The Most Audiophool Thing You Own

[Ilkless]

Hard to see how this unit is any way frivolous. Looks like a solid, no-frills class AB design and a pretty good value. I won't name the mfr. as it is still in business and this isn't exactly the most flattering venue for it to turn up in a google search.

I don't mean it was frivolous. I will stress, unlike some boutique woo-woo amplifiers (eg. the humming VTL the KEF distributor here demo'd the LS50 passive to me with... he said he couldn't hear any humming), it was nothing less than rock-solid, quiet, cool-running and simple. I only put it here because of the concessions made to really fancy boutique parts. This does not detract from how good a value it is relative to the parts used, the great customer service and the performance. It is however, no nCore.

 

[egellings]

The humming VTL doesn't know the words.

 

[mikewxyz]

I replaced my 120V back stab power outlet with a Hubbel hospital grade outlet. Cost $14 on eBay. Did it make a difference? Hard to say. It was impossible to A/B the new vs old set up given that the old marginal connection had 30 years of oxidation on it and once scraped off, impossible to replicate. When I removed the old outlet from the wall and pulled on the wires they gave a bit before catching and making solid contact. The hospital grade has a very positive screw clamp connection. That alone was sufficient to make me feel like the cost difference of $13.50 was well spent.

I'm ok spending $15 on Audiophoolery.

 

[mhardy6647]

I replaced my 120V back stab power outlet with a Hubbel hospital grade outlet. Cost $14 on eBay. Did it make a difference? Hard to say. It was impossible to A/B the new vs old set up given that the old marginal connection had 30 years of oxidation on it and once scraped off, impossible to replicate. When I removed the old outlet from the wall and pulled on the wires they gave a bit before catching and making solid contact. The hospital grade has a very positive screw clamp connection. That alone was sufficient to make me feel like the cost difference of $13.50 was well spent.

I'm ok spending $15 on Audiophoolery.

I put hospital (well... fancier) grade AC outlets in my hifi room when we built this house -- just... because. Amusingly enough, our interior designer (who helped us greatly with colors and fabrics -- stuff Mrs. H & I are profoundly not good at) loved the colo(u)r!

thoebe by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

Of course, she might have just been humo(u)ring me.
She would not like all of the clutter I have in that room currently. Heck, I don't like it, and I put it in there -- with malice aforethought.

 

[Tks]

Devialet Expert 200...

Rip

 

[BDWoody]

Rip

There's new reason for hope... it's back with its makers, so we will see.

 

[Gorgonzola]

As "audiophoolery" goes it's fairly modest, but still & all I have to mention my Sonic Frontiers Line 1 preamp with 'SE+' upgrade.

The Line 1 is a 20+ year old tube preamp. I had one that I sold a decade ago which I sort of regretted, so when the opportunity came up to buy another, I jumped at it. The price was US$900: not so bad and it was working pretty well. However I got the itch and decided to go for the 'SE+' upgrade that was performed by Parts ConneXion -- this cost US$1200 bring my "investment" up to US$2100.

... I then added to the phoolery by spending about $400-500 rolling tubes FWIW, I currently run Amperex 'PQ' USA white label 6922's.

 

[watchnerd]

... I then added to the phoolery by spending about $400-500 rolling tubes FWIW, I currently run Amperex 'PQ' USA white label 6922's.

I have 15 pairs of NOS 6922-family tubes that I bought to tube roll into a Schiit Mjolnir 2 and a Fi Yph phono stage.

The tubes have appreciated 25-30% per year, many now are worth 2x-4x what I paid for them.

My most expensive pair is a set of Siemens E188CC (in original box) which now go for $600/pair.

My tube collection is now worth far more than the electronics they were intended to reside in.

 

[SIY]

I have 15 pairs of NOS 6922-family tubes that I bought to tube roll into a Schiit Mjolnir 2 and a Fi Yph phono stage.

The tubes have appreciated 25-30% per year, many now are worth 2x-4x what I paid for them.

My most expensive pair is a set of Siemens E188C (in original box) which now go for $600/pair.

My tube collection is now worth far more than the electronics they were intended to reside in.

