This is tough, I don't think I could narrow it down to one piece that was the best I ever owened.
That said, I will give comments.
I sold a mint Nakamichi ZX-9 cassette deck last year. This was easily the hardest item I had bringing myself to sell. I needed cash to pay for other audio gear, sound familiar?
I couldn't pick one componant that is my favorite in my system now, I am very happy with them all, except IC's.
I would like to give a special mention to my Fanfare FT-1A tuner. Since the purchase of this, I use my system MUCH more than I ever have, causing me to enjoy my system that much more.
Jadis JA 200 amps. I can't see ever wanting any other amplification. These things give me goose bumps. I bought them used and consider myself very lucky to have them.
The absolute best component I ever owned is my old and still working Magnavox 560 CD Player. I paid $89.00 for it 12 years ago and it's still working great. It has digital out and has been used for years with various Outboard DA processors. It was damaged a few years ago during a move. The remote control sensor inside the box broke loose. I just drilled a hole in the side and the sensor is taped on top. Works great. It’s now being used in my bedroom system.
I hope the best "component" I ever owned is the one upcoming, a new dedicated listening room I plan on building within the year. I am no equipment horse and have had fewer pieces of components over the years than many here so my experience with different gear in my system is quite limited although I've heard much over the years and well know what is important to me in well reproduced audio. I am a careful buyer and have been lucky that I haven't fallen prey to any piece of gear that didn't have its merits. To date unequivocally the piece that has pushed (forced) me to re-evaluate every component in my system and make forthcoming changes are the Merlin VSM-SE currently being upgraded to M's. Every time I upgrade a component, these speakers just raise the bar. I guess I'll have them for a while because they involve me with the music in a way that has never happened before. Gotta find their limit if they have a limit. My long time warhorse is my SOTA Sapphire turntable which I have owned for 15 years along with the JVC 1050 CD player (10 years) which I use as a transport. Bottom line, I like long marriages more than short honeymoons.
I changed my mine, its my Tivo digital recorder. I cound live without the Stax earspeakers but not the TIVO recorder. Its GREAT. If u dont have one u dont know what u are missing!
Here are the best components I ever owned. And in fact, I still own them. One of them being my Nakamichi BX-300 Cassette Deck (which is 14 years old now, and STILL in immaculate condition too. It was one of the last "affordable three motor, direct-drive decks" EVER made.... only the Nakamichi CR-4A (the LAST affordable three motor, direct-drive deck) followed after my BX-300 was discontinued. And might I add that it is still one of the decks that can go from 20Hz. to 20,000Hz. in frequency response. A figure that most newer decks STILL can't match today (and most other decks from its era either for that matter), aside from the TOL Sony ES deck. How many other decks besides other Naks and the mentioned Sony ES deck can do that?? Not many.....). Then it is my Magnum Dynalab FT-101 Tuner. I cannot say enough about my tuner. This thing pulls in stations I never knew existed, and definitely stations that any of my previous receivers or tuners could NOT pull in before. And in addition to its station pulling power, it sound great on top of that. Easily one of the best audio acquisitions I have made in the last few years. My Sennheiser HD-580 Headphones come in after that. When you cannot listen to speakers, these cans are the next best thing. Though, I would be curious as to how good the newer Sennheiser HD-600's sound. Those are the best components that I have owned and still own right now.
Oh, by the way..... my Adcom GFP-750 Preamplifier deserves honorable mention. To do better than the Adcom GFP-750 right now, then I have to look at investing in a Mark Levinson No. 380 or a No. 380S. And to do that, we're talking about a lot of moolah here. No thanks. My Adcom will do JUST fine.
Tivo, (TV personal recorder). I own about $30,000.00 worth of audio equipment. For $500 (300 for unit, 200 for lifetime service)Tivo is definitely the best bang for the buck. Any quests that spend anytime using my Tivo are hooked and go buy one. Tivo is my favorite piece, keep in mind I have pre-amps that cost $5000, but enjoy how much time Tivo saves me. You will never say the words "Darn, nothing good on TV today" Once you can pause live tv, or better yet, rewind live tv, you will never want to go without that ability. I've watched tv for 1 yr now with Tivo and have never had to watched a commercial yet !!! I can watch a football game in about 1.5 hrs. This is truly an amazing product who time has come. If you have never heard of personal recorders, check into it, you'll be glad you did.
The rug I hung about 2.5" out from the back wall of my room that got in-room frequency response to within +/- .5dB from 1kHz up. At $150 including hardware, it's the cheapest component of the system, best improvement I ever made.
My Electrovoice Sentry II studio monitors. Sadly rotated out of service because they were Too Big. Other speakers reproduce her voice very impressively, but you gotta understand, the singer is really inside these speakers--singing through the grille fabric--that's really her behind that curtain! Agh, words fail me.
