The Daily Ping

FROM: Old Fezziwig
DATE: Wednesday July 5, 2000 -- 3:58:25PM

When it comes to electronics, especially audio appliances, I usually steer toward Sony products. I haven't had any major problems with any of my equipment yet (knock on wood) and I use the stuff daily.
-Old Fezz

FROM: dave
DATE: Wednesday July 5, 2000 -- 4:51:49PM

I can't speak to electronics, but I did buy my last box of dryer sheets solely because it was not only New! but also Nouveau! and Nuevo! I guess I figured any dryer sheets that's triligual should be pretty smart. :-)

FROM: Aaron
DATE: Wednesday July 5, 2000 -- 4:58:45PM

I don't have much brand loyalty either. My home stereo is a mix of vendors: Scott, Pioneer, Magnavox, Jensen, Sony. Even though my home stero has proven faithful for 10 years of heavy use, I don't feel "loyal" to the manufacturer. Not even to Magnavox, who produced the CDB-266 CD changer that has kicked ass for 10 years (it was a high school graduation gift in 1990).

The reason I feel no loyalty is because I don't believe that any one product is an indicator of other products from the same manufacturer being as good (especially so in consumer electronics). I don't really believe that companies benefit from providing products with quality much higher than the norm (remember we're talking consumer electronics here, not hi-end DJ or audiophile equipment). I'll bet that the executive management at these companies see greater value in a slick marketing campaign than in building a word-of-mouth reputation for building the highest quality products.

So, even though that Magnavox CD player has been soooo great over the years, I won't use that a basis for judgement when I buy a replacement (see below). The current models are probably designed and manufactured at different places, by different people, with different materials, etc. The only reason to expect quality would be if I had some faith in the executive management to "make quality job one" even at the expense of quarterly profits and stock price. Yeah, right.

By reading the responses here, it seems that no matter which brand you choose, it's quite a mixed bag. I think I just got lucky with that Magnavox changer.

Yep, it's time to finally replace my beloved Magnavox CDB-266 CD changer. The LCD display died a few weeks ago. Although the electronics to play the CDs seems to work just fine, the display is totally dead. Hmmm, maybe I'll keep it and this will be incentive to listen to albums all the way through, rather than skipping tracks. ;)

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Wednesday July 5, 2000 -- 10:28:39PM

Aaron -- RIP for your Magnavox...

But if it inspires you: I used my Scott receiver with no display for five years before I got a new one. ;)

FROM: Aaron
DATE: Thursday July 6, 2000 -- 1:43:36PM

Thanks Ryan, pour a little brew on the concrete in memory....

Even though it's been pronounced "dead", I'm still using it. It will be like an aged athelete, retiring, then coming back a few days later.

FROM:
DATE: Saturday January 1, 2005 -- 2:33:11 pm