What was the best money you ever spent on audio?

KS · « **Reply #40 on:** 8 Nov 2008, 04:45 am »

I sent one of the crossover networks from my old Mission Argonaut speakers to Danny Richie at GR Research. He supplied new inductor coils and capacitors, about $100 together, I put everything together, did some cabinet anti-resonance work, and it's like new $2k speakers. Really really nice now.

The $100 purchase of a Sony XDRF1HD HD Radio tuner was another good buy, $50 better with the rebate from iBiquity, the HD radio technology vendor.

Derockster · « **Reply #41 on:** 8 Nov 2008, 06:48 am »

$150.00 on a Technics sl 1200mk2
$89.00 plus shipping on an ADC xlm cartridge.Sorry John but it beat the pants off my Grado Green.

JLM · « **Reply #42 on:** 8 Nov 2008, 10:28 am »

My #1 is my man cave. It only cost me $50 plus cost of carpet/pad (as we were building the cost were "built-in", I designed for it, and it would have otherwise been left over space). The $50 went into cryo'd hospital grade Hubbell receptacles minus savings from using an insulated/sealed fiberglass door versus the solid cherry used elsewhere in the house. The man cave allows me to listen to whenever I want with total privacy. It was sized/shaped and nearfield set up to conform to all Cardias recommendations. I have six GIK panels, but with the rest already optimized, are of little value. The room is fully insulated (took some time to get used to the level of isolation). I'm amazed at how much is spent (wasted) on audio gear to be used in highly compromised environments.

My #2 is my custom commissioned loudspeakers. 30 - 20,000 Hz from a single (Foxtex F200A) driver in a very stiff transmission line.

My #3 was my first serious pair of speakers, Fried Model M's. Three way design with aperiodic loaded midrange and separate transmission line loaded woofer. Building the TL's saved almost $2k. These were beautiful monsters. Incredible imaging, capable of 114 dB at 17 Hz, detailed without being overly analytical, and extremely musical. But alas, they were too much for any sized room I could afford to put them in.

My #4 are my Fried A6's. Two way floor standers, reported one of the last Bud Fried designs. Picked them up for $300 (overpriced at $1100 retail). Pleasant sound, crummy build quality. Bud had sold the company by then.

My #5 are my Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 loudspeakers. Small two-way standmounts, very musical, great imaging.

HT cOz · « **Reply #43 on:** 8 Nov 2008, 12:39 pm »

My used Bolder modded Olive music player for about 1k. Not only did I get the moded version for about the same price as a new unit, but the gentleman who sold it to me left his music on it. Most of the music is stuff I haven't listened to so it opened me up to new artists/genres.

jkelly · « **Reply #44 on:** 8 Nov 2008, 12:55 pm »

Toshiba HD-XA1 as transport. (refurb)

bunky · « **Reply #45 on:** 8 Nov 2008, 01:53 pm »

I think the Canadian red cherry show demo Lorelei's that i bought from Klaus a few years ago are at the top of my list and i still mourn thier loss

I just bought a beautiful pair of VTL MB-100 tube monoblocks in fine condition from a dealer in NJ who got them from the original owner with boxes and manual for $1100.00 and i feel that it was a pretty good buy also. thanks....WCW III

Dan Driscoll · « **Reply #46 on:** 8 Nov 2008, 03:24 pm »

$400 for the pair of used Vandersteen Model 2C's I picked up locally about 6 years ago. They changed my perception of what reproduced music should can like.

doug s. · « **Reply #47 on:** 8 Nov 2008, 05:52 pm »

there's a few items i can call my "best money spent on audio".

