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

About 5 years ago I had a search bot app for Craigslist.

I had it watching for Magnepans.

After about 6 months the right deal came along... a pair of mint, SMG's with magnariser stands for $250.

Although the app had done it's job, I left it to continue searching. 2 months later a pair of mint 1.7's had popped up, so I grabbed them for $500. The owner had gotten a promotion that required he move to Chicago immediately. He was selling a spacious house and moving into a tiny, expensive condo in downtown Chicago.... no place to put the Maggies.

Mine wasn’t a component at all, it was the about the $98 or so I spent buying a fiber transmitter receiver and cable to install in the Ethernet line just before my bluesound node. Wow what a difference! If I’d spent 5 times that much it’d still be a bargain. Now I’ve upgraded to an Esoteric Network Player and still use the fiber. Still wow, just a bigger wow! 

I found a Pioneer Elite CD player at my local Goodwill store for 5 bucks, sure I spent 11 dollars on a remote on EBay but it’s still a great deal, thing is built like a tank

+1 on the Spica TC50

I would have to say my entire system except my DAC. Everything was acquired selectively used so I have great quality components for much less than retail price.