peterfranks
Super Member
thank you! If I never found anything again at a thrift store, I'd be ok with that, and the items I've found ....
Highest-end gear you've found at a thrift
- Thread starter anytune
- Start date
sickofsoyo
Kollege Karma
Revox B215 for $2... tape door included, missing power cord.
yrly
Breaking records is good?
The highest end stuff I've found, there is more I'm sure but stuff that immediately comes to mind:
Aragon 4004 power amp
Kinergetics Research power amp
Spica speakers
Marantz Esotec SM-7 power amp
various B&W speakers
B&O speakers
Mitsubishi DA-A15DC power amp and matching preamp
Kyocera integrated amp
I'm sure there are others.
Outside of audio gear, stuff you'd never believe people would get rid of. I even found a virtually brand new superautomatic espresso machine that sold for over $2000 new for $16. I have a Rainbow vacuum for every level of my house for less than $100 total despite they cost $2500 new.
Now before everyone gets all excited...
It takes patience. I try to squeeze a few thrift stores in a day during lunch at work, on my commutes etc. sometimes stopping at certain stores on the way to and back from work. You have to be diligent, frequent and you can't get disappointed. It doesn't have to be time consuming, it might cost me 20 minutes a day, fortunately several stores fall in my commute path. You know what to look for, you're in and out in no time.
Aragon 4004 power amp
Kinergetics Research power amp
Spica speakers
Marantz Esotec SM-7 power amp
various B&W speakers
B&O speakers
Mitsubishi DA-A15DC power amp and matching preamp
Kyocera integrated amp
I'm sure there are others.
Outside of audio gear, stuff you'd never believe people would get rid of. I even found a virtually brand new superautomatic espresso machine that sold for over $2000 new for $16. I have a Rainbow vacuum for every level of my house for less than $100 total despite they cost $2500 new.
Now before everyone gets all excited...
It takes patience. I try to squeeze a few thrift stores in a day during lunch at work, on my commutes etc. sometimes stopping at certain stores on the way to and back from work. You have to be diligent, frequent and you can't get disappointed. It doesn't have to be time consuming, it might cost me 20 minutes a day, fortunately several stores fall in my commute path. You know what to look for, you're in and out in no time.
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Well I guess it depends on the definition of high-end gear but in terms of items which had the highest MSRP when new, the following would qualify;
Proceed AVP pre-amp (MSRP 5-6K)
Proceed DVD player (MSRP 2-3K)
Theta DS Pro Gen II DAC (MSRP 2-3K)
I have been fortunate to have many other "bang for the buck" finds at thrifts and CL but I now rarely buy items just for the sake of the deal. My primary goal is to buy something that I have heard about here or that is visual appealing to me. The gear listed above was bought solely on the basis of build quality which is often but not always a sign of a quality piece of gear. My knowledge base has increased since joining AK and I am (a few moments of weakness such as the $15 Dynaco's) no longer going sideways on gear which is why I have passed on gear in the last year or so even when its a great price. Still you just never know what is just around the corner so I still hit thrifts and scan CL on a regular basis.
Proceed AVP pre-amp (MSRP 5-6K)
Proceed DVD player (MSRP 2-3K)
Theta DS Pro Gen II DAC (MSRP 2-3K)
I have been fortunate to have many other "bang for the buck" finds at thrifts and CL but I now rarely buy items just for the sake of the deal. My primary goal is to buy something that I have heard about here or that is visual appealing to me. The gear listed above was bought solely on the basis of build quality which is often but not always a sign of a quality piece of gear. My knowledge base has increased since joining AK and I am (a few moments of weakness such as the $15 Dynaco's) no longer going sideways on gear which is why I have passed on gear in the last year or so even when its a great price. Still you just never know what is just around the corner so I still hit thrifts and scan CL on a regular basis.
Since My first post in this thread, I've added a few great thrift finds. My AR3's for 19.99 and recently a pair of KLH Twenty Threes for 19.99, both from the S.A.
The AR's were restored and are outstanding. The KLH's I just got, they sound great but will be recapped, the woofers resealed, and eventually the cabs restored.
The AR's were restored and are outstanding. The KLH's I just got, they sound great but will be recapped, the woofers resealed, and eventually the cabs restored.
superdog
AK Member
I found a lot of good stuff over the years.
Aragon4t2 tuner-$16 As much as I liked my tu719 and tu717 this made those expendable
Audio Research SP8 tube pre $10
Tannoy 12"Red monitors $70
Luxman R-117 $27
Vandersteen Model 2 speakers $25
JBL L100s $35 these were in excellent condition
HPM 100s one pair in excellent condition and the other two average.$40 for the primo pair $20 for the other two
Sony PS8750 tt in near mint condition with owners manual $30 yard sale find
Countless other 70s receivers and speakers.
