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Your greatest high end audio purchase!!!

My audiophile journey has extended to over 40 of adventurous sonic delight. Over the coarse of my over 40 year journey as an audiophile, like so my others, I cycled through a multitude of speakers, amps, cables, etc,. Now that I’m an old guy, I’ve pretty much settled on my "End-Game" audio system for the long haul, primarily because I simply love the way it sounds, and also because, at this juncture, I no longer have the will, nor do I have the desire to continue the crazy (but fun) merry-go-round of audio components in and out like I did in years past (my spouse and my wallet thank me). When I look back on all the high-speed audio gear that I’ve owned down through the years, and after giving it much insightful thought, I’ve come to the conclusion that, after everything was said and done, my beloved Revel Salon 2 speakers were my overall most pleasurable and greatest purchase of all. What was yours?

kennymacc
waytoomuchstuff's avatar
waytoomuchstuff
1,113 posts
 

Without a doubt, my wife’s wedding ring. She "allowed" me to keep my hand-built 6’-4" Alpine white speakers in "her" Living Room, and a revolving door of boxes, cables, blinking lights and things that made (mostly good) noises.. Just to demostrate how much she loves me, she gave me permission to relocate her framed, signed musical score by Barry Manilow. It was positioned at an an early reflection point in the room and degraded the sound quality.

But, I’d say that the most unexpected, impactful component I ever audtioned in my home in "later life" was a Sutherland phono stage. I had no idea until that day just how much music was being left out of those cheap and/or internal phono stages.

jwei
147 posts
 

My vinyl rig --  VPI TNT HRX fitted with a Graham Phantom arm mounting a Koetsu Rosewood Signature cartridge with a custom Gingko dustcover.  Feeds a Manley Steelhead phono preamp.

musicfan2349's avatar
musicfan2349
234 posts
 

No question: My Acoustat 1+1s and added later, RHLabs sub. They and my pop's hand me down Linn LP12 are the only constants in my system since '84. Amps and preamps have come and gone but those panels still make me smile after all this time.

Happy listening.

terry9
2,333 posts
 

Purpose built 2 channel room.

vitussl101's avatar
vitussl101
175 posts
 

  It was a really nice pair of original Quad 57's that came with a pair of Futterman H3aa's that I picked up in the mid-eighties that I'll count as one.  It was always a love/hate relationship; I always wanted more output out of them and I'd go back to a box speaker but would always go back to the Quads.  To me, within their range, they are amazing in that this fifties technology gets you 90%-95%  of what is available today.  With a modern preamp and source, they shine. I remember listening to them at the local dealer I purchased them from with a Spectral DMC 10 preamp and a fully loaded LP12 back then and it was stunning, even when compared to Modern ESL 63,s and a pair of Entec SW-2's.  I still own the Quads but they reside in my basement with one of them out of commission.  The Futterman's I got rid of long ago as they were problematic.

  Either that or my LP12 which has been with me in constant use since 1986 that drove my view of analog superiority.

  Or my Esoteric K-OX3D / F-05.  The K-OX3D changed my worldview on digital music but with the F-O5 sometimes startles the sh@t out of me.

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