members and their systems

"I recently bought a complete Mark Levinson audio system and the dealer threw in a Lexus."

Try Naim next time.

@aewarren

Exactly.  The only components in my system I bought new are my SME V (30 years ago) and its brand new cartridge (just received).  Everything else:

Turntable:  Demo
Preamp:  Trade-in
Amp:  Trade-in
Digital front:  Used
Tuner:  Used
Interconnects:  Trade-in
Speaker cables:  Trade-in
Power block:  Trade-in

It took a while but eventually I assembled a system that gives me near continual satisfaction. I now only enter the market when something breaks, obviously wears out, or when a new technology both comes of age and becomes affordable. I've even reached a shaky détente with my unquenchable lust for buying musical instruments.

@keegiam, aewarren, 'and all the ships at sea' (for those of you who remember That phrase...*L*)...

Nearly Everything I own is used, or has been about me for decades in some cases; it was SOTA then, and it still is, spec-wise.

The exceptions:
-IC's; most cables and speaker lines are new....not fancy, but capable.
-A digital crossover (beats a bunch of individual boards)
-A digital splitter/mixer, for my own devious (and perhaps demented) purposes...and Yes, I heard that...*L*
-A purpose built computer for audio only that'll boot your laptop into a corner.  It works in conjunction with an older one that basically monitors what's going on...

The 'freeware' I run is able to accomplish nearly Everything I can consider doing in an audio environment, including mine.

Like some 'hot rods' and 'rat bikes' of my (and likely your) past...
...'tain't 'pretty'....but It Works.  Real Well, thanx.
J

@keegiam, edcyn, asvjerry

Thanks guys and I'm glad we and others are in agreement. Did you understand glupson's post about Naim? I didn't!