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Here's a thought for the day:
What item, component, etc.. do you consider a hidden gem? Maybe it's not known by the average person, maybe it sells reasonable cheap for its quality, or maybe it outperforms the competition in its price range.
I'll start by giving two thumbs up to the Robertson 4010. It may not be the prettiest power amp, but it gets the job done well.
Follow Ups:
Spectacular for the money; great at any price.
~~~~~~~~~~~
... 99%'er
on Audio Circle about their NCore amp?
recording engineers in the last decade.
I have yet to hear a loudspeaker that delivers such a sense of unbridled energy, nuance, and immediacy. My top pick when I want to listen to female vocals.
Barbara Bonney recordings, especially those of German songs. If words like "divine", "soprano", and "ear candy" titillate you - look no further. A very special "hidden gem" exists on track 9 of Sony CD # SK-61-964, where Bonney sings Franz Schubert's "Die Forelle" (The Trout)... I'm in love!
I'm a big fan of Bonney. Seek out her performance with Abbado on the early 90s Mozart Mass in c minor (Sony), if you haven't. Not a great CD in terms of sonics but a good performance with beautiful singing by BB.
..
Terry Cain produced something great with these. I'm aware of their shortcomings (and single drivers in general) but considering the hype around other recent SET-friendly speakers - the Abbys, at a used price remain a Huge bargain.
2A3 sound great, but they are happiest with 8 watts and up.
GD
Actually one of the better sounding DACs on the market and costs about $1000.
The Monarchy Audio SE250 hybrid monos also are special almost unknown gems.
N/T
NHT 3.3 / Eminent LTF / Vandy 2ce
Belles 150a hot rod
Audio Mirror T61 linestage OR Audio Horizons TP 2.1 linestage
Benchmark DAC1
Bybee quantum purifiers (for AC)
that right there is all the audio most folks could ever hope for.
Not cheap but these are them in my opinion. Brings music out clarity and dynamics (Andromeda), purity (Dimitri). I'm sure there are others, but these are the ones I know about.
and DB-9 headphone amp.
Clean, transparent, accurate and made in the USA.
___
If it really were "all about the music," we'd just use iPods and be done with it.
For those who care to get into the building blocks of their systems, these caps are an unknown bargain, and are superior in every respect to even the best metalized film caps. These are true film and foil, a mixture of tin and copper that yields a wonderful depth and richness to the sound without sacrificing any detail.
I posted this once before in Tweaks and got nothing but grief about it. I'm taking another risk here because I believe more people who really care about sound should be made aware of them.
Peace,
Tom E
Good to know, thanks.
Especially used as monoblocks driven my a balanced source.
___
My Stereo Configuration
and I am sure I would like the system, if I heard it.
I have one running in stereo in my second system. It's wonderful.
"Lock up when you're done and don't touch the piano."
-Greg House
An amazing speaker for under $2000.
always wanted to hear those. Had a pair on order one time for 8 weeks and lost faith that they could ever deliver and cancelled the order and bought something else. Their shop is not much more than a garage but they sell all they can make.
"E pur si muove...And yet it moves"
I've traded my Monitor Audio GR60 for Polk Audio LSi 15, which cost 1/3 price, and couldn't be happier. I had the same feeling when comparing Polks to Sonus Faber Grand Piano Home (two models ago). Polk really done a great job with LSi series and I can't wait for Polk to update them for the better.
Clements speakers
I didn't care for their power cord, and I haven't tried the speaker cable. The interconnects are terrific, though!
Magnepan MMgs
Cics memory player
dynaco cdv2 cdp
magwire
No one here remembers the bending of our minds
I've been curious about the Dynaco cd player.
Well they are probably impossible to find these days, but for the money back then it was hard to beat.
For about $200 more than that giant killer Marantz 63 something I think, this player trounced the Marantz, at least in my buddies system when we swapped them.
The big surprise was that the dynacos bass what much better than the Marantz.
Couple its ability to run without a preamp, and that was a keeper.
Sure I think my digital is better these days, but I might still have the dynaco if I hadnt shorted one of its channels when I was rewiring its output.
No one here remembers the bending of our minds
Plain old dental floss.
It just cleans up the sound.
.
It was a joke.
:-(
.
$400 of digital bliss. Now I have this, I can listen to digital with almost as much enjoyment as vinyl.
