The Bluesound Node 2 is a great value and so is the Parks Puffin when talking about new products at MSRP.
Some good deals I've come across... Perhaps the best was a pair of Klipsch CF-2 V1 speakers for $75. I picked up a vintage JVC QL-Y66F direct drive turntable with a Stanton 981 HZS cartridge for $545 about a month ago.
Starting Point Systems Dac NOS tda 1543... Minimalistic design with an internal battery that I charge with an external one...This dac paid few bucks on ebay is the best of my purchase in audio... Reason why ? try to get a very good dac at low cost... Practically impossible except this one....By the way some want to upgrade from it without knowing that the apparent limitation of this dac is not his own but most of the times the noisy audio system where it is embedded...Trust me almost all system are noisy even the costly one unbeknown to the owner... I know that because mine is cleaner, after my long time experiment with the noise floor...
I found another budget gem. The small and light weight Rega RS1 bookshelf speaker.
Its not picky at all about placement and sounds much bigger than the BBC types of monitors. Mine sits on a bookshelf not far from the wall and it sounds brilliant for any price.
Cambridge Audio CXU HD! Very good as a transport for CD's and SACD's (out plays all others I have had), and stunning for DVD's and Blu Ray's. At $700.00 it is a steal.
Musically, from Glen Gould to Clapton it is excellent.
Rest of system: Chord DAC, Mark Levinson 380s pre-amp., Wired for Sound 4 channel amp., Emerald Physics CS-2 Speakers (bi-amped). Cords by Analysis Plus.
A fanless, low heat laptop. By far, one of my better investments for enjoying music while working online...which is most of the time. No computer noise = golden silence.
Red Dragon s500 power amp, especially now that the price is discounted to $1,000. The clarity, accuracy, and power is unreal and the custom designed input stage makes pairing the unit with a passive pre/tube pre a breeze. No affiliation, just a happy customer :)
Without a doubt , best bang for the buck, get what ya paid for product I've purchased in a long time is the Rupert Neve Designs RNHP Precision. Headphone Amp. This amp sounds amazing with my Grado RS2e ! Made in USA , built like a tank, has XLR/TRS combo, RCA, and 1/8 mini inputs . Built and feels like an heirloom product.
I am hearing content , textures , and spatial cues I have never heard in CDs I've played a hundred times. It's spooky how it puts things in space like they are way beyond your head. . Best $500 spent in a long , long time.
Tom, Try some low powered single ended tube amps on those Cornwalls and they'll really put a smile on your face! I used to sell Klipsch at the retail level 25 years ago and was never a huge fan either until I tried them with low powered SE tubes and what a difference it makes. Enjoy!
In general I don't like Klipsch speakers, but 40 years ago I developed a fondness for Cornwalls. I stumbled upon a pair (last year) of Cornwalls (circa 1978) #1 and #2 off the line that year, then raw birch, now freshly walnut veneered, with a new pair of woofers installed (from Klipsch) for $800. the pair. The crossovers had had the oil caps replaced. What joy, and for an old classical music listener they make me smile!
A fully functional Dynaco Stereo 120 and a Dynaco Pas-3 preamp combo at a garage sale for the total price of $4.00. Had the 120 modified by Frank VanAlstine and the preamp modified by Michael Fraser. Total killer for a small outlay in cash.
Schiit Eitr. Inexpensive and it can definitely improve the sound and allow you to get the most out of almost any DAC. Although totally frustrating that most DACs don’t actually work optimally out of the box and need a band-aid like this.....
I picked up a pair of Infinity Interlude IL40s for $200 (and the guy threw in an Infinity IL100s subwoofer and an old Infinity CC3 center channel that he just wanted to get rid of).
Amazing speakers for the money, they're serving as my mains in the HT, along with the matching Interlude IL36C that I had to track down on Ebay (and that ended up costing more than the towers, but it is an amazing center channel).
Forgot about the Acoustat 1+1s I got on an even trade for some bookshelf Klipsch. Other party was moving and couldn't take the 'stats. Pure luck, the right place at the right time.
