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Cult following for Audio Alchemy or something?

Just an academic question, I guess. I have a long-dormant two-channel system (now waiting on child number two to understand mortal threats before I can break out the tube amps, et al) with an array of Audio Alchemy's better gear (haven't been out of their boxes since 2000). As you might guess, I assembled this system ~1996/97.

Separate from it, I've been recently building a solid-state, dedicated home theater system (completely unrelated). While I've been doing so, and looking for used gear to come along that I'm after, I keep seeing Audio Alchemy gear flipping the first day they're posted for sale. I'm not thinking of selling my stuff off, but it begs the question, isn't this gear pretty ancient? What's the attraction?
kitchener
narrod
1,064 posts
 
It's cheap and some of it wasn't bad for the price when new.
mcpody
73 posts
 
Not so much cult as...Bang for the buck! Take the D.I.T.B. It has a 18 bit Crystal chip. Now chips have come a long way since 1996, but that Crystal does an amazing job with my Rotel 965LE, upgrading the Rotel's Phllips 16 bit chip. The knock on Audio Alchemy back then was reliability...my DAC has performed flawlessly since 1996...so even though the Rotel is now in a third system, I still enjoy listening to it and the Alchemy. Another factor is the stuff is compact.
vegasears
1,173 posts
 
I have one of AA's 1 bit DAC's which I used for years with a Magnavox 560 cd player. The 560 died a few years ago but that little thing still sounds pretty good. I have seen them for sale at around $75.00 which is a deal if you are putting together a Music Server on a budget.
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