Best hardware acquisition of 2017

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Davey, Dec 26, 2017.

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  1. HiFi Guy

    HiFi Guy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lakeland, FL
    Last year, my MoFi Ultradeck/Ultratracker

    This year, my Sutherland Insight
     
  2. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    Time for the OP to start a new thread...

    Best hardware acquisition of 2018
     
  3. BrokenByAudio

    BrokenByAudio Forum Resident

    My only question is how you even become aware of these brands and where do you get to demo them?
     
  4. Davey

    Davey NP: CLARAGUILAR ~ Figura (2024) Thread Starter

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    Well, I did get a new subwoofer this year, but kind of early to name a best of the year acquisition in March, isn't it? Though we do have a rolling best new album of 2018 thread on the music side that's a lot of fun... and pretty costly too ... :)
     
    JNTEX, PhilBiker and SandAndGlass like this.
  5. gregr

    gregr Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    I've owned an Antique Sound Lab MG HeadDT forever, and it's connected to a pair of Sennheiser HD 600s. I picked up a 5751 Raytheon blackplate w/windmill getter for the ASL and just...wow. I'm good for another 15 years. I'll just keep rolling JJ EL84s and hope the Raytheon lives on.
     
    Last edited: Mar 10, 2018
    Ham Sandwich likes this.
  6. David Cope

    David Cope Forum Resident

    Location:
    Gales Ferry, CT
    Largely by reading reviews and discussions, although exhibiting at shows in North America and Europe for well over a decade certainly helped.
     
  7. Sugar Man

    Sugar Man Forum Resident

    This pic covers my 2017/2018 winners:
    • Marantz 2230: Unbelievable how good this vintage receiver sounds. Got a sweet deal because it had a small dent on the back that the seller repaired so well I can't see where it ever was damaged. The 70's rule!
    • Elekit TU-8600 with all the upgrades (Lundahl custom transformers/Takman resistors/Mundorf Silver Gold Oils/Gold Lion tubes) from Victor Kung: This Japanese kit is sold on a few sites, but Victor is THE MAN for Elekit. Unbelievable product support. This wasn't cheap, but you'll have to spend a lot more on a production 300B SET to beat it.
    • Audio Note Speaker Kit-04: Was about to pull trigger on the Kit-03 when I came across the Kit-04 with the AlNiCo drivers and crossovers at 50% of retail. Then decided to go full DIY and build the cabinets myself (with the help of a skilled carpenter). Those basic looking square cabinets were way more complicated than they look - but we somehow pulled it off! These likely cost me more than I could sell my trusty 2002 Subaru Outback for, and I still feel I'm ahead of the game - hard to do a direct comparison, but you'd probably have to spend A LOT MORE to get a production pair of AlNiCo's from the Audio Note factory. Yeah, yeah, I know that the production one's are supposedly matched to 0.2 db and these are 0.6 db and a Druid from the Sherwood Forest tweaks the factory models, but they sure sound AMAZING in my humble system.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 10, 2018
  8. Carraway

    Carraway Well-Known Member

    Location:
    NE Ohio
    These are modest compared to many systems, but for 2017 Ascend Sierra-1 speakers. The Bryston 2B-LP amp is close, and they work together well.

    For 2018 the only acquisition thus far is a Nagaoka MP-110 cartridge, and I'm liking it.

    Future considerations are a preamplifier, DAC, dedicated audio computer or NAS (still researching), and a turntable. Also a digital piano like a Roland FP-90 or Kawai ES8.
     
    Helom likes this.
  9. ChrisAZ

    ChrisAZ Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Colorado
    Actually 2018. Tie between Clearaudio Universal tonearm and PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium HP Integrated. The first brought precision and transparency, the second brought musicality.
     
    Sugar Man and Echoes Myron like this.
  10. Manimal

    Manimal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southern US
    Nice! Bet it sounds as good as it looks.
     
