Best of value-based systems

I retract my thread, Sluggo - your succinct and erudite commentary has totally subdued me. Sorry for expecting useful input, but I guess your remarks illustrate my point to stunning effect. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have a lot of slugs, but I doubt that pouring salt on you would produce half so pleasant a result............For the record, however, I have bought a lot of new equipment over the past 40 years, and still do. Unfortunately, prices in audio today are driven to a signficant extent by what the market will bear. Pearls before swine, I suppose........

I think sluggo has a great sense of humor.Especially in a previous post concerning "oven treating"CDs.There is the truth glaring in our faces. If nobody buys big buck gear;we are all buying used Yugo's. Everybody does this hobby their way.I dont make your money;nor do I get to spend it.I don't rag on the people below me;nor the people above me.Some would rather buy an old Chevy,and tear it down, and put it back together:we are still in the same "car club" But some humor along the way of sharing ideas seems ok to me.

I am a big proponent of buying used. You can usually get equipment that originally cost twice as much as you are paying. That is enough to push someone from a new Adcom to a used YBA. The differences are not minor. Products that would let us put together a value system: Electronics from Audio Refinement, Cambridge, Creek, Golden Tube, Jolida, Musical Fidelity, NAD, Quicksilver, Rogue, etc. Speakers from B & W, Coincident, Paradigm, PSB, Soliloquy, Vandersteen, etc. Cables from AudioQuest, Coincident, HomeGrown, Kimber, Pure Silver Sound, Silver Audio, etc. While the people who spend the most money often feel that they are superior, it is not infrequent for a budget system to beat the pants off an exotic one. It's definitely not about how much money is spent.

Sd, I would agree for me the fun comes from finding the inexpensive great sounding gear...the things legends are made of. There are alot of us out there that feel that way. We look for equipment like the Robertson 4040, Large Advent speakers, Audible Illusions L-1 preamp and the Parasound CDP 2000 Ultra Player. I also believe that there are some great values to be found in the moderate to expensive gear (Wadia and Resolution Audio to name a few). Avguy I fail to see the humor in a cheap shot...carrera vs. nenon, give us a break.

Two things: Sluggos response was much more based on sarcasm and obnoxiousness than humor. That's my opinion; but I guess everyone has a different sense of humor. Secondly: after messing around in this hobby for 20 years, I think it's fair to say that the high end is quite a bit about the "law of diminishing returns". Digital technology may (and probably has been for a while) in a phase where the advancements are so fast that so-called state of the art equipment is not that within months. I've always been a budget focused audiophile, trying to get the best sound for the least $$ and I'll post my entire system here, not just recommendations of gear. I think it sounds pretty good. For CD player, you can pick up on-line for $189 an RCA 5223P DVD player (I sold my $1000 Arcam Alpha 8SE because the RCA sounded better and posted a review at Audio Asylum-there will be lots of laughter here, but I know what I hear). Interconnects are Silver Audio Bullet 6.0's purchased used for $150. My amp is an Audiolab 8000A-now discontinued, but a classic British integrated-Artech Electronics (if they have any left) is closing them out for around $400 (1/2 price brand new in box) and if you don't need phono they have the supposedly better 8000S for about $100 more also 1/2 price, which was also very favourably reviewed a few years ago. Crank a used Cardas Golden power cord ($200 on Audiogon) on the amp and plug it into a $10 hospital grade outlet. Buy some Kimber 8TC (used about $150). My speakers are old and not available, so can't give recommendations there, but lots to choose from! So far, you're at $1200 without an equipment stand and speakers, and I can assure you, this sounds pretty good. How's this for value-bought my turntable at a "police auction" about 12 years ago-must a have been stolen or something. A Michell Gyrodek with a Sumiko MMT arm (now replaced) and a Koetsu Black Goldline (now, unfortunately replaced), all for $200! To be honest, I spent about another $500 buying a new tonearm lead and putting it into shape then (didn't have kids, house, etc. in those days), but I still think that's a pretty good deal!