Best Bang For Your Buck Gear!!! Post the best gear you've found that was C & C!!

eclein · « **on:** 13 Jul 2011, 05:15 pm »

New people come here everyday, and when I first came here I wanted to find stuff I could afford that really did the job well, I started out only seeing the really expensive gear posted everywhere and I thought "no way this is something I can do" then I happened upon the Cheap and Cheerful circle right when the Maverick Audio DAC was starting to tour and Shadowlight got me in on the tour and I heard a piece of gear I could actually afford that made a tremendous impact to the sound quality of my system-all for the better and I launched on a mission to find stuff that was an incredible bang for my buck. Here are a few of mine, please post a few of yours and where you can find them for folks that are new and looking for awesome stuff. Please stick with actual items, model#'s you have or have heard. Thanks!!!!

One I have is below and more are to come:

Musical Paradise MP301 and 301MK2 Tube Integrated amp with the MP-301MK2 ($260) being the most current version...its 6.5 watts X 2 and drives efficient speakers from 89db on up very easily in small to midsize rooms...I bought my first one to be used as a tubed headphone amp and upon receiving it hooked up some speakers just to see how it sounded and quickly found these units to be a great way to get a really, really nice sounding tube amp for well under $300.00. I currently run one now into JBL-S38II Speakers but have used it with various other JBL's some of which were 3 way floorstanders with Dual 8" woofers and some 89db JBL L20 bookshelf speakers and it sounded excellent with every set. The company-Musical Paradise- is in Canada and its designed there but made in China and shipped from China or Canada (Not sure if they use one or both). website:
http://www.musicalparadise.ca/mp/

HT cOz · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 Jul 2011, 05:34 pm »

I bought a Squezebox 2 for 99 dollars and think it is a great piece of gear that can grow with a system for a long time.

milford3 · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 Jul 2011, 05:44 pm »

Bought the AudioSource MP 100 to power my HT rear spekaers. Price was $79.00 and it's flawless and well built.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 Jul 2011, 07:06 pm »

If they are a good match for your speakers, I'd say the MiniWatt amps. S1 and N3 are both fabulous.

ebag4 · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 Jul 2011, 08:33 pm »

Since this is aimed at newbys I would say acoustic treatments, DIY or otherwise. It doesn't matter how great you equipment is if you haven't at least attempted to correct room issues you aren't hearing your equipment at it's best. My $0.02.

Best,
Ed

JLM · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 Jul 2011, 09:06 pm »

Folding Earmuffs (hearing protection) - ~$20 USD: if you have hearing loss/pain why continue?

Volex power cord - $5.39 USD: http://www.mouser.com/catalog/621/732.pdf

Behringer DEQ2496 - $300 USD: even with room treatments few speakers are flat in room

Scott Endler custom signal cabling - CHEAP!: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze4c5pt/id6.html

Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 SE - $298/pair: great 2-way standmounts http://ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/cbm170/cbm170.html

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #6 on:** 13 Jul 2011, 09:31 pm »

The giant killing Miniwatt S1/APPJ SET flea amp is one of the best audio buys of all time. The four tube original version can still be found on ebay for $199.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 Jul 2011, 09:46 pm »

And with the N3 only having 3 tubes, and only 1 12ax7, tube rolling is about as cheap as it will ever get. $50 for a12ax7 Psvane upgrade isn't shabby. Good times good times.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 Jul 2011, 09:47 pm »

This is the plug and play Parts Express Sure TK2050 amp/Meanwell power supply which sounds far better than it's sub $100 price tag would ever lead you to believe. The plexi cover was my idea.

lcrim · « **Reply #9 on:** 13 Jul 2011, 09:53 pm »

Everything I own is Cheap and Cheerful as I can't afford anything else. But some highlights

The original Miniwatt Integrated, now referred to as the S1. It was a present, after two units failed, with the cap mod and cheap tube roll, it still sounds terrific.

The Dayens Ampino, I've had this since the summer of 2009 and it still sounds great.

The Squeezebox Touch w/ analog mods by Bolder Cables and the TouchToolbox 2 by Soundcheck

Larry

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #10 on:** 13 Jul 2011, 10:30 pm »

High end on the cheap - These DIY Frugal Horns Mk3 cost me under $200 while the H frame Alphas OB's were just slightly over $100. The Ikea end tables were $7 each.

gcos · « **Reply #11 on:** 13 Jul 2011, 10:34 pm »

Quote from: JLM on 13 Jul 2011, 09:06 pm

Folding Earmuffs (hearing protection) - ~$20 USD: if you have hearing loss/pain why continue?

