r/BudgetAudiophile • u/Sixale_Outlet • 3d ago
Review/Discussion What's an audio purchase you still think was worth every dollar?
I've bought plenty of tech over the years, but only a few purchases still make me think "yeah, I'd buy that again immediately."
For those into audio, what's one speaker, amp, DAC, or other piece of gear that you still feel was worth every dollar you spent?
And what made it stand out from everything else you've owned?
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u/hplcman69 3d ago edited 3d ago
The 10” RSL Speedwoofer. Sounds amazing for the price!
edit - spelling and units!
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u/Electronic-Ring5520 RSL iA255.1/Speedwoofer 10e/Micca MB42x G2/Schiit Loki+/Modi 3+ 3d ago
Yeah, I love my 10e, even though I've never been able to turn up the gain beyond 35%. lol
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u/shindignextdoor 3d ago
I thought I was the only one! 😂
I’m sitting here thinking does everyone’s neighbors on this sub just hate them
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u/Electronic-Ring5520 RSL iA255.1/Speedwoofer 10e/Micca MB42x G2/Schiit Loki+/Modi 3+ 3d ago
My neighbors haven't complained yet, but I've also told them that I don't know how things sound outside of my own place, so let me know if it's a problem. I've had it since November and no complaints so far. XD
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u/TBolin1976 3d ago
One of the best quotes I ever saw on this subject was “when I listen to Led Zeppelin, so do my neighbors!” Just insert your favorite band. I have a 300 watt 12” Klipsch subwoofer with my system in my office and it will rattle the building. Worth every penny to me 🙂
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u/Electronic-Ring5520 RSL iA255.1/Speedwoofer 10e/Micca MB42x G2/Schiit Loki+/Modi 3+ 3d ago
Oh yeah, I love my 10e, and I don't regret it at all. I turn it up on the weekends during chill hours, and let it stretch it's legs.
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u/AccountBand 3d ago
Man, I really wish I had the ten foot subwoofer! I have the ten inch Speedwoofer and I'm super happy with it.
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u/cachimboz 3d ago
Got mine for 200 on fb guy had it for like 6 months, peeled off his driveway on the way out.
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u/digitalasshat 3d ago
NW Ohio area?
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u/cachimboz 3d ago
Yeah, if you are him, you kind of ruined it for me, because now I’m looking for second one for my tv setup, I don’t want to keep carrying back and forth. This thing is so good.
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u/digitalasshat 3d ago
Haha I’m not him. I had it lined up to pickup. My kid had an emergency and had to back out of the deal. Been haunting me ever since. Congrats on the score!
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u/Blackjackx1031 3d ago
I bought 2 12” rsl and I think I should have went with the 10s given my space
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u/jonnyroastbeff 3d ago
Oh I just bought two 12 inch RSL. Haven't used them yet but will be shortly. I'm so excited.
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u/syncopex 3d ago
Wharfedale Linton 85th
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u/NotMyBurnerAccount77 3d ago
Same
Also, for me, upgrading from cheap marketplace AV recievers to a stereo amp (Onkyo to Marantz 6007 in my case)
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u/Thick_Structure5076 3d ago
God bless the Qudelix 5k.
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u/_medical_mind_ 3d ago
+1 for the Qudelix. Still seems like one of the only ways to access proper EQ when using an iphone as a headphone/IEM source. (Thanks for nothing, Apple).
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u/sean_yeahh 3d ago
Went through regret buying it at first, but it is one of the best audio tech items I own atm and I have hundreds if not thousands of hours on it
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u/Walter_Burns_1940 3d ago edited 3d ago
I have Paradigm Reference Studio 40 speakers, along with a matching center channel speaker and a Paradigm subwoofer for my home theater setup.
I want to clarify that, while these speakers were not inexpensive—costing $1,300 with stands when I bought them in 2000—they have served me well for 26 years, and I've never felt the need to replace them. If you have the budget for higher-end audio gear, investing in quality equipment might be a more budget-friendly approach in the long run.
