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Components that Surprise and Delight

Mr J

Mr J

pfm Member
My speakers (Wilson Benesch ACT One) are off for a refurb and upgrade. In the meantime, I was running a Sonos One speaker, streaming ripped CDs, internet radio, etc. It's good, but I missed my vinyl so I bought a cheap pair of speakers to plug the gap. Here they are, secondhand Tannoy Mercury 7.2 standmounts:

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I chose these because they were around a hundred quid. That was the criterion. I wasn't expecting much, and thought maybe they'd be destroyed by the power amp but actually they sing. I'm impressed by how good they sound, how engaging. Obviously they're not going to shake the walls but solo piano has weight, jazz has swing and rock rocks. They're really musical and convincing (undoubtedly helped by the custom stands I'm using.)

Has anyone else had a similar experience? HiFi that, for whatever reason, is unexpectedly good?
 
Yes, in 2003 I sold off what I considered to be a fairly entry level high end system as I wanted the funds to buy parts and tools to build a motorcycle and bought a pair of cheaper second hand SF Concertinos, a secondhand Creek integrated , a Wharfdale DVD player (Tesco special) and a Rega TT. At no time did this system reduce my enjoyment or connection with my music.
 
I was using an old NVA passive (cermet attenuator?), i then found a stepped attenuator P50 SA at a good price sercond hand - thought i would give it a go, not expecting much of a difference, but have been gobsmacked by the improvement.
I find myself surprised that I get on with volume control being in ”steps” - no problem finding the right level for volume, as i had been worried that a stepped attenuator would never give me quite the level that i wanted.
More information/detail, it just seems to let the rest of my system “get on with it” without getting in the way/making its own mark on the sound signature.

 
It happens all the time if you build tube amps. I've built with hundreds of different tubes, but you always make fresh and unexpected discoveries that can thrill you. I used 2a3 and 300b tubes for a long while until I started using high gain output tubes like EL12n which allowed me to use DHTs like the 26 as driver in a 2-stage SE amp. While this still sounds great, especially with EL12 and EL12 Spezial, it's not what I'm actually using. I've discovered some rare early tubes that sound just as good or better. There are some gems hidden away in the early days of valve production that can emerge from history and really surprise you.
 
Phillips Fidelio X2HR headphones. Currently £116 on Amazon, and a bargain at that price. Sound and build quality far beyond what I expected. If I lost it all tomorrow, I’d have these and an iPhone dongle. Job done.
 
I always enjoy reading when people appreciate finding happy surprises in hi-fi.

Here, the 'interim' AT3600L is still on the deck after more than two months, despite having a new stylus sitting ready for my more 'serious' cartridge for several weeks. It's hard to stop listening! I don't think I've known another cartridge to give records so much get up & go & sheer involvement than this budget wonder that I feel is a good performer at any level.
 
I considered buying a pair of original LS3/5a's but read the reviews on the Audio Nostalgia site which recommended the Audiometer MSL1 which were much cheaper, so I bought a pair of those on eBay and replaced the caps. I've been very impressed with these old little speakers which I use for television duties driven by a Quad 33/303 combo.
 
When I buy hi-fi bits for either systems in the other rooms or for my kids I usually try them out in the system in my study first. That's led to some oddly unbalanced set-ups but which often sounds pretty good. For example I was surprised how nice an ancient and battered set of Rega Kytes (which are probably worth £20) sounded when driven by my Krell amp and temporarily replacing the Wilson Benesch stand mounts that are normally in that system.

At the moment the Audiolab transport that's usually in that system has been replaced by a Cambridge Audio 640C (destined for the system in my office at our cottage) to check it out. Into the same DAC I'm not convinced I can tell that much difference in sound.

Another bit of cheap kit I've been really impressed by recently is the WiiM amp that's in our living room at the cottage. I really bought it more for its great range of functionality (especially the HDMI ARC input) but with a half decent set of speakers (Rega R1) it also sounds pretty good.
 
Happens from time to time, top cases for me were: CAL alpha dac, Rega Planar 2 turntable, Definitive Technology D9 and D11 speakers, Unison Research Simply Italy amp.
 
I bought a cheap Blu-ray player (S5200) new for about 10 years ago. Only recently did I buy a HDMI Audio Extractor so I could try it through my stereo system on CDs and DVDs. I'm so glad I did as it sounds ace. Crisp, dynamic and detailed and with the facility to play all sorts of discs. On the downside it has no built in display but I feel no need for a dedicated CD player anymore.
 
SteveG said:
When I buy hi-fi bits for either systems in the other rooms or for my kids I usually try them out in the system in my study first. That's led to some oddly unbalanced set-ups but which often sounds pretty good. For example I was surprised how nice an ancient and battered set of Rega Kytes (which are probably worth £20) sounded when driven by my Krell amp and temporarily replacing the Wilson Benesch stand mounts that are normally in that system.
Click to expand...
Likewise, my daughter has a pair of old Rega Kytes and a T amp, they sound pretty good, too good for how much they cost me. Years ago I had the Regas driven by a pair of Avondale Voyagers, and they had plenty of drive and presence.
 
B & O Beomaster 2000 and Beovox P45 speakers - work surprising well together. The speakers are excellent/a delight in their own right, and the fact that they are designed to go against the wall a real bonus. Both are in excellent condition and should last me out as my third system.
 
SteveG said:
At the moment the Audiolab transport that's usually in that system has been replaced by a Cambridge Audio 640C (destined for the system in my office at our cottage) to check it out. Into the same DAC I'm not convinced I can tell that much difference in sound.
Click to expand...
I'm not surprised, I did a similar thing with an Apple TV and Denon CD player into a Rega DAC. Both sounded almost identical as the DAC was doing the analogue rendering.

My Castle Knight speakers, thanks yet again @Ponty , consistently sound great and nothing like their price point would suggest how they should perform.
 
20230803_063350 by sfulxrlv95, on Flickr

Really love my A @ R Cambridge T21 FM tuner brought years ago for £15 from a guy in the local paper.
I was using a Creek 3040 tuner and wasn't expecting the T21 to be much better.
It absolutely blew the Creek away just so detailed and simbilant free with a roof ariel
It gets used regularly on Radio 3 and has worked absolutely perfectly.
A lovely piece of kit and just shows old hifi easily holds its own with new kit.
 
Miss Ariel said:
20230803_063350 by sfulxrlv95, on Flickr

Really love my A @ R Cambridge T21 FM tuner brought years ago for £15 from a guy in the local paper.
I was using a Creek 3040 tuner and wasn't expecting the T21 to be much better.
It absolutely blew the Creek away just so detailed and simbilant free with a roof ariel
It gets used regularly on Radio 3 and has works absolutely perfectly.
A lovely piece of kit and just shows old hifi easily holds its own with new kit.
Click to expand...
Totally agree about the T21, a wonderful tuner and as good as the Creek is, the T21 is much, much better.
 
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