What are/were the best sounding cheap components you have ever had?


It is easy to like the best of the best, so to say.  However it is always satifying and memorable when an inexpensive product turns out to be very good to great. 

Some that come to mind from personal experience"

Large Advents (original)

Early Nakamichi SR receivers

Original Monster interconnects and speaker wire

Pioneer Pl-12 turntable

Shure M-95

Early Stax and Audio Technica headphones

MoFi "special" pressings

Magnum Dynalab Etude.  Yes some were better, but a real value

The Absolute Sound mag in the beginning 

Early Conrad-Johnson and Audio Research tube electronics

Early Classe integrated amps.

The original Sony Trinitrons

And there are others....but part of this hobby is enjoying the journey.

Have you had cost effective items that were successful for your enjoyment?

jusam

Nobsound Mini Amp- $45 new and can really play my rear surround speakers loud and clear:

 

Tiny Fosi integrated amp with Bluetooth.  $60 on Amazon. Can drive KEF ls50s very nicely which is not something just any amp can do.  Sounds very good. 

My original Doge 7 tubed preamp from quite a few years ago

was relatively inexpensive and outperformed my Manley

tubed preamp by a large margin. The Doge was a bargain.