It's had a great effect on several CD players I've tried it with.
The Audio Mirror T-61 line stage tube preamp lists currently for $1279, but I bought mine used for $500 more than 4 years ago and it is a constant source of audio satisfaction. It would be a huge bargain at twice its list price. Furthermore, when I needed a minor repair about 2 years ago, the owner did it for the cost of shipping it to him. He fixed it and shipped it back at his expense...and remember, I didn't buy it new from him!
Looks very interesting, I'm going to have to do some research. I'm thinking of a preamp change and this one seems to offer everything I'm looking for (sans phonostage).
I don't know how typical my reliability/customer service experience is, but I have seen other similar comments about this preamp. I don't know that I've ever been happier with a piece of gear
T-4055 Tuner. Had it refurbed recently and can see no need for anything better
"Man is the only animal that blushes - or needs to" Mark Twain
It's freeware design available on www.frugalhorn.com. It can be used in one of two ways. First you can use it with "full-range" drivers such as the inexpensive Fostex FE206En drivers for great results, but for a few dollars more you can use the Fostex FE206ES-R drivers and get deeper bass, sweeter treble and a midrange that's even more transparent!
If you want to go all out you can use the second method with either the Fostex FE208 (sigma) or FE208ES-R ---{ like I did }--- and a nice tweeter ---{ I used large, dipole, Heils }--- and you'll have what I and most people who come to my home consider to be world-class reproduction from 80Hz-25Khz! Yes you'll need a sub for the deepest bass, but considering that in this formation they'll produce 110dB peaks without the slightest sound of strain and have the best qualities of horns & electrostatics blended into one speaker, well that's a lot of speaker for not a lot of money! These speakers have incredible dynamics and transient response just like a horn speakers do, but they never scream at you nor do they have a horn's colorations. Plus they have an electrostatic's awesome detail, finesse, inner resolution and micro-dynamics, without an electrostatics inability to play as loud as you want to!
Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)
SETriodes Forum -- Central Florida Audio Society -- Fullrange Drivers
==============================================================
"The man that hath no music in himself nor is not moved with concord of
sweet sounds is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils."
- William Shakespeare
Can you give us a working link?
Great DVD player
Unbelievable SACD for the price
OK redbook
and still working after 5 years.
$99 when I bought it.
Yep, and you see new DACs with good write ups using the 1790 series DAC chips for a lot more money. The only trick I found with the 563 is that you need to set all speakers to large. That way you get true SACD. If you don't do that it down converts to PCM. I had it for a while and enjoyed the DVD-A stuff but couldn't understand the enthusiasm for SACD until I found the right setting.
$
... for $250. It was $200 when I bought it, and it's still an incredible bargain. No affiliation with the seller, just an astonished user.
I played this record many times before I actually heard it. One of the best hard rock records ever and hidden right in front of me.
...version on YouTube? Awesome audio/video...
TRL modified digital players
Sonic Euphoria PLC (might be the preamp deal of the decade)
Green Mountain Audio Europa
All of the above are dirt cheap by audiophile standards, but punch well above their price class.
Oz
Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you.
- Winston Churchill
To me, $200 tweak that is REALLY worth it.
To my ears, in my room, in my system, with my music (classical), no speakers I've tried are better, top to bottom, than these inexpensive (and discontinued) speakers.
I've tried and preferred them to Maggie MGII/R, B&W 804, Spendor SP-3/1P, Infinity Somethings?, JM Lab Meganes and a few others I can't remember. Other speakers may have done some things better than the NHTs, but taken on the whole (tone colors, soundstaging, frequency respnse, etc.), none have equaled them.
I can't claim there are none better, and I scratch my head over the fact that I have found nothing better than these $600 speakers, but I haven't found any yet, though I'd like to keep searching.
-Bob
Thanks for the replies, guys. I've often thought about upgrading to newer models in the NHT line, but I've never had a chance to audition anything beforehand, and I've been concerned that later models may not equal the SuperTwos. I think they were among the last models developed before Ken Kantor left, and the longer I own the SuperTows, the more convinced I am that he is a very bright guy.
-Bob
and I think that depressed the prices in the secondary market somewhat. I use them in my video system and not only do they sound great, they are quite compact and elegant to boot. Not bad for a $100.00 find on Craigslist.
