what are your top "audio bargins" in your system history?

The Dynaco tube system --- FM3 tuner, PAS3 preamp, and ST-70 power amp, without a question....still not off today's best systems with fresh tubes and critical components updated with modern capacitors.

The second best: KLH ORIGINAL (not new model) Loudspeakers ..... still very competitive with my Thiel 2 2's and 3.5's.

Superphon Revelation Dual Mono.

Forgot about my "Elcaset" deck Made by Technics in the late 70s it took a huge cassette that had three colors of quality.  Blue was the lowest and all you would ever need.  The unit automatically sensed the tape type.  I pulled and pushed the tape which was the size of reel-to-reel tape and it ran at twice the speed of a regular cassette.  

I had a guy at the stereo store going on and on about the Nakamichi Dragon how it was the best and highest quality cassette deck ever made.  So I lugged this monster into his store....game over.   I think retail was close to $2K back then and I got it on the base PX in the Philippines for $200.  Format never caught on and eventually sold it but it was a stud!

Sony TA-ZH1ES headphone amp! Got it for $900 used but basically new from a guys summer home.

Have an unnamed $3500 new headphone amp that hasn’t impressed me much after listening to the Sony with my Z1R’s. Can’t say enough good things about theTA-ZH1ES.

As far as other gear goes....

DAC: Cambridge Audio DACMagic 200. $500 and love it. Its just a great DAC and scratches the MQA itch for cheap. Powers my in ceiling and outdoor speakers along with my Stellar PS amp. However a Bluesound Node is still a better bargain since the streamer function is there.

Speakers: JBL 4309’s got them new for $1200 on sale and OMG love those sealers immensely. Paid double for speakers and haven’t enjoyed them half as much.

Amps: Schiit Aegirs in mono! $1600, mono amps and an incredible sound. Again, super enjoyable! But two new Azur 851w’s for 3k is a close second.

Integrateds: Technics SU-G700MK2... Not really cheap ($2,900), but really is a product that just wowed me start to finish. Sound, looks, tech (LAPC), etc. I remember having 4 integrateds in my house and the Technics outshined them all (Yamaha, Rotel, CA).

Headphones: Austrian Audio HiX55’s for wired headphones ($350) incredibly detailed and neutral sound.

BT headphones: Technics A800 for $275 new are a steal IMO.

Hifi at price point really does something. I honestly love hunting down pieces for certain price points and feel it adds to the experience.

I once picked up a used Bryston .5B preamp for $300.  Because it was 18  years old, it was still under warranty.  So when it developed a problem in the phono section, I shipped it off to Bryston.    Just a few weeks later, they fixed it at no charge, gave me a new power cord, new shipping box AND paid the return shipping.

It was a fine preamp.  I replaced it with a VTA tube preamp which I love.  There wasn't anything wrong with the Bryston.  I just wanted to go from solid state to tubes.