Grundig MS300 Micro System - Nothing to see here, move along

If you’re looking for a new micro HiFi system that can play cassettes in 2022, here’s one to cross off your very short shortlist.
If I were you, I’d buy something else instead - but if you insist, here's my AMAZON.DE AFFILIATED LINK to this product amzn.to/3tY5ocF
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Regularly asked question
Q) Why are there comments from days ago when this video has just gone live today?
A) Patrons / techmoan usually have early access to videos. I'll show the first version of a video on Patreon and often the feedback I get results in a video going through further revisions to improve it. e.g. Fix audio issues, clarify points, add extra footage or cut extraneous things out. The video that goes live on youtube is the final version.

[@eddyjay83]

My dad used to work on a grundig hifi factory until the brand was sold off in the late 90s. My parents actually met there. He was part of the team that developed the testing equipment for series production, including cassete decks, and he has some crazy stories from back in the day. His hifi collection is also containing some of the best models ever made there. It's kind of sad to see what would be considered as an insult to the brand, being sold 25 years later.

[@BlankBrain]

I worked for HP in the early '70s. That's when Bill and Dave were still running it. Now it's vile.

[@bluewombat]

@@BlankBrain at least for anything other than enterprise gear, like servers, networking and large workgroup printers, yes. Their business laptops used to be real contenders to ThinkPads and built like tanks, now they're flimsy plastic junk that warp if you even look at it and overheat and thermothrottle just from sitting idle. But then again, Lenovo has tanked in quality too. It's almost impossible to get a quality laptop these days.

[@andreasu.3546]

@@bluewombat I still like Dell. Got an XPS laptop for my wife last year and it's built real nice and sturdy. Cost an arm and a leg though...

[@Spookieham]

@@bluewombat HP kit in the 70s was seriously high-end equipment, mainly test gear but also computers, and was stunningly expensive. The fact that a lot of it is still used and commands top money used is testament to how well engineered it was. Built by engineers for engineers. I got to use a lot of HP test equipment in University in the 80s and it was Rolls Royce stuff that was all computer controllable.

[@alexandreb.1101]

My city (Braga, Portugal) actually has a street named after Max Grundig, because we used to have a Grundig factory, that was one of the biggest employers

[@velvetpilot2008]

It doesn't seem to matter how long I'm away from Techmoan videos, when I come back it feels like home. That's a testament to how solid and reliable your videos are.

[@SJMcK]

Why are you spending so much time away from Techmoan videos?

[@startedtech]

Been a part of my routine for close to 6 years now, Techmoan is one of the few KZbinrs where every video will be a good enjoyable one, even if the subject is mundane.

[@velvetpilot2008]

@@SJMcK You're right. There's no good excuse.

[@chrissyclark7836]

Agreed. Top notch quality, and simplicity. And his storytelling is fantastic.

[@Gadgetonomy]

I never tire of the protective film peeling sequence! It makes me smile every time.

[@KrisGraney]

Ooooh, yeah! Peel it, Mat.

[@geoffdeath2590]

@@KrisGraney Peel it Slowly

[@Gadgetonomy]

@@Android-ng1wn Maybe, but it might be more to do with protecting each component as it passes throughout the manufacturing process. I can't imagine businesses spending money on something if it serves no purpose. I also think that consumers don't expect to receive something that is scratched, even a power supply. But maybe a compromise would be to use more paper based solutions. Either way my comment was directed at the humorous way Mat peels them off, for which I am always happy to witness!

[@TreadwellJay]

@@Gadgetonomy it has the purpose you mention of course. But once it's in the hands of the consumer, that purpose has ended.

[@ethelryan257]

At this point, if I were to read 10,000 reviews saying a stereo was good and you said it was rubbish, I'd believe you hands down. Your reviews are just that well done. (I imagine there is zero quality control. The belt is probably touching something or covered in grease or the wrong one and the azimuth screw triple glued down with super glue).

[@kaisersoymilk6912]

Especially if they're Amazon review, they're mostly useless.

[@_afw_]

Such a shame that the reputation (or what’s left of it) of so many great names like Telefunken, Grundig, Nordmende, AEG is misused nowadays to sell utter junk!

[@Techmoan]

It's even more of a shame that so many people fall for it. I always go back to the guy who bought the Victrola name. No one wanted his stuff when he badged it with some other name... as soon as he stuck Victrola on it, it flew off the shelves. www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2018/08/06/vinyl-visionary-how-a-digital-dealmaker-revived-victrola/?sh=54aa95054dee You can't polish a turd...but you can stick a defunct brand name on it that means nothing and people will queue up to buy it.

[@erwindewit4073]

@@Techmoan Yes, and be utterly disappointed when they get it. And I agree, such a shame of the Grundig name.. But I guess that's how it is today. Even though Anadialog suggested a decent, or even good deck was being developed at this very moment. I'd be quite interested in that to be honest. My cassette decks are from 1979, 1981, 1992 and 1993, so it's harder and harder to find parts to keep them running...

[@honestguy7764]

Saba!! I miss Saba

[@jimmyjames418]

Took the words right out of my mouth. Everything else has gone the same way.

[@tnxmatze]

its the same with motorcycles but they gotten way better. chinese bikes are the new japanese bikes.