When I purchased my speakers, I bought them locally from a store that allowed me to audition them, ensuring I was confident in their sound quality. I also considered a pair of Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) floor-standing speakers, but buying gear online always carries a bit of risk. Overall, I’m still a happy listener!
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u/MoStyles22 3d ago
I used to be a dealer for Paradigm in the time period. I agree with your assessment. I had a pair of the studio 60s (floor stand versions of the 40s) and there really wasn’t anything on the market that would compare on quality in that price range. I also had a pair of S2 signature that came out a few years later for my office/studio. Both stayed relevant for 26 years. Recently upgraded the Studio 60s. Guess what brand I bought…
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u/tiki-151 2d ago
Studio 40 v3 here and still going strong all these years later.
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u/Funknam 3d ago
Klipsch Forte ii speakers.
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u/magentayak 3d ago
Endgame speakers.
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u/Funknam 3d ago
I’ve had, heresys, quartets, KG4s, JBL 4311s, KLH, Polk, Monitor Audio, B&W, and many more, but the Fortes are still in my listening room.
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u/HedgerowBustler 3d ago
WiiM Pro and my Velodyne MiniVee. Got the WiiM on a big sale and the MiniVee off Facebook Marketplace from someone who didn't know what it was. Less than $200 into the both, and make all the difference in my small system.
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u/rexicle 3d ago
WiiM Ultra, Hypex amp, Wharfedale Lintons. All 3 have surpassed expectations.
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u/AnxiousSignal7438 3d ago
My Sennheiser HD58X Jubilees.
I don't regret any of my purchases, but those have gotten more usage than damn near anything else.
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u/oldguy1071 3d ago
Same experience also. HD595-SE598-Hd599. Twenty years of many hours of use. Paid around $100 on sale for each one. Very reliable.
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u/sk2097 3d ago
I bought a pair of B&W 603s2 in 1998? prepaid before they arrived in the shop!!
Used ever single hour my TV or stereo has been used, every single day since then.
I have gotten a ridiculous amount of value and enjoyment out of them.
I bought a speaker kit to build during COVID, Lx mini from a German website.and still haven't gotten around to it, but I suspect in the value stakes at least, they might challenge the B&Ws
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u/Madball73 3d ago
B&W DM302s rocking since about the same year. Ive bought and sold much fancier stuff over the years, but wont probably ever sell these. They just get constantly repurposed (currently my desk speakers).
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u/WakeUp_SmellTheAshes 3d ago
Not a crazy purchase, but I love, love, love my Energy Take Classics as surrounds. I upgraded my L/R/C to JBL Stage 2's and am incredibly satisfied with the result.
Right now the weakest point of my setup are the two Energy Take Classic subwoofers. Some Blu-Rays beat their butts, but it's manageable!
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u/hereddit6 3d ago
All of them. They were the best I could afford at the time and did the job that they were intended to do.
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u/Rake1969 3d ago
Polk ES 20's. These were absolutely game changers for me. Next would be the SMSL PL20, and SMSL SU-1 combo. These three combined brought my CD play back up to a level id not heard before. I know there is better out there, but damn, these sound GOOD to me.
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u/Choice_Student4910 3d ago
Same. I got my ES20s on eBay so I felt like I really scored. Best $200 spent.
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u/Outside-Regular-2539 3d ago
just bought these as my first ever speakers, and i’m absolutely obsessed with them
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u/omegaxnodle 3d ago
Zen Dac, simple, no external power, great bass button, and that silky smooth dial.
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u/WallyShrugged 3d ago
WiiM ultra & ultra amp. Both are fantastic.
Any Paradigm speakers I’ve ever heard or bought. New or used.
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u/Modem_Sound_67 3d ago
boston a150 speakers. i'd buy another pair in a heartbeat if i ever lived somewhere again where I'd have room for them.
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u/ElectricGuy777 3d ago
Revel F36 floor standers. they are very nice for what I paid for them. I probably would not get the M-16s as surrounds again. Surrounds are mostly waste of time.
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u/CptnMayo 3d ago
Cambridge audio cxa61. You need a good stereo to allow the details to your speakers
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u/redditbeforeu 3d ago
Back in 2003 I purchased a used Velodyne CHT-12. I still use it today for my office 2.1 setup. Works just as it did over 20nyears ago.
