Tim D Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 (edited) Won a Marantz CD player from Tandy back in 1986. After listening to cassette tapes and the AM radio it sounded fantastic! I can still remember listening to Springsteen and Cindy Lauper cds. Only listened to those 2 because they were loaners- no one in town sold cds and a friend had just come back from holidays in Hong Kong with these new fangelled things. Got offered lots of money to sell the CD player a week later so it went and I was back to cassettes.... Edited February 4, 2018 by Tim D 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sime Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 (edited) 2 things, an Akai AP-X1 turntable, bought for $10 on a second hand table on the front step of Miranda Hi-Fi, just needed a belt and hinges for the lid. That turntable started everything and made me addicted to Miranda Hi-Fi where spent most of my youth hanging out at. That turntable only beaten back then by the arrival of my NEC CD-500 Secondly, my 805D3’s, the sound I’ve been wanting since that first day back in 87. Edited February 4, 2018 by Sime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
givita_burl Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 There has been some equipment that lifted the quality of my system but I would have to say the most important purchase was the first one - the one that started on this path, The Nak 600 tapedeck provided a massive leap over what I had been using before (not hard when you don't have the funds). Bias and master level calibration, different tapes and taking care with recording volumes all led to an interest in improving SQ. Not to mention it looked pretty cool! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
givita_burl Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 But then again, Martin Logan CLS were an astounding introduction to stats. Don't think I've bettered them in all this time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crisis Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 I started to go through my current set up and decided all of the components together make it the best purchase i have ever made. Then I thought about my first "big boys" system and that opened my eyes to the possibilities. Most of which I will never recognise. Then I thought back to mt "KMart" record player and speakers I got when I was a kid and how much pleasure that gave me. And then further back to the extremely second hand Goldentone record player I ended up with after my father bought a Pye system for the lounge room. And ultimately that lead me back to my first am radio. A National radio in a leather case I was given when my papa passed away when I was a kid. I took that everywhere and it formed the conduit to what would be my love of music. What was the question again? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 (edited) Thought I might update this Best purchase made would unequivocally be the quartet of Exidos Malstrom 18" subs, in pairs as sealed baffles of 250 litres each will put a broad smile on the most hardened cynical Audiophile Beyond that is a very close toss up between the subs and the new twin 21" Bass Reflex cabs in 600 litre enclosures, dunno about the pleasure level on them as no one is game to come have a listen although I think @rawl99 might drop by some time in the next month, that will be a tough one. Good times, touch wood Edited February 4, 2018 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Devil Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 There have been many significant purchases but the most recent has been the LKS D-006 DAC - a remarkable item that removes all traces of digital harshness, something which initially had me hating digital and sticking with vinyl for many years. IMHO the DAC is the most significant item in the digital audio chain and recent innovations have been significant. Previous others: Roon (replaced Sooloos, another significant purchase 8 years ago) Sennheiser HD800S headphones (replaced HD800) Anthem VAVM 50V A.V processor (replaced Onkyo) Sound Labs electrostatic speakers (replaced locally made Moss electrosts) Plinius and Halcro amps (replaced .... gee I really cannot remember) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Road Kill Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Rogers LS3/5a speakers 16 ohm at age 17.It took a long time to improve on these. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest deanB Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 "So yeah, in that context the Icon preamp is my best purchase, still have it but haven't used it for ages". Well, that reminiscing prompted me to pull the wee Icon out of hibernation. And it goes even better with the Doge monoblocks! Stoked would be an understatement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barn door Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Originally part of my first home theatre setup, and formed part of every HT and 2.1 music listening set up for the next 15+ years, is my trusty Sansui SW-100 subwoofer. It’s only recently been retired to storage, but it’s a keeper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barn door Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Duplicate post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warweary Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 Heck I've moved on 3 of my favourite hifi pieces over the years. Vaf i90, BHK250, DSJ. I miss them all, but the Harman/Kardon HK990 has to be my best purchase ever, what a unit at a ludicrous price it remains the backbone of my current setup revealing to me what extra wattage can do in multichannel when it shined in a 5.1 system but these days operates in 2.2 magnificently. Simple enough my wife can use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 Kef LS50 Wireless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les.mandy Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Texas Instruments TPA 3255 EVM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclemack Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I’ve loved so many of my purchases but probably the most treasured have been my Duntech Crown Princes. I’m referring to the first pair I bought because they introduced me to probably the best sound I’d ever achieved. Stupidly, I sold them but was very fortunate to score another pair a year or so ago thanks to a wonderful and generous SNA member who understood my grief in losing these lovely things. Now I enjoy them almost nightly and once I get the rebuilt crossovers back into them and fit them with their new “socks”, I’ll be enjoying them for years to come. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cafe67 Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Things I probably shouldnt have sold Sony x-77es cd player lsa integrated amp usher be718 speakers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhythm Willie Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Sony XA7ES CDP purchased new in 1998. It's only about 2 years ago after trying numerous Dacs over the years that it now only serves as a transport, has been faultless. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cope Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 At the risk of turning this into a slightly different "Nostalgia for Old Garbage" thread, the best return on investment I got on audio gear was the $50 I paid for a pair of Aiwa SX-810s. I was 20 something, working at a Dick Smith, studying things I'd never use outside drunken party conversation, and until that point my audio experience was limited to a series of terrible roadside amps (15 watts and scratchy pots) and speakers from a dinky little Akai all-in-one. I wasn't far from Vic Markets that day - intending to trawl Heartland Records for terrible German electro- industrial music - when I decided to to do the student thing and stop by Cashies. "3-way is better than 2-way," I thought, "and whatever Music Power is, 80 watts seems like a lot!" I was on foot, so after handing over half a day's casual pay, I tied the speakers up using the bell wire they came with and carted them around the city for half a day before catching the tram home. They were (and still are) thick, heavy MDF, it was a sticky summer, and I was in my 'black shirt and black jeans at all times' phase. It was a lot of work. I got them home, hooked them to the DSE A2760 I'd bought with my meagre staff discount, and instantly knew I'd spent well. I mean, compared to my current setup the treble is tizzy and the bass flabby - but I'm comparing $50 to $2700. Back then I wouldn't have spent $2700 on a car, let alone speakers. Years of music fly by. Eventually the DSE lost a channel and found its way to the bottom of a skip. Houses in which the Aiwas had resided were sold, renovated, or demolished. Friendships built as they pumped away at house parties slowly broke down the way friendships often do. But here the speakers sit - unassuming, unchanged. When I find a suitably cheap amp to pair them to I might set them up again. Eventually, when my newborn daughter is old enough, I might give them to her. See if she can't blow them up with whatever is popular 15 years from now. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wimbo Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 On 2/9/2018 at 11:37 PM, unclemack said: I’ve loved so many of my purchases but probably the most treasured have been my Duntech Crown Princes. I’m referring to the first pair I bought because they introduced me to probably the best sound I’d ever achieved. Stupidly, I sold them but was very fortunate to score another pair a year or so ago thanks to a wonderful and generous SNA member who understood my grief in losing these lovely things. Now I enjoy them almost nightly and once I get the rebuilt crossovers back into them and fit them with their new “socks”, I’ll be enjoying them for years to come. Tell us how they end up Mack. One of my favorites as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wimbo Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 On 2/5/2018 at 10:52 AM, Tassie Devil said: Sound Labs electrostatic speakers (replaced locally made Moss electrosts) J.Gordon Holt and Ken Ishiwatas favorite speakers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gat474 Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 (edited) All of my purchases has been my favourite - until I tire of them or think I'm upgrading. The current favourite and hard to replace item is my JL fathom sub - great with music and HT. Blends so seemlessly with my active atc's that I only really know that it's on when it's turned off. It doesn't make the soundstage bigger or extent the treble response like some say adding subs can do but it does add a layer of power and authority to the bottom end of the music that just underpins the whole audio experience. For HT it certainly finds the resonances of every wall, door and window in the room. Now, just to find a second one for dual subs. Edited February 11, 2018 by gat474 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satanica Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 4 minutes ago, gat474 said: Now, just to find a second one for dual subs. Hi there, I'm interested to know why you've decided to "double up" and how you intend to integrate them? Off topic so far I know but on of the best audio purchases I've ever made is a MiniDSP to integrate my dual sub-woofers crossed over at 80Hz running in mono. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gat474 Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 7 hours ago, Satanica said: Hi there, I'm interested to know why you've decided to "double up" and how you intend to integrate them? Off topic so far I know but on of the best audio purchases I've ever made is a MiniDSP to integrate my dual sub-woofers crossed over at 80Hz running in mono. Just because I would like to try two and run them next to one main each but probably still in mono. At the moment I use a Velodyne SMS1 which only provides a low pass for the sub and it's currently set at about 55 hz at 12 dB slope. The mains are ATC SCM40A's and run full range which sees them down to about 45hz with a very gentle slope down from that. The mains run from XLR out from a Benchmark Dac/Pre2 and the sub is fed via the SMS-1 from the rca out of the Benchmark. The velodyne set at 55 hz provides a good crossover point to integrate the JL sub seamlessly with the mains. I've tried DEQX and also a mini dsp both of which did my head in with complexity and the fact that it was so easy for me to fiddle. The Velodyne SMS does what I need and although I can fiddle with settings I tend not to. I did find that the minidsp took away some detail from the sound as well. That was a few systems ago though. For HT I just plug the ATC's into the L and R of the HT receiver pre outs, the sub out of the receiver into the SMS-1 and only use the 80hz crossover in the HT receiver. Fronts, centre and rears all have 80 hz high pass and the sub does everything below. The Benchmark Pre and the rest of the two channel system aren't used at all in HT. Hope that explains it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nada Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 Sixty years on and its still hard to find a speaker with better midrange. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tesla13BMW Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 @Nada I found one! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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