[@SHADOW17018]

Techmoan is by far my favourite channel on this platform, straight to the point and always in depth. Thank you Mat for making my day that bit better

[@rev.waynet.oleary7387]

And my day too!

[@HalNeinThousand]

9:10 "That's a bit Sharp, there" No Mat, it's a Grundig.

[@Willogs78]

That machine is shocking, you can get a decent Panasonic for a £10-£20 more. Wished that Sony would enter into micro systems market more. The Sony’s back in the late 90’s to early 00’s were brilliant. Another quality video, love this channel.

[@philjackson6859]

Still got my Sony CD/MD/SPDIF micro from 2001 hooked up in the living room and people always mention how good it sounds!

[@austfox2170]

I've stock-piled a collection of the Sony FH series mini systems (about 10 or 15). My fondness is for the FH-313 model from around 1988.

[@thiscorrosion900]

Kenwood too. Aiwa, etc. They were still making fantastic systems in the later 90s. After that....total shite.

[@hyzenthlay7151]

2022, when stereo cassette heads are a feature to get excited about, not a standard to expect.

[@jareknowak8712]

No more physical buttons in cars. Tablets are the new standard.

[@nthgth]

It's all just so sad, the corners they cut. Most people accept it, so of course they do it.

[@psycronizer]

when I was a teenager about 30 years ago I got my hands on a Grundig radio, it was fairly old even then, but it was really advanced compared to the other types of the day, it had coverage for all sorts of frequencies, short wave, long wave, am/ fm etc. I opened it up, and holy hell it was jam packed full of transistors like no other radio I'd ever seen before !

[@MonotoneTim]

You should make a file type tester where the individual tracks are the robot voices reading “this is a whatever-bitrate mp3, this is a lossless wav, etc.”

[@aeiouxs]

Agreed, thought of that as Mat mentioned he needed to check his notes. Pure logic right there! Also they could state their number in a sequence of them ("1 of 8 formats" etc...) so you'd immediately know when a specific number wasn't played.

[@Techmoan]

Yes I should.

[@Kalvinjj]

Or also naming them as their extension and relevant parameters

[@lenbeedle]

That is a useful idea

[@John_Locke_108]

Still can't believe that this thing plays flac files.

[@mikejandrews]

I'm still using my little Sony CPX11micro-system. Bought it around 2004 / 2005, and it's still going strong. Never felt the need to replace it. It has none of this fancy wireless technology, but it does have a decent cassette deck and heavy-ass speakers that could probably qualify as a lethal weapon under certain circumstances.

[@platypusfrenzy]

Same here - still happy with my Sony MD 373 from 1999, even if I haven't used the MD in a while :) Speakers are in good condition, sound is like new. I'd definitely recommend these old mini stereos to anyone wanting a small system, they're much better quality than this junk and yet can be found for less money at thrift shops and flea markets these days since the hifi-collector scene doesn't seem to care for them much.

[@artaroma]

Until 1972 my grandfather worked in the Grundig factory. He told me, that every new product has to be passed and approved by Max Grundig himself. Hard to believe this modern stuff would have passed his desk.

[@Knaeckebrotsaege]

It would have passed his desk. On its way to be tossed out the window by him...

[@filanfyretracker]

sadly the company is now owned by something called Koc Holding, Yet another one of those holding group conglomerates. Shareholders first. Customers, Quality and Brand legacy absolutely last.

[@MrDownRater]

At the time when Braun and Orion were also known about their outstanding quality.

[@qwkimball]

@@filanfyretracker "I work at Koc Holding," isn't really something you'd like to hear yourself say.

[@petermitchell2729]

@@qwkimball bold of you to assume

[@sparxies]

I can see the ad now: Introducing the new Grundig MS300 Micro System with sound quality that's "surprisingly acceptable... at moderate volumes." A true endorsement, if ever I heard one!

[@mrburnz884]

The only thing I liked about this machine is how hidden the disc drawer is.

[@niladrimukherjee2098]

The disk drawer is camoflaged in the machine.

[@VidzOnComputer]

They should have just added a slot disc mechanism like in most Sony systems similar to the PlayStation 3.

[@Δημήτρης-θ7θ]

@@VidzOnComputer Slot mechanisms suck, because they can't seem to be able to eject a disc without scratching it ever so slightly. And there are compatibility problems with the Mini CD and Mini DVD variants. My current laptop has one and I hate it.

[@RealEpikCartfrenYT]

@@Δημήτρης-θ7θ don't jam mini CDs in there i guess. My MacBook has never scratched a single disc

[@Δημήτρης-θ7θ]

@@RealEpikCartfrenYT Look it under light, with the light fixture reflecting on the disc. You will see them.

[@JamieNemeth]

22:03 I'm imagining browsing a plethora of the latest hi-fis in the store (back when that used to be a thing), coming across this one on display, and seeing a Techmoan 'Surprisingly Acceptable' star rating sticker on a suitable corner 😛

[@PhilipBallGarry]

I had a Grundig RR1020 "Boom Box" in the early eighties. My late father bought it for me. The styling was a bit "square" (for the time) and it was a chocolate brown colour. Nothing like my mate's Sony and Toshiba units. My Grundig had two single cone elliptical drivers as opposed to my mates "Two Way" speakers on theirs. But for build and sound quality it blew them away.

[@Retro_andy_1977]

I’ve had that one too A great old radio

[@YPO6]

Would be interesting to hear comparison between western and Japanese 1980's boombox sound quality.

