Another survey - Best bargain you ever got


I purchased the following mid 1970's equipment for $400 back in 1997. All items were in mint condition complete with owners manuals and receipts This system cost over $6,000 in the mid 1970’s. Technics 1200 MK2 Turntable and power supply with granite base (serial number 6). Exteremely rare ESS Transar Speaker system complete with multiple necessary cables and equipment. Luxman Power Amp customed at Luxman with before and after specs (high power with massive caps), Luxman pre-amp customed at Luxman with before and after specs (toggle switch construction), Luxman eq customed at Luxman with before and after specs (toggle switch construction). OH yeah It also came with 50 mint albums. This deal was a once in a lifetime purchase.
gdush
I found vintage McIntosh tube gear at a garage sale back in the late 80's. Amp, tuner and pre amp-cant recall the model numbers (but I think it was MC240 amp, MC77 tuner and cant recall the pre-but all tubed units). All in great condition-chrome, glass and labels all perfect. The seller want $50 for each piece, so I bought it all. If i found it today, I would keep it. Back then, I sold it for to a trader for around $3000. I was 22 and stoked.
My dad bought me a Technics receiver,turntable and Genesis loudspeakers in 1979. That was a good deal.
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I bought a vintage Sansui TU-X1 tuner on Ebay for $1500 a few years ago. A non-audiophile was selling it for a family friend. I bought and paid for it within an hour of his posting. I have been offered as much as $3k for it. I can get $2500 for it on a bad day. There was one for sale recently on the 'Gon for $3500.

I paid $300 new for my Squeezebox, and I still fell that is one of the best audio bargains I've ever made.
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My first audiophile speaker was a pair of Magnepan SMGa's from around 1985 for $495. I had those speakers for about ten years through the last years of college, my first job and my move from Chicago to Northern California. A very nice entry level speaker provided you feed them with enough clean power. While I've moved away from Planars and other low efficient speakers I still have a soft spot in my heart for the small maggies. They were my introduction to good sound at a price a college student could afford. I am so glad that Magnepan continues to offer the SMG's successor (MMG) for the value price of $599. Good values still exist out there.
Best deal I ever got was my present speakers. The previous owner had them less than a year and paid 3,700.00 for them. I bought them for 1,250.00 and they hadn't even been broken in yet!
I bought my Paradigm Studio 100 v.2's for $300. I was pretty ecstatic. The owner was moving across the country in a few days and hadn't gotten rid of them yet, I saw it on craigslist right when it went up and was at his place within an hour.
My best deals were as follows:
Spendor SP100 Speakers, 1 year old for $1600.00
Pioneer PD S95 Transport 750.00
McIntosh 2105 Amplifier 500.00
Best bargain I ever got was a pair of Vandersteen Model 2 Sig 2's for $2000 plus tax. Thought I stole something.
I thought $450 for an Accuphase T100 tuner was my best 'deal' - they live forever I think. It is in it's late twenties and still has all its lights yet! But then FM is on its way out - (-:

My present speakers look to be my present 'best deal', not because I bought them cheap so much as because I've had them for over 4 years now and have not looked back, not even once! Just perfect for my needs. :-)