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

The one and only NAD 3020A back in the 70's.  Was the start of you can get quality without all the fuss from NAD.

16 years ago I bought a used pair of McIntosh mono blocks and tube pre amp to drive my 3.6 Maggies.  I could sell them for what I paid tomorrow.  Bit then I would lose the magic, LOL.

New Large Advent Utilities, $148(?) at Tech Hifi in 1978 as a HS graduation present. Refoamed by Miller sound. Still in my secondary system

Ohm Walsh 2000s for $2800/pr in 2009. End game speakers for me.

A pair of Vandersteen 2Wq subwoofers bought used for around $800 each. Never will they leave my system.

Arion Audio S500 stereo power amp. Got a special price on this one, but even at it’s list price at the time, $2500, it does everything I want an amp to do, nothing I don’t, and I can carry it under one arm if I need to.

Highly modified Beresford DAC by K Works. Only goes up to 96/24 and lacks USB input, but outperforms modern DACs costing much more. I paid $500 used including power supply.

Custom Sound Anchor stands for the Ohm speakers. Solid, effective and affordable.

New Large Advents $150

Klipsch Heresy "Decorators" $300

Infinity RS-II towers $400

ATI 1502 $150

I still have the Advents and the ATI amp.

Bought a set of B&K Sonata monoblocks along with matching B&K Pro 10MC preamp for $450 about 10 years ago. Best bank for the buck I have ever come across. 

Wish I still had them.

Years ago I purchased a VAC CLA1 MKII Pre, Counterpoint NPS-400, Clearfield Continental speakers with Synergistic Research cables for $300 and then spent $300 on tubes and a repair. I still have and use the VAC in my second system.

I would have to say a Marantz 2265B reciever that someone gave me back in the early 80's  That was the beginning of my audiophile journey 

Recently l bought a used Spectron musical MK lll class D amp designed by John Ulrich and the old beast almost weighs 60lbs 

Jolida 301 amp, older definitive technology BP series bipolar speakers almost 30 years ago, ESS speakers from the 70’s with the amt tweeter/midrange, rogue Cronus magnum 2 amp, ps audio ds jr (wish I still had for second system), and now the ps audio sprout 100 for a second system. 

I acquired an Audio Research VT130 as a "throw it in" (that would be for free) while acquiring an SP15.  Someone had "adjusted" the left channel tube bias and it was blowing screening resistors. Once that was rectified I was amazed by the depth of stage the old gal had. Free is a hard price to beat. 

My Marantz SA7S1 super audio player was a game changer in my system. Got it as a floor model for less than half price and is still spinning discs and sounding beautiful.

Used LP's at the Goodwill for $3.....many of them almost mint.  And a set of mint, original, clean and working perfectly Dahlquist DQ 10 for $375.

@jusam 

+1 Advents were my first real speakers and it was hard to let them go. They cost me $200 and I had to spend $1400 to get something better sounding.

Stax headphones

Vandersteen 2CEII

Elac Adante AF-61 tower speakers (Andrew Jones designed) purchased new in early 2021 for $2500 a pair, half off their original retail price. These are extremely revealing speakers which pair very nicely with my McIntosh MA-6500 Integrated amp. My McIntosh Integrated was also purchased used in pristine condition for $2500 from Audio Classics. I have been very happy with the performance and value from this 5K combo.

My biggest bargin and the start of much of my audio history/pleasure were the original large Advent speakers...........in walnut of course

I recently purchased a Martin Logan Forte amp with ARC room correction market down from MSRP $599 to sale price of $199. I don't know how but i made my rear surround speakers which are wall mounted sound almost like big ML electrostatic in terms of soundstage, WOW. Quite the bargain.,

Technics SU-G700M2 (& matching SL-G700 SACD player)

Revival Audio Atalante 3 speakers

Darwin Cables

It's the combination of these three particular components and cabling that keeps my toes tapping, feet wagging and head swaying literally all the time.

All the best,
Nonoise

@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. ;-)

As an audiophile who has focused on value this past decade, I feel I've acquired several examples. What stands above the rest in competitive sound quality I believe is my Hornshoppe Truth line stage.

@edcyn - I heard the SL600’s in Chicago.  It was the first system I heard with a sub.  At the time out of my price range but will never forget listening to them.  They were unbelievable.  Today I own Joseph Audio Perspectives and believe they are my end game speakers.  

The original Rega Kyte bookshelf speakers that were £200 sometime in the early 1990s.

If it wasn't for their lack of bass I'd still be using them.

They had such natural timing and coherence that they made most others at the time sound somewhat messy and blurred in comparison.

@testrun  I remember my Spicas. They were quite excellent, but in time I went to Celestion SL600's, more than a little because the SL600's gave me near insane  3D. Anyway, when the SL600's eventually started going through one too many tweeter deaths, I ended up with NOLA Boxers. I've been happy ever since. True, they don't possess quite the 3D of the Celestions but their tone is a good deal more natural.

Vandersteen 2CE Sig II speakers

Schiit Freya Plus tube preamp

Schiit Bifrost II DAC

Line Magnetic 216i integrated tube amp (best addition overall)

Spica TC 50’s

GZ34 metal base tube purchased in early 90’s. 

If I consider a "bargain" as something that can be purchased at a relatively reasonable price, and that performs near or above similar gear that sells for a similar or higher price, then my list would include:

• SMc Audio upgraded amplifiers and preamplifiers
• Khozmo passive preamps and Hattor passive/active preamps
• Mojo Audio Mystique v3 DAC (the rest of the line is very good but not the same level of bargain as the v3)
• Sound Anchors Stands 

Thanks for your thoughts/experiences.  J

My Primaluna Integrated. Lovely tone. Fine imaging & 3D. As much slam as this classical music guy will ever require. Just spritz the volume and selector knobs with some Deoxit to quiet them down when they get glitchy. When a tube blows (which happens considerably less often than it happened in my previous tube amp adventures), you get hold of Upscale Audio and have them send you a new one.

Townshend Rock mk2, also known as the Elite Rock. Bought for £500 in 1990. I’ve run a Rega 300 (with the damping trough) and a Naim Aro and now a Schröder Reference (without) since my Artemis is playing up again. The Rock is more resolving but maybe a bit more analytical with the Proteus, an SPU Royal N gets the combination swinging nicely though.