[@supergeekjay]

GRUNDIG were great, until, like a lot of other British brands, were bought by Chinese companies and turned into bland faceless names.

[@mrxmry3264]

@@supergeekjay "other British brands" british? i always thought grundig was a german company.

[@wisteela]

@@Gary-Seven-and-Isis-in-1968 I read that name as Arselick

[@Rapscallion2009]

It's like quite a few of the old brands. Eg Grundig, Wharfedale, Blaupunkt. They got sold off as convenient labels to see really cheap electronics with. People buy them thinking they're getting quality because it's a "good brand" but actually it's an anonymous brand pretending to be a good name from the past.

[@MayaPosch]

Snapped up a Panasonic RX-D55A right after last year's video and have been absolutely happy with it. Thank you so much for keeping us informed on what good gear can still be bought new out there :)

[@vonvision]

Same! Bought an RX-D55 for my grandparents last year cause their kitchen radio was absolutely terrible :D Sounds awesome and the cassette quality is way better than all the other modern-day players :)

[@anakondase]

I bought a Grundig system back in the 80's when I moved to my first own place. It was perfectly fine and I actually still have the record player from it. A shame to see how these old brands get dragged into the dirt.

[@joseppuig925]

Low unit weight and no AM reception have a relation betwwen them: they used a switching power supply (low weight, lower cost) and thus, its RF noise would render AM reception impossible, that's why they left out AM, and only FM.

[@meetoo594]

AM is no great loss tbf, it sounds awful and here in the UK I don't think anyone has used it for decades.

[@bunnythekid]

Class D amplifiers also interfere with AM quite a bit

[@justanotherviewer4821]

Yes, I bet it is one of those small switching power supplies used for lamps etc. The volume output is probably loudest for SD card and when the screen brightness is dim down to the max.

[@westelaudio943]

@@bunnythekid I don't think it has a class D amp. For the two watts per channel this thing probably puts out, linear ICs are still cheaper.

[@tgheretford]

@@meetoo594 DAB has replaced AM, one of the main driver of DAB in the UK are people migrating from AM to DAB as there is a noticeable upgrade, even if the services are still in mono. And in some parts of the UK, AM services have closed. So for the majority, losing AM is no loss. Not having DAB however will put off a few who would have or still listen to AM (namely sport followers and Absolute Radio listeners).

[@robinbrowne5419]

The Left, Right, Left, Right track reminds me of when I was in the Canadian Reserves. We did drill about once a month. The Sargeant would yell "By the left.. quick march.. left, right, left, right, left, right, left.." Of course there was usually someone who was marching the opposite way from everybody else. Very likely the same with Chinese stereos. Always one that is wired backwards from all the other ones.

[@stanleycostello9610]

I remember when I was a kid marching at summer camp. "Left. Left. Left right left. I left my wife and forty-eight children at home in the kitchen in starving condition without any gingerbread left. Left. Left. Left right left."

[@hmpeter]

So sad. I loved to sell and repair Grundig devices back in the day when there was still Grundig in it and not Beko or whatever it is now. Reasonable good quality. Not cheap, but affordable. And always great service manuals and easy to repair. Imagine, they actually thought about how repairable their devices would be in the design phase. Crazy stuff. ^^

[@erkinalp]

Yes, they are being manufactured by Arçelik; but New Grundig-s still have a better quality than domestic market Arçelik-s. I cannot even imagine how bad Arçelik-branded boomboxes in my country, Turkey, are.

[@hmpeter]

@@erkinalp That really is a shame! I like the washing machines they sell under their Beko brand over here, for example. They seem to be quite well built for an affordable price. So I assume they could build just as decent boomboxes and HiFi stuff if they really wanted.

[@tobiassaibot5417]

@@erkinalp Thank you. Nothing against your Country. Almost good people. in this factory the work pressure was to high and the Materials almost top thin. Old Grundig did have same situation in Portuguese in 1991-93.

[@fischX]

It's the customer dynamics Grundig made affordable decent stuff at a good price. Basically like many customers say it should be. They got bust because customers don't buy like they say.

[@risvegliato]

My thoughts exactly! Back in the late 80's/early 90's I worked in an electronics shop in Hurst Street, Birmingham. Grundig stuff was a joy to work on - Solidly built, easy to service, good quality. Their TV's were all modular design with interchangeable boards, and even included the circuit diagram inside the cabinet! It breaks my heart to see such a reputable brand reduced to this.

[@nathans1978]

Dear Mat, I want you to know that I do not get upset when you “take it off” the display. Thanks for another great video.

[@fourthdrawerdown6297]

A few months ago I saw James May removing the plastic from a fridge with custom decals,which he did with the appropriate amount of ceremony.

[@plazmasyt]

"Nothing to see here, move along" Love the anti-clickbait title. c:

[@micheal65536]

If you want to do the "backwards" wow and flutter test more often, another way that you could do it to get more accurate results is to record the tape on the machine that you're testing and then play it back on one of your good machines that has accurate speed and low wow/flutter. This would avoid the "double" effect of recording and playing back the tape in the same bad machine, and it would also allow you to measure the speed of the mechanism. The only theoretical difference between doing the test in this way and doing it in the normal way would be the effects of any additional load on the mechanism from having the permanent erase head dragged across the tape (which wouldn't be there during playback, at least in the case of a permanent head) plus the low wow/flutter of the playback machine.

