Which components, known to be outstanding in their category, have a performance to price differential such that they can truly be called "stupid good?"
B&K 200+ amp Adcom 565 preamp Sound Dynamics 300ti speakers C&J sonograph TT and arm Amber series 70 amp old but still sweet and not sterile like earlier SS amps JVC 1050&1010 CD players
1.)Altec (288, 802D,416,515,604,414,806, 811, 511) 2.)RCA Phono Preamp Circuit(you have to build it) 3.)Azura Horns 4.)Thorens TD124, Garrard 301, Technics SP10, SME 3012! (sells for less than $500 or thereabouts per before all the craziest depleted the supply). Thank God I was informed very early!! Got one of my TD124 at $215 IIRC!
The very well thought out and beautifully machined titanium counterweight for all the Rega tonearms available from Kerry Audio Design. Makes Rega RB-300 even "more stupid good." And that ain't bad! Also, I second the classic JVC XL-Z1050TN CD player included in the list by Schipo.
I have to include the Vh Audio V/Caps into this group..Though maybe not considered a component,they sure qualify for the " Stupid Good " category...Both the CuTf and the TfTf,are exceptional..It just becomes a matter of which version Cap best fits your needs. I tried both versions and ended up with the CuTf caps..Not cheap,but considering the upgrade in performance,they are well worth the price.....
The Sangeon hdt-1 HD radio at under $200 is a steal ,buy the Marnum Dynalabs whip antenna for $100 and you have a killer setup ,just remember to use a decent power cord , and at least a $100 set of interconnects.
I know this will be dismissed by most as bunk because most super budget wonderfinds are usually a load. To me, the Play Station 1, as hyped in some circles, does actually sound very good. I'm not saying it knocks off mega-buck sources, I certainly have nothing like that to compare it to. But for $15 off CL this thing goes way past "stupid good", on the price/perf ratio, it's insane good! Another bit of blasphemy, I suggest anyone with high efficiency speakers should have a t-amp for back-up. My PS1 cdp, XLO VDO cables, Hlly Tamp-20 amp, "white lightning moonshine" speaker cables, and Klipsch Forte II speakers comprise an incredibly enjoyable budget system. Did I say budget? Total outlay so far: $430! Ultimate system that does everything right? No. Ultimately cheap and very enjoyable? Yes! Plays loud and will hit the bottom note on "Cosmic Hippo"! Super has been super fun!
It doesn't qualify as "stupid good" unless 1. it's an outstanding performer, and 2. its cost/benefit ration is in double-take territory: What!!? Unbelievable! Special emphasis on really inexpensive gear...
"Stupid Good" : Standard but good quality interconnects and speaker cables, which are generally available for less than $100 and appropriately specified for the equipment in use.
Plain "Stupid" : special cables and interconnects generally available for thousands of dollars.
Some may argue that cables and interconnects are NOT worthy of being considered as components....and they would be right!!!
I heard a pair of big buck Focal Grand Utopias recently.
Very good. Very expensive. Very BIG!
Came home and listened to my OHM 5 series 3 that cost me less than 1/5th what the GUs would cost.
Stupid good! At least in comparison in my room. I suspect the comparison could hold in most people's home listening rooms as well.
Maybe also the TAD 125 Hibachi mono blocks. Haven't really challenged these hard enough yet though to say. They are stupid good though I think for the task of getting a very involving sound out of my Stax sr-80 headphones. Also similarly very good with small, more efficient and otherwise tube friendly Triangle Titus monitors. They might be stupid good in comparison to some alternate considerably more expensive higher powered tube amps, against which these mostly SS amps are designed to compete.
Definitely the Squeezebox Touch. Probably also the Denon DL103R phono cart.
Used Apogee speakers. They may be a 20 year old design but they will still compete with cutting edge speakers of today with a little tender loving care.
I already mentioned a couple and agree with de Havilland Ultraverve preamp; but forget to mention Tekton Uruz speakers, if you listen to lighter fare,... acoustical, jazz, early music, & vocalists, etc. For the 1st 6 months I had to ask myself; "they can't be this good for the money, am I fooling myself?" Simply excellent with the lighter side!
The little Sony HD tuner, now, sadly, out of production. Will Sony please offer another model. Or, please, will someone license this technology and get a similar product on the market!
There are certainly many outstanding components whose performance belies their cost, yet only qualify as "stupid good" because of their exceptional and uncommon price/performance differential.
"Exceptions don't render generalities irrelevant". This sounds like spoken by Roman senator. In my experience, Custom Power Cord Co Top Gun power cord certainly qualifies as "stupid good". I bought it here used for $87 ( I think, it was $400 new) and it made such a big improvement with my Audiolab integrated. Then I bought another one for $125 used and it took my Acoustech phono stage to a significantly higher level.
I think what PM means is he is wanting our views on inexpensive(relative) audio equipment that is much better than it's retail price should allow. Everyone knows there is expensive(relative again) equipment that sounds good.
I don't know why I didn't put this on the first time, but:
Cary Audio SLP98p, great piece.
Can be found relatively cheaply on A'gon used, and it really sounds sublime. Anytime a piece of gear has been around this long, has that kind of longevity, it's bound to be pretty good.
My Mapletree Audio 2A/SE Linestage pre for <$1k new. By far THE least expensive piece in my system (which, IMHO, sounds world-class), including ICs! Yet I'd never consider parting with it.
I really love the simplicity of Rega's new Brio components and their new P3 turntable. Very beautiful as a set of components, kind of like Naim, the Enlish know how to package things up. I also like Cambridge Audio--nice Chinese-made gear with great WAF. I also like small tube companies like Leben and Almarro in Japan and Decware in the US--very Zen like quality. I love the cabinents of DeVore: his cherrywood is stunning to see in person.
The Tube Audio Design TAD-150 tubed preamp is one hell of a preamp for the money, so versatile in as much as it will take 12AU7, 12AX7 and 12AT7s, but mostly SO VERY MUSICAL.
Wyetech Opal Pre. Unfortunately, all sold out and waiting for Roger Hebert to come out with new SOTA "Ruby" pre. If you xcan find a used Opal, grab it. They go fast because they are legacy products.
I will go out of a limb and say all would agree that the best listening position for 2 channel stereo is between the speakers, and an equal distance from each speaker. Other than that, (assuming you agree with that), what other questions, issues or debates raised on this forum, have been decided definitviely? Just curious. I hope this is a saber-toothed free zone.
These cables are by FAR the BEST that I have ever tried !! All new Wegrzyn Cryo'd 5N Silver Signature HDMI cable and Wegrzyn Cryo'd 5N Silver Signature Digital Audio cable with F-type connectors for my Directv HD incoming cable !!...
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