Any Long Term Audio Purchases?

Wind Chaser · « **on:** 17 May 2007, 11:02 pm »

How many years have you been into "high end" audio
and what piece of gear have you owned the longest?

For me it's been 25 years, sadly nothing stayed in my system more than 2 years.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I think it would be interesting to see if anyone is married to any one piece of gear
or even better yet, if there is any such thing as a long term single system owner?
I'm sure if there are people like that, they do not visit audio shops and forums etc

Prove me wrong!

mjosef · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 May 2007, 11:28 pm »

Holding onto my AR Turntable from 1986-7... it don't get much use lately, but its a keeper.

Russtafarian · « **Reply #2 on:** 17 May 2007, 11:32 pm »

My mainstays: Gallo Nucleus Ref2 speakers - 1997, Rega Planar 3 TT - 1999, Equitech 2Q power conditioner - 2000. Is that long enough?

Russ

Zero · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 May 2007, 11:43 pm »

I've only been an 'audiophile' since 2002/2003. Now with that said, I have a pair of Totem Acoustic Sttaf's that I bought in late 2003 that will stay with me so long as I have a pulse.

Marbles · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 May 2007, 12:12 am »

Sansui speakers from 1981...Onkyo receiver from 1979.

Bill Baker · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 May 2007, 12:21 am »

In my home system;

Jolida 1501RC that was one of the first produced. (still using original tubes) It will always be around.

Response Audio Model 5 full range tower speakers 1996. These were the first pair of these built and they will never leave.

Phillips CDi player w/ video module (remember these) 1992

Usher HT processor 2003.

Van Den Hul speaker cable 1996

tanchiro58 · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 May 2007, 12:22 am »

This is my first and last DIY Custombuilt High End two channels system. They have been with me since three years (2004-2007)

jb · « **Reply #7 on:** 18 May 2007, 12:24 am »

I contracted a particularly virulent strain of audiophile disease in 1963 but I have been in remission since 2000 when I did a complete system replacement; except for the CDP, which dates from 1989. I still have many components from my previous system that date from 1986.

eric the red · « **Reply #8 on:** 18 May 2007, 12:40 am »

boead · « **Reply #9 on:** 18 May 2007, 01:46 am »

Still have my first ‘real’ audio system from the mid 80’s.

Energy Pro22 speakers
Kyocera mosfet amp
Denon CDP with dual linear converters
Denon Cassette HX-Pro
Sony TT from 1966
Monster cables 200’s and 400’s

All work well and have over 20 years now. It’s mostly in my 10 year olds room but with an early 70’s Sansui Integrated (AU9900).

aerius · « **Reply #10 on:** 18 May 2007, 01:47 am »

My parents' turntable. I've been listening to it since before I was born, and now I own it.

navi · « **Reply #11 on:** 18 May 2007, 02:42 am »

Some weirdo-trekkie convention going-last girlfriend cost $4.95 a minute-audiophile once told me, "A pure blood Audiophile never keeps anything for longer than 5 years"

- My KRK active speakers.....I've had them since Nov 2005

nathanm · « **Reply #12 on:** 18 May 2007, 02:45 am »

Oldest thing is my NAD 3225PE integrated amp - bought used around 1989, still using it today. Cheap ass CD player which I've since re-introduced is also about that old.
Everything else I have is newer, about 5 years old or so. http://www.audiocircle.com/systems/index.php?systemid=24

I plan on keeping most of it. The two items I was 100% certain I would never sell as soon as I had them are my VMPS subs. They are just too big to think of shipping to anyone. And they are pretty. And sound great. Just ask the bitch in #6.

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #13 on:** 18 May 2007, 03:01 am »

I've been into audio pretty seriously since about '83, although for my high school years and the five years after I didn't really have the money to have very nice stuff. I think the peice I've had the longest is the Carver a400 I use to run my subs. Bought it new in the mid 90's, maybe 96 or so? It works great for driving subs, not sure how it would sound running my mains.

I don't change stuff just to change it; normally I use something til I can afford something better. Since my whole rig cost only $14,ooo there's obviously a lot of better stuff left to get!