[@borjesvensson8661]

Or record a tape on his best machine

[@flyingninja1234]

I was surprised to see an actual remote. Most inexpensive electronics, have one of those awful plastic blister type remotes, that run on button cell batteries. Good on them.

[@justanotherviewer4821]

I thought the same. The budget seemed to have gone on the remote!

[@TonyGearSolid]

My Edifier speakers came with that kind of remote, it's probably the most disappointing thing of what are otherwise an excellent set of speakers.

[@supergeekjay]

Those credit card remotes are OK, until the button overlay starts peeling off because the glue goes gooey! I have one for my bedroom lightbulb. My missus likes some of the romantic colours :)

[@petermitchell2729]

Yeah i had a craptacular air con with those buttons on the remote and unit. It was a race to see which would die first.

[@user2C47]

When I get a product with that type of remote, I always back up the remote codes for -if- _when_ the remote fails.

[@themaryjayneexperience5427]

A nice honest review ... It may be junk but it still needs to be covered, under 10 tons of landfill.

[@johngalt5411]

Thanks to my dad I grew up with Grundig equipment in small town U.S.A in the 60's.. Legend has it he learned of their legendary sound from my uncle who was a dentist. It was one of those large stereo console units with the controller/radio section on one side, turntable on the other, two oval speakers firing out of the front & two smaller speakers, one firing out of each side to provide some sort of a surround effect. To my ears it was magical & sounded like nothing I had ever heard.

[@paulstubbs7678]

And now they are reduced to this.... what a pity.

[@mndlessdrwer]

Ah, the Bose effect. If you want the purest experience of that, see if anyone in your area is selling some vintage Bose speakers. The old 301 or 601 are very interesting speakers, though they'll almost certainly need new surrounds or entirely new drivers. You pull off the cover and it's just got drivers pointing in odd directions, so it's a bit baffling how it's supposed to sound, but when you place them how the manual says to, they do give you that kind of atmospheric quality, vaguely similar to an omni-directional speaker. Wild designs back in the day. Not exactly what I would consider audiophile-grade, but certainly interesting, and that's worth quite a lot. Audiophiles tend to get stuck in a rut trying to find the purest sound signature when, in reality, they're just being pretentious while trying to find something that sounds interesting without wrecking their music.

[@dustymax56]

I got it! It finally clicked. You're like an older, music focused, Ashens! And that Grundig remote is the same cheap universal remote I bought as a replacement from walmart.

[@Warnleuchte]

Poor Max would spin in his grave, if he saw that video. Best wishes from Fürth, where Grundig had it's first company headquarter.

[@Minalkra]

Honestly, I appreciate the dim screen - I can see why someone wouldn't and all, especially in a bright room like a living room. But I have a lot of technology in my bedroom I have to strategically find ways to cover up bright blue LEDs and bright green displays and all this nonsense. I appreciate a screen that I can just leave alone after I've shut my lights off.

[@BlownMacTruck]

It’s often recommended by sleep experts to only use your bedroom for sleeping. I’m not being facetious - if a space is only for one purpose, your brain eventually associates the space with that purpose and it really helps your mental health. If you can, I’d highly recommend it.

[@malcolmhutchison]

i wish my Tesco clock radio was that dim

[@toxictrumptube7763]

A loooong time ago Grundig was a quite solid German brand. Actually a bit sad to see the decline Edit: can’t count how many times I watched Bud Spencer movies on our Grundig video 2000 back in the day...

[@workonesabs]

We had a Grundig TV...

[@johannesfranck1770]

Grundig gone a long time ago, the name was sold to different companies which produce various stuff under the Grundig name, Grundig as a company is dead

[@mordokch]

I have a grundig full size separate minidisc player - must be well over 20 years old and still works perfectly except the headphone output, which broke within weeks but I never did anything about it since I don't need it. It's a really nice unit.

[@DanielLopez-up6os]

Their World radios are still better than others atleast.

[@maksphoto78]

They went bankrupt, and the consumer electronics part of them was bought by some Turkish company. Hence the rubbish we see here.

[@RJRC_105]

You can get a late 90s / early 2000s micro system like this for twenty quid from Stash Converters and they usually have actual soft touch controls, proper line in and out, auto reverse, and so forth. I honestly think people would be better served with that.

[@Retro_andy_1977]

I’ve had some of grundigs finest machines in the years gone by,and now this thing is nothing more than a rebadged crosley quality piece,and the last time I was duped into buying a piece of that rubbish I returned it as quick as I’d bought it with a message saying it was an insult to the human ear. Set all this aside as usual Matt I have throughly enjoyed your video and review,and unlike the grundig here your video quality has nothing lacking.nice work!

[@phillipthomas4489]

Just gonna put this out there, having watched the channel evolve from china cams to crazy rad vintage tech: could we have a once-a-year throwback cheap cameras of the year shootout? Every so often I need to hunt down a disposable cam and your comparisons were the gold standard to what GoPro alternatives were available at the time. Obviously, this stuff is a better suit of your passion, but just as a service to the OG themes of this channel and how many came to it.

[@YAUUN]

Yeah, a couple reviews of modern budget dashcams would be handy.

