|
need help. buying high end stereo stuff used?
ok, any good sources? i just want a nice system for the house. i am thinking of keeping it separate from any future surround sound system. i think amp, pre amp? CD player, tuner+sat tuner, and someway to play my wife's ipod, and some badarse speakers. back in the day, i had dreams of owning Adcom hardware, screaming out of definitive speakers. are those companies dead?
feels risky buying used. |
Cliff,
Check out audiogon.com. I bought a Linn Classik from a seller on audiogon 7 years ago. The price was right (50% of MSRP for a practically new unit) and I couldn't be happier. / Johan |
damn, just checked Ebay. daunting! mule, my budget is less than that!
thanks johan. sent you a pm. |
Personally I find that at our age, after loud cars, guns, concerts etc.. my ears can't really tell the difference anymore.. The cost of new stuff relative to the quality/technology is pretty good. I think I've buy new.
|
Quote:
|
What's your budget is the first question you have to answer.
You may want to do a little reseach- buy a few guides (there are hundreds) and consider what you might get within your budget before looking. Most used stuff (that's any good) is going to be relatively expensive and if you're not certain what you want it might be better to buy new. Audiogon is a great (the best IMO) source for used equipment but it is mostly high end stuff, Mapleshade Audio also sells very nice refurbished vintage gear (mostly Scott) and a used McIntosh is almost never a bad buy. But unless you're after a Marantz Model 10 or Thorens TD 124 or similar (and know what they are) I would try to find a good local high quality shop with a salesman who knows his stuff (not a Circuit City or Best Buy!) and don't forget rule #2- people don't let friends buy Bose. |
Not much time left on these but this is just about the holy grail of high end amps, The Julius Futterman OTL. Price is super cheap at $610
|
Well, well, well, I guess the big ears on a Mule are pretty sensitive after all. I knew there was sophistication behind that stuborn persona of yours... U gave it up a coupla times.
Well anyway I have been the proud owner of these components for decades now. MR 78, C-27, MC 2125, JBL L65, Thorens TD 165. |
audiophile stuff is a slippery slope. And if you want to ingetrate into home theater, forget it. Buy newer stuff.
If you want this to be a hobby for 2 channel audio, the audiogon is probably the best bet. I was into the higher end stuff in grad school, flirted with it again awhile back but pulled back to be happy with midphile. Current a Cambridge Audio receiver and Dana speakers (from theaudioinsider.com). Mail order has changed the landscape, and there are tons of "direct" speakers to be had. Then buy a decent NAD receiver and be happy. Or watch out for the grease as you slide down the slope... |
Quote:
|
Futterman? My gawd. That's a blast from the past.
Just for a related topic drift . . . At last weeks Pro show in New Orleans, several mixers/masterers were bemoaning the fact that record companies are demanding louder & louder masters (with less & less dynamic range of course). This is so they will sound good on dynamic limited media - radio, ipod, youtube etc. When asked what the industry & consumers can do about it . . . buy analog . . . was the consensus answer. Ian |
Quote:
You're right about the analogue. Most of the old, super good tube amps (like these) have been bought up by the Japanese while they sell us solid state crap. |
Quote:
Ian |
ok..less than 2k? can i do it?
i know i want to keep it separate from any surround sound. we listen to most types of music except jazz. oh, no RAP. i want to keep it simple. |
Watch Craig's List and don't be shy about offering less than the asking price. We bought a great system for our lake home for a thousand bucks or so. I think it was $1,200. Can't remember what all it was, but we bought it from a guy who used to work at Circuit City and didn't need it any more. It was maybe 5 years old but very high end stuff. It would have been about $5,000 to get the same stuff new. Pre-amp, tuner, 5 speakers and a subwoofer that's the size of a recliner.
|
5K for a HE Stereo system is the price of " the hello" in the world of HE stereo.
|
With everyone buying 5:1, 7;1 homethreatre- there are some absolute steals around if you an old fashioned L/R sort of bloke......
|
not risky if you buy Bryston. they come with a 20 year transferable warranty, not that youll need it.
had what i thought was a problem with mine and sent it to company. the tech called me while it was on his bench and went through MY error with me. no charge, and touched up my paint blemishes...new knobs etc.. awsome gear. lasts forever |
If your going to be listening to mostly Ipod output, 99.99% of the components mentioned are wasting your money. The Ipod is the weak link in most newer systems, and it only gets accentuated with higher end components. My audiophile days are over. Gone are the days of listening in an acoustically perfect room with the lights dimmed and all outside noise is filtered. (and if you can't do this, what good are $5000 speakers?) With 4 kids and all that goes with a home with 6 people living it, some decent sounding music is good enough. I guess it comes down to your personal situation.
|
I never thought I'd be without tubes. It's all I've ever owned. Cary Audio, VTL, CJ, Sonic Frontiers, Hovland, etc...at some point they all seemed make their rounds in my house. However, when the opportunity to purchase a pair of Jeff Rowland Design Model 6 mono-block amps came up, I jumped and never looked back! My very first solid state amps, and I couldn't be happier. I've paired them with a Muse Model 3 Signature Edition pre-amp, and an Electrocompaniet CD player, all driving Harbeth 7ES2 monitors. I'm done...
