Biggest "bang for the buck" audio gear you have owned(in your history)?


This is very subjective, and your opinion on your own systems/items is all that really counts.

From the beginning to now, these would fit that category for me: (in no order)

Original Large Advents
Dahlquist DQ-10
Conrad Johnson ART pre.
Original Monster interconnects and speaker wires.
Nakamichi SR-3a
AR Turntable
ADC XLM II
Audio Research LS-12
Magnepan 1.6
Magnepan 20
Wireworld Gold Eclipse III
Audio Technica Electret Condenser headphones 
Magnum Dynalab Etude and 108 tuners
Magnum Dynalab Receiver (original)
And in those "early days" special pressings and imported Jazz albums. 

There may be others I am forgetting, but these were very good items along my journey. 





jusam
Nakamichi 410 preamp.

Picked up one used for $90 10 years ago. Worth it for the stepped volume control alone. Still use it foday.
Absolutely, and without a doubt, two pieces come to mind for me. 
- Rogue Cronus Magnum II Integrated Amp
- Audioquest Niagara 1000

Couldn't live without them.
The biggest improvement I made, and not for killer dollars, was when I bought my first pair of serious speakers--Magneplanar MG -I.
1. Vintage tubes. For around $100 each I’m not sure there is a better bang for the buck out there.

2. Empirical Audio Off-Ramp 5.  This USB converter absolutely transformed my digital system for less than $1k used.

3. Audience aR2p power conditioner for $695 new. I’ve since moved on to the TSOX version at considerably more money but the incremental improvement really didn’t justify the cost. The entry level version is a tremendous value.
Thorens TD-160 paired with a Stanton 681EEE cartridge. I paid around $300 total in the mid-70s, best money ever spent for ROI.