audio bargains
Posted by: Joe Petrik on 24 February 2004
Mick's
if you ever wonder if it's all worth it thread got me thinking. Is it
really worth it? I'm sure CDS-3s, 552s, and 500s are wonderful, but hi-fi at these stratospheric prices and levels of performance is attainable only by the extremely committed and, more likely, the extremely affluent. The fact is, as good as these components are, most will never have anything that good.
What about the rest of us? What gets you a lot of the way there but at average-Joe prices? For me, a quite a few components do -- components that perform well above their price point, and, more important, close enough to the Holy Grail that anything better is just icing on the cake. Here's my first stab at the list. Feel free to add your own since I'm sure I've left out more than a few worthy contenders.
Turntables and armsRega P3 -- a great table that could easily sell for twice the price. Comes in green.
Rega P9 -- an even better table that could easily sell for twice the price. Should come in green.
used LP12 -- Linn's new prices continue to climb, but a secondhand LP12 remains a bargain. Everyone should have an LP12 at least once.
RB300 -- an arm so good that companies exist solely to make it worse
Phono preampsDynavector P-75 -- a well balanced phono stage that's just starting to be recognized not only as a great performer, but also as a great bargain
CD playersCDI/2/X/X2 -- CD players follow a different economic curve than tables for a given level of performance, so it's a bit of a stretch to put them on a bargain list, but I've always found the middle Naim players to be fun, musical and better than anything else at the price
AmpsNait 2 -- the little amp that can be significantly bettered only by spending a lot more
72, Hi-Cap, 140 -- the point at which a Nait 2 is significantly bettered in my opinion
SpeakersRega Kytes -- it's telling that many speakers at ten times the price can't do certain musical things half as well
used Kans, Saras and Briks -- all tonally coloured, but all musical
Joe
Posted on: 24 February 2004 by scottyhammer
hi joe,
i agree with most of what you said
i would add
olive 250 102
epos 14
linn kieldh
regards,
scotty
Posted on: 24 February 2004 by Trevor Newall
joe, what about bargain cartridges?
they kinda help to make the music.
a re-tipped troika and a denon dl103 should be on your list me thinks.
TN
Posted on: 24 February 2004 by Markus
CD Players--For even less money Naim's used (and possibly in need of refurbishment) CD3's and CD3.5's help satisfy those on a tighter budget for very reasonable prices.
Used Target wall-stands for your turntable. With the many stands which have come on the market in the last 5 years I'd guess that these shelves may be available on the used market at roughly 50% of original retail (that is purely a guess, I have no data). Given that they were a bargain to start with I'd have to classify them as even a greater value for money now. And might well be essential to extract the best from any of the 'tables listed in Joe's original post above.
Used 135's. Heck, last year I saw a pair of chrome-bumpered 135's sell for *$1500*!! Olive 135's seem to be available for $2700/pair plus or minus several hundred $, depending on serial number, etc. And these are probably even more reasonable in the UK... These amps aren't just more powerful--they've got finesse and nuance by the truckload.
Cartridge-wise, Dynavector 10X4 mkII. A wonderful, musical cartridge. Very satisfying.
Used vinyl. I find lots of vinyl at give-away prices, I mean like an average price of two for a dollar. Even many "desirable" titles are available for less than the price of a new cd. This availability is what makes the price of a used LP12 the enormous bargain that it is. I think there is, perhaps, some mystical synergy present in the universe that is driving these two complementary trends.
Markus
-------
Posted on: 24 February 2004 by redeye
I'd just like to add..
Royd loudspeakers
cos I kinda love 'em
Posted on: 24 February 2004 by JeremyD
LP12/Lingo/Ekos
Audio Technica AT-95E
Linn Adikt
NAIT5
Mordaunt Short MS10
Since I am in the process of downgrading my system to a budget CD player and a pair of headphones (leaving my LP12/Ekos shivering upstairs in its box) the above system (with Adikt) is the sort of thing I'm likely to upgrade to when I can.
Posted on: 24 February 2004 by blythe
A used CD3 or 3.5 into a Nait(anything - certainly Nait2, Nait3 and Nait5) playing into Royd The Minstrel - what a combination!