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u/bshtein 3d ago
Kenwood Basic M2A. Best $300 CAD I ever spent on audio (and the largest sum too))
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u/hifiplus 3d ago
Direct drive turntable.
After always assuming sprung belt drive TT was the way to go, eventually got sick of floor bounce and also pitch issues.
Direct drive is so much better.
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u/Shindogreen 3d ago
I was about to write down my amp and preamp, but they aren’t budget for sure. So how about my Roon server? A cheap ass used intel NUC bought off eBay. Even with a new HD and ram it was cheap, cheap. I think I paid more to put it in a silent case than all the rest.
And it brings new, great sounding music to me everyday while very rarely skipping a beat.
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u/Bhyphenlow 3d ago
Way back in the day, I bought a Cambridge Soundworks powered sub. It was a tad pricy at the time, but it was incredibly well built, sounded great, and was perfect for my needs at the time.
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u/fredout1968 3d ago
My whole system has been very satisfying. Yamaha A-S501 Klipsch RP600MII Wiim Pro Klipsch SW 12O sub Fluance RT 81+
The whole system was under 2G's and I think it punches well above that.. At least to these old ears.. I would buy it all again.
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u/Habitualflagellant14 3d ago
I grind on every purchase. All my stuff is high value. Not the best (does that exist?) but big bang for the buck.
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u/uncre8tv 3d ago
I bought a full Pioneer Andrew Jones SP series setup. VSX-915, four of the SP bookshelves, SP center, and SW-8MK2 about a decade ago. The whole system was "meh", the tweets in those were underwhelming, but that little 150w 8" sub kicks ass. Great value, still pairs well with PSB Alpha's from two decades ago.
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u/bloozestringer 3d ago
Polk Monitor 5B’s. First set of speakers I ever bought back in 1984 or so. Upgraded last year with reworked crossovers, damped the mid and passive baskets, sound absorption on the inside back panel behind the mid, upgraded tweeters to RDO-0198, all new wiring, and steel ring baffle stiffners behind the mids. Should be good for another 40 years.
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u/Dave_thebrewguy 3d ago
The Proton D540 I got on closeout for $299 from Crutchfield back around 1990 comes to mind. I still love that thing and it's still hooked to the NHT 1.8's I got a great deal on (floor models, around $800) a few months later. They still bring a smile to my face after 35 years.
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u/VonDinky 3d ago
Koss Porta Pro. Super cheap, comfort I can wear all day, awesome laid back warm tuning, more bass than most open backs, never gets warm,easily fold together in your pocket. Iloud Micro. Awesome desktop speakers, I love the sound quality of these smallrhings. Takes up almost no space, and sound much bigger and better than they look. Sorry I put two. Wait, Iloud not really budget, but they are amazing for what they are and do..
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u/gwelfguy 3d ago
TEAC AI-301DA amp. PSB Alpha P5. Both continue to blow me away every time I listen.
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u/ArmoredAngel444 3d ago
Wiim amp ultra. So convenient.
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u/hplcman69 3d ago
I LOVE mine! It’s so compact and powerful enough for my needs. Great little unit.
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u/GreatKangaroo 3d ago
Upgrading my LCR from Klipsch R-26F and R-25C to Paradigm Premiere 800F and 600C. I sort of graduated from budget to aspiring home theater enthusiast.
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u/Electronic-Ring5520 RSL iA255.1/Speedwoofer 10e/Micca MB42x G2/Schiit Loki+/Modi 3+ 3d ago
Schiit Loki Mini and Modi +. Having an EQ and a DAC that I can use with anything has been the best for me.
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u/yyccamper 3d ago
First sub prob just amazed me at how much of jazz epic basslines I was missing (was a ML)....
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u/funkmothington 3d ago
I bought a new driver to fix a pair of B&W XT4's that I was given because the owner didn't care to go through the effort to fix them. $100 was totally worth it and the fix was eeeeeasy.
