I named this badly. Apparently the search engine uses the title w/o recognizing case. I'll throw another in for laughs, the Armstrong receiver. |
ALeph Series amps and Preamps, by Pass Labs. |
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Oracle Delphi MkIV turntable |
Audio Research CD-2 used,found on Audiogon. |
McCormack DNA-0.5 amp and Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 pre-amp-- both used of course. |
I'll second the McCormack DNA 0.5 vote, even though Garfish
has mine now ;-) |
Best ever for the money for me is the +/- $450 I spent for the Stan Warren Modified Pioneer DVD Player. |
Mark Levinson 335 Running a Mark Levinson 39 cd player direct. The sound is so Natural. |
Dburdick; your DNA-0.5 went to a good home and may see some up-grading one of these days, and as I've got a 2nd one-- maybe monos. Cheers. Craig |
The dynavector 507 tonearm. Brings the best out of just about every cartridge. It is a masterpiece of visual and engineering design. |
Transcendent Sound Grounded Grid Pre Amp- $500 in kit form. Incredible pre amp. Mesa Baron Amp -$1,600 used. Powerful enough to drive the Hales! Hales Rev. 2 speakers $1,000 used. Cal audio CL-10 CD changer $800 used. |
Best value by a wide margin is an Audiogon classified for 2 bucks! Best deal I ever got was an VPI HW-19 with ET-II arm and Signature DTi for $1400, then my ex-wife discovered the meaning of the legal term, fungible. Best component value, a used Music Reference RM-10 for $600. |
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Since the best value item I have ever purchased is not eligible for nomination on this thread, I nominate my second choice, the N.E.A.R. 50Me II loudspeaker. I purchased mine new for $1,600 in the Rosewood finish with some very slight blemishes. My brother purchased a black ash pair new for $1,200. They are no longer in production, and these were closeout prices. They are transparent, dynamic, with very good frequency response, and also possess excellent spatial rendering qualities. Truly excellent performance and value. I'd also like to mention Atma-Sphere electronics. They are not inexpensive, but I believe they offer exceptional value for their performance level. God bless. |
Thiel 3.6, a model that has been in existence 9 years with no upgrade - could easily sell for 2 1/2 times IMHO. |
I'd agree with Jim on this one. I bought one new back in 1981 or 2 for $189.00 and it was a mindblower. A couple of years ago I took a trip down memory lane and bought a used one for $50.00, I put some AudioQuest pre-jumpers in and this little guy still holds it's own. Great phono stage (Thomlison Holman design) and it could drive any speaker on the planet. Dollar for Dollar the best of all time IMO. |
Best deal(s)? I bought an Aragon X5 HT amp, Soundstage preamp and cables for $4,000, split them up and sold them the next week on eBay for $6,700 -- then used the profit towards a Sony SCD-1 my highest end piece. Net result of this was the Sony SCD-1 for $400! Best deal dollar wise? A Marantz 14EX on Audiogon for $1800 after selling my Marantz SR18 for $1600 -- cost of upgrade was $200. Folks, the road to high end bliss is a well-traded one on audiogon and eBay. |
Creek OBH 10 volume control... less than $200 new |
No doubt, while not real cheap, the P.S. Audio Powerplant!!! |
Vandersteen 2's I have never owned them, but have always admired there value. |
Rogers Ls3/5A speakers, Quad 53/63, Linn LP12, Nad 3020, AR sp6, Goldmund ref TT, Cello Audio palette, Goldmund mimesis 7.1 pre, OTL amps (Futterman), Metaxa amplification... Many were not inexpensive -- but had trend-setting &/or distinguishing factors that were unique at the time & many hold their own today. Later products may include Soundlab U & Genesis 1.1 (very expensive) |
Pass Aleph 3, Quad ESL-63 (used), Oracle Delphi mk. V. and Metaxas electronics (havn't heard their speakers).
For the more expensive but still good value, due to very high sound quality: CAT (all models are fantastic), Atma-Sphere (All models), Avalon Eidolon, Soundlab M/A/U-1.
Cables: Argento (no one comes close). |
Alon II speakers.I have never heard anything better for the money.Bought mine here for $500.There is a pair right now available for $575. |
Sold a Rogue 66 for $900. and bought a Rogue 99 for $1100. Spent another $350. for the Magnum upgrade which brought the total price for the Rogue 99 Magnum to $1450. ($2400. retail)! Have been happy ever since. |
ZERO autoformers. www.zeroimpedance.com Will transform most systems. |
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Aloia amps are still a steal |
Creek integrated, never owned one, but have always admired there value. |
Wadia 9 + 7. What others bring hi-fi, digital, critics, etc... to you. This combo bring the concert hall (OC Performing Art Center), the symphonies, the operas, the composer, the pianist, and finally the music. Cheers. |
Musical Fidelity A1 25w pure A, very hot.
