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An Homage to Long Term Ownership

I have been an audio hobbyist for many decades. It seems that every 6 years I make a major upgrade to my 2 channel system. Upgrade an amp, six years later the speakers, six years later source equipment, then back to a new amp and so on. The one piece of equipment that I have held onto for 21 years is my Velodyne SPL 1000 sub. I bought the sub in 2000 for the princely sum of $800 when I had very little spare cash for anything. It is a small-ish sealed box with a 650 watt class D amp. The 10" driver has a huge butyl rubber surround and something like a six pound magnet. I have used this amp in various HT and 2 channel applications. It has never quit, bottomed out, clipped  or made a bad blooming or boomy note. It still works and looks fine. I hope their Lidar products work this well when autonomous driving is a real thiing.
motown-l
ghdprentice
7,046 posts
 
My story sounds like yours. After a very hectic first six or eight years I slowly migrated into 7 or so year cycles between upgrades. Makes for great enjoyment in between.
whart's avatar
whart
3,047 posts
 
I have equipment here, some in use, that I've owned since the early '70s including a Technics SP-10 table and a pair of original Quad ESLs ('57) (all sympathetically restored), other stuff that just needs a little attention but playable (ARC Dual 75a that I bought new; have fresh tubes that I bought from ARC well over a decade ago-probably needs a recap after 15 years since last tune up) and some stuff (my old Decca ribbons) that will need more serious attention to come back into play. 
I can rationalize my attachment to these pieces beyond sentimental value, but you gotta respect a product that is still delivering what it did new some decades later. Even if those products have been bettered for the most part. I have a special fondness for the original Quad Loudspeaker, currently running with restored Quad IIs using GEC 66s. While not the "last word" there is something special about these even by today's standards.

noromance's avatar
noromance
9,823 posts
 
My longest held component is a Decca Super Gold. 34 years! Bought it in 1987 and had it retired three times. As long as records are kept very clean, the stylus is good for years.
@whart I run ESL57s with tubes and love them.
mahler123
3,359 posts
 
6 year itch?
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
I have a Velodyn. It's foam surround disintegrated. It is now or was at last sighting, a fish tank stand. 
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