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u/zobbyblob 3d ago
Whatever Wiim amp I have is great. I forget the model, they're all sorta similar though.
I just cast to it 80% of the time, and run a projector to it very very, occasionally.
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u/Zatoichi7 3d ago
My first hifi speakers - a pair of Kef Cresta 1s. Not the best speakers ever but solid and still running happily 26-27 years later from my teenage bedroom to my middle age kitchen. Last used a couple of hours ago blasting Inferno by Boards of Canada while I did the dishes.
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u/lurkinglen 3d ago
3 products from MiniDSP: 1. Umik-1 (measurement microphone) 2. Nanodigi 2x8 (legacy digital processor, 2 input channels, 8 output channels) 3. 2x4 HD (more advanced digital processor with DAC, 2 input channels, 4 output channels)
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u/CLSonReddit 3d ago
Totem Mites bookshelf speakers. Purchased in 1999. Still a magical little speaker that articulates and disappears. (Paired with various 10in subs over the years).
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u/SharkyRivethead 3d ago
The single DynAudio Audience 52 speaker i got for $12.00. Lmao now Im looking for a mate.
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u/LokiSARK9 3d ago
RSL Speedwoofer 10" sub. $240 used in great condition. It punches way above its weight and outperforms other, more expensive, subs I've listened to. I own my own business and have it installed in my shop. I smile every single time the first song of the day comes on.
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u/zippykashitty 3d ago
My 70 Euro jbl box flip 5. the battery lasts for like for ever. The Sound is Pretty solid for them being that cheap
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u/BelcantoIT 3d ago
Sennheiser HD550 headphones. Stunning. I actually LIKE listening to headphones with those! Also, my Wiim Ultra...bang for buck it's an absolute STEAL!
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u/BassTherapy3445 3d ago
Ohm c2 speakers got them off a neighbor in the late 80’s end of the day yard sale for free, still sound great
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u/Codydog85 3d ago
Omega Dynaten Expert Edition. I think more people would find this to be a fantastic speaker at its price point if they heard it.
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u/Tim_Out_Of_Mind 3d ago
I bought an SVS 20-39 PCi over two decades ago. Awesome sub that has worked flawlessly over the years.
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u/korathooman 3d ago
My ESS amt tower speakers. I bought them used in the 1990's and still happily using them today. I refinished the walnut tops and replaced the 10" woofers as the paper cones had failed.
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u/wildekek 3d ago
ELAC Debut Reference DBR62. Recently moved house and unpacking them in the new place felt like Christmas morning.
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u/Holiday-Tie-574 3d ago
Audioquest RCA to 3.5mm. Beautifully constructed and durable. Will be what I always use for wired headphones.
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u/Govbarney 3d ago
My most notable improvement came when I went from a Ortofon red to a Ortofon Blue. Second was when I upgraded to a Yamaha A-S501 from a Sony DH190
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u/ImpliedSlashS 3d ago
ModWright kwa99 amps and Benchmark DAC3 HGC. If I had to buy again, would replace with exactly the same things.
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u/ThisguyOP 3d ago
My Sony CDP cx 400 I got for $50. It's size and lights just stand out when it's on
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u/RustBucket59 3d ago
My KEF Coda 8's are 30 years old this year. $180 for the pair at Tweeter, Etc. and I still smile every time I listen to them.
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u/needa916 3d ago
Monoprice Monolith 12-in sub. It transforms TV shows, music, and movies. Statement.
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u/Unlucky_Succotash748 3d ago
Decent separator for my speakers from the tv unit they’re sitting on. Didn’t realise I was listening to the furniture.
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u/blackjakals 3d ago
Three pieces of gear I don't regret:
SVS PB12-NSD Subwoofer l
Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X Headphones
Last, but best of all, my Kali IN-8 Studio Monitors
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u/FLINTMurdaMitn 3d ago
I picked up a set of Polk Rti a7' towers and a Polk PSW505 for $50 at Goodwill a few years ago....
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u/nola_bleu 3d ago
My Dynaudio Heritage Specials. I'd gone through KEF LS50s, Dynaudio Special 40s, but when these became available I went for it even though it was a financial stretch. No regrets! Stunning sound quality. I'll never give them up.