I feel the party over now.If I never found another piece I would be ok with it.On the other hand it is a hard habit to break but now pass on lower end gear that I would have bought immediately years ago.
Aragon4t2 tuner-$16 As much as I liked my tu719 and tu717 this made those expendable
Audio Research SP8 tube pre $10
Tannoy 12"Red monitors $70
Luxman R-117 $27
Vandersteen Model 2 speakers $25
JBL L100s $35 these were in excellent condition
HPM 100s one pair in excellent condition and the other two average.$40 for the primo pair $20 for the other two
Sony PS8750 tt in near mint condition with owners manual $30 yard sale find
Countless other 70s receivers and speakers.
I feel the party over now.If I never found another piece I would be ok with it.On the other hand it is a hard habit to break but now pass on lower end gear that I would have bought immediately years ago.
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OttOpixel
AK Member
"Oh! .., You had dirt ...!"
Well.
I found a Ferrari Dino. Had no idea they were good.
I mean, it had a little ding on the back bumper; albeit, one you could only see in moonlight. And, I wasn't even looking for a car. There was a Sansui G33000 that almost escaped my attention, it was tucked under a 9090DB I did not see right away - both were stacked in the CB/Marine radio section. Of course that lead to further investigation.
So anyway; I'm paying for both - like $15. and mention I have no way to carry this gear home. Buddy at the til says, "Maybe buy a car."
Yeah right.
"Got good cars. Porsche, Lambo, Ferrari."
Yeah right.
Long yarn short, the Lambo had ripped leather interior and was an unappealing green. Porsche was just old, I didn't want to buy someone else's headache etc .. The Dino, near pristine.
K. I had to find a headlight bulb. .. like way after I got home - But $45!!
Well, another $30 for the over-due towing bill.
Crazy. For sure.
Awesome day of course. However, I ended up selling everything but the 9090DB for over $200. Like, WAY over.
Plus; I mean, who sells a 9090DB?
Well.
I found a Ferrari Dino. Had no idea they were good.
I mean, it had a little ding on the back bumper; albeit, one you could only see in moonlight. And, I wasn't even looking for a car. There was a Sansui G33000 that almost escaped my attention, it was tucked under a 9090DB I did not see right away - both were stacked in the CB/Marine radio section. Of course that lead to further investigation.
So anyway; I'm paying for both - like $15. and mention I have no way to carry this gear home. Buddy at the til says, "Maybe buy a car."
Yeah right.
"Got good cars. Porsche, Lambo, Ferrari."
Yeah right.
Long yarn short, the Lambo had ripped leather interior and was an unappealing green. Porsche was just old, I didn't want to buy someone else's headache etc .. The Dino, near pristine.
K. I had to find a headlight bulb. .. like way after I got home - But $45!!
Well, another $30 for the over-due towing bill.
Crazy. For sure.
Awesome day of course. However, I ended up selling everything but the 9090DB for over $200. Like, WAY over.
Plus; I mean, who sells a 9090DB?
moebuster
Super Member
a year or so ago i'd been to a local picker dudes house and bought several sets of speakers- like ten or so. A25's for 25 bucks,NS200's with ROUGH cabinets for 20 or so,
so on...
i was almost home,maybe a mile to go and the Element was full of speakers,just crammed full and were driving down the side street to my house and i see someting on the side of the road,out of the corner of my eye...whoa!!! i say to my Grandson...
i back up and low and behold-a Nakimichi Dragon.
everytime i drive past that house i say a Thank You.
so on...
i was almost home,maybe a mile to go and the Element was full of speakers,just crammed full and were driving down the side street to my house and i see someting on the side of the road,out of the corner of my eye...whoa!!! i say to my Grandson...
i back up and low and behold-a Nakimichi Dragon.
everytime i drive past that house i say a Thank You.
captainclock
Pacifist Otaku
some of my best finds were a pair of 1972 Bose Interaudio Model 2000 bookshelf speakers for $10 at the local Mennonite run Thriftstore, and then at the local Salvation Army I bought a set of 1960s vintage Utah Speakers for $3 and then a friend of mine I used to go to church with me gave me a 1969 Pioneer SX-1000TD Stereo Receiver for free to monkey around with because it wasn't functioning (and it had its original box and everything) so I had it repaired at a local repair shop for about $100 and it now is part of my main stereo system setup along with a 1960s vintage Dual 1218 turntable, a Kenwood 6+1 CD Changer, and a Yamaha KX-500U Tape Deck (which was also a thriftstore find and olny cost me about $6 which was well worth it because it plays all of my tapes flawlessly including some cassette tapes that absolutely refused to play on an old Radio Shack tape deck I had previously.)