Well put. NHT Superzero too - I'm spending all summer with them, and although I've heard them sound good many times since I bought them in the early 1990's I've never had them sounding like they do this summer with my Quad 606. Maggie 1.7's are sitting in the closet. Sure, it's a room thing - as is all audio - but these are everything the famed Stereophile review claimed back then which is why I bought them. Some 15 years later and the only other speakers that have pleased me anywhere near as much musically are the Quad ESL 57's. I have a brand new rebuilt pair of 57's that just arrived today sitting just to the inside of my superzero's as I write this - guess there's gonna be a showdown! But unlike a breathless audiophile, I'm just going to plug in the 57's for a couple of days first and continue on with the Superzero's with a big smile on my face. With the right sub, I can only imagine. For the range they cover, they are absolutely reference quality with precision of imaging in a vast soundspace that I don't think can be beat. Sure, tonally they are a bit "papery" compared to the 57's, and the microdynamics aren't there as with an electrostat, but the focus - my god the focus - it makes up for so much of what's missing. Unwavering focus goes a long way to mimic the microdynamics of a stat!
Religion is the world's oldest profession
I currently have three "2.1" speaker systems. All three have some NHT speakers, and two of them have Super Zeros working alongside subwoofers:
Main music system: NHT Model 2 (floor standing 40Hz - 22kHz) + M&K 12" sealed cabinet sub.
TV/Movie system: NHT Super Zeros + Polk 10" [ported] sub.
Portable computer sound system: NHT Super Zeros + Energy 8" [ported] sub. I'm using a Dayton DTA-100a Tripath amp (50 wpc) for the computer system.
I love these little Super Zeros!
Hey longtimequadowner, looking at the latest burwnbobcar & audio splendor, wondering are you still using yours have you upgraded?
most people would find once removing their active linestage and connecting their component (cdp,tuner,tape etc. not phono) that their linestage is attenuating their sources output not adding gain. It would take a high putput mag cart and high gain phono pre to work with a vinyl system.
Try one, either resistor ladder based like a Placette or transformer based like a Bent or Sonic Frontiers and see what you think.I believe less is more applies here. You do need sensitive, high impedance input amps.
ET
I thought it was time to change my signature line
NT
until about 7 months ago I used a $90,000 active line stage, inserted a $2500 passive and then bought an Audi S4 in cash with the sale of the active... doesn't get any better than that!
Ouch! I had a similar though far less costly experience some years back when I sold my Conrad-Johnson preamp and replaced it with a conductive plastic pot. I netted a few thousand dollars, and ended up with better sound.
.
Have to agree - have a Placette RVC and two Creek OBH-12's, haven't compared them side by side in the same system but I can't imagine the amount of money that would have to be spent to get an active preamp's pile of electronics to even touch the Creek. If I'm even more impressed by the Placette when I get around to trying it, so much the better.
Religion is the world's oldest profession
Matrix M Stage Headamp 270.00 is a super headamp that competes and best many 1K amps. The Maggie MMG speakers have to be the best buy in all of high end audio. A speaker when hooked to a proper sub significantly outperformed my Revel F30. I still am amazed at how much better the planar really sounds. The Marantz DV6001 universal player I paid 249.00 for on how well it plays both SACD and Redbook CD. The best bargains I have purchased.
Radio Shack Mega (speaker) Cable...$25 for 50'
"E pur si muove...And yet it moves"
a couple IMHO:
1. Magnepan *MMG's $550 pair/60 day money back guarantee
2. Bottlehead *Foreplay tubed preamp $500
3. Acoustic Research LS 7 tubed preamp about $500 on used market
4. B&K EX-442 AMPLIFIER about $400 on the used market
5. your current cd/dvd player
6. dozen cd's from your local library about $0.75 (parking meter)
7. Anti-cable Paul Speltz $80
8. Dayton audio 10" or 12" sub from partsexpress both about $150
$1600 total for pure bliss..
*giant slayer alert
"You don't have to be faster than the lion....
just the guy running next to you.." -anonymous
N/T
so I can piss on your parade-Are you saying everyone's CD or DVD players are pieces of crap?
What qualifies you to determine what passes in the audio World; oh wait, it must be because you were silly enough to spend $5K on speaker cables huh? lol~
"You don't have to be faster than the lion....
just the guy running next to you.." -anonymous
Edits: 07/21/10
And BTW, I only spent $1200 on speaker cables.
implying that everyone's CD and/or DVD players are crap.And so just because you spent $1,200 on speaker cables, that qualifies you to be the authority on what's 'high-fi' and what's not?
