Amazing ''Overachieving'' products...your pick?

I will throw my offerings

Rogers Ls3/5a a classic I know but what agreat pair of little speakers.

agree with above on the VTL 2.5

The original Black Koetsu...scary how good that thing sounded.

also agree with a properly restored Dynaca st 70...3-4k worth of sound for under a grand.

Mcintosh 205 cd changer....people might say Huh ??
don't, it holds its own against some mighty expensive players, and you can play more than one.

For Power cords it has to be VH Audio flavor 4 . Has to be one of the best over acheivers around.....

Placette RVC truly transparent
Plinius CD player absolutely astounding at its price
Spica Angeles real soundstage unreal for the price
XLO type 5 speaker cable and signature interconnects
VTL 2.5 preamp

EPOS ELS-3

Magnepan MMGs
Rega P3 with Exact cartridge
Speltz Anti-Cables
Creek 5350SE

Audio Mirror D1 DAC. I compared this side by side with my Bel Canto DAC2 and to my surprice the Audio Mirror sounds better in everyway for less than half the price of the Bel Canto.

My second pick is Reference Line Preeminence 1B passive line stage. I've tried so many passive preamp and this is by far the best. If this only have a Home Theater bypass, I'll sell my Sonic Frontiers Line2.

Hmm ...I Will take a crack at it

1. Blue Circle CS integrated - damn good for the money !

2 Bryston 2b sst - I heard one powered with pmc OB1 - Simply marvellous

3 Audioprism Mantissa pre amp - A real steal .. I have decided to build my entire system around this baby

That's it for now ...
Great post keep em coming ....

Revox B-225 CD player - analog only from 1983 and it would compare well with any redbook CD playback system.
It's lacking on tracking (single beam) but excells otherwise. The market seems to have identified these recently, as their prices jumped to $400+.

Kenwood model 700C "control amplifier", aka preamp...
This was Kenwood's one-of-a-kind assault on the high-end in the early 70's. Unfortunately, the matching amps are not that great and gave the system a bad name.
The 700C has a great line-stage but a mediocre phono section. If you listen and it doesn't sound great, leave it running for a few weeks. That's typical for units that were stached in a garage for 20 years...
Again, the market seems to realize the potential as the last one on ebay went for $475 - well worth the price, and then more...

Infinity Monitor-II and WTLC speakers with Walsh tweeters.
Hard to find in decent shape and those tweeters are not available anymore. Both units are truly full-range, with the Monitor-II extending down to the mid 20 Hz range in an effortless fashion.
The Walsh tweeters are good substitutes to ribbon super-tweeters and perform about the same.
My friend that owns the Sonus Faber Amati Homage came for a listen. I played a few tracks and he had a big smile on his face. I said "They sound almost like your speakers..." and he replied "What d'you mean? Better!"

There you have it... All the "secrets" are in the open.
Amps?
Just pick any of the single-ended tube amps around. The Monitor-II's are playing in a smallish living room on 3 watts and not leaving you wanting much. I'd go a bit safer with a 300B, 6V6 or EL-84 single-ended amps.
These amps won't really give you the full bass response but they have a lively way of sounding musical and dynamic.
For more power, you should pick a Harman Kardon A-250 Epic with Tungsol 5881's or a pair of Dynaco Mk-III with a modified front-end (I published a simple zero-feedback front end for those that would be a one weekend project).

Plenty of "amazing" stuff for you nickel and dime...

Perp Tech P3-A DAC w/ full WrightMod - Used. I bought a Bel Canto DAC2 thinking it would be better, it wasn't. The PT sounded strikingly similar except for a more open and airy top end.

Placette Passive - I replaced it with Joule Electra LA150 which beats it and should for 5 times the cost.

Spendor 3/5 - I bought a new pair in rosewood for a second system and until I could find a good deal on Harbeths. However, now that the speaker has broken in it just keeps drawing me in and I'll probably wait awhile on those Harbeths (you'll need a good sub with the 3/5s, though).

Used Dynaco 70 - Never have had one but a trusted friend did and said it, heavily modded, was as good as a c-j amp at which cost 3 times as much and more musical than an Audio Research model at 4 times the price.

My "honor roll" of "overachieving" products would include the following; 1}MG 1.6s Great speakers at a reasonable price that compete with much more expensive speakers and sound better than alot of them.2}Placette passive line stage Sounds great and competes with much more expensive pre-amps.3}Bel Canto DAC2 Very reasonably priced and performs at a very high level even without a great transport. Add a power amp, transport,and wires you got a great system without breaking the bank.

Wright Sound Mono 3.5 (2A3) SET amps--
Still $1400 for a pair, and after listening to
numerous alternatives costing multiples more,
these remain the most inviting, honest amps I've
heard yet.

Jolida Products--
They can certainly be outperformed, but to be so engaging and musical at this price point is impressive. One could stop here and enjoy the music forever.

Vintage Klipsch speakers--
Unforgiving of bad synergy, heavenly when good.
Just $1300 or so for a pair of La Scala's, and I'm still
looking for better midrange.

Linn Ikemi
conrad-johnson 17LS Series 2
Cardas Golden Cross, Ocos cables
Magneplanar MG 12/QR
Spendor S3/5

I now what you are thinking, "these are budget gear".
Compared to what's available today $100, 000 speakers, $25,000 line stages, $30,000 amps, $20,000 cd players and $10,000 cables they are amazing value!