Or come to that, all other Royds I've ever heard.
I have no problem listening to the Nait/Royd set-up at all - it does everything that my CDX2/XPS/252/Supercapx2/3x250/NBL does but in a "smaller" way. The ingredients are just right.
OK, ultimately not as clear and involving but you do have to spend a LOT of dosh to make those small gains once you reach a certain level that's for sure.
Bear in mind though, that a Ford Focus does exactly the same as Mercedes SL500..... Except the Focus has four/five seats.......
However, if you've driven the Merc, it is undoubtedly a better drive........... However, you might well be happy with the extremely good Focus.......
The Merc will probably retain more of it's value when you come to "upgrade" too.....
Computers are supposed to work on 1's and 0's - in other words "Yes" or "No" - why does mine frequently say "Maybe"?......
Posted on: 24 February 2004 by Steve Bull
Rega Ela
One of the few items in my system that I've bought new, I've had them for 10 yrs or so and they're still great. Last time I was with Phil at the most excellent Phonography in Ringwood, waving my credit card around, he told me to put it away and stick with the Elas. Can't say fairer than that...
I'd imagine a used pair would be a bargain.
Rest of system:
62-hicap-140
Lingo Lp12-Aro-DV20L
Nat03
CD3.5-flatcap
Nakamichi CR3
Mana
Steve.
It's a grand old team to play for...
Posted on: 24 February 2004 by Joe Petrik
quote:
Royd loudspeakers
D'oh! How could I have forgotten Royd?
<<quickly leaves the stage in embarrassment>>
Joe
Posted on: 24 February 2004 by Naimed-In-NY
I think the NAP200/NAC202 combo will go down as a great bargain.
MBM
Posted on: 24 February 2004 by Carl Leermakers
hm, "close enough to the Holy Grail that anything better is just icing on the cake"...?
Any of the Rega CD players, I would think.
Incredible VFM below of the 'Naim thing'.
Posted on: 24 February 2004 by Geofiz
Dayton Wright LCM-1 speakers. They were an incredible bargin when new at $300 Cdn or less(better than the Spica TC-50 IMHO). To better them required spending more 10X as much, and they can occassionally be found on the 2nd hand market for <$100. Required good stands (like Kann stands) to really make them sing.
The Nait 1 has to be a real bargin, perfect as a travelling system, and still amazing when partnered with Kanns or Totem Mites, works a treat with Stax electrostatic headphones as well.
Posted on: 24 February 2004 by redeye
While we're on the subject of funny looking boxes (were we??)...Peerless 1070 mk1 speakers. Made in Denmark in the late 70s. Sealed box design with tweet, mid, 6 inch bass driver and matching passive radiator. Even had screw in fuses for overload protection in the back and a veeery nice line in crappy fake wood veneer.
Sounded bloody amazingly fast and tight though. My first real speakers which my sister inherited when I went to live in England. She managed to shred the drivers but in her defence it took her years to do it.
Now owned by someone called David Bowie oddly enough. Don't think its the real one though
Posted on: 25 February 2004 by jcc
Rega Brio!
Posted on: 25 February 2004 by Robbie
What about the Quad 33/303 ? Or the 44/404.
Surely the Naim's are bargains esp. the 32.5/110/140/160. And off course the Nait 1,2 and 3.
Rob.
Posted on: 25 February 2004 by Gary H
Naim IBL's. Had mine for 10 years and I purchased them ex-dem for £500. That and a LP12 which I bought with my first pay packet in 1988 are the longest surviving members of my system. I have yet to hear more musical speakers. Ones with more bass yes, but not as much fun.At work I sit on the recieving end of ATC Active monitors, they are rather like 'Land of the Giants' bookshelf speakers. Still prefer coming home to the little IBLs. Pity they are in the loft at the moment due to building work in the house.
Posted on: 25 February 2004 by o.j.
I would add cambridge cd 6. Ingredients from
outer space,3trafos ,and a special single bitstream converter,gold plated platine inside,rythm similar to a vinyl player,a little
bit ugly housing and supercheap price compared to sound.
O.J.
