What hifi item did you enjoy buying the most?

Good question.

I'd have to go with trading in Klipschhorns for Infinity 4.5's 32 years ago. I'd already purchased an Audio Research amp and preamp and was saving up for a dipole ribbon setup. Fell into that after saving $$$ for awhile.

 

Thank you! It has been a joy to own and use.

After getting the motor serviced by Jim Campbell, it has been working flawlessly.

 

They are so well made, bought my 160 in 1980 and used it regularly until about 1998.
Then it lay neglected, until i had it serviced last year.
To my shame, I had never changed the belt, nor oiled the bearing!!

However, it ran perfectly at both 331/3 and 45 rpm when tested. Miraculously the bearing was also perfectly fine.

It is now used daily and has never sounded better. I do, however, care for her more now!

Enjoy yours, it's a lovely deck.

 

Always the most recent component upgrade purchased.

 

I was at American TV & Appliance and looking a stuff when one of the salesmen suggested I try a Hafler DH110 kit, Realy low discounted price too. I bought it and assembled it and loved it.
That had to be back in the early 80's
The most interesting experience was complicated. It started out a fellow audiophile contacted me. He was retire from my workplace, but left a message to call him. So he 'sold' (really gave me for a pittance) his stereo for $100. Soon after I was window shopping and went in a local audio store and saw an Audio Research SP-10 in the used stuff. It was Christmas Eve, and they offered me a good price. I traded in a few of the bits I got from the coworker and paid $600 and got the SP-10. I sold some of the other bits and bought a Audio Research Sp-15 off Agon'. compared the two ARC preamps and the SP-15 won hands down. Sold the Sp-10 on Agon' for way way more than I paid. And in fact the extra money off the SP-10 paid for the SP-15 in full plus $100 cash in hand. (besides the money from selling the spare stuff from the coworker)
So I keep the SP-15 as a trophy of the best deal ever. (and it has a great three tube phono section)
I own three 'separate power supply preamps'. I guess they sound better to me!
Bryston BP-26
ARC SP-15
VAC Standard

 

The Mk. 3.2 update to my Atma-Sphere MA1 Silver Edition OTL mono blocks. For the money it was simply amazing how something that sounded really great already, could now sound even more enticing yet. Thanks Ralph and company!

 

I'd have to say my VPI Scoutmaster. Buying and listening to records is a lot of fun.

 

My second turntable, B&O Beogram 3000.
Bought in 1974, traded in 1982. I still miss it. The SP12 cartridge had a silky sound and the table was simple functionality.

 

In recently it is the Rega RP6. Past memories include Advent Legacy II I bought while still in the Air Force and my first Martin Logans.

 

Recently trialed (and then purchased) a Simaudio 600i integrated amp that replaced my long standing Classe' pre/power setup. Original intent was just to simplify my setup given some space constraints. Was blown away by how much the 600i improved the sound of my system, really didn't expect to hear that dramatic a difference.

 

Hopefully the next one. I'm about to trade my VPI Scout 1.1 for a Classic 1.

 

Buying a pair of beat up Klipsch Cornwalls circa 1979 and doing an inside outside refurb on them. This included new high frequency horns, new crossovers, and new cast frame woofers all from Bob Crites. Re veneered the original birch cabinets with walnut and finished them with the same lacquer that Klipsch currently uses. Built new floorstands to OEM specs as well. Awesome to see these units looking and sounding as good as the new Cornwall 3's from the Klipsch Heritage Series

 

My main speakers, Dunlavy Alethas, about a dozen years ago. Saw an ad online for a demo priced pair located a 2 hour drive away. Called them up and drove down and auditioned them. I compared them to other speakers priced twice as high at the store and they held their own so I bought them. They packed them in wooden crates, helped me load them into my pickup truck and off I went. I was giddy with excitement the whole trip back home. Still have them and still happy with them.

 

My first evah audio amplifier, a Dynaco 70 that I bought before heading off to college in 1989. Of course I had no preamplifier, speakers, or even a turntable/CD Player!

I ended up buying a $50 SAE Mark XXX, used my roommates (awful) Omega loudspeakers, and borrowed my girlfriends cheap-o Technics turntable. But hey, it was my FIRST stereo so I was happy. But of course I was mystified that it didn't sound as good as my friend's Quad ESL-63 / McIntosh tube system - ha!