I think you owe everyone here an apology.
"You don't have to be faster than the lion....
just the guy running next to you.." -anonymous
Edits: 07/21/10
You list includes "your current CD/Dvd player".
Are you saying that all CD/DVD players are giant killers?
Did you mean to refer to a particular CD player?
I'm just asking what you meant?????
Jeezus people; can you just use your exsiting cd DVD players?? You bought one. It's in your home. You obviously used it once or twice. You havent' thrown it in the trash.
And if you DON'T own one then substitute 'cd/dvd player' with what ever source you're using OK?
Is it REALLY that hard for some ppl to understand??
Btw, did you see an asterick by 'use your cd/dvd player'??? which would indicate it being a giant slayer? Of course you didn't.
"You don't have to be faster than the lion....
just the guy running next to you.." -anonymous
Should #3 be Audio Research (ARC) instead of Acoustic Research?
I would add the ARC LS-3 and LS-12 solid state preamps. The LS-3 is a huge deal, even better when a tube CD player is used. I hardly ever see them anymore, but the Audio Research D52-B amp has a very nice mid/high frequency sound for an old SS amp.
Speaking of tube CD players, I really like my Jolida JD-100a with the Parts Connexion Level 1 mod.
Audio Metallurgy IC cables are a good value when you get them through an Audiogon auction.
Just my opinions based on what I have actually used...
Steve
It is probably the most "HiFi" piece of equipment in my system. Thinking about pairing it with a ARC 150.2 eventually, but one of other gems, a Crown DC 300A, keeps saying keep me and I keep "listening."
There is a good reason you "hardly ever see" the D-52B anymore.
Such as? It's a piece of crap and they've all been junked? All of the owners love them and aren't willing to part with them? Not that many were made and they've been discontinued for ~30 years? They've all broken down and aren't worth fixing? Something else?
Steve
see profile main system, old set from mid 2000's, they've evolved even more now
Those look like very interesting speakers. Bet they sound good.
Oz
Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you.
- Winston Churchill
I saw your profile, and if I used such high end gear, they would REALLY sound good.
I am amazed that the speakers sound good with modest gear like I own. I have other interests and concerns, so limit my investing into gear.
The speakers are Audax based mid-woofs with Revelator tweets and top of the line caps and connectors, solid cabinetry (100 # ea) and good spikes. Tuned by ear by Colin W, recognized designer in AU. He lost his USA distributor mid 2000's.
I'd go with the Symfonia Opus 10 amplifier (if you can find one), Volex 17604 power cords, the original Von Schweikert VR-4 loudspeakers (but none of the many offshoots), the JVC 1050 CD player, and Don Allen products.
d
Thomas Rapp, that is. The Pearls Before Swine discs I've heard were all great.
Apparently before he moved to the big city and started recording, Rapp once won a local talent contest beating someone known in those days as Bob Zimmerman. We all know who went on to have the bigger career.
David Aiken
A known brand,but usually looked upon in audiophile circles.
They really give one a lot of bang for the buck.Truly full range,and pretty good imaging,though not the best detail retrieval or vocal textures.
enjoy,
mark
My Singlepower PPX3 probably qualifies ...
I would have to vote for Clairvoyant Cables Ultra Helix Gold powercord as a hidden gem. It is the best powercord that I've had in my system and I've had quite a few; many of which were more expensive. They are made by a one man operation company,but if they were made by a big name company they would cost several times more.
An audiophile power cord for $1500 is a hidden gem? I'm sorry, but every major company top of the line cables are in the same price range - and I would buy their cord at local dealer over ordering one online from a one man operation for the same price any day of the week.
I'm in the wrong business.
Coming soon, the Joshex Ultra Albanian Bat Tongue Dromedary Hump Backscatter Damper . . .
Woa, man at $1500 for one meter it better be good!
So if were made by a big name company it might sell for $3000 - $4500 for a meter?
I’m not saying it isn't good, but I think the poster was looking for a bargain...
It's all relative i guess
Mike
Yes $1800.00 for a 2M powercord may seem expensive to some,but when it outperforms cords costing over 3K then you begin to wonder why it isn't priced higher.That makes it a good value in my book and eligible as a hidden gem.
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