Modwright LS100 preamp & KWA100SE power amp |
CAT SL1 pre amp...best pre I have ever owned, made a big difference in my system's sound. |
have done a total redo of my system in the past 5 years. upgrading my front end too the PWT/PWD mkII was by far the biggest leap forward. i've never heard digital this good.
a close 2nd would be the bridge for my PWD. opening my eye's to computer audio was a game changer. it's allowed me to re-discover my music collection and all the gems i'd forgotten about.
next on the list would be the high quality rack i purchased from Steve Blinn.....i got the extra wide and was floored by how nice it was. |
LFD NCSE Mk II, Best SS Amp I've ever heard. |
My choices are based on price(I paid)/performance ratio
Amp: Acurus A200---With this amp, my speakers are faster, tighter, and more detailed than any amp I have used.
Source player: Onkyo DV-SP1000/Integra DPS-10.5---I love these players, built rock solid, sturdy smooth transport, very musical IMO.
Preamp: B&K PT-3II---Outstanding price/performance factor at retail price($598.00) but especially at the $75.00 I paid.
Speaker: Klipsch Quartet---Just an outstanding 80's/90's speaker that I am totally in love with that I picked up for the insane price of $100.00, and it is in perfect condition.
Subwoofer: Revel B15---Bar none, the most musical subwoofer I have ever owned or heard. I got this sub for the crazy price of $450.00.
Bill |
Had to add to my list the MARANTZ PM8004 integrated amp. Not quite fully featured as my McIntosh MA6600. Yet amazing sound and very well constructed. Higher priced units watch out, this amp rocks. |
With Super BAM. Bested my Dali Helicon's, Usher Be-718's, and a host of others. |
Spectral DMA-260 amp. Absolutely the most incredible amp I've ever heard. Soundstage deep and wide, gets subtle shades right, plenty of "air", yet still has ample power to burn. I just sold it to get ready for the D400's coming out soon, and hope I made the right decision. If not, I'll buy another one, and consider it "audio greed". |
@Scouter766: Join us on whatsbestforum.com - hosts the only dedicated Spectral forum |
5 years? Not sure about time frame, but 5 weeks-- SMSL SD-022+ USB DAC. Tiny little box that has no right sounding this good. Even with my cheapie TA2020 amp and lo-fi PC speakers, it made a dramatic improvement with ALL web radio stations. |
All my stuff in newer than 5 years, but I should consider the Tyler D1 speakers and the Bryston BDP-1 as my OUTSTANDING products. |
I'd have to say the First Watt B4 active crossover. Discrete, analog, no opamps, and adjustable on the fly. |
+1 on the Marantz PM8004. If you only have $1K for an amp, have middling (70 wpc) power requirements, and need the highest end experience at that price, this one will do it. You can actually pair it with $10K speakers (e.g., SF Cremona M) and it will *own* them.
Consider the tone shaping and good MM phono stage bonuses, |
1) the Omega upgrade (18 ohm Alnico magnet midrange and tweeter drivers, and new constantly charged crossover for the tweeter) for my series 3 Avantgarde Duos raised sensitivity from 103dB to 107dB and gave even more unforced detail and musical soul. Somehow, through alchemy I do not understand, it also improved the bass performance - more filigree and better match to the mids in the upper bass/lower mids power region.
2) AMR CD-77.1 CD player with isosynchronous USB DAC and switched non-oversampling filter options for the TDA1541 chipset. Bombproof build quality, superb attention to detail (for example, the shipping case is better made than some "high end" components I've had in the past), NOS tube output stage and the most detailed yet musical presentation I've heard from any digital source - truly a CDP for analog lovers.
3) Cary SLP-05 line stage, with my fave NOS Sylvania 6SN7s. A heavenly meeting between soul and accuracy, at a reasonable price. |
I must qualify this with "bang for the buck," but that said, My Emotiva D/A XDA-1, Bought for 199.00 delivered.
Not an Elgar, but better than anything under 1500 that I tried.
Since it is a preamp, I thought I would throw it in here.
Not much of a risk either, since it sells for 150 used and has a 5 year warranty.
