[John]

Technology has moved so quickly, it's hard to remember what it was like yesterday and how much technology has enhanced our lives.
Here's an example..
Back in the dark ages, Boxing Day 2002 we had people coming round for a little party but no music system which would have left things a bit flat.
So we get in the car and drive over to the retail park where we go into the Comet superstore (remember them?) After walking up and down the shelves looking at all the choice - must have been 30 different stereo systems - a chap wanders over and offers help.
Bit of a chat and he points out a modest Panasonic cd/radio/cassette player that we agree on and 5 minutes later we're driving home. It took a whole hour of our time.
Fast forward 18 years.
The Panasonic has been playing up for some time and now it's almost impossible to get it to read and play a CD. Time for a new one.
Onto Amazon where there are hundreds of stereo systems with prices from the dirt cheap to cost of a small house in the village. Great, I can drill down to the sort of features and price range I want. Then I can look at those in detail, compare them with each other, read customer reviews, check via Google for specialist site reviews etc.
One I like the look of but will it play MP3s I've recorded onto CD? Nearest I can find in the 188 answered questions is Yes, No and I don't know.
Another I quite fancy has some very bad reviews but the specialist sites speak highly of it, considering it's very cheap.
Anyway, having looked at systems up to nearly a thousand quid - which resulted in threats of awful retribution from SWMBO not to mention a diet of stale bread and water for 5 years - I have decided to buy a Panasonic system quite similar to the dying one and modestly priced. Thanks to modern technology, I have made an extremely informed choice that may well even be right when it arrives.
It's only taken 4 days of my life.
 

[Yorkie]

It's very easy to get overwhelmed with all the information out there, isn't it?

Mind you, when I bought my small hi-fi system I agonised over it for a very long time, making various trips to local stores, armed with various CDs to hear how it played!

Today, the online research would at least make the earlier stages of research warmer and more comfortable!!

[snowdrops]

Or you could just get blue tooth speakers & play Spotify from your phones lol

[John]

Or you could just get blue tooth speakers & play Spotify from your phones lol

Smart Alec! I don't have a smartphone or spots (well, one on me bum but that's probably too much information) 

[JayG]

Online reviews can be very misleading - some Amazingon reviews can be baffling until you realise a batch of completely unrelated reviews have escaped into the reviews of your chosen item.

On top of that there are always people who can find fault with or break anything, and those who post reviews saying it looks very nice, but it's still in its box and they've not tried it yet! 

One of the reviewers of the cooker I eventually bought said she was very disappointed with the performance of the second oven (not surprised - the 'second oven' is in fact the grill!  )

[jezza]

Hello I remember Comet they merged with Dixons now Currys PC world  the Chairman/managing directors son lives 2 villages from me    jezza

[John]

Hello I remember Comet they merged with Dixons now Currys PC world  the Chairman/managing directors son lives 2 villages from me    jezza

They actually went bust in a big way Jezza and the taxpayers had to pick up a massive redundancy bill. The creditors got a penny in the pound. The comet website is still there but is actually part of the Misco group
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20765983

[snowdrops]

Or you could just get blue tooth speakers & play Spotify from your phones lol

Smart Alec! I don't have a smartphone or spots (well, one on me bum but that's probably too much information) 

Yes definitely too much information  , just thought you were technically up there lol

[John]

I'm not really interested in the technology as I used to be. I also like owning a CD rather than finding some external provider has had a problem and cut my music off. Maybe I'm just a Neanderthal at heart 

[New shoot]

Maybe I'm just a Neanderthal at heart 

CDs?  That is a bit caveman 

I finally persuaded OH to box ours up and put them away as we have not played one for years.  He can’t bring himself to actually get rid of them 

The music system is still sitting on a shelf, but I have deep dark plans to remove that one day he is out - evil laugh.

We have Apple Music and it gives you access to millions of songs.  You can even ask Siri to find you music that is similar so you get to hear new things all the time.  Or if a smart phone is too space age, you could get an Alexa.  She plays music as well.  I am a self confessed Luddite and even I can cope with that 

[rowlandwells]

i liked the idea of recording our collection of records onto CD'S and my son did the job for us so having quite a collection of CD'S and records my wife wanted me to make some shelves to stack the records CD'S and the DVD'S  on not to much of a problem
 
then my son in law said get rid of all those CD'S and DVD'S and buy on of those new fangled music eye players and get a film channel without going into to much detail the CD'S and records together with the DVD'S are staying we are sticking to shelf idea   

[mumofstig]

Cavewoman here, as well, then!
I have loads of cds and the system still sitting on the units. (it even has a tape player) 
Why change while it all still works? 

Forgot to say, I use the music channels on Sky, as well, plus Spotify on the laptop, occasionally.

[Goosegirl]

I so agree with you John. Choosing items especially electrical ones is far from how it used to be. I subscribe to Which? but even then they get negative reviews, so I look at several reviews to get a general idea of its worth.

[New shoot]

Buying on-line works well for the basics.  We had to get a new fridge/freezer for my mum pre lockdown and she wanted to go look at them in shops.  I introduced her to AO and it was there the next day.  Way easier as she knew what she basically wanted.

It is more difficult for things where you have additional interest in the performance, like a TV or music system or camera.  Amazon is a nightmare unless you know what you are looking for as the choice is just soooooo vast.  In some ways, the old days of a shop with a range to look at worked better, as you were not overwhelmed with decisions to make 

(it even has a tape player) 

Oh my - tapes     Haven’t seen one of them in a while.  You really do look after your stuff though don’t you 

[John]

Well it arrived, very similar to the old one except it is slightly smaller and a lot lighter. No tape player anymore but it has a USB port and DAB radio The remote is a lot smaller, less buttons but does more. Shame the instructions aren't clearer but I'll figure what I need.

Tomorrow I should have a cassette player arriving that turns them into MP3 files - and even Spotty Botty Fie Fo Fum doesn't have some music I have on tape. I wonder if my reel to reel copies of Sgt. Peppers and Revolver still play.. maybe I can find the tapes with the BBC production of the hobbit from1968?? on them.

I miss the separate hi-fi set up I had years ago - JVC amp, dual cassette deck, lovely turntable, Mordaunt Short Festival and Carnival speakers - around 100W per channel. Even added a CD player when they came out. My Dad had to countersign the HP when I bought the system from a specialist store.

Actually, what I'd really like is the quality of hearing I had back then - hanging round speaker stacks at gigs not a good idea 40 years later!