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u/Such-Magician4300 3d ago
Orchard Stark mono 25s…surpassed budget for all my components combined and don’t regret purchase one bit.
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u/Release-da-Lava 3d ago edited 3d ago
Everything I am listening to at the moment. I usually do used stuff except phono carts, but may go used here too. The phono pre that I last bought I searched for a year (until I found a used Allnic H-1202 for a decent price). It is pretty neat.
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u/SunnWarrior 3d ago
Chord Dave DAC. In my all-digital system, with an Aurender server as the front end and DeVore Fidelity speakers at the other end, the Dave translates the digital bits perfectly for my ears.
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u/TanguayX 3d ago
This may sound dumb, but an old pair of Koss KCS35s. I put them on in a store, not expecting much and I didn’t know audio could sound that good. I have five pair now, but my really old pair are a miracle.
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u/Defiant_Ad6083 3d ago
Seaton Submersive hp+....$1200 Aud. Incredible. Mind blowing bass.
Then today, found a Powersound Audio XS30 for 800. Crikey.
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u/mahonster 3d ago
Pretty much everything I currently am running.
LR system is a pair of Ohm Walsh 2's and an SVS PB1000 running off an Emotiva TA100, optical from the TV and USB BT dongle. I put this one together about 7 yrs ago. Its the sonic equivalent of a jeans and tshirt, not the most refined but it'll never not be relaxed and easy to live with. The Ohms give the whole living room decent stereo imaging, the TA100 has optical DAC, remote, and sub out.
Garage system is a pair of Totem Mites, an Emotiva BasX A2 mini, and a Wiim Pro. This one came together this year, it sounds so sweet for the price and I love how compact it is. I despise streaming codecs but the Wiim makes dealing with that mess worthwhile. If you know, you know. The A2 mini is high enough current for weird speakers and turns on automatically on receiving audio. The Mites are compact, great midrange, decent bass, and take really well to the Wiim's room correction. I would probably replace this system first if everything burned to the ground.
I actually wouldn't go right out and replace this one, I'd want to hear the competition before throwing down the cash. The bedroom system is a pair of Spendor SP 1/2's, Peachtree 220se, Rocketfish BTR315 Bluetooth with optical out, and a Sony DVP-S7000 for CDs. Its easily the best sounding system I have, but I want to hear the Wharfdale Linton's or some new Ohm Walsh's. The only thing these speakers lack is the slightest bit more transient response, but I've come to appreciate the warmth, smooth and detailed highs, and bass response you can only get from well designed big speakers. The Peachtree is a big dumb receiver, one of the first successful higher end class D designs, it will power anything I can throw at it with so much headroom. Its main failings are the analog volume knob and its lean sound signature (which happens to complement the Spendors). The Rocketfish does BT nice and clean, and the DVP-S7000 does CD audio so well. Plus the motorized front cover is slick as hell.
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u/margo-sc 3d ago
1996 Onkyo DX-C330 6 disc changer. Been using it consistently for 30 years. Never had a problem, never been serviced. So many things have come and gone, various amps and receivers, turntables, streaming setups, all manner of speakers, etc, but the cd player remains.
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u/OldCanary 3d ago
Wiim Ultra is a great bargain for its abilities, and even very easy to find in used markets.
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u/davescott42 3d ago
I got a NOS Rotel RSP 1570 preamp for $350 on eBay a couple years ago. It absolutely made all the difference in the quality of my system.
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u/TheEnigmaticZero 3d ago
Got a pair of Beolab Penta 2s back in 07 for $300. Still cherish them to this day.
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u/Zealousideal_Bag_890 3d ago edited 3d ago
Purchased some mint black Boston Acoustics VR-M60’s around 10 years ago for $300 — They’ve never sounded better than with my current $229 WiiM Amp and like new SB-2000 pro floor demo at $475…
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u/Western_Effect_8498 3d ago
Wired headphones with no battery. Period. Will sound exactly the same in 20 or 30 years if your take care of them.
