2. misc-audio
  3. 195366-3130

??? Which Would You Buy ???

 So your in the market for a new component,amp,speakers,DAC,doesn't matter what it is...You have a budget of say $7500.00...You aren't made of $ & this amount represents a significant investment in time spent working & saving & will likely be the only upgrade you can make for the next several years...The rest of your system is good,what is considered mid level gear..
 After extensive research,time & money spent seeking out & demo'ing many choices you narrow your shortlist down to 3 different choices..2 of these choices are from well established manufacturers, have good reviews,sound very good in the demo environment & have excellent build quality but will max out your budget..
The third choice is 1/3 the price of the other 2,is a fairly new product & has limited but positive feedback on sound quality,comes from an established manufacturer that many high end manufacturers have sourced to build their products,has  very good build quality but not quite up to the level of the others & offers about 85% the sound quality of the others...
 Choosing item #3 saves you about $5000.00,meaning you could also upgrade another component or bank the savings...Which do you buy???
 

freediver
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,571 posts
 

That Mac MA 5300 had an original retail price of $6500.00.  I would not pay over retail for a 4 year old integrated.  It is also the “entry level integrated” without the auto transformers.  

lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,801 posts
 

#3 is no brainer…85% of the sound quality + $5K in savings. There are no absolutes here, just preferences and an ever-deepening rabbit hole lined with audio bling and conflicting opinions. 

mahler123
3,650 posts
 

I have always found that when I compromise on what I really want in audio I feel unhappy and I tend to quickly trade the lesser component for what I wanted in the first place.  That’s not to say that I don’t investigate less expensive alternatives to the piece that I initially am attracted to, and frequently a lower priced piece will sound better to me.  It’s complicated 

mattw73
137 posts
 

I would probably go the cheaper route....#3. Why? Because I admittedly but not truly intentionally make bad choices. 

I would buy the cheaper unit. Eventually realize I want that extra 15% better & then sell item #3. Take a decent loss on the resale due to it being a lesser known or established manufacturer. Though if I paid full retail from most any manufacturer I am going to take a decent loss. 

After that has sold I'll end up buying one of those other pieces or something slightly better & all in all have spent more than the original $7k I had. 

I've done similar things.. numerous times. But I have a mental disorder when it comes to audio equipment. So my advice would be to look in the mirror & know thy self. If you can be content with item #3 & relish the thought of making a wise decision by saving some money then go for it. Otherwise just get the piece that gives you 100% of what you are looking for at the tippy top of your budget. 

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