Discontinued equipment that you wish were still here. What do you miss or think will miss?

Bolivar speakers, great speaker from the 70’s.  

+1 for the BEL 1001 power amps. I still take out my 33 year old Mark I from time to time, and it still sounds terrific. I could only imagine what a Richard Brown design would sound like today if he were still alive.

Tekna Sonic dampers for speaker cabinets. The real deal. 

A large selection of low priced high quality cartridges.

Sonus Faber Extrema speakers, original Mark Levinson Class A amps ?

Totem Mani-2. One of my favorite monitors of all time.  Was in production for around 20yrs with very little changes.

Athena Audition Line of Speakers or really Athena the company itself. I have yet to come across a set of speakers that truly defied the "get what you pay for" aspect of home audio shopping. The AS-F2 tower speakers that retailed for $699 I think maybe $599 either way was such an amazing deal. I bought an extra pair used in Hattiesburg, MS last year for fifty bucks, I mean fifty #@$*&%+ bucks?!! Also, the AS-B1 bookshelf speakers for $149 MSRP,  are you kidding me? The quality, the craftsmanship and materials used for the money was just stupid good. Maybe that's why they went out business....hhmmmm. 
Anyway, does anyone know the names of the individuals involved in the design team that made the Athena Auditon Series and what they are responsible for today? 

 @mattbonner - Rega makes some nice compact CD players. Do a search on "Rega Apollo-R CD Player" currently for sale.

Only recently discontinued, but I was planning to buy the Parasound Zcd. It seems like there are no longer any high end, narrow width CD players. Maybe I’m missing something obvious? Hard to search for “compact compact disc players” :-)

The Adam Audio Tensor speakers. 

Oh my, where to start?  

I miss my Rectilinear III highboy speakers.   I sold them for the Large Advents which were a disappointment compared to the Rectilinears.

Acoustats, heard them 30 years ago, wanted a pair ever since.

Great gear that’s unpretentious, all analog and doesn’t cost more than a 3-series BMW. That’s what I love about my vintage NAD and Technics gear.

I still use my Acoustat 2+2's as my main system speakers every day since 1992 and they sound as good as ever.  Great detail and natural sound. No deterioration of the honeycombs, maybe it helps to live in the West with low humidity. I pulled down the socks so no fabric blocking the pristine sound. Still dont understand all the hype for any speakers other than electrostats...I recall paying only around $1,600/pr way back then. Would be tough to replace for that price but I did buy some decent Martin Logans for that much about 8 years ago for a bedroom setup.

"Jim Strickland’s Acoustat speakers, when in good condition, they were without peer and almost indestructible, because the stators front and back were Teflon coated ofc wire, you just couldn’t arc them, and they went loud, very beamy though for the highs, one to two man listening position.

Aging after 15 to 20 years of the honeycomb acrylic plastic was their downfall in the end, becoming powdery and brittle and it absorbed moisture on humid days which cause HT edge leakage."

I was an Acoustat dealer from almost the beginning to the very end of the company.  Jim, (R.I.P.) and I became very good friends.

I just rebuilt and brought electronically into the 21st century a pair of 2+2's.  The are still one of the  best speakers out there.  Mine came out PERFECT cosmetically and electronically and sound marvelous.  You guys really should hear a pair that have been redone properly.  They are indeed spectacular.

An additional vote for the John Curl designed Vendetta Research SCP-2 phono stage.

Basis 1400

@three_easy_payments said

I'm embarrassed to admit that every once in a while I miss the old Loudness button when listening at low volume. Does that make me a "bad" person? ;-)

Not a bad person, just a bad audiophile........ ;~)

But seriously, I agree that having a bit of low end boost at low volume would sometimes improve the listening experience. Especially with some already thin sounding recordings.

@roberjerman - I spoke with a KLH rep a week ago (at Ovation Audio in Indy) who said KLH is going to start making the KLH Nine again.

@yogiboy - The BAT VK-3000 integrated has pre/outs (also found on the older VK-300 series integrated). This makes them easy to bi-amp.

@bdp24 - I agree, the BEL amps, used as monos, were really special.

I would LOVE to get my hands on a NOS Onkyo TA-2090 cassette deck.

Also, Can Wilson Speakers PLEASE make an updated version of the WITT?

I'm embarrassed to admit that every once in a while I miss the old Loudness button when listening at low volume.  Does that make me a "bad" person? ;-)

@yogiboy  my Proton integrated has input/output jacks, same as some NAD's. A most useful feature! 

The return of the Beveridge Model 1 with integral high voltage drive would be most appreciated! Also see my post above about the KLH Nine. Two great electrostats worth reviving!

Integrated amps with pre out and amp in with removable jumper. For some reason this feature is not found anymore!

Pure i20 dock. I have two but they are starting to fail. My entire library is backed up to ipod classics. 

The Townshend Rock turntable, the BEL power amps.

I miss nothing i love my new stuff better.HELLO!!!!

American made Empire cartridges & stylus's. The MM Empire 4000 d/iii could outperform most of what is available today.  

Jim Strickland’s Acoustat speakers, when in good condition, they were without peer and almost indestructible, because the stators front and back were Teflon coated ofc wire, you just couldn’t arc them, and they went loud, very beamy though for the highs, one to two man listening position.

Aging after 15 to 20 years of the honeycomb acrylic plastic was their downfall in the end, becoming powdery and brittle and it absorbed moisture on humid days which cause HT edge leakage.

I think I now know where Jim got the honeycomb acrylic plastic panels for them.
Fluorescent office light diffusers.
1/2" x 1/2" cells and the panel 11.75" x 47.75" in size, ring a bell you Acoustat nutz??
https://www.1800ceiling.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/image/1000x1320/e9c3970ab036de70892d86c6...

Cheers George

The KLH Nine full-range electrostat! Arguably the best speaker of the Golden Age! Not many made so most younger audiophiles have never heard (or owned) a pair or two. I've had mine since 1992 - an original owner pair. Still working properly and awaiting set up with my pair of Futterman H3aa OTL amps!