What component you most regret selling (and wish you had back!)

dB Cooper · « **on:** 16 Mar 2013, 01:46 am »

OK, what single component did you sell that you most wish you had back (and why)? The amp you built from a kit that you bought with lawn mowing money as a teenager? The giant floorstanding speakers that didn't overcome their super low WAF? The boat anchor tube mono blocks that you just didn't feel like taking on your cross country move?

It might not even necessarily be "vintage"; it could be something you sold two years ago and after time with its replacement you realize you made a boo-boo. I just couldn't figure where else to put this thread.

For me it would be my Van Alstine "Super Tuner Two" FM5 based tuner, the best tuner I've ever had. People who weren't even audiophools would remark on the SQ. AVA claimed that theirs was the only tuner they knew of that would pass a 1kHz square wave undistorted from antenna in to audio out. Having never owned a square wave generator, I cannot verify that but I can say that even the pops and clicks on the radio station records sounded like my TT right in the room.

Sold it for one of those (much more expensive) Magnum Dynalabs jobs with meters all over it, hoping for better reception (an antenna installation upgrade, usually a more cost effective approach to reception issues, was not an option at the time.) The SQ was nowhere as good and the reception improved little if at all. Still wish I had the AVA back.

What's yours?

thunderbrick · « **Reply #1 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 01:52 am »

A Cotter Mark II pre-preamp. GAVE it away to the guy that bought my Thorens TT and SME arm some 25 years ago.

milford3 · « **Reply #2 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 01:55 am »

This is easy. My Genesis model 11's. Dam!!

Freo-1 · « **Reply #3 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 01:55 am »

A Fisher KX-200. It had all Telefunken 12AX7's and Westinghouse 7591's. It was near perfect cosmetically with a nice wood cover. I recapped it and changed out a few resistors in the signal line.
The guy I sold it to uses it every day. He loves it.

dB Cooper · « **Reply #4 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 02:14 am »

I forgot to suggest, post pics if you have (or can find) some (thanks milford3! always heard good things about Genesis speaks.)

Zero · « **Reply #5 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 02:56 am »

A pair of Wilson Audio Watt Puppy's that had some amazing history behind em'.

Mr. Orange · « **Reply #6 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 06:39 am »

My Mac C2200.

I bought it back in 08 and sold it last year for exactly what I paid for it. Now a year has gone by and I've got the Mac bug again but that market is really strong right now meaning I would have to pay quite a bit more than what I sold it for

and that's not in the cards right now.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #7 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 06:57 am »

A Precision Fidelity dual mono tube preamp. I'd like to see how it would stand up today, And, a Fidelity Research Mk III moving coil cartridge for the same reason. Slow as compared to a Denon 103D, as I recall, but with it classical music was more luscious and romantic. The Denon was great on live jazz lp's.

WireNut · « **Reply #8 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 07:11 am »

EVS Ultimate attenuators.

They were so simple and clear.

a.wayne · « **Reply #9 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 07:53 am »

The MC3500 's i sold 20yrs ago for starters .......

john dozier · « **Reply #10 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 10:48 am »

Marantz 7c and 8b-bought for $300. Sold to friends for the same price. Need I say more?

Elizabeth · « **Reply #11 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 11:57 am »

preamps. I had a great Hafler DH110 i built from a kit. Traded it in for a POS Sony's first digital preamp. big mistake.
Then I had a Counterpoint 2000 preamp. it broke, twice, i sold it.
Both I wish i never sold.
Now, I own three preamps, none of which will ever get sold.
I do not regret selling any other items.

GT Audio Works · « **Reply #12 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 12:33 pm »

I will give you 3...
This would have been a nice place to settle down and get off the upgrade train.
The Quads exhibited a beautiful sound with the Mac gear.
The frequency extremes were a little rolled off.. but it never failed to produce music.
The tuner was a joy to use..forget digital push button...that flywheel tuner knob glided along smooth as silk as you watched that green tuning eye glow while you scanned late at night pulling in distant stations.
Sad part is..I sold it all to finance an Audio research pre amp..ended up selling that too !! Greg

marc513 · « **Reply #13 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 12:35 pm »

a John Curl Vendetta SPC 2B , I think that was the model with teflon caps . This was and still is a great pre pre amp sold it for a Krell Pam 3 BIG BIG MISTAKE. I have had several pre amps but now have a Aesthetix rhea and Warpspeed love them both . Going passive in my system works very well with my Nat SE2SE power amp and North Creek Manifest speakers.

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #14 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 02:22 pm »

I haven't regretted selling anything, as I'm very cautious about system changes and sell something only after hours and hours of grueling deliberation. However, I do very much regret not buying something. Does that count? A local audiobud was selling a Music Reference RM10 Mk II for a very good price and I declined for fear of my wife's wrath. Of course, it immediately sold once on Audiogon. I regret not buying it all the time. I've vowed to just suck it up and take the spousal lashing next time a buy like that one comes along!

rollo · « **Reply #15 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 02:40 pm »

A Klyne SK5A preamp. Mirage M3Si speakers.

charles

rooze · « **Reply #16 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 02:43 pm »

The Quad 57's I left in the street for the garbage collector when I moved to the US

groovybassist · « **Reply #17 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 02:48 pm »

Top of the list would be my LFD Zero Mk III integrated amp. There's just something "right" about the sound of LFD amps - those that have them or have heard them know what I'm talking about. I succumbed to the desire for remote control and LFD doesn't believe in it. If I could rearrange my room, so my amp was right next to me, I'd buy an LFD amp again in a second.

The other would be a pair of PBN Montana floorstanding monitors. They're the two-way, floorstanding version of the Montana Monitor and there weren't many of them made. They sounded wonderful, but I couldn't accommodate their positioning in the room I had them. Those speaks with the LFD would make a killer back-end in a medium size room. Sigh...

mick wolfe · « **Reply #18 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 03:21 pm »

The JSE Infinite Slope Model 1's. Then perhaps my CJ PV 5 and MV 50. All sold around the same time to "upgrade". Well, it took years to get back to the same level of sound this gear delivered. That's when I learned the hard way not to sell anything until you're absolutely positive your next step is truly an upgrade.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 Mar 2013, 05:01 pm »

Quote from: mick wolfe on 16 Mar 2013, 03:21 pm

The JSE Infinite Slope Model 1's. Then perhaps my CJ PV 5 and MV 50. All sold around the same time to "upgrade". Well, it took years to get back to the same level of sound this gear delivered. That's when I learned the hard way not to sell anything until you're absolutely positive your next step is truly an upgrade.

Yup. I agree.
I now NEVER sell the old stuff for at least a year.. Then I will most likely know if the last purchase was a mistake or not.