This made me think about about several outstanding componets I've owned. Maybe, my response is going away from the main theme, but I've got to give this award to my VPI 17F record cleaning machine. Ten years, >6000 records and it is still delivering great sound improvements.
My speakers are Coincident Digital Master w/Troubass subwoofers. A model no longer manufactured by the company. Analogous to Wilson Watt/Puppies or Verity speakers. Sort of pyramidal satellites, which use the subs as stands. Done up all in black, they remind me of Darth Vader. Tall, elegant, powerful. The shape was a bear to produce. Now they make old fashioned rectangular boxes. Smooth, liquid, deep, and detailed. A product that falls on the VERY short list of products that will stand the test of time. One day I will upgrade them with world class internals(instead of just very good). But, it will be a LONG time before they come out of my system.
My old Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck (wich I still own) and my custom Amp hand-built by Hiroshi Cheana from when I lived in Japan for 6 years, oops, almost forgot, maybe my pair of Stax Lambda pro headphones!
I had a Mod 3 from Audible Illusions and sold it. What was I thinking? I have a pair of Meadowlark kestrals that will never leave my domain. (never say never) Good listening!
You were nice enough to provide the thread and the advice on the "Ah-soo" Tireguy, and all I did was wax (that one is for you RC) sardonic. Writing a wrong ... my current amp, Rowland 8TiHC.
My Cabasse Atlantis speakers. They retailed for $89,000. and were amazingly realistic, but alas, their size nearly caused me a divorce. Mt CJ Premier 8xs and Premier 16LS are the best amp/preamp combo I have ever heard!
Hi Massvm I would rather use an ah-soo to remove my corks, this way I do not pierce the cork. An ah-soo is the tool with two prongs that slides between the bottle and the cork and then you wiggle it and pull and then the cork comes out, but there is nothing wrong with a corkscrew either. Enjoy! Tim
Hi Kelly; No bets here. I'll just add that the McCormack goes to SMC for full upgrade in March, the 360S DAC is fully upgradable, and the 37 Transport, besides sounding great, has permanent disc/track programming-- a feature I'd hate to be without. In fact, I'm even considering a 2nd ML 37 while they're still available:>) Cheers. Craig.
...as it's the only component that I still have after 12 years, which is when I started in this insane hobby. Everything else has changed several times. Close runner up is my Magnepan MMG's...they WILL be upgraded to 12's or 1.6s eventually, but these are insanely great $500.00 speakers.
My Jadis JP80MC preamp and JA80 amps, each with Andy Bouwman's Romantic Era treatment. I've had each of them over 8 years and have pretty much built my system around them. Extraordinarily natural.
In this order Accuphase DP75V, Accuphase DG28 equalizer - couldn't live without it, Avalon Opus - and thebest thing is they are all in my current system
My JSE Infinite Slope speakers. I had them for 12 years. They were just great. I tried the Joseph Audio's after them, because they use the same patent. Not even close.
I write this with out any reservation to this day I have listened to a few speakers, as we all have, I'm sure. However, the SILVERLINE SONATA'S MKll are just INCREDIBLE, the IMAGING and the RANGE of these speakers are just AMAZING. From the Bottom all the way through to the top, these speakers will surprise you for the price. I have not heard another speaker in the same price range and up to $15000.00 that comes close. If you know of one, please let me know, I would live to hear it. Like after a great meal, there is always room for dessert!
craig: i might make book on the last clause of your post. permanent? cmon', you're gonna replace all your stuff eventually, unless you lose your interest, your livelihood or your heartbeat. you're an audiophile! (and i mean that in a nicest possible way.) ;~) -kelly
......it's a toss-up between my McCormack DNA-2DX amp and Levinson 360S DAC. These are each incredibly musical pieces of equipment, and along with a Levinson 37 Transport, are going to be permanent pieces in my system. Craig.
Infinity RS-1's with proper frontend. I just bought another pair this weekend. I had these several years ago and sold them off. MISTAKE! Although 15+ years old now, this will compare to most $25,000-$35,000 speakers of today if you set 'em up with the right stuff. Although I have a complete 2 channel system in another room, I'm going to attempt to make these RS1's my mains on HT, with an eye towards the best two-channel reproduction as well.
Listening to these today just feels like coming home!
TacT 2.0 Room Correction System. It wasn't the Marantz SA-1 (although that is a close 2nd). It wasn't the PS-300 (admittedly a significant improvement) or even the Magnepan 3.6R speakers which I love to listen to. The TacT made the rest of my system play music that sounds like live music. What more could you ask for?
my vpi hp-17f record cleaner is the only "component" i've had in my system for more that 10 years. since i've no plans to replace it, i guess it may be the best. my second choice is my pair of avalon eidolon speakers. not only do they reproduce music wonderfully but they are drop-dead gorgeous in their skins of myrtle burl.
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