Best bang-for-buck purchase you have made?

By default, it would have to be my going-on-20-years-old Technics SL-1200 turntable. I special ordered it through Circuit City for $290 when I left college (the first time :-) in the early-mid 80's, after having used the desk-mounted Technics TT's at the school radion station - long before I ever seriously entertained thoughts of one day building a high end system for myself. At the time, in my blissful ignorance, I thought it must be about the best TT one could get, but even then I thought it was a bargain for what you got, despite my lack of funds (they're around twice that much now, I think). Many thousands of records, and many thousands of dollars spent on much higher-zoot equipment later, I still do not *hear* a reason why I should need to replace it (though I have tweaked it up a bit), and it's never not worked for even a minute of that time. It's the only surviving piece of gear I still own from my first self-assembled system (based on NAD separates). No audiophile cache, and hardly the ultimate I'm sure, but that's what I call enduring value.

Sean, email me...I promise not to reveal anything to Francisco. :-)

BTW, I mention the product only because it's the truth. I have no doubt that, were I looking for my first TT today, having wider knowledge about what's available (and if I had never DJ'ed at that college station), I probably wouldn't ever think to even consider the 1200. I bought it out of ignorance to some degree, and in a way I keep it out of ignorance too: I've heard a few 'high end' TT's in passing, but have never really auditioned one under familiar conditions. Even if I wanted to shop around, I don't know where I'd go or what I'd do - none of the dealers near me seem to stress analog. I had to buy my last cartridge sound-unheard through the mail; I assume I'd probably be facing a similar situation for an audiophile-approved TT, and how much would that tell me on a comparitive basis about anything other than that TT vs. my present one - after I'd already bought it? A TT is one component I'd want to get brand-new, but it's also one of the few that it seems you can't comparatively audition at most dealers. So since I'm not unhappy, here I stay...