Mine has been in place for year or so and isn't going anywhere. |
With out a doubt the best "value for the money" I have found in audio is the NHT Classic Three speaker. For $900.00 a pair, I have compared them to some of the most respected speakers up to $5000.00 a pair. I also think that there dsp controlled B-12d subwoofer mated to them creates for $1800.00 a speaker that out performs any thing I have heard at $4/5000.00. I know it sounds insane. I came across them a year and a half ago looking through the front covers of Absolute Sound Magazine. In April (?) 2007 ( I think) they got the cover with the caption " The Best $1000.00 Speakers" and that peaked my intrest. I bought a pair on a lark..... My $6000.00 B&W Diamonds are long gone and I'm rich. You have to hear them to believe them, I kid you not... |
Wow this one is easy.
Phasure NOS1 768kHz DAC with matching XXhighend software and highend computer !!
Gota mention the Teo liquid mkII and High Fidelity cables too. |
Mystere CA-21 preamp.
Honorable mention to Clear Day speaker cables, Quicksilver mono horn amps, VPI Super Scoutmaster Reference rimdrive with Classic platter and Lyra Titan-i cartridge, Graham Slee Reflex phono preamp, Graham Slee Elevator SUT. |
Without a doubt my PS Audio P3 ac regenerator. This had a profound impact on my listening pleasure. Honorable mention: Ayre MXR monoblock amps and Stillpoints vibration management products. |
Transmission Audio M1i ribbon loudspeakers / monitors. They're amazingly full range, compact, transparent and just sound spectacular. I'd pay $10K for them, twice what they retail. |
Music First Baby Reference preamp. |
Coincident Statement Line Stage |
Dennis_the_menace: A sleeper for sure. Maybe because they're only $4500 people don't take them seriously. |
I just had a major upgrade of several components, and one component that is outstanding in terms of sound quality is my Conrad-Johnson Classic 2 SE preamp. It is a true minimalist design with absolutely no frills, no balance, no tone controls. Just a power switch, source selector, and volume control.
What is lacks in convenience it more than makes up for in sound quality, it is a killer preamp.
Another product that I thought was a huge bang for the buck is my new Revel M106 monitors. After about 2 minutes of listening is was quite obvious why people were talking about these at CES. Amazing sound for their size, good bass, and they disappear in the room. I am in love with these little guys, incredible sound for the money. |
Herron Audio VTPH-1/166. Wow. Night and day over my old passive.
Well Tempered Simplex. After toying with tables for years from LP12s to Michell Orbes to Amazon Model Ones, the Simplex just sounds better than those tables. |
TRON Seven Reference phono stage. This has just arrived and has been built to match my 1968 vintage Decca London C4E FFSS MkIV cartridge. The TRON phono stage is just stunning, elevating the Decca to a new plane. Worth every penny. |
Snell Type D speakers for $50/pair. Took a bit of work to get the placement right but a great sound has been the reward. |
North Star Design-Sapphire. |
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Ebm, did you replace your Mini 2s with one of the Q series? |
I was shocked when I sent my SP-10 Audio Research in for service and they wouldn't work on it because Steve Huntley had changed a bunch of wiring and the couldn't rewire it, so I tried calling Steve to get it fixed, no problem, nobody know where Steve is , so I have a very nice SP-10 that nobody will touch..............Keep that in mind when you have someone modify your very expensive pre-amp...........You have a very nice anchor for you boat...
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Whammerdyne 2A3 stereo amplifier
NewOntech DAC 07 (from Mike Powell, Veratsarr)
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My own homemade devices for vibration controls, EMI shielding and my own designed mechanical resonators and my own crosstalk mechanical simple device ...
My gear pieces are all modified to some extant also ...
Result : a 700 bucks system headphone/speakers who punch at audiophile level ...
No need for upgrade save the Dr Choueiri BACCH filters revolution for sure ...
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Let’s see....best bang for the buck in the last 5 years.
Rythmik G22 subwoofer. Beastly, musical, articulate, and tight. 2x12 servo subs in a piano black finish for under $2k. Rather remarkable, actually. Very pleasantly surprised.
Also picked up a Yamaha CD-S2100 off Acc4Less for $1499 (manufacturer refurbed with a 3 year warranty). Darned good deal.
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