...for now! |
sure... but he said $2k, right?
That's for everything? Do you listen to vinyl? or CDs? Do you want to hear FM radio? IF it is CD only - then just buy a CD player, amp and stereo speakers. You can get very nice sound for $2k in used equipment, I wouldn't call it high end sound (there, each "box" will be about $2k). I might devote $800 or even more to the speakers. See if you can find used Vandersteen or Magneplanar speakers. Adcom or Nad, or find an old apt amp or pre-amp. Those are quality brands and reliable, no fuss. They are not however, anywhere near the bleeding edge. |
Quote:
Here are a bunch in your neck of the woods: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/ele/718211546.html http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ele/715510152.html http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/ele/717322027.html http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/ele/712959388.html http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/ele/720747826.html http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/ele/720707121.html http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/ele/718545314.html http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/ele/721121054.html http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/ele/719139797.html http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/ele/718330625.html |
Good "bang for buck"? Try a nice old G.A.S. "Son of Ampzilla" paired with say, a PS Audio 4.5 or an NAD 1020 as your preamp (or build a Bottlehead Foreplay). Want tubes you can "grow" with? Get an old Dynaco Stereo70 then mod it to taste (i.e: Audio Research or VanAlstine). All of these are available at reasonable prices!
|
Quote:
Specifically the reduced resolution of 99% of the mp3 files out there is the weak link. I can't fathom for the life of me why people would either (1) convert their entire music collection to low-res mp3s (lower than the original media anyway) or (2) spend a fortune on high-end audio components just to play low-res files. It's like buying a $3,000 HDTV to play old grainy VHS tapes recorded in SLP mode. I do like my mp3s, but they're all recorded in maximum resolution. When I actually want to load 'em up on my player, I create a lower resolution version so I can pack more into memory - with the understanding that they're for simple listening, not necessarily high-end audio appreciation. The "masters" never get downgraded. The phrase "polishing a turd" comes to mind for some reason. . . |
I've had the Adcom GFA1A for about 15 years . I had it tweaked at the factory about 8 years
ago. Really love this amp ! get one... send it in for upgrades, about $300.00? you'll have a bullet proof killer amp for pretty cheap ! |
Check audioadvisor.com. They'll have a range of CD players, integrated or separate amps within you budget. I would plan on spending close to half on speakers. Don't buy those mail order unless you've heard them and know you will like them (or they have a return policy). Buy the speakers YOU like best- not what your buddy likes or someone else recommends.
|
Just picked up some very nice Bang & Olufsen stuff on CraigsList. Worth keeping an eye there.
|
89911, I agree so much. I dumped my Sirius and XM radio because the sound was worse than both CDs and HD FM radio. I finally bought an ipod (the cheap one) on a whim 2 days ago, and I'm thinking about dumping it too, now.
How does one make max resolution mp3 files, and can I put them on the ipod ( I don't care about capacity. Quality is everything)? and isn't there a Bang and Olufsen outlet store in Gilroy? I'd say don't get rid of your gear though, you'll regret it. |
Dynaco tube preamps are awesome. I'd look at NAD amps on ebay, 2100's sound sweet and are cheap. Those and a set of Ohm Walsh's or Maggies and you'd be on your way for less than a grand.
|
Quote:
|
Let me be the 157th person in line to say $2k isn't going to get you into high end audio. Not even a toe-hold. If you really must stay under $2K, consider a good set of headphones, a source unit and some amplifiication. Or, start selling off your wife's shoes on eBay to raise Sufficient Funds.
My advice would be to throw anything that plays mp3 files into the nearest pond. Forget radio, too. Figure out if you want to play CDs or vinyl and get used to the fact that occasionally you will have to get up to change the things. You'll need to get up once in a while to fetch more beer/wine/doritos and to pee, anyway. Don't lose sight of the fact that if you don't have a decent room in which to listen to a system, you might as well stop right here. This is maybe the hardest part for most people. Since you live in the bay area, where housing costs are off the charts, I am not optimistic. Since you have a wife also, I fear that you will be limited in where you can put this stuff. The average female thinks of high end audio gear scattered through a house to be as desirable as cockroaches. Good luck, here. Wander down to the local library and track down some back issues of Sterophile magazine and a copy of the latest Orion Blue Book on audio. Each year Stereophile publishes a summary of their recommended components. Look at each summary for the last 10 years or so. Orion will give you an idea of what they'll cost. Figure out what you want and then look on eBay, Audiogon, etc. Good luck, JR |
| All times are GMT -8. The time now is 12:13 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2025 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Pelican Parts Website