I took the Boston Acoustics T-830s to an audio lovers meet Sunday. They amazed several attendees with how well they filled up over 1,000 sq. Ft., being quite small for floorstanders. I paid $550 for the pair in 1993. They were my true loves until I got a pair of Canton Ergo 1002DCs for $800. Although the Cantons are now my true love, I cheat with my old girlfriends. Don't tell.
I also got a pair of Genesis Physics model 7s brand new for $75. I don't know what that sales guy was thinking.
Boston Acoustics A40 speakers Mission 707 speakers Pioneer SP-BS-22 speakers Second-gen AR turntable introduced in the 80s Shure VR-15 cart Original Kimber Cable Vandersteen 1Bs Vandersteen 2Cs PS Audio Elite integrated Carver CD player with tubes BIC 960 belt-drive TT Grado carts Oppo 103 UDP Krell s300I integrated Primacoustic acoustic panels Anticables ICs and speaker cables Jim Smith's book Get Better Sound
Easily the best CDP I have ever used, was one that was $29.00 when on sale. Stupid because hardly anyone believed me till the small trickle of listeners started to explore and then started to collect so they would never be without. Now the Magnavox 2300 (and relatives) has got it's own audiophile cult following.
I'm not talking "for the money" either. You'd be shocked to find how many folks have walked away from their $20,000.00 front ends to end up with this treasure. Here's a PM sent to me just 2 days ago.
"Michael,
The speaker and IC wire is opening up nicely on my passive pre, and I used your setup for using a splitter from the Maggie to the pre amp and paradigm crossover to the sub and WOW! The Maggie is pulling detail that was previously covered up and there is more space between the players in the sound stage. And, the MGD MP sub is sounding the best that I heard with real detail in the bass region. If there is treble energy in the song, I am hearing it reflected from my ceiling as well as spreading the soundstage. And, you feel the dynamic swings in the music which was previously covered up. The passive Pre amp and the Maggie are giving the best music I have experienced in years."
Caintuck Audio's Betsy open baffle paired with a Musical Paradise MP-301 MK3 SEP amp is pretty stupid good. Add in a Chromecast Audio & Schiit DAC for a killer sub 1k system.
I found a pair of Infinity Primus 360 speakers for $125. I think these sold for around $750 new. Great deal at the full price, but crazy good for $125. Great full sound, detailed but not fatiguing.
Recently bought a $40 pair bookshelf speakers from CL that are just stupid good for the money. They are a diy version of early Rega speakers, Rega Kytes I believe. I'm sure they trounce speakers costing many times more.
I find there are a lot of real bargains on CL especially on larger floor standing speakers as listening habits change and people go towards miniaturization.
Geoffkait it is a good idea :) The new Apogee table will match well with my Ethan Allen cabinet.
Just think about using the good condition one for the center chanel (will need to display both speakers to avoid the sore look of one odd trapezoid speaker). Am just curious what difference it would make to offset the time searching for good amp and surround preamp.
Apogee Duetta Signature speaker for $0. One of the speakers was damaged while air transported to US from Europe and the reputable dealer returned my money. Cost about 5k to repair the pair so it is now just for look only and I do not know what to do with them yet.
The David Berning designed Linear Tube Audio Micro ZOTL2. Nothing sounds like it for the price and it’s an audio Swiss Army knife. An incredible preamp, head phone amp and a 1 watt integrated amp, used with high efficiency speakers sounds like nothing I’ve heard.
1 Chromecast Audio, for convenience at a bargain price. 2 DSpeaker Antimode 8033 room eq unit for best sonic improvement for a modest price. Room acoustics is where the biggest sound quality improvements can be had and this one does a great job taming in-room response of subwoofers.
My my greatest audio bargain was a pair of Acoustat 1+ 1's that I bought used for $600. I have been enjoying them for the last 16 years. I know there are better speakers out there. I have been able to listen to some impressive speakers at audio shows. I also understand that I will never have the resources to afford said speakers. I always return home from listening to high end speakers at shows and I sit down in front of the acoustats and think " They are still really pretty good".
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