what are your top "audio bargins" in your system history?


It is great to have all the money you need to have the best and endless upgrading.  But what about the components you've had that were inexpensive that turned out to be favorites of yours?

jusam

The original Rega Kyte bookshelf speakers that were £200 sometime in the early 1990s.

If it wasn't for their lack of bass I'd still be using them.

They had such natural timing and coherence that they made most others at the time sound somewhat messy and blurred in comparison.

@edcyn - I heard the SL600’s in Chicago.  It was the first system I heard with a sub.  At the time out of my price range but will never forget listening to them.  They were unbelievable.  Today I own Joseph Audio Perspectives and believe they are my end game speakers.  

As an audiophile who has focused on value this past decade, I feel I've acquired several examples. What stands above the rest in competitive sound quality I believe is my Hornshoppe Truth line stage.

 

@yeti42: Interesting nomination of the Townshend Rock table (a cult component if there ever was one). I got mine in ’91 from a U.S. dealer, paid $650. I use a Zeta arm on mine, a favorite combo with Rock aficionados. And a London (post-Decca) pickup, another excellent mate for the Rock. All made in England.

 

Other nominees:

- AR XA turntable. Bought mine in 1969 for 78 bucks!

- Fisher X-100-A integrated tube amp, bought used in ’69.

- Dynaco PAS-3 pre-amp and ST-70 power amp.

- Decca Blue pickup, $140 in 1972.

- Magneplanar Tympani T-I loudspeakers. $995/pr in 1972.

- VPI HW-19, used from Brooks Berdan in the late-80’s.

- Well Tempered Labs Tonearm.

- Eminent Technology LFT-8b.

- Rythmik subwoofers.

- Music Reference RM-9 Mk.2, RM-10 Mk.2, and RM-200 Mk.2, all used.

- Vicoustic Multifuser DC3.

- ASC Tube Traps (14 of them): 9", 11", 16", all $10/ea. used! (the seller didn’t know what they were. He found them in a house he bought).

- Used LP’s. ;-)

Technics SU-G700M2 (& matching SL-G700 SACD player)

Revival Audio Atalante 3 speakers

Darwin Cables

It's the combination of these three particular components and cabling that keeps my toes tapping, feet wagging and head swaying literally all the time.

All the best,
Nonoise