[@kbhasi]

(10:34) I can tell that remote was originally designed to control a TV or external tuner. Those round things that were used for EQ presets would normally be channel and volume buttons.

[@Knaeckebrotsaege]

I have a chinese universal LVDS controller (the little controller PCB that takes VGA/DVI/HDMI and turns it into something an LCD panel out of a monitor or laptop can work with) with a TV tuner and it came with this exact remote, fake brushed metal grain and everything. And yes, those buttons are channel up/down and volume up/down on this thing

[@kbhasi]

@@Knaeckebrotsaege Yep! I knew it! I somehow suspect that the remote shells are sold to multiple manufacturers in China, as I remember Ben Heck showing a 'RCA' projector that had a remote, that used the exact shell as the remote for a ceiling fan that was in my cousin's flat. I posted a comment on that video about it.

[@kbhasi]

@Collabvm Katherine That reminds me of a 'Soniq' TV that I came across, as its remote had buttons for a built-in DVD player, which in turn was something the actual TV lacked.

[@DanielMReck]

Yes, I have the same remote with different labels right here. Came with a Changhong TV several years ago.

[@Slurkz]

I’m afraid the biggest value of this device is your great video about it 😄. Thanks!

[@withche07]

As info: Grundig is now owned by Koç Holding, Turkish company.

[@erkinalp]

and manufactured by Arçelik

[@neilw3149]

@@erkinalp Oh matron!!!

[@RealEpikCartfrenYT]

@@erkinalp shocking Beko dishwasher... Beko refrigerator that won't stay shut. Arcelik is garbage

[@a1white]

Holding what now? 😜

[@fourthdrawerdown6297]

fnar

[@berkkarsi]

Techmoan, please don't read too many comments. Just do your thing and what you enjoy. You still have viewers who enjoy watching what you do.

[@peejoneill1]

You should really be on that channel 5 programme The Gadget Show if they still make it, insane knowledge, perfect voice and delivery!

[@leeharveydarke]

I'd guarantee Matt earns more from YT & Patreon than he would from Channel 5. Plus he's in complete control of his content.

[@MisterStuzy]

It is, I had to look it up. So, considering neither of us knew if it was even being made, he might be better sticking to youtube 😅

[@sethfriesen9123]

I believe Techmoan did send a gadget over to them. Bit of a disappointing experience if I remember correctly

[@PollyBonanzas]

Every time I watch these videos about crappy cassette decks, I’m grateful for actually coming up on a decent tape deck. It’s an Onkyo Integra TA-2056. It does have a couple issues that I need to fix though. If I use the monitor/source function, it’s really staticy. I’m pretty sure I just need some contact cleaner for the dials and master volume though. The only issue there is taking it apart to get to the components that need cleaning. But I never use that function, so I just haven’t dealt with it yet. Maybe someday.

[@Preske]

We had a sony one like this. Absolute an utter garbage. 150 euro's. The lcd screen was super dim when we bought it and within 2 years it was gone. Threw it out, got a 30y old kenwood from a thriftshop for 30 euro that is vastly superior in every single way. Don't buy new. Buy secondhand.

[@FranksterArchives]

That remote control looks exactly the same as the one for my 40” cheap n cheerful TV i bought a few years ago. Button layout is absolutely identical.

[@twocvbloke]

The bit that impressed me most, the slim CD drawer popping out where it did, though does look flimsy, but as for the rest of it, erm, yeah, no, I wouldn't want to rush out and buy one myself, rather get myself something old that's built well and restore it, but that's just me, I like fixing things... :D

[@petermitchell2729]

Yeah it's prime time for buying quality old school modular stereo equipment. Unless you want something really iconic, there's bargains galore. So much fun researching and tinkering with the things you find too.

[@adrianplatt4907]

Much like the arcam stuff these days had a cds27 for a while but the build quality was truly horrible compared to the marantz cd63se that it was supposed to replace needless to say the arcam went back and the marantz is still working after nearly 30 years

[@gabrrom]

what a BEAST of a knive you used to open the Box - it could also hide a Cassette Player!

[@Agri458]

Hello techmoan, I know you normally drop videos on a Saturday, I was was waiting all morning for this. Thanks

[@eaglevision993]

I knew the amount of quality this unit bears by the second I saw the remote: In the trade, this is actually considered to be the cheapest remote an OEM can get. They rang between 3 and 5 cents in production cost depending on how "fancy" you order them in regard of print. The layout is always the same and they use the most low-bottom-end- microswitches available. But I really like the distinctive "click" they make.

[@less5406]

I used to have a Grudig multiband Tube radio. That thing was amazing. Sadly it fell off a shelf and pretty much self destructed. Sad to see the brand on cheap Chinesium equipment.

[@Diggnuts]

Would be interesting to see how close you can get to producing your own 3kHz tape with a proper deck and compare it to the calibrated one.

[@per995]

I remember my first color tv and made by Grundig, bought in +- 1971. It was in the top range at that time 😊 Supplied with a remote controller using ultrasound transmission. Suppose some cats/dogs could hear the sound that was over my range😬

[@ab8817]

the cassette player on this is great. turns any song into a Boards of Canada song

[@hi-fifan1952]

Every time I see the final title and see all the mechanical performances, I know what's been stolen from us. Because it was the mechanics that breathed life into the whole thing. It's like the steam engine. It was the mechanics that breathed life into it and don't we need it anymore? No, I do not accept that. I want to have this mechanism, because otherwise it's no fun.