-melos ma333r preamp. purchased ten years ago, upgraded over time, it still does everything right, imo. i have about $2k into it.
-vmps larger subs. paid ~$1k shipped, for a pair. upgraded w/megawoofers about eight years ago. one of the few products i actually bought new; these subs, along w/a marchand x-over, have improved any speaker i have ever used w/them. and, bass sounds real. the past year or so, i have toyed w/upgrading, but i never pull the trigger...
-art di/o dac. bought new for $150 almost ten years ago, it's the first time i ever actually enjoyed digital sound much in the same way i enjoy analog. upgraded in stages over the next year, it yust kept gettting better; even now, i find it holds its own against well-regarded digital systems in the $2.5k-$8k range. not sure i can get anything any better. different, mebbe, but not better. if there is anything better, it is likely too expensive to be seriously considered, for what would be a tiny improvement at best. i am game to listening to new digital gear, but don't have any desire to upgrade - you can't squeeze blood from a rock...
-oracle delphi - purchased about 15 years ago, w/grace 727 arm for $850, upgraded over the years, now is to mkv specs; has hp power supply driving o-l dc motor, and o-l silver taper arm. unless i win the lottery, it's unlikely this will be supplanted in my main rig.
-pentagon ps3 fono stage. a $2.5k piece i nabbed for $600. i am sure i can do better, but not sure if it's something i could afford. this stage is extremely neutral and has excellent detail. s/s, it's not euphonic, but run thru my melos line stage, it's still wery nice
-deqx dsp x-over. not cheap, but it's amazing how much better speakers can sound when run thru it.
-any fm tuna

doug s.

Imperial · « **Reply #48 on:** 8 Nov 2008, 06:10 pm »

The "best" money I ever spent...

Well, I actually will say that it was on getting an internet connection and getting started with forum use!!!
That's what I'm gonna say!!!

Best money ever!!! I've learned so much online on audioforums that it continue to be my best investement so far!!

Imperial

denverdoc · « **Reply #49 on:** 8 Nov 2008, 06:43 pm »

DEQX w/o question. 3000 bucks is a lot of money but has paid for itself many times over thru elimination of chasing ghosts (amps, cables, etc) in futile pursuit, and time/energy saved quibbling over stuff that has very small impact at best on overall sound. Also, by selling 10K/pair speakers and making better DIY pair, I recaptured the money spent immediately...

planet10 · « **Reply #50 on:** 8 Nov 2008, 07:12 pm »

8 Radio Shack 40-1197 (budget FE103s) bought on eBay cheap, and a dumpster diver SEP EL84 Magnavox console amp.

Whipped up a set of BD-Pipes for the 1197s and drove them with the SEP. This was a "temporary" system while i recapped the NAIMs driving my Acoustats, but when i found i was listening to & enjoying more music, it was the start of a diy journey into FR drivers & small diy tube amps. Now i have a system that is more enjoyable & musical at a cost of less than the sales tax on a lot of people's cables.

The last piece of the current puzzle was being in the right place at the right time, i scored a new $2k Myryd CD-player for 10% of retail (a demo and the dealer must have had a fight with the distrib)

dave

TerryO · « **Reply #51 on:** 9 Nov 2008, 08:19 pm »

Quote from: planet10 on 8 Nov 2008, 07:12 pm

8 Radio Shack 40-1197 (budget FE103s) bought on eBay cheap, and a dumpster diver SEP EL84 Magnavox console amp.

Whipped up a set of BD-Pipes for the 1197s and drove them with the SEP. This was a "temporary" system while i recapped the NAIMs driving my Acoustats, but when i found i was listening to & enjoying more music, it was the start of a diy journey into FR drivers & small diy tube amps. Now i have a system that is more enjoyable & musical at a cost of less than the sales tax on a lot of people's cables.

The last piece of the current puzzle was being in the right place at the right time, i scored a new $2k Myryd CD-player for 10% of retail (a demo and the dealer must have had a fight with the distrib)

dave

I remember seeing pics of your Acoustats with your gear mounted on the hemi tennis balls :^) Dave, that's how many years ago? It was certainly back in the old Bass List days and I remember hearing your BD-pipes at Al's place.