Whitese · « **Reply #14 on:** 18 May 2007, 03:24 am »

I havent been into it that long, but the only piece that remains with me from the beginning is my Parasound CDP-2000 Ultra cd player....what a smooth sounding unit. about 7 years maybe

TONEPUB · « **Reply #15 on:** 18 May 2007, 04:44 am »

Since age 12 (35 years ago)

Just sold my Rega P3 that I bought new in 1982, traded up to a new P9.

Had an Oracle from 81 to 96 and now just got a new Oracle Delphi V

Had an Audible Illusions Modulus 2D from 1990 till 2004

Had a Hafler DH-101 that I built in 1978 that I kept till last year

Plan on keeping my SME 10 till I croak or cant hear anymore!

1000a · « **Reply #16 on:** 18 May 2007, 04:57 am »

My God I am long winded and maybe off topic.........
for me since Junior-to high school 75' -- college I have not changed gear often, at that time it is was kenwood, pioneer, KLh, Sony, techniques, and side moves - very small improvements, small $$. What did happen back then was I bought the Original Lg. Advents (1974) I just stopped using them in (2001), Re coned a few had doubles and so on. That's a long time. But I do not like changing gear and loved their sound and the doubles were incredible in their abilities. Had my eye on Kefs and Vandersteins liked them, but few others got my attention at all. Except big Maggie's and Dauquest, no $$.

Still now for me I keep gear a long time at least amps and spkrs. My changes were Kenwoods (1970-1987)> 1-NAD (1987-2001)> 1-tube integrated> next I'll just go strait to monos. I like major improvements not small ones.

What I'm finding today is I can use uninsulated wires without any emi and rfi problems so I am using magwire everywhere and finding out my current gear had not even been tapped for their potential as stock units. no internal mods could make this much improvement, only big componet upgrades.

With good gear I really think its mostly all about the distortion imposed by the dielectrics in wire and the jackets on top on them. It is the kiss of death for every componet when it has to be feed with things in jackets. It is a night and day improvement with mag. Next I may try palladium or silver but no more side glances at wires complete waist of my time and $$, except maybe a digital wire haven't tried a mag of that yet.

So even w better conductors I still have to deal with thick and poor dielectric-no more! I believe Jon Risch's second wire choice after copper wire is enamelled copper wire, I stopped right there! It does not need anything else on it IMS. Maybe silver held centered and untouched in a really lg. tef tube?
Many people have dumped 1,500. wires for DIY mag please give it a try (cost is cheap as dirt and it is usually annealed copper). Try it before you switch another piece of gear you may find a new one hiding beneath all the jackets on the wires. Just my findings w MS and I may just be really lucky with the emi, rfi issues.

BubbleChamber · « **Reply #17 on:** 18 May 2007, 06:30 am »

Purchased with my hard earned work study money in college in the 80's :

Yamaha M-70 Amp
Yamaha C-70 Pre
Yamaha T-70 Tuner
KEF C40 Speakers
JVC QL-5 TT
AudioTechnica AT155ML Cartridge
Denon PCM18xx CDP

Yamaha and Denon were available only at specialty shops and were mass produced in the 80's. I still have all the gears and they are all still functioning except the CDP is skipping. I am still using my M1 amp to drive my surrounds in my HT setup. I think I am going to keep them and pass them on to my grand kids some day.

shep · « **Reply #18 on:** 18 May 2007, 07:43 am »

I bought a big roll of silver solder in Germany 15 years ago and I think I have managed to use 2 feet of it!
Seriously, I bought a set of Straight Wire Maestro ic's 2nd hand at Audio Exchange maybe in 88'. I pulled them out of a box a few weeks ago only to find that they are way better than some recent ones. They've had a lot of time to break in! A lot of stuff I wish I had held onto

or been smart enough to get back then. Off topic...did the enamelled copper wire exist back in those dark ages?

mcgsxr · « **Reply #19 on:** 18 May 2007, 01:15 pm »

A good friend of mine still has the Yamaha AX-500U that I bought in 1988.

The oldest piece in my current audio system is my amp, at 50+ years, but I have only had it for 1!