[@yuerinmorgan6437]

The sound of the remote control as you place it on the desk gives an indication of what to expect, and Grundig used to be a serious manufacturer at one time.

[@MrAnalogDan12]

I improved a basic cassette player (a Ricatech Boombox) by swapping the main belt. The original belt was feeling really springy, like a household elastic band. Once the better quality belt was installed, it did not turn in a Nakamich Dragon, but into something useable.

[@ThePapaja1996]

Or the Tandberg TCD3014

[@RealEpikCartfrenYT]

What if they really did use black rubber bands as opposed to actual belts? Being modern Chinese crap, I can totally see them cutting corners on something as stupid as opting for a rubber band instead of a proper belt

[@MrAnalogDan12]

@@RealEpikCartfrenYT Maybe... But i'm sure that these manufacturers could deliver a quality product if this was required. Sadly, a lot of these new cassette players are made as novelties to generate a quick buck.

[@RealEpikCartfrenYT]

@@MrAnalogDan12 yeah thats exactly what I assumed these new cassette stereos were made for. Not for the serious listener

[@andrewhaines3259]

Makes me feel even better with my purchase of a neat little Panasonic micro system with cd, FM and DAB+ on it with the remote for £15 from a charity shop. Fab little system for my workshop. Bought two different ones for my children's bedrooms over the last couple of years and they are way better quality than this for a fraction of the price! Matt buys the crap so we don't have to! 😁

[@thiscorrosion900]

Almost bought a big 90s Sony minisystem at Goodwill two weeks ago, with a full EQ five band and all that, detach. speakers, but it was A. filthy and B. the CD wouldn't load up. Error msg. flashing. I passed on it. The best minisystem I owned was my later 90s Kenwood system with a CD changer carousel at bottom. Fantastic sounding system, double cassette, and the speakers sounded fantastic with tons of bass and power. I think it was 75 watts, or even 125 or so. I added a Kenwood turntable to it for a time, sounded great! Eventually something died on it and I chucked it out in 2007 or so. I'd bought that Kenwood new at The Wiz (!) in Brooklyn NYC in 1997 or so. Lugged it home in a cab or whatever.

[@LMacNeill]

Who complains about the peel with the music? It's hilarious!

[@teacfan1080]

Just another example of a once famous name in high quality audio products being slapped on garbage today. Think Crosley.

[@MarkAHoltz]

I would have loved to see a teardown and how many off-the-shelf components there are in there.

[@TheRealColBosch]

All of them. There is no way a device like this will have any custom components not related to its physical look, and even then, this thing is pretty generic-looking.

[@nickbitten9910]

Great video- thanks for taking one for the team by looking at this. Highlight for me were the 2 Technics components you showed and the Sony type deck. Great stuff.

[@mattgreen5351]

Heh, your right-left test track always amuses me. It’s so damn fast. So fast that I don’t think I’d be able to determine which speaker the sound came from 🤣

[@hollgo626]

The sound of the tapedeck really brings tears to my eyes....

[@diegocanale1124]

calling it sound is an overstatement

[@darrensellers]

Big fan. The technology I used to love that I never bought when I was a kid was the Hi 8 and Video 8 home player, I loved the way you could record multiple PCM audio streams. The flying erase head meant you could erase a single stereo track without wiping them all. I'd love to see a video on these. Darren

[@hurdygurdyguy1]

I bought a Grundig shortwave radio in the mid '90's (a Yachtboy?) and boy, did I have a great time with it!! These days with internet radio I only use it for local FM listening, but I remember poring over shortwave frequency guides to see if I could pull in stations from all over the world!

[@abingleyboy]

I could imagine this sat in a charity shop playing Radio 2 with a "Not for Sale" sticker on it...lol!!

[@garfieldsmith332]

I remember when Grundig was German quality electronics. I had a Grundig portable reel to reel in the late 60s early 70's that was built like a tank. And a great sound. I still have a UHER 4000 reel to reel. Sadly only the name exists for Grundig and a lot of the other home entertainment companies.

[@simonhodgetts6530]

Some of the very first recordings made by The Beatles was on a Grundig reel to reel. They were a company with a reputation for well engineered, durable, if a little staid, consumer electronics. Sad how a lot of these 50s and 60s brands have ended up.

[@stanleycostello9610]

It's like Buick. Good and dependable, if slightly stodgy, machines.

[@RedPandaSebas]

This could have been a 10 min video but i love your dedication to show everything that’s wrong and why

[@azhorsley]

What do you do with all the tech after the review? Do you return it, flog it on eBay, store it or bin it?

[@unglaubiger5645]

Good question.

[@simonsaysrewind]

I always wanted to know.. i do know the good stuff gets passed onto his family n friends if he doesnt need it.

[@daviddunmore8415]

Back in the 1960's we had a Grundig portable open reel tape recorder. Only took 3" reels at 3/5ips, but it did have manual record level and line in (Mic and line were DIN sockets. It took 6 'C' cells and was VERY solid with great sound quality. I think it had Nuvistas as this was in the very early '60s.

[@stuartmcconnachie]

3:40 “Wire that comes out of the back”. Not necessarily cheaper if you want to sell to different markets with different plug standards. Then you need to manufacture a different model, or at the very least post fit a suitable region plug to the bare cable. In days gone past of course you didn’t get the plug (but now that’s not legal, in UK at least).

