What are/were the best sounding cheap components you have ever had?


It is easy to like the best of the best, so to say.  However it is always satifying and memorable when an inexpensive product turns out to be very good to great. 

Some that come to mind from personal experience"

Large Advents (original)

Early Nakamichi SR receivers

Original Monster interconnects and speaker wire

Pioneer Pl-12 turntable

Shure M-95

Early Stax and Audio Technica headphones

MoFi "special" pressings

Magnum Dynalab Etude.  Yes some were better, but a real value

The Absolute Sound mag in the beginning 

Early Conrad-Johnson and Audio Research tube electronics

Early Classe integrated amps.

The original Sony Trinitrons

And there are others....but part of this hobby is enjoying the journey.

Have you had cost effective items that were successful for your enjoyment?

jusam

Showing 8 responses by elliottbnewcombjr

I have inherited and been gifted some great sounding stuff, but what cheap things have I bought and paid for?

latest, for my office system: 

1. AR-2ax speakers, buy, ship, restore: $750. total, sound terrific office system. Just bought a 2nd pair to restore. All/any needed parts readily available.

2. DAC, Topping D10s, $110. based on advice here. Was using PC's headphone jack to Luxman 10 wpc tube amp. Now PC's usb out to Topping to that little luxman. OBVIOUSLY Better SQ (exactly what I asked for) 75% typically, now vol at 35% typically, prior needed 75%.

gotta go, more to come

This Pyle Phono Stage, $14.

doggone thing beat fancy ifi ... cambridge duo, .... it hides behind, linear in/out, I prefer my phono in my mx110z and my Luxman, but to get up and listening, it's surprisingly good.

Story about ’CHEAP’.

I’m a retired Interior Designer, specialized in Corporate Offices, New Headquarters, Relocations, Renovations for 46 years.

I’m still in school, working part time, just allowed to meet clients alone.

I come back from a meeting, tell Betty, head of the Decoration Dept. (furniture and furnishings).

"The client wants cheaper furniture"

Betty leans back in horror, batts her eyelids at me and says "We don’t sell cheap furniture, tell the client I will find something "LESS COSTLY".

I didn’t say anything, but the word has been out of my vocabulary ever since then.

’less costly’ tubes sounded better

My used Cayin amp had a pair of 6sn7 and pair of 6sl7, Cayin branded, no maker’s id, absolutely identical looking, but numbers were marked

Tested em all, incl power tubes. With my great experience I put two in wrong sockets and blew a 6sl7.

Put a used GE from stock, sounded great. 

Ordered matched pair Sylvania Military grade, cool looking chrome tops (wanted visibly different, so smart) They did NOT sound good.

Brent Jesse had me first break them in 60 hrs, still didn’t like them, he gave me full credit, I tried some GE, half the price, sound great.

Oh Happy Day!

Bose VCS-10 Center Channel Speaker, small, inexpensive

Only small fit, and it did not cost much, around $100. new. Surprisingly Good Sound

here’s one

New arrangement, bit more room replaced it with a Klipsch

Gifts, yard sales, inheritances, not the same as buying 'less costly' new and it sounded great.

Then there is unintended LUCK.

I needed a front loading TT for the Garage Shop system to stack stuff, keep dual cassette in for nostalgia and home made tapes. Sony PS FL-1, P mount.

I planned on getting it, converting the P mount with a 1/2" adapter so I could buy a better advanced stylus cartridge for it.

Darn thing arrived with a P Mount Shibata! AT 485U (didn't know they made them).

got what I wanted by pure luck

most similar I can find is this modified version, AT body, bonded shibata tip

 

Vintage Equipment, Intended Overhaul, Great Sound and Great Value

I took a chance on a vintage mx110z McIntosh Tube Tuner/Preamp. Enjoyed it as received for a few years, then sent it to Audio Classics for Overhaul. New capacitors/resistors/rectifiers/align tuner/all new gold plated rca jacks. 

Now, I advise: Prearrange with Audio Classics (or ____?, McIntosh: send directly to Audio Classics; They Overhaul it, ship to you.

You buy, you pay directly for UPS to pack and ship; seller simply drops it off unboxed at nearby UPS in your name.

i.e. my mx110z mid 2019, bought $1,200. Overhaul $1,200. Total $2,400. (plus tax/ship, any equipment needs that). Costs have gone up, so has new stuff. It is a tremendous way to get Old World Sound Quality and Full Features with New World Overhaul, for Far Less than New.