Funny thing is that the very best of the 6DJ8 family I’ve tested has negligible collector value. The valuable ones I have (e.g., CCa, vintage Dutch Amperex bugles…) are very good but nothing exceptional. Current JJs perform right near the top of the pile and are relatively inexpensive.

 

[killdozzer]

I still didn't manage to sell it.

 

[watchnerd]

Funny thing is that the very best of the 6DJ8 family I’ve tested has negligible collector value. The valuable ones I have (e.g., CCa, vintage Dutch Amperex bugles…) are very good but nothing exceptional. Current JJs perform right near the top of the pile and are relatively inexpensive.

I don't think the market value relates to the tested performance, but rarity and lore.

I forget what I'm actually using right now, either a JJ or Genalex Gold Lion.

 

[Gorgonzola]

Funny thing is that the very best of the 6DJ8 family I’ve tested has negligible collector value. The valuable ones I have (e.g., CCa, vintage Dutch Amperex bugles…) are very good but nothing exceptional. Current JJs perform right near the top of the pile and are relatively inexpensive.

Yeah, there are some pretty bizarre prices out there for vintage tubes.

I mentioned tube rolling with my Sonic Frontiers Line 1 SE+. Presently, (based on purely subjective listening), my preference is the vintage Amperex 'PQ' USA white label. I was very luck to get a used pair for under US$100.; Used pair are often going for $200+; NOS, (new), pairs are going for $450 -- and that's by no means as expensive as NOS tubes get as you know. I find those Amperex produce the most full-bodied sound of tubes I've tried; this is a nice complement to my rather austere Purifi amp.

Most of the other tubes I tried were current production. Of these my favorite are the JJ E88CC/6922 Gold. (So +1 for JJ )

 

[Doodski]

I don't own it anymore but my J A Michell "Transcriptor Hydraulic Reference Turntable" was a audiophool piece of gear. It had this arm assembly and it was reallly reallly difficult to setup and maintain.

 

[watchnerd]

I don't own it anymore but my J A Michell "Transcriptor Hydraulic Reference Turntable" was a audiophool piece of gear. It had this arm assembly and it was reallly reallly difficult to setup and maintain.

Another anti-ASR angle about my "investments" in Audio:

My vintage Michell Gyro SE, even used, is worth much more than I paid for it ($900).

My SME M2-9R arm has ceased production and is now unobtanium with increasing prices.

My Revox and Studer reel to reel decks are worth 2x-5x what I paid.

My LP collection is worth far more than I paid for it, now clocking in at about $50K of value.

Whereas my affordable, good-measuring gear has all depreciated significantly.

 

[Doodski]

Another anti-ASR point about my "investments" in Audio:

My vintage Michell Gyro SE, even used, is worth much more than I paid for it ($900).

My SME M2-9R arm has ceased production and is now unobtanium with increasing prices.

My Revox and Studer reel to reel decks are worth 2x-5x what I paid.

My LP collection is worth far more than I paid for it, now clocking in at about $50K of value.

Whereas my affordable, good-measuring gear has all depreciated significantly.

Your Gyro SE is a very nice table in comparison and has a great arm. My specific gripe is the arm that mine had. Other than that I thought I would keep it forever but I had a great opportunity and flipped it so I could buy something that I wanted more. Your record collection is a great topic for a new thread. I agree with the exotic esoteric gear maintaining value.

 

[watchnerd]

Your record collection is a great topic for a new thread. I agree with the exotic esoteric gear maintaining value.

Oh jeeze.

Not another LP war thread on ASR...

 

[Doodski]

Oh jeeze.

Not another LP war thread on ASR...

I'm curious how many records do you have? I've seen a collection of records and R2R tapes on shelving that took up the entire basement of a fair sized house so I won't be shocked.

 

[watchnerd]

I'm curious how many records do you have? I've seen a collection of records and R2R tapes on shelving that took up the entire basement of a fair sized house so I won't be shocked.

Not that many compared to the mega collectors.

About 500.

 

[Doodski]

Not that many compared to the mega collectors.

About 500.

That's not that many but they must be collectibles. You're not sooper hardcore.

 

[watchnerd]

That's not that many but they must be collectibles. You're not sooper hardcore.

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