[@8_Bit]

The remote control for the Cloner Box Pro I use for all my video capture is like a little brother to that Grundig remote: it has the same fake brushed metal and is largely identical, except it's missing 2 of the 4 rows at the top, and the 4 buttons above the number pad.

[@DanielLopez-up6os]

I got a Nice Hitachi boombox very cheap from a fleemarket in perfect working and condition and it's from the early mid 80s a HitachoTRK 6830E and it plays casettes wonderfully and i think it has a DIN for External speakers. I'm glad i picked that one up as the options for these new ones are very lacking.

[@Haffmatthew]

My sincerest thanks to mat for the quieted audio during the peel saying “ohh yeah”, that’s it…take it off” over the sensual r&B song. Brilliant!

[@rev.waynet.oleary7387]

Great review, Grundig lost the plot in the 90s. A warning to other brands that we don't like crap .. I used to have Grundig and telefunken reel to reels. Took two people to lift them Up, no problems with the buttons. Unfortunately other brands went the same way, hitachi, some jvc stuff... we are in a throw away society, not a reparable society... as always, great video... thanks!!

[@YAUUN]

Grundig the company no longer exists and hasn't since the 90's. Like many old respected European and Japanese electronics manufacturers its just a brand owned by an anonymous corporation that it slaps on cheap tat for the name recognition.

[@NigelMelanisticSmith]

Teachmoan has that Super Swiss Army knife that everyone wanted growing up lol.

[@mxbishop]

I fondly remember the Grundig portable radios of the 1970s. Compared to other radios of the time, they looked kind of military grade, and had a great sound and high sensitivity. Quality stuff, to be sure. However, the product described in this video is the most landfill-ready I've seen in awhile. In order to save time, the manufacturer should mark it "landfill-ready" right on the box - so the user will know exactly what to do after opening it. The Grundig legacy deserves better than this.

[@chucku00]

Their standard "...Boy" lineup was cool but their "Satellit" lineup was the real deal, almost on par with Yaesu or Racal devices.

[@disrealnow9664]

CD playback sounds ok, also with the AUX input u can use it as PC speakers so the cassette, radio, mp3 etc are an added bonus - not great not terrible

[@MohammedAli-sw1yr]

That’s a generic remote control from the shelf in China used for tv, iptv box, hifi and etc so it can be a replacement remote for your desired device.

[@alexandreb.1101]

can confirm, have a tv in the living room made by ChangHong, and the shape of the remote is similar. My TCL tv in the bedroom is miles better

[@defiraphi]

Remote control is similar to the one from my 13 year old Philips TV . It has the exact same design .

[@roselima1741]

The grundig sounds perfect to me. My 80's SOUNDDESIGN 'system' was half hiss and the rest wobbly distortion, its how I heard it growing up and its all I know. Take care

[@ZGryphon]

To quote an article I once saw in a culinary magazine in which a Serious Cheese Expert tried to review canned grated Parmesan from the spaghetti aisle of the supermarket, "This makes me miserable." Uh, the device, not the video. The video's fine. :)

[@AzraelEnterprise]

I always enjoy your reviews, because of your honesty and optimism.

[@Alan_Mac]

5:28 I love it when Matt trolls the grumpy viewers.

[@krishnavandewalle9459]

that slow stickerpull bit was a riot, music and all Bravo

[@geekehUK]

One of the few places you could still find decent quality cassette decks for quite a while after it had mostly died as a home format was in car stereos. Thinking about this I then started to remember about all the various efforts that were made to stop car stereos from being stolen and I wondered if there was some booming black market it stolen car stereos that I just never noticed, probably due to being too young. Because my thought it, just how big could that market really be? How many people ever really cared about upgrading their car stereo and would they ever do it more than once, especially when like changing the speakers is a whole separate ordeal. So then I wondered did or even now do anyone make like a home hifi type system with an amp and decent speakers, maybe even a turntable and a port designed for installing into it a car stereo? Was there any kind of no nonsense method for converting a car stereo (some of which contain some impressive tech and many advanced features you'd rarely find at home, like CD-Text and RDS radio, satellite radio etc.) into a home system? And would something like that now, be a feasible way of obtaining an affordable but still good quality cassette deck and radio?

[@kamilpiasecki9227]

I just realized that I never seen any car tape radio at your channel. Few monts ago friend of my bought an Merceses from '98 and we where quite amazed how well it can play old tapes. Would you consider to take look at this type of players in the future? Cheers

[@dongargon763]

I sadly don’t have my cassettes anymore but I still feel saddened by its last dying gasps in the hands of unscrupulous conmen using old trademarks to make plastic garbage destined for a landfill.cheers for the vid anyway mate

[@CotyRiddle]

Not only was tape speed slightly off and the wow and flutter really high but it actually sounded a bit distorted.

[@PhilipBallGarry]

Excellent review as always Ta 👍. I'll save my money and spend it on - well, anything else really. You were worried about your lab Wow & Flutter tape? I was worried about you bending the needles on your Wow & Flutter meter 😬

[@AnonYmous-yz9zq]

When running most test equipment especially with meters, starting on a high range first and working to mid scale is listed in most manuals.