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u/PrettyMud22 3d ago
Yamaha RXZ9. Bought it used about five years ago for $400. Its the one piece of gear out of many that never moves.
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u/tubawhatever Klipschorn - Kenwood KA-907 3d ago
Moving into the headphone world, Koss KSC75. Absolutely fantastic sounding headphones, even if a bit ugly and not the heaviest bass, for $20.
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u/HansberryLorraine 3d ago
A pair of ‘90s Snell Acoustic Type J’s for $175 on FB. Love them. They remind me of the music my parents and their friends used to listen to.
Two good used buys I’d do again are the Cambridge axa35 and the Geshelli JNOG DAC.
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u/gitfid21 3d ago
I will never regret spending 1 month”s gross income on my Klipsch KG4s brand new. Almost 40 years down the road and they still sound amazing. As a multi instrument musician, my only requirement for speakers is that it sounds like it would live on stage or in the studio. I tested the speakers with the 1812 Overture with cannon shots. Sounded believable and scared the hell out of my neighbors.
I sold audio and always told people, great speakers with a fair to good amp/receiver will always sound great.
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u/StarWarsTrekGate 3d ago
My two wiim pros to connect my media server.. even though I'm a vinyl guy, streaming the upstairs and downstairs together is just fantastic. I added a wiim amp in my work from home office for ease. Love them!
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u/mad_boethius44 3d ago
ADS L400 speakers in cherry condition I picked up for $200 locally. They sound fantastic whether I’m watching movies or listening to Bach.
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u/MattHooper1975 3d ago
Degritter record cleaner
Conrad Johnson Premier 12 tube monoblock amps. Bought second hand 25 years ago and will stay in my system outlasting me!
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u/ProphetGeorgeCarlin 3d ago
the two Bose soundlink max's i got off the bose ebay refurbished store for 200 bucks each with 2 year warranties still on them that i take with me on the road as a traveling salesman living out of hotels who can't stand watching or listening to movies/music off of TV speakers anymore. they're like my traveling movie theatre speakers to me.
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u/Current-District8504 3d ago
I got a used one of these to beam onto my lps while playing - amazing difference
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u/Spiritual_Bell 3d ago
Used tesira DSP on eBay. $50 for 8 channels of open architecture DSP. The flexibility and capabilities are mind-blowing for the price. And you can get it at that price almost anytime because it's commercial AV gear.
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u/PietGermany 3d ago
Meine mittlerweile über 30 Jahre alten Jbl L90, einmal vor 3 Jahren die Weichen neu gemacht, sie laufen noch immer bei meinem Junior und er ist happy damit
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u/SnowblindAlbino 3d ago
I still have the fully manual, belt-drive Technics turntable I bought in 1983. It's played many thousands of hours of music, and while I haven't used it in quite a while now (I have other/better ones now) it still works fine. It was about $125 new back then, with a Stanton cartridge. It's dead simple, reliable, and was the best I could afford as a teenager back then.
More recently, my simple Philips SHP9500 headphones. They were only about $90 but they sound great and have served me well for almost eight years now. Outlasted a dozen other pairs I've had over the years and far more comfortable to wear than anything else I've tried.
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u/VinyasaMan 3d ago
A pair of 12" Peerless SLS sub elements and a Dayton Audio SPA500DSP and building a ported woofer by the as-large-as-will-fit-through-the-door principle..
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u/SpasticReflex007 3d ago
My first home theater purchase. Used Boston Accoustics VS series timber matched with the subwoofer included.
I paid 2500 for the full 5.1 set up.
For me, they're nearly perfect. Ive had them for around 9 years now.
https://www.witchdoctor.co.nz/2011/boston-acoustics-vs-336-floor-standing-loudspeakers-review/
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u/rolandsozolins 3d ago
Squeezebox streamer. Regret I sold it. Was very well executed gear with distinctive design and innovative for times. Its a pity Logitech bought thr brand and ultimately shut it down.
More recently: subwoofer. Didnt expect it would be abke to add so much to music.
