Blue. Phono: Project Tube Box CD: Marantz CD6006 (UK Edition); Amp: Musical Fidelity A5 Integrated.
Speakers: Zu Omen Def, REL T9i subwoofer. Cables: Atlas Equator interconnects, Atlas Hyper 3.0 speaker cables
T'other system:
Echo Dot, Amptastic Mini One,Arcam A75 integrated, Celestion 5's, BK XLS-200 DF
A/V:
LG 55" OLED, Panasonic Blu Ray, Sony a/v amp, MA Radius speakers, REL Storm sub
Forget the past, it's gone. And don't worry about the future, it doesn't exist. There is only NOW.
KICKSTARTER: ENABLING SCAMMERS SINCE 2009
Location: gone away
Posts: 4,870
I'm joe.
Quad 44 and 405. I had the booklet about them but they were way beyond my means. Quad ESLs; ditto. Sony reel-to-reel tape deck. i used to go to the Sony shop on Regent Street in my lunch break and wonder if I'd ever be able to afford one.
Even having the booklet would have been good going for me. I dreamed of having the booklet.
Is it just me or are the brochures a lot less glossy these days?
Current Lash Up:
TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.