    Sugar Man likes this.
  11. ellingtonic

    ellingtonic Forum Resident

    Gong from an Audio Research VSi60 integrated amp to Modwright SWL 9 Anniversary pre amp (just replaced with an ARC LS27)/ARC VS115 amp combo. Considering going up to the ARC Ref 75 amp.
     
  12. John Buchanan

    John Buchanan I'm just a headphone kind of fellow. Stax Sigma

    Purchased an original Phonitor Headphone amp to run the new Beyerdynamic T1 Gen 2 headphones. They sound great together.
     
  13. frimleygreener

    frimleygreener "It 'a'int why...it just is"

    Location:
    united kingdom
    The "new" Rega Neo psu......RP6 runs at 33.3 with (to date) unfailing accuracy.....no more swapping belts unless needed:)
     
    Echoes Myron likes this.
  14. Miha Podlogar

    Miha Podlogar Well-Known Member

    Arcam A29 integrated amplifier - great sound !!
     
  15. Guss2

    Guss2 Senior Member

    Location:
    South Florida
    Upgraded from a Traveler after a couple of years, and Wow! Financially, not sure there will be any new acquisitions this year though.:)
    [​IMG]
     
    Tullman, Dennis0675, Hglaser and 5 others like this.
  16. FLEMKE

    FLEMKE Senior Member

    Location:
    CROOK COUNTY IL
    My friend just picked up one of these. Fantastic!!
     
    Guss2 likes this.
  17. husafreak

    husafreak Great F'n music that's difficult to listen to!

    Location:
    NorCal, Bay Area
    "I didn't get anything nice in 2017"

    Dude, you need a turntable... Every desktop rig should feature one. You put it right where you used to put whatever you were working on...
     
    Helom and Dennis0675 like this.
  18. Gary Freed

    Gary Freed Forum Resident

    Recently purchased a Cowon P1 and loaded up over 550 gigs of Lossless and HiRez Music.
    Best music equipment purchase I've made in years.
    My very expensive SACD player now sits idle. Soundwise I prefer the Cowon hooked in to my Aux Input of my Preamp and Amp.
    Also works equally well in the car with Aux input.
    I'm very happy. Costs - $399.00 for Cowon P1 and $239.00 for 400 gig micro sd
     
  19. Lovealego

    Lovealego Senior Member

    Is it too late for 2017? I made a large change in the fall. I finally added an analog front end to my digital only setup (20 years or so)

    I opted for Clearaudio Concept Wood, Hana SL and Phonomena II package professionally calibrated as a starting point. Along with lots of vinyl. It’s been very enjoyable. I told myself for 10 years that when I turned 40 I was going to treat myself to new speakers (mine are from 1999) but alas it was a step into the world of vinyl.
    Maybe new speakers at 45. That gives me 4 years to save up. I want me some Sonus Faber. I’m vain and they are gorgeous.
     
    displayname likes this.
  20. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    Quad 9as actives.
     
  21. progrocker

    progrocker Senior Member

    A pre-owned Oppo BDP 95. Amazing sonics for $600. :goodie:
     
    Bubbamike likes this.
  22. Garthb

    Garthb Forum Resident

    Location:
    portland,oregon
    Heritage Klipsch Cornwalls ($520), Heritage Klipsch La Scalas ($1,300 plus 1 way airfare and rental car and 1000 mile journey home!)
     
    billnunan, Sugar Man and Seafinch like this.
  23. Davey

    Davey NP: CLARAGUILAR ~ Figura (2024) Thread Starter

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    Yikes, that's some heavy duty shipping costs!
     
  24. Garthb

    Garthb Forum Resident

    Location:
    portland,oregon
    worth it!
     
  25. Mad shadows

    Mad shadows Forum Resident

    Location:
    Karlskrona- Sweden
    I purchased two item during 2017 - a Fidelity Research FR 64 tonearm and a SPU Classic GM E mkII.
    Im very happy whit both. The fidelity research is the best tonearm I have experienced so far and the SPU is superbly musical.
    The only drawback is that the SPU needs a lot of hours of playing before it starts to sound good (50-100 hours).
     
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