Technics SP-10 MK II turntable. Built like a brick,
high torque, excellent speed stability, low rumble
and noise. Highly underrated. |
Klipsch La Scala. They've been in current production since before many of us were even born (late 50's, early 60's .. Marco?), and they've kept up with every upgrade I've thrown at my system. They're still my everyday gear. I have an uncommon pair of them: 1-piece cabs with road handles and enclosed back with removable access panel, larger bass driver than stock. Not the 2-piece pro cabs - and in my opinion much more elegant than those, and in super shape as well. I am running them with Quicksilver Horn Monos. Stunning combo. |
Second the La Scala's. I'm running them with George Wright 3.5's, and cannot get Cassandra Wilson closer to being in the room than with this combination. |
Krell Ksa-250, almost 13 years old and blows 99.9% of the amps I go listen to out of the water. Every time I think about change....for get about it!!!!
Dave |
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Acoustat 8's-1985, Velodyne ULD-15MKII-1995, Win Labs SDT-10 cartridge-1980, Well Tempered Turntable-1990, Acoustat Servo X Tube amps-1979, Modified Dynaco PAS-3 used as Win Labs power supply 196?, Stax Lambda headphones with Stax amp 198?. |
Audio Research VT100 and my Genesis 500's. Expensive then but well worth it. No desire to upgrade. |
Linn Sondek turntable & Linn Klout amplifier. |
Original Martin Logan CLS's along with Atma Sphere M60's. |
VPI Aries, HW 19 series, Rowland Concentra, Krell KSA 250, FPB 300, Thiel CS 5i, ML CLS IIZ, Maggie 3.5/3.6, Vandersteen 2 series (affordable good sound) Macintosh 275 amps, Quicksilver silver monos, Basis tables. Jallen |
Adcom GFA555 (original or series II), Aragon 4004MKII, Sony XA7ES, any Pass Aleph piece. |
The Original Vandersteen 2 Speaker System. They have been one of audio's most enduring speaker systems since they were introduced back in 1977. They started out life as just the Vandersteen 2, then I believe they became the Vandersteen 2B a couple of years later, and then Vandersteen 2C after that, then the Vandersteen 2Ci after that, and now, for the last twelve years, they were the Vandersteen 2Ce's. There is also a "Signature" version of this speaker available as well, and they are called the Vandersteen 2Ce Signatures. They are a "phased timed array" design that was designed to get electrostatic performance from dynamic drivers. They are a full range speaker system that features among other things, a genuinely deep bass response. The Vandersteen 2 Speaker System makes it possible to own a full range speaker system at an affordable price. If memory serves me correctly, I believe they are about $1,600.00 for the Signature versions.
--Charles-- |
Rega Planar 3.
Spica Angelus ... wish they were still in business.
Just sneaking in, built in 1995 my Densen B100 would cost a lot of money to upgrade. It's a shame Densen have such a low profile in the US. |
Pioneer open reel tape deck 1020L. Had unit for about 25 years, bought second hand. Most open reel decks, Akai Teac Pioneer, Sony etc built like tanks. Just had it serviced last year. Solenoid switch went. Lights on the Db meters still work after all this time. When using factory recorded material at fastest speed machine can play, sound will surpass any other front end component reguardless of price. |
Oops forgot to cast a vote on this. The Threshold SA3 power amplifier. 50 Watts per side pure Class A. Clearly one of Nelson Pass most brilliant designs. Has all one could possibly ask from a power amp. To do better would have to go Pass Labs X350 at several thousand dollars. At present the SA3 is back up to the Forte 4a which is another glorious 50 per side Class A amp from the Threshold/Forte stable of fine products. To replace either would indeed be costly for what I consider a small increase in performance. |
Thorens TD125 turntable with SME 3009 arm, been working from around 1974. Although I have to admit I've changed the cartridge and belt since then, so does this still count? |
the one and only Khorns !!! |
Illuminati D60 digital cable.Famous and most favorite digital cable.Need say more. |
The Sota Sapphire. I just sold a Series II with an Alphason arm to a new friend. It's at least 19 years old, has required no tweaking or repairs, and still sounds great. If I was going to get back into vinyl I'd buy another Sota in a New York minute. |
I second the vote for the GFA-555II. As much progress as has been made in SS amps, you still need to spend a whole lot more that what a 555II sells for used to hear an appreciable improvement, IMHO.
But I'd also like to throw out the Thiel CS3.6. They are one of Thiel's longest running speakers, and the lack of a 3.7 on the market (yet!) indicates that they are having a difficult time improving on it (though I am sure that they will). It also falls into the camp of having to spend vastly more money on an equivalent product to hear any significant improvement. I have heard my 3.6's up against two sets of speakers in the $10-12k range, and the 3.6's held their own or bested them. Lastly, the 3.6's are a product that lets you hear, with intimate detail, the characteristics of your other gear. So, you can drive them with amps costing twice what the 3.6's sold for, and still hear all the nuances of those amps (or whatever other high dollar gear you might be auditioning). |
Shure V15 Phono pickup. Decades after its introduction it is still near SOTA (at least for MM) and reasonably priced. |
Cast my vote for the old-school Infinity IRS lineage: the Deltas, Gammas, Betas, and legondary Series V. In addition, the original (orignial...) Kapppa series just below them are worth mentioning here.
It was fun watching Infinity develop and hone thier products throughout the 1980s and into the 90s, before they were bought-out by Harmon International. Their marketing tag-line from that time has always stuck with me as I enjoy this hobby - "We get you back to what it's all about: Music." |
Vendetta Research SCP2-T Phono Stage
John Curl's legendary masterpiece, also included as the phono side of the Blowtorch preamp, still delivers the goods for me. I was fortunate enough to get Mr. Curl to do his latest military grade teflon cap upgrade, which took a few months, but was well worth it. Cheers,
Spencer |
Magnepan- SMG-MMG. Essentially the same speaker for the past 25+ years. |
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