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50 Greatest Bargains in High-End Audio

daytona600

Registered User
50 Greatest Bargains in High-End Audio 2017- The Absolute Sound

Entry Level
Muzo Cobblestone Wi-Fi receiver, $59
AudioQuest DragonFly Black and Red DACs, $99/$199
Elac Debut B5 and Elac Debut F5 loudspeakers, $229/$499
Rega Planar 1 turntable, $475
NAD D 3020 integrated amplifier, $499
Audio by Van Alstine Vision Q phonostage, $499
Astell&Kern AK70 portable player, $599
Rotel CD14 disc player, $599

A Step Up
HiFiMan HE400S planar-magnetic headphones, $299
Onkyo DP-X1 portable player with MQA, $899
Odyssey Khartago stereo power amplifier, $995
REL Acoustics T/7i subwoofer, $999
NuPrime IDA-8 integrated amplifier/DAC, $1095
Oppo UDP-205 4K universal disc player, $1299
Magnepan .7 loudspeaker, $1395
GEM Dandy PolyTable turntable, $1495
Totem Acoustic Sky loudspeaker, $1895


Mid-Priced
Excel Sound Corporation Hana SL phono cartridge, $750
Oppo PM-1 planar-magnetic headphones, $1099
JL Audio e110/e112 subwoofers, $1500/$1900
Alchemy by Elac DDP-1 preamp and DAC/DPA-1 power amplifier, $1995/$1995
GoldenEar Technology Triton Five loudspeaker, $1999
Schiit Audio Yggdrasil DAC, $2300
Aurender N100H music server, $2700
Exposure 3010S2D integrated amplifier, $2795
Aerial Acoustics Model 5T loudspeaker, $3795
AVM Inspiration CS 2.2 all-in-one, $4995

Upper End
Audeze LCD-X planar-magnetic headphones, $1699
Air Tight PC-7 phono cartridge, $2500
Acoustic Signature Challenger Mk3 turntable, $4495
Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Series 2 DAC, $4995
DS Audio DS 002 phono cartridge and phonostage, $5000
Hegel H360 integrated amplifier, $6000
Vandersteen Treo CT loudspeaker, $8400
Wilson Audio Sabrina loudspeaker, $15,900
Avantgarde Acoustic Zero 1 XD active horn loudspeaker, $18,500

Ultra High-End
Ortofon A95 phono cartridge, $6499
Constellation Inspiration Series electronics, $11,000 each
JL Audio Gotham g213v2 subwoofer, $15,000
Sanders Model 10e hybrid electrostatic loudspeaker, $17,000
AMG Viella 12 turntable, $17,500
T+A PA 3000 HV integrated amplifier and MP 3000 HV music player $18,500/$15,500
Berkeley Alpha Reference DAC Series 2, $19,995
MartinLogan CLX Art loudspeaker, $25,495
Magico S3 Mk II loudspeaker, $28,000
Bowers & Wilkins 800 D3 loudspeaker, $30,000
 
I'm somewhat perplexed by what their definition of "bargain" might be.

Just as one example among many - how the **** can headphones costing 4-figures be a "bargain"? utter bollox.
 
KZ IEM headphones I paid 17 quid from Amazon based on reviews and I'm am truly stumped.Why would you pay hundreds when you can have these.The model I bought are the KZ ate version.
 
A remarkably irrelevant list in 2017. I doubt there will be one that is of less interest to the vast majority of the buying public. Therein lies the problem for the manufacturers who paid good money to be on that list.
 
What a strange concept: an entry level high end bargain?

So I am wondering if that's like a Kia Veyron?
 
The AMG turntable has been around for quite some time. Was too expensive when I bought my last TT though.
 
The AMG turntable has been around for quite some time. Was too expensive when I bought my last TT though.

I had one. I thought my Rega RP8 sounded better and sold the AMG, so the AMG isn't making my "greatest of" anything list. The Rega RP8 and Kuzma Stabi S are for my money the two greatest bargains that I know of in the turntable world.
 
I'd see a pair of fully working JBL L65's for free in the neighbours trash as a great bargain.


A better bargain than £150 Realistic Mach 2's plus a £25 refoam kit

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=272824201946

which in turn are a better bargain than $1895 Totem Skys:rolleyes:


Bargains are all relative.

With Hi-fi, whatever you buy you could have gotten something better sounding for less money elsewhere.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
I've come across a few hi-fi bargains: a pair of Tannoy GRF rectangulars in very good shape, which included a pair of ST-200 super tweeters in excellent condition, for $3,500 Cdn and a grey grease Garrard 301 in excellent shape for $120 Cdn. A new Manley Stingray at $1,800 Cdn and an ex-demo Marantz SA-11S2 SACD player for $1,200 Cdn weren't bad deals either.

Joe
 
Joe, your haul is so full of win and - barring the Marantz perhaps - endlessly serviceable and good for another 50yrs easily.
That's more than a tokenistic prime-cost-based 'bargain': it's many years of pleasure, and therefore stupendous value.
 
Personally, the recent Chord headphone DAC’s, whilst not cheap, have been outstanding for bridging the gap with analogue that little bit more. I own the Mojo, which is great, but still recall how good the highs were on the more expensive Hugo.
 


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