Volex power cord - $5.39 USD: http://www.mouser.com/catalog/621/732.pdf

Behringer DEQ2496 - $300 USD: even with room treatments few speakers are flat in room

Scott Endler custom signal cabling - CHEAP!: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze4c5pt/id6.html

Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 SE - $298/pair: great 2-way standmounts http://ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/cbm170/cbm170.html

The $5.39 Volex power cord is the 18 ga. The one that performed well in the steve hoffman shootout, beating cords like the Zu Bok ($300+) was the 17604 (14ga) which is $15.36 @ Mouser. However Arrow Electronics (www.components.arrow.com ) have it for $6.94

eclein · « **Reply #12 on:** 13 Jul 2011, 11:06 pm »

Quote from: ebag4 on 13 Jul 2011, 08:33 pm

Since this is aimed at newbys I would say acoustic treatments, DIY or otherwise. It doesn't matter how great you equipment is if you haven't at least attempted to correct room issues you aren't hearing your equipment at it's best. My $0.02.

Best,
Ed

OK....but what equipment Ed has really blown you away because why treat the room if there is no music playing first???
Give us your gems buddy!!!!

ebag4 · « **Reply #13 on:** 13 Jul 2011, 11:56 pm »

Quote from: eclein on 13 Jul 2011, 11:06 pm

OK....but what equipment Ed has really blown you away because why treat the room if there is no music playing first???
Give us your gems buddy!!!!

I am not certain they belong in the C&C thread but here it goes:

Dodd DIY Buffer (especially after the addition of the 6H30 Tube!)~$500??..(not certain because I got in early and built my own case)
http://doddaudio.com/diy.aspx

Bottlehead Stereomour 2A3 amp~ $750 (before the upgrades that you will likely do)
Note* MUST have the appropriate speaker, 97dB+
http://www.bottlehead.com/store.php?crn=44&rn=447&action=show_detail

Virtue Audio Two.2- $450, I thought this was a very nice amp. I was able to test drive it during the tour.
http://store.virtueaudio.com/product-p/vrtu-ia-vatwo.2-pbf-1.htm

Best,
Ed

eclein · « **Reply #14 on:** 14 Jul 2011, 12:21 am »

Ed I'm completely with you on your choices although I've never heard them except for the TWO.2 that I have which is and was my favorite amp. They are small, they are customize able, and they drive every thing I've thrown at it. Its currently being given a rest in my setup but the Virtue Audio TWO.2 and Piano M1 CD Player are hopefully going to available for a long time. I'm not sure of current pricing, here is a link and photos:
http://store.virtueaudio.com/
My TWO.2 and Piano CD Player

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #15 on:** 14 Jul 2011, 12:52 am »

These Open Baffles only cost $90 but the wife's a different story.

IronLion · « **Reply #16 on:** 14 Jul 2011, 03:10 am »

John Blue JB3's, and the Kingrex T20U- ideally together, on a desktop computer setup. They don't go super loud but within a desktop setup, they are exceptional.

2gumby2 · « **Reply #17 on:** 14 Jul 2011, 12:13 pm »

I built the Pi Speakers Two Pi Tower kits and they are the best value Hi-Fi products I have ever heard. Also availble finished from Pi Speakers.
http://www.pispeakers.com

S Clark · « **Reply #18 on:** 14 Jul 2011, 02:26 pm »

I'd have to go with a Dodd buffer kit with decent tube- $325 to $400 paired with a GR-Research Neo2x kit (if you can build your own box) for about $400 including wood,glue, etc. Although the X-Statik kit for a couple of hundred more from Danny may be a more complete solution.

hifitommy · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 Jul 2011, 07:15 pm »

i heard these at a meeting of the LA/OC Audio Society and was quickly impressed. one of the members won a pair of the monitors in the raffle (we have one every meeting) and bought the sub. quite happy.

one of my friends, another member, bought them soon after the meeting and has been exceedingly happy with them ever since. he is an imaging/soundstaging addict and his addiction is being adequately satiated daily. he drives them with a pair of manley mahi amps in triode at about 15wpc and never wants for more power.

the sub is very tight and extends deep in the lows. at $1250 delivered, they are a steal.

for myself, i use magnepan MMs which are the lowest priced maggies and a hsu sub. a great system for not much dough. i use my long owned adcom 555II of 200wpc with an ARC sp3a1 pre. the tubes in the front end and ss in the power result in a synergistic pairing.

admittedly, the arc isnt C&C but the speakers and the adcom are. my system:

http://cgi.audioasylum.com/systems/588.html