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How "Rare" are Audio Classics, Really


Sellers often say things like "RARE Eucalyptus finish!'" or increasingly RARE and hard to find!

I like to read about cars, where if a certain Porsche or Ferrari numbered only in the hundreds they are indeed more valuable than mass produced models.

Collector cars which number in the single digits can cost more than a nice house in Santa Barbara.

Which makes me wonder: how rare, really, are certain collectible audio components, in terms of their production numbers?

How many Tympani IVa's, Audio Research D70's, Marantz Tuners, McIntosh power amps, Rogers LS35a's etc etc have really been made?

Please note this question applies only to real classics, from reputable manufacturers.

Your purple gull wing doored fiberglass kit car replica of Magnum PIs Ferrari may indeed be "one of kind", just like your garage built electomagnetic shielding devices and custom African hardwood enclosed power stations, but a no reserve auction will quickly confirm the true value of those "rare" items.

What are the most rare, classic audio components, and how many might remain in the world today?
cwlondon
cwlondon OP
1,198 posts
 
T Bone

With great respect for most of your advice and opinions, particuarly on world travel and direct drive turntables....

I might suggest that the reason a Superfast does not "get the love" of a 250 GTO is the same reason Maggie Gyllenhal doesn't get the love of Angelina Jolie.

Nobody cares that Angelina is probably not a great girlfriend or wife.

In the end, I have found that Ferraris are actually priced pretty efficiently and the reason is simple.

Regards,
t_bone
1,182 posts
 
CW,
You are a wise man and I am sure you are correct about the reason. But Maggie?... maybe I do overestimate the 500 Superfast?
gawdbless's avatar
gawdbless
1,165 posts
 
Impulse H1's msrp £2800 made 1989 (now Aspara Acoustics), only 17 pairs (apparently) on the planet.Not seen a pair for sale on the used market.IMO and obviously the other 16 extremely happy bunny owners too believe they are literally
unreplaceable and if so, with what?, and how much bucko for comparable sound quality?!. Told a lie, a pair was seen on ebay that were badly damaged and repaired, they sold for £800 ($1500).If only I had known.
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
In early 1947 the first run of Klipschorns were made. These were the only Klipschorns made by the Baldwin Piano Company, under contract from Paul W. Klipsch. Twelve were made, serial numbers 002-013. Of course, being made in the mono era, they were sold singly. To add to the collectability of these, the tweeters were the Western Electric 713A. These early designs were actually two-ways, notably different than the Klipschorn of today. They remain the most collectable of this model that has been in continuous production longer than any other speaker extant.
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