My best deal would be hard to choose from, although I think my stash of close-out Radio Shack drivers is right up there along with my Sansui AU-7900 integrated amp that I got at St. Vinnie's for $14.95.

One other one that I'll mention, at the risk of being called a shill, is the purchase of a pair of Planet 10 phase plugs for my "High-Tweek Black Box" nearfield monitor speakers. Between the phase plugs and the 2 coats of puzzle-coat on the cones it really transformed a good speaker (IMHO) into perhaps a great speaker.

Best Regards,
TerryO

JP78 · « **Reply #52 on:** 9 Nov 2008, 08:41 pm »

my sennheiser phones...first 580s, then 600s, and now currently the hd-650s. i can't imagine getting through the work day without em

. thousands of hours of bliss from them.

S Clark · « **Reply #53 on:** 9 Nov 2008, 09:18 pm »

The best deal by far was the old Knight KB-85 amp from a junkyard. With tubes $10. 35 WPC operating in class A.

But the best money spent was on the Dodd battery preamp. I tried Gary's prototype in my system and was sold in the first 60 seconds.

sfox50 · « **Reply #54 on:** 9 Nov 2008, 09:31 pm »

#1 would have to be the $1250 spent on Magnestand MMGs, quite a step up from my old SMGa's! #2 would be Greg Ball's GB150D amp that cost around $375 in kits, hardware & transformer. #3 is my Foreplay II pre-amp, still sounding great after four years or so..

doorman · « **Reply #55 on:** 9 Nov 2008, 10:25 pm »

My Transcendent Sound GG pre for a couple hundred bucks several years ago, on A'gon.!
Don

Bemopti123 · « **Reply #56 on:** 9 Nov 2008, 10:27 pm »

Myy Final Music 5, Music 6 battery powered preamp and amplifier have brought me satisfaction since I got them back in 2004. In terms of speakers, my Bob Brines FTA-2000 is one of the most satisfying speakers I have spend money on. My longest lived component that I still possess since I was about 16-17 years old, the faithful Sumo Athena preamplifier that has travelled with me through College and Grad school. It must be the best $799 I have ever spent for 20 years of service.

mdfoy · « **Reply #57 on:** 10 Nov 2008, 01:14 am »

An even match between the Salk HT1s and the 4 post 24" Sound Anchor speaker stands I purchased from Hal at JustSound in NJ.

Without a doubt, this is hands down the the best money spent.

cryoparts · « **Reply #58 on:** 10 Nov 2008, 01:46 am »

Wow, thanks Robin! Comments like the below just make my day and make all the hard work worth it. I'm honored and humbled.

Peace,

Lee

Quote from: satfrat on 8 Nov 2008, 01:30 am

Up to this point for me in my system, hands down the Locus Design Axis USB cable. The Axis totally redefined my computer audio system and I do mean totally. I got to audition this cable, no strings attached and after 3 days i knew I would be paying the $459. But I waited for 3 weeks just so I wouldn't be jumping on 1st impressions,,, I do that alot.

I just paid the bill yesterday after doing A/B comparisons with my Kimber USB cable this week. Going back to the Kimber was like taking the Gibson headers/Magnaflow high flow catalytic converters/Borla catback exhaust system off my Dodge Magnum and going back to stock. It won't happen on my car and it's not happening with my audio system.

Cheers,
Robin

GBB · « **Reply #59 on:** 10 Nov 2008, 02:24 am »

I've gotten quite a bit of enjoyment from classic equipment that I've bought used and restored. Among the items that I've purchased and still use are a Harmon Kardon Citation II power amplifier, a McIntosh MR78 tuner, and some Altec 755C full range drivers. I've also really enjoy the single ended amplifiers that I own. I'm listening to a Sun Audio VT-25 amp right now. It's 1.5 watts does surprisingly well.

In terms of cheap tweaks, I think that Black Diamond Racing cones do a remarkable job with the final 5% voicing of a system. They do a nice job of getting the last bit of control on some equipment.

---Gary