Last time I got the sense of excitement was when I bought a McIntosh 250 - an amp that I always wanted to try - and the day I got my UREI 813As delivered.

And of course now I still get a small thrill every time I fire up a DIY project for the first time.

 

Most likely my reasonably priced interconnects or speaker wire - I only get true enjoyment out of buying things if I can afford them. My other Hi-Fi purchases usually require so much gnashing of teeth and unclenching of tight fists that enjoyment is strictly out of the question.

 

I would have to say a Videologic (now known as 'Pure') DRX601E DAB tuner. The main reason was because of the price. It was bought from my local second hand store for just £15 !!! The shop usually has a motlely selection of secondhand 'Hi Fi' components which I have a look at if Im passing by. Anyway amongst the analogue tuners I spied this DAB tuner priced the same as all the others. I expected the shop assistant to notice this as I went to pay but no! They even found the remote as well!
The tuner was like new and has never put a foot wrong !! So not only did I enjoy buying it at the time, Im still enjoying it several years later!
I often wonder why someone would have taken to a second hand shop in the first place as when new these tuners were around £300. Obviously someone assumed it was just an analogue tuner

 

REGA RP-6.

Had many turntables before and have heard that REGA has a unique sound and that some people love it some people hate it so I was a little scared to switch over to them. I myself Love it and don't think I could ever swap to anything else.

 

The day in 1986 that I got my first credit card, I maxed out my $1,000 credit limit on my first real system, a Revolver turntable, a little Luxman receiver and a pair of Fried bookshelf speakers.

What a treat it was setting that up.

 

I admire your hard work and dedication to getting your stereo. I too worked hard (well, it was office work ) and made sacrifices such as saving up and not partying to get what I was after...

 

My Mom and Dad bought me the Cerwin Vega S-1 speaker system. The first vegas that were considered higher end and less the California sound. 2 inches of solid wood all around and a bass escavator that added 3-6 db at 30 hz I think.
They said they would get them for me if Id loose some weight. I was 300lbs. I lost 120 pounds in three months and been fine ever since-35 years. John M.

 

There was a fellow in Salt Lake City (Richard Diamond) who opened up an affordable audio store that sold things like B&K electronics, spectrum and spendor loudspeakers, and musical fidelity a1 integrated amps.

A friend and I bought A1s and enjoyed them. He hooked his up to Spendor Sp2s, I hooked mine up to some 0ld JBL L19's and they were simply great sounding amps.

 

My

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My first system in 1971 of a Fisher 500 TX, Dual 1209/Pickering XV-750, Dynaco A-25"s and a Teac 350 cassette deck. The thrill and realism of my first stereo will never be equaled. It's that "first" thing.

 

My life changed the day I bought a Dual 505mk2 from my local branch of Linskys[ UK members may well remember this retailer], It cost around 120 pounds and came with an Ortofon om5 mm cartridge.
I had the greatest fun changing cartridges, simple tweeks like changing the platter mat or putting newspapers under the turntable, changing out amplifiers and speakers [ a 30 wpc Yamaha and a 30 wpc but much more powerful sounding Rotel paired with Tannoy mercury 2 speakers or Acoustic Research Ar 20s.........When I acquired upgrades I sold most of the aforementioned equipment to my son in law and ,although, he is long divorced from my daughter, I am told that he still has the components I sold him, including the Dual 505mk2.
Has anyone out there read the novel 'Hi Fidelity' by Nick Hornby , it includes a passage where our hero is looking through the records at a store and wishing that he could buy them again.
Well., I wish that I could buy that Dual again and rediscover the excitement I had all over again!

 

Definitely my next one, whatever that may be. Otherwise, I'd just stop.

Everything I've ever purchased has improved my sound and enjoyment of music. Much more consistent ROI than money I've spent on anything else, including vacations.

 

The Sony rack system my aunt got me in 1984. Decidedly mi-fi, but the tape deck was fine for the time (Dolby C, metal tape), the turntable was good (a nice Sony linear tracker) and came with a decent cartridge, the speakers were surprisingly good for a rack system (3-way, 12" woofers, tuned port), and the receiver to this day is one of the finest pieces of audio equipment I've ever owned (Sony STR-VX550). Good sound, great ergonomics. Stolen decades ago sadly, remember and miss it many times every year...