what are your top "audio bargins" in your system history?

In 1982 I saw a pair of ESS TranStatics listed in The Recycler, priced at $400. They originally retailed for $1200 in the early-70's, when I had lusted for a pair.

The speaker is a 3-way, the highs reproduced by three RTR ESL tweeters (the same tweeters Infinity was using at the time in their Servo-Static and 2000A models), the mids by a KEF 5" B110 driver, the bass by the renown KEF B139 oval woofer (used by David Wilson in his original 1970's WAMM) in a transmissionline enclosure.

Still have 'em!

Oops, forgot about the Clear Day Double Shotgun Speaker Cables. Pure silver, 8ft. pair, used for $300.

Oops, forgot the pair of Infinity RS1b I bought from Brooks Berdan (his personal pair) for two grand in the late-90's. Sold them back to him and got the superior Eminent Technolgy LFT-8b.

@yeti42: Interesting nomination of the Townshend Rock table (a cult component if there ever was one). I got mine in ’91 from a U.S. dealer, paid $650. I use a Zeta arm on mine, a favorite combo with Rock aficionados. And a London (post-Decca) pickup, another excellent mate for the Rock. All made in England.

Other nominees:

- AR XA turntable. Bought mine in 1969 for 78 bucks!

- Fisher X-100-A integrated tube amp, bought used in ’69.

- Dynaco PAS-3 pre-amp and ST-70 power amp.

- Decca Blue pickup, $140 in 1972.

- Magneplanar Tympani T-I loudspeakers. $995/pr in 1972.

- VPI HW-19, used from Brooks Berdan in the late-80’s.

- Well Tempered Labs Tonearm.

- Eminent Technology LFT-8b.

- Rythmik subwoofers.

- Music Reference RM-9 Mk.2, RM-10 Mk.2, and RM-200 Mk.2, all used.

- Vicoustic Multifuser DC3.

- ASC Tube Traps (14 of them): 9", 11", 16", all $10/ea. used! (the seller didn’t know what they were. He found them in a house he bought).

- Used LP’s. ;-)