[@IVR02]

You know, maybe I'm making a dumb late-night comparison here, but I had a thought about how the tape transport controls are disguised to look like soft-touch controls... it reminds me of that cheap International boombox from the late 80s you reviewed years ago, and how it had an LCD clock that was dressed up to look like a digital tuner. What I'm saying is that I think it's interesting to see how cheap stereos from two different eras used different tricks to try and dress themselves up, you know?

[@JHMBB2]

The frustrating part is that cassettes already have a bad rep from people who’ve never used one before. These types of modern decks only reinforce those stereotypes.

[@MrTonaluv]

Somehow there seems to be a conspiracy amongst gen Z etc. To laugh at cassette tape sound quality even though it was often brilliant compared to low bitrate MP3 rubbish getting around now. High bitrate MP3 is OK but these kids just use the default 128kbps and it's crap! We've lost appreciation for good hifi stereo audio. Sad.

[@Mr-Trox]

@@MrTonaluv It doesn't help that a lot of people will agree that cassettes sucked when their memories of them are playing them on bargain bin equipment instead of a quality machine.

[@RealEpikCartfrenYT]

Bruh I'm a gen z person and only got into cassettes last year, and even I know that modern junk is indeed junk

[@largepimping]

"I don't care about it any more." Best summation ever!!!

[@Mattfromthepast]

That remote is exactly the same as the one that came with a 4K Sony Blu-Ray player I bought in 2019. They changed the labels on some of the buttons but all of the buttons are exactly the same. I would have thought Sony made their own remotes but I guess they just get them from some OEM factory in China.

[@ericp631]

Sony hasn't made anything themselves in years. The only differences to what they put out is if they comes from a Samsung oem facility, or a no name in wuhan. There's only a handful of companies that still make their own stuff. For almost all the brands, they just license out the name to whoever is willing to pay; or if they care about "quality" and it being perceived as their own product- do the design specifications, but outsource the actual production to third party oem facilities, and sometimes do a final assembly themselves in order to get the "made in u.s.a." or whatever mark

[@Mattfromthepast]

@@ericp631 okay, good to know. Guess I will buy directly from Samsung from now on so I know what I am getting.

[@nimoy007]

I'm almost certain I've seen a Philips or Sharp micro system that looks just like that, and I'm willing to bet that remote is made in the same factory as one that does TV remotes because that layout (and texture) looks nearly like a TV remote I've seen before.

[@garlandstrife]

These old/legacy branded electronics, mostly cheap and made in China, appeal to the boomer market. They are the generation that still recognizes the brands and hold some sentimental attachment to them. The functions of these devices have been substituted by software, particularly for millennials and zoomers. They serve their purpose, reproduce old media formats. Not for hardcore hi-fi enthusiasts.

[@rog2224]

"I'll just sit here and be ignored as a Gen X. We're used to it"

[@garlandstrife]

@@Knaeckebrotsaege I'm a millennial dumbass. I'm just pointing out the obvious. Only old boomers buy this sort of devices.

[@garlandstrife]

@@rog2224 I'm assuming most gen X use software like millennials and zoomers. Or do you look forward to buy a cassette deck like it's 1984?

[@garlandstrife]

@@Spearca I'm talking in broad terms. Never said I wasn't interested in physical media. I don't think most people born after 85 are really into boomboxes and cassette decks. Very niche.

[@mbfhh]

That cassette tape comparison brought back serious nostalgia of listening to music in high school at two homes: mine with a half-decent audio setup (enormous inherited speakers from the 70s with a really cool amplifier of the same era) and my highschool sweetheart's audio setup which sounded exactly like this grundig system playing tapes.

[@robertkilbourne323]

I remember 25 years ago seeing this beautiful Grundig shortwave radio in a high-end audio store in Toronto and seeing to my horror that is was made in China. Was nothing sacred anymore? Even audiophile gear?

[@Liofa73]

Everything was made in Asia, even back then. Not sure why you're showing so much prejudice. Hardly any audio electronics have been made in the US or Europe for 40 years.

[@westelaudio943]

Made in PRС doesn't mean it's junk. The pоlitical implications of that are a different story of course.

[@westelaudio943]

@@Liofa73 Mid 90s was when ΡRC replaced Japan and Taiwan for production. I don't think Japan and РRC production are comparable. Keeping it domestic as much as possible is always the best solution though. In the 80s there still was a lot of gear produced in western countries. And the eastern bloc had no imports from Asiatic countries at all.

[@adamcowood7553]

The remote is definitely an off the shelf product. I have got more than 1 (in different finishes strangely) that came with different android tv box hardware.

[@martinmeyer2008]

Very nice review - one question though, any reason that you couldn't make a "disposable" wow and flutter tape, also from USB, but recording it on one of your high quality tape recorders? It still wouldn't be calibrated and as good as your nice one, but better than doubling up on the problems with the Grundig? Or maybe I'm missing something really obvious 🙂

[@radiohirsch]

No, of course you can do that. In fact for wow and flutter if its a decent machine it will be quite accurate. But to have the proper recording level is where it gets really tricky (important if you want to use this tape to calibrate a tape machine)

[@Sodoffshotgun]

I think he wanted to show off exactly how much eeeeeuum weeeeeuum was going on with that cassette deck and brother, it was a lot!

[@mrd8826]

Jeebus! Good thing it's a review of the micro system and not the penknife. We'd be here all year!