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What Does 80 Grand Get You Nowadays?

A system was playing in a shop. I sat down and pretty soon I thought gosh, I’m glad my system sounds better than this.

That system - just preamp, amp, and speakers - cost about $80,000 new.

I didn’t make the speakers at first, because Sabrinas look far better than the usual Wilson house look. They were driven by one of those new high-end Marantz amps, and I don’t think that was a match made in heaven. The Marantz was driven by a Dan D’Agostino pre that looked like a Minion had been crushed in a hydraulic press. Audiophile music was streaming, but I did not catch whence issued those dulcet ones and zeroes.

I suppose that system constitutes high-end for some. Now, it certainly sounded competent, but it also sounded boring. I thought, this is the Audi SUV of audio: competent and boring.

Conversely, I was impressed and pleased to no end that the end sound of my modest system from the last century could play in the same league as an almost-six figure modern system, and do so in a more engaging and fun fashion - to my ears, at least.

I’m biased, of course; and I am certain many high-priced systems out there leave mine in the dust. Still, I would have thought $80,000 guaranteed a better baseline sound.

How about you, have you heard a lot of gear whose sound was way out of whack with its price?

 

devinplombier
toddalin's avatar
toddalin
665 posts
 

Devin:

331 CI, pump-friendly 9.5:1 CR
K&N 14"x4" air filter, Corvette drop base and lid
Holley 600 dp, choke horn milled and blended, Primary - 69, Secondary – 74, Squirters - 21
1/2" Aluminum open spacer port matched to manifold, exterior polished
Edelbrock Performer RPM intake manifold, port matched, exterior polished with all extraneous castings and lettering removed
Homemade lifter valley splash shield to keep hot oil off manifold bottom

Manifold heat riser crossover blocked
Camel hump 1.94/1.50 heads hogged out to 2.02/1.60, pocket ported, port matched, pump-friendly hardened seats, 3-angle valve job

All porting and port matching performed by Juan Mendoza of Flow Technology (famous for doing teh LA Street Racer crowd)
Cylinder bores clearanced to unshroud the valves
Comp Cams 1.52:1 roller-tip rockers
Crane Cam Vintage Muscle 327/350 hp cam, 222 degrees @ 0.05, 0.447" lift (with 1.50 rockers)
Doug Thorley headers, dechromed and ceramic-coated
2.5" mandral-bent exhaust (including tips), 2" cross-over just before rear axle

DynoMax stainless Ultra Flow mufflers
Millerspeed 1-1/2” Gilmer under drive belt drive system

Mallory Hyfire IV CD ignition box triggered off Accel points
Mallory high voltage chrome coil
Mallory spiral-wound coil wire
Mallory solid copper plug wires, ends soldered to wires
Champion plugs
37 degrees total ignition advance
Carter high volume fuel pump
Melling high volume oil pump
Open breathers
Polished aluminum high flow water pump

160-degree thermostat
Flex fan with polished aluminum spacer
Polished aluminum one-wire 100 amp alternator

Header Power Bracket
Keisler TKO600 5-Speed (0.64:1 OD)
Hurst shifter
3.70:1 positraction with Big Block yokes

Dick Guldstrand Grand Touring Suspension, one coil removed on front springs, 2” longer spring bolts in rear/Dick Guldstrand Rear End Locating Kit

Tokico Performance Shocks

Adjustable front sway bar

Vette Brakes and Produces Control Arms
225/60/15 Firestone Firehawk SZ50s on 7”-wide Western 30-spoke Turbine Wheels

devinplombier OP
1,677 posts
 

toddalin

Terrific spec. She's a beauty! 

Wonder what the hifi equivalent of her would be?

ronboco
1,118 posts
 

@devinplombier 

Please post your system so we can see what the room looks like. 

mylogic
841 posts
 

@devinplombier ”l wonder what the hi-fi equivalent of her would be?

Your question…. Car v hi-fi. Somewhat the same journey?

A Linn LP12 (best example l can think of) said to be the most tinkerable turntable in existence. Nothing against the manufacturer, or those that like a lot of fettling. Just saying as you asked for feedback. A turntable is in essence an engine.
Purely taken from reading a lot of posts on here about the original Linn Sondek, and said onward journey experiences.

Tinkerable… designed intentionally, and in mind of the options available for endless tinkerability.

ghdprentice's avatar
ghdprentice
9,485 posts
 

I would use the word upgradable as opposed to tinkerable for the LP12. There is only one correct setup. But you can upgrade the plinth, sub-chassis, tone arm, power supply, etc. It allows for upgrades and future proofing. 

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