Great bargain - but outta my reach

Valhalla! I dunno....

nothing specific, but I'd like to get a turntable, arm, cart, and phono stage, but need to save up some more money after the tubes/ESLs I just bought. Maybe after the 1st of the year. I think i have seen some good "starter" tables listed at decent prices. But no bargains, that I'm kicking myself over.

anything listed!

A couple of years ago there was a pair of Audio Sculpture/Matiere Ultimas for sale here for about a third of their original price that I would've loved to get even though they were no longer in business (my rationale was that maybe Audio Aero would be able to fix them, since its the same designer and the Audio Aero monos seem to be pretty much the same design), but I didn't have the funds and they were gone when I did have enough scratch later. I don't have any deep regrets, because Im still very happy with my Jadis amps in my system, but I would've loved to hear those Ultimas in there...

Well, there are the used Rockport Antares still listed here, I think. Fortunately, Egglestonworks has a program which is allowing me to upgrade my Andras to Andra IIs for a fairly nominal amount, and I should be 100% satisfied. But there are those Antares....

I almost bit last weekend on a pair of BAT VK-120 monoblocks (wired at the factory). List was $10000, they went for less than $3100. Good condition, good feedback. If I hadn't just dropped a couple grand upgrading my power (dedicated lines, power cords and conditioner) I would have jumped on it. I was biting my knuckles as I let that get away. Right buy, wrong time. Maybe someday it will roll around again when I'm ready.

ahhh worse yet, even as i type there is a linn axis(mint) on ebay buy now....

BUT ALAS, the guy has zero feedback do you roll the dice??

I was very envious of the guy that bought a brand new McIntosh MC202 on ebay last week for $1425. I would have LOVED to have gotten that thing but just can't quite afford it at the moment. Same thing happened when a Pass Labs X150 a few months back sold on ebay for $1500 in perfect condition. I have been hating it ever since! Oh well...I hope one of these days it will be my turn.

A while back, a pair of Atma-sphere MA-1's, latest model, low usage, going for less than half-price; I was about 2 hours late. Also once bid on an auction for a brand new set of MA-1's with no reserve; I chickened out at what turned out to be only a few hundred bucks below the high bid, which itself was only a little over half-price.

I didn't intend for this to be a "wish-list" thread, though Gregm's list is certainly impressive and is shared by me. On the other hand, I owuld never restirct anyone from posting what they want (with possible exception of the drivel to be currently found in the last third of the thread regarding MIT cables on the cable forum!).

Anyway, and I know this smacks heavily of envy, I am thinking of the piece one sees that is a bargain price for what is being offered, you'd love to have it, can't quite afford it, almost consider a second mortgage to get it, and then see the "SOLD" sign posted, knowing that some lucky one with deeper pockets snagged the deal of your lifetime....RATS!

if only...I had Mr Gates' (of MS fame) financial means, I would snap up the Symphonic Line Kraft 400, the Genesis 1.1, the Tenors, the Jadis Defy (hopefully recent production model). A few good other S-Lines, Spectrals, Piega8's, the Tenors, a Goldmund here & there, and the Cello. And I would be able to set myself & my friends up splendidly!

These pieces come to mind, but I can always expand. (Any Quads waiting to be snapped up?)

But, most of all, I'd buy MUSIC!

I'd buy the complete INTERNATIONAL classical catalogue of EMI, Universal, Chandos, Warner, Naxos, H-Mundi and then some. Mostly on vinyl; whatever's not available on LP, I'd get on CD. Whatever I already have, or don't like (personal taste), goes to friends. The top performances, I re-order in multiples for friends. If they don't have vinyl, there's lots of good TTs & phonos around, I'd deliver the LPs with the appropriate h/ware.

In fact 4y, I have such a lot of money, I'll buy you your dream Jadis 800 NEW -- what the heck, there's more living in sharing!

Thanks for helping me dream for a while! Cheers