You can roast steak on its top
It accompanied me with a Ruark Sabre amd Cal Icon2 for my university life.The happiest time I ever have in my life. |
my G&D modified adcom preamp. it beat the living crap out of my joule la-100 mk2, and it cost only $700 used.
i'd put this preamp up against anything under $4k. the CTC and maybe, maybe the herron is better. but they cost a LOT more.
rhyno |
magnapan speakers,in particular the 1.6 model.at $1400 to $1600,these speakers blow away ones that cost many multiples more.just need beaucoup current/watts and these babies sing. |
2nd the Connoisseur table. Too bad that lightning hit my house.... |
Denon DL103 cartridge. Best $200 cartridge ever made. |
Grado FTE+1 and the Grado entry-level cartridges that succeeded it (GTE+1, MTE+1, etc.) The FTE+1 was only $13 in the early 1980's and was the cheapest entry-level audiophile component that I can remember. |
Best Component Ever, for the money??
(01). McCormack Power-Drive DNA-0.5 Power Amplifier (never owned one, but always wanted to own one).
(02). Adcom GFP-750 Active/Passive Line Stage Preamplifier (currently own one, and have no plans to part with it either).
(03). Magnum Dynalab FT-101/FT-101A/Etude FM Tuners (currently own an FT-101, and what I said about the Adcom GFP-750 also applies to the FT-101 as well).
(04). NAD 3020 Integrated Amplifier (never owned one. But could very well be the best VALUE component ever. I haven't heard about anything else coming along and topping it ever since it was discontinued and removed off the market almost two decades ago).
(05). Vandersteen 2 Speaker System (never owned a pair, but I have listened to this speaker system over and over again, and I am seriously thinking about getting a pair (FINALLY (!!!!))).
I think that's about all I can think of right now.
Happy Listening!!!!!
--Charles-- |
Audio Research PH3, you need $$$K more to beat this one. |
Ever? For the money? NAD 3020 (especially modified). |
The NAD 3020 has had multiple votes. A popular choice. I think the $13 Grado cartridge has to win hands down if it was a high-end component. (I never owned one.) Since I dont think amps matter so much compared to sources and speakers, I am inclined to stay with the Connoiseur BD2a integrated table I owned long ago, or in a more modern vein, my Harbeth speakers. Not exactly an economy model, though not expensive at $2,000, the Harbeth Compact 7 is the best purchase I have ever made. |
The original AR Turntable. I have heard AR tables were sold as low as $35 new. Maybe some senior audiophiles know of prices even lower than that. Ed Villchur's AR was an original, pioneering design that helped define the direction of future components (like Linn LP12 and Thorens). For a time, many considered it the best turntable to be had at any price. If I ever go bankrupt and lose all my other stuff, I'll try to put together an old AR turntable, an entry-level Grado cartridge comparable to the old FTE+1, an NAD 3020, and perhaps the original Advent Loudspeaker. Nowhere near state of the art, but all were outstanding for the money and I could definitely live with them. |
Ascend CBM 170 speakers @ $320 a pair new in 2003. |
Shahinian Obelisk loudspeaker, which has been in production since 1977, and still is an amazing speaker that puts to shame many more expensive ones |
There are many components that I have loved: AR SP-10 preamp,Jadis Ja-80 amps, Koetsu cartridges, Dynavector DV 507 arm, however, for me the Quad Esl-63 (in any of its versions, Crosby mod, Pro, USA monitor, 988)is the finest. For those who need deeper bass or a louder system, add a subwoofer. Nothing I have heard is as accurate,coherent and musical as the Quad. Period. |
Jjjj, funny, was going to post here and found that you have practically said it all. Cheers, |
For a large Room Maggies (They sound like large LS3/5a's)
For a small room LS3/5a's (They sound like baby planars)
When I saw this thread I had few components in mind and finally decided to rate the two above for specific use.
I have a NAD 3225PE which is a variant of 3020 and it is an absolute gem. You must not listen to it unless it is warmed up for about 30 minutes, the sound after warming it up opens up so much, that it starts sounding like a different amp altogether compared to when it was switched on. My son uses it in his room hooked up to the Mission 760iSE's for the computer use. Once in a while I end up in his room and I am always awestruck at the musicality of the combo. |
two more bests FOR THE MONEY:
1) The Apogee Scintilla. Can be had for little more than a grand. It is a Quad on steroids, and it does go down down down to 20 Hz.
2) I want to nominate the very cheap Jolida 100. With the right tubes, mind you. I have yet to hear finer sounding digital on my system. |
At the moment DACs are real steals.Seems like the best in a teechnology always occurs at the end if it's life.TT's and Cartridges are examples ,but now they are specialty items that go for outrageous prices.
DAC's
ART DIO--Modified
Scott Nixons tube DAC
Speaker's
Accustats 2+2 for $300 10yrs ago,but I did not buy them.Did not have the room.
NEAR M15's I got with 2 extra set of modified driver's for $350.Excellent speaker's which I would need to audition speaker's in the $2K+ range before I could even find a comparable set to replace them.
AGON--There are steals all the time,but you have to be there to get them.Last good pickup was 47Labs OTA Cable for $300 that went for $700 new with additional RCA Jacks. |
Jolida 102b Integrated all-tube amp. $580. Hands down.
Bonus: Stock EL84 (and other) tubes are now Sovteks, BTW, so you don't have to sub out the Chinese tubes anymore. |
Giffin Powerwave amp with madisound BK-16's
430 dollars for an amp and a set of folded horns |