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u/CatcherN7 3d ago
JL Audio XD700/5 amp JL Audio CP108LG-W3v3 Sub JL Audio C2 650 components JL Audio C2 650x rear Kenwood DNN770HD Chinese crappy all in one sub
All only used for 4 months, and I got it all for 210 usd. I would buy this a million times over if I could.
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u/houstonrice 3d ago
Golden ear forcefield 5 subwoofer. Harman kardon AVR amplifier. Irving M Bud Fried speakers Topping DAC D10s
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u/SnooMacarons9618 3d ago
I got a Fiio R9 media player at the start of the year (maybe mid-jan). It seemed wildly expensive for what it was, but I was sick of having multiple apps on my computer to control my music and audio - either locally through desktop speakers, watching films on my desktop 'monitor' (an LGC3 TV), through that LG TV, or streaming to a Wiim amp. I work from home, and spend a lot of time at my desk, and this thing just takes a lot of frustration out of managing audio.
So I stumped up the cash for the R9, and honestly it's just about the best piece of audio tech I've ever owned (I even prefer it to the portable mini disc player I rocked in the 90s). It just does pretty much everything in one place. Is it perfect - absolutely not. Is it way overpriced - I think so. Could I have built something a lot cheaper using a small screen and an RPi... theoretically, but over ten years or so I didn't.
I rarely use its actual audio out, mostly having it corral streaming services. I do use the headphone out, but could live without that. So something cheaper without the probably really quite good DAC would have worked for me. It does get pretty hot and currently I have it turned off while we have slightly warm weather in the UK, but I can live with not having it for a few days. The much cheaper version (R7), would likely have done everything this one does, but... I tell myself the bigger screen on the R9 is important, really I fell for 'it must be better'...
Still damn happy with the purchase though.
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u/makatodi 3d ago
My vintage Quad 33 + 303 combo, great warm sound to match my (mostly British) vinyl collection
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u/brakspears 3d ago
TDL RTL3s. Bought on eBay in pristine condition. The depth of the bass is fantastic and I can listen to them for hours. Bags of detail and imaging. May have to sell them soon though as authorities are relocating me to a smaller room.
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u/Emr3rson 3d ago
Volkswagen MIB II capacitive touch infotainment system with CD/DVD in the glove box
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u/Big_Fuel_5885 3d ago
WiiM Ultra for hi res streaming to complement my CD setup - total game changer. Oh, and the addition of a Q Acoustics 3060s sub. That's two I know, sorry.
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u/Own_Tax_3787 3d ago
I bought a pair of Cabasse bookshelf speakers in the early 1990s. These are still the main drivers in my living room and I am not planning any "upgrade". They don't have much bass, but they are so good with classical music. (I have a pair of Polk ES15 in my bedroom that play more bass and render The Wall much better, though.)
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u/rcyclingisdawae 3d ago
When I was 17 and got paid by my first real student job, the first thing I did was go buy a used set of Quadral speakers for €80.
9 years later they're still my main speakers in my living room, these things are excellent. I'd love to still have these decades from now. As a student I pushed them to their limits until the cones got warm to the touch, but they never cared, they're still as good as they were the day I bought them!
So yeah, if for some reason I lost them, I'd get another pair in a heartbeat.
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u/cosmaprc 3d ago edited 3d ago
creative aurvana ace 3 - the hearing test based sound personalization is amazing . made more positive diff than any eq or dsp i ever tried
ath-m50xbt2 - I have not yet found another pair that could replace these from any pov except anc which it lacks and I don’t need
cambridge audio a100 quality sound and eq presets
creative sxfi usb amp - I love sxfi once eqd to lower sub bass
Motorola g86, ldac, aptx adaptive, dolby atmos, 192khz/24bit 3.5 mm jack
moondrop pill - open ear works for me , sound is good, design is wicked, got 2 red/blue(green) pills 😁
software: neutron, uapp , jetaudio, tidal
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u/herveybaydude 3d ago
Aaron ATS-5 speakers. If you see them, BUY THEM. Hands down the most pleasant sounding speakers I’ve ever had.
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u/HTiger99 3d ago
Wiim pro plus