An audio component you just can't let go

I have a Carver system I’m my office, cannot sell.

@lalitk Shindo has always intrigued me but have never had a chance to listen. I’ve been to quite a few shows but Shindo is not something you commonly find there. Would like to have a listen some day .

@scar972

I hear you and I would do the same. I still regret selling my Shindo Monbrison preamp from Ken Shindo era. Four years later, I am still searching for mint condition Monbrison preamp. Speaking of stainless steel chassis, THÖRESS comes to mind. I am so tempted to pick up their phono enhancer.

Some good responses so far and some interesting ones too!

I recently moved and was faced with downsizing my equipment.

A few pieces I decided to hold on to even though it's no longer in use are:

Audio Valve Eclipse pre and Challenger mono amps: The Eclipse preamp chassis is made of stainless steel (similar to Shindo) and weighs over 40 lbs. It sounds amazing, very quiet, and has one of the best bass of any tube pre I've heard. This is a German brand that never sold well in the U.S. despite having prices that I consider low for their level of quality. With the recent passing of their owner, Helmut, the company has gone with him.

 vintage Studer A-810 reel to reel: this is a highly regarded tape machine that I was able to obtain from a home studio, it's in excellent condition with original box and packaging (rare to see). Went through so much trouble to get the old electronics inside overhauled that I don't see ever letting it go.

@baylinor 

Unfortunately it's only gonna get louder and more outrageous.

My Brinkmann Byquist DAC made a huge difference bringing details to the mostly mid range music I love.  It’s the “core’ of my system

My viva amp, musical fidelity 550 supercharger monos.Plinius sa100.

There is a button on your tv remote control that will change your news channel to something else, movies etc.  Just use it.

It should be a lot quieter on TV now.

DCM Time Windows 3. They are truly timeless in every sense of the word.

DCM Time Windows 3. They are truly timeless in every sense of the word.

Klipsch sb3s and sb2s bookshelf speakers... they sound great but mostly taking up space in my storage space. If you are on a low budget, these will get you audiophile quality sound.

McIntosh MX113 preamp, recapped, tuner aligned, and lamps upgraded to LED equivalents.

The MX113 is my first Mac; it drives two Mac RS100 bookshelf speakers via their wired connection. Each speaker has a 40 watt internal amp.

Nice little system, installed in the office.

I pushed the button to soon, the one component I kept from 1985 till today was a Sonograph SG3 TT with Sumiko Primier arm. 

@re-lar-kvothe I owned the B&K Pro10 and ST140 for 25 years. Purchased in 1985. Drove an original pair of Vandersteen Model IIs.  The B&K combo was superb at the price point and beyond.

Devialet D-Primere -

I bought it many years ago. 

It was my first 'hifi' system and it sound great and may be the most attractive piece of stereo equipment ever made (even better than its successors).  It is so attractive that it may be in museums at this point. 

It was advanced for that time, D amp with streaming, before streaming was so popular (we listened to radio stations) / downloadable Firmware - simply great.

My Sony 32 inch CRT TV. 25 years old and works as good as the day I bought it. Perfect for watching old shows that just look better with a little pixelation. It has  stereo sound so it qualifies here.

Musical Fidelity X10D

B&K Pro10 Pre and ST-140 power amps with a pair of Mirage M760s. I purchased these in the later 80s. Have also run more than half a million dollars' worth of audio gear into and out of my home. I still not sure why I set them aside as they still sound wonderful. 

Revel Salon 2 speakers!!!!!

I have a McIntosh Mac 1500 and a Mac 1700.  They are mint and I will never sell them.  They are rarely used but I love them.

Love my Acoustat Model X’s.

I still have my Adcom GFA555 amp that I bought new many years ago. I'm actually using it in bridged mono to drive my center channel speaker.  Also has some B&W DM302 bookshelf speakers that I wouldn't sell. They are sitting in their original boxes. My Von Schweikert VR-4s are sitting unused, but I'm saving them for my son. He has no room for them now. 

I used to have a pair of five sided dbx speakers. They had tweeters on 3 sides. Real walnut veneer.  Probably not amazing sq, but very cool. I wish I still had them. 

You know, no. 
 

Each step I have made forward (since a few mis-steps very early on) have been substantially enough to immediately dissolve attachment. The only thing I have kept is my Marantz 2040 integrated that I bought irresponsibly in college in 1972. Not for the sound… that is for sure. 

Maybe I should stop hanging on to the past and just let go.

Dual 1019 changer -- it seemed a marvel of design and fabrication for its time.

Magnum Dynalab Etude FT101a tuner -- 3 meters and a digital display, sexy!

Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck -- it was the ultimate in its format.

Acoustic Research Amp -- its charming simplicity is still fashionably elegant.

Pass Labs Aleph 3 -- my little porcupine still sings beautifully.

And not to overlook, a pair of Thiel CS3.6 speakers -- still sound great in my library.

@lalitk You summed it up well.

@grislybutter just turn the TV off.

@grislybutter 

"right now it’s NOT my tv with the sound blasting election news for the 100th hour straight and I just want to shoot myself."

Please sir, turn your TV off and put the gun away.

McIntosh MC2105

My SAE 5000 Impulse Noise Reduction System. It is not used now but when I get the rest of my 70s stuff hooked up it will be.

Sony Tc-K7II cassette

Pioneer SX-1050 receiver

Pioneer PL-630 turntable

Teac A-2300S open reel

JBL L222 Disco speakers

VTL pre and power amps.

 If we speak of electronic component, my akg k340 and my Sansui amplifier  of the alpha series are irreplaceable in term of S.Q. /price ratio ...

I have a few pieces in my system that qualify, except (as you specify in your post), I haven’t replaced them or removed them from my system.  Occasionally I take them in to have some of the internals upgraded or repaired, but they will always be an integral part of my system. 

So the pieces I can’t let go of are my musical instruments.  My string bass, my electric bass (which turned 50 two years ago), and a couple of my guitars.  I haven’t played them in over 35 years, but they were so prominent in my life that I’ll never sell them.

right now it’s NOT my tv with the sound blasting election news for the 100th hour straight and I just want to shoot myself.

“What makes this component so special?”

Any component regardless of price or brand that allows you to connect with music is worth keeping around. A component must possess Musicality and the Synergy with rest of your audio gear. If a specific audio component cannot convey music with its natural emotions, then it simply gotta go, IMHO.

Plastic tubes of all sizes and diameters, cardboard one, straws, Shungite, quartz, low cost Schumann generators. Springs, wood, concrete slabs, bamboo plates, cork plates, sorbothane all materials i use in my acousticals,mechanicals and electrical embeddings controls experiments.

Cost : peanuts...

The gear choice is relative to your budget and matter less at the end than the way you implement it in your room.

Dont be a passive consumers learn acoustics basic .

Believe me i dont need to upgrade...