Outstanding value equipment or accessories that you have tried

[watchdog]

Hello everyone. Audio equipment and accessories can come with really eye popping pricetags. But I'm sure that once in a while, you would have encountered something that redefined your idea of good value and performance. Here is my list. Care to share yours ?

Amp - Job 225. I am still a bit unsure how Goldmund / Job managed to do this. Most of its DNA is derived from a much more expensive model. Powerful, compact, highly detailed yet musical. USD 1,699

Speakers - KEF LS50. Pin sharp imaging and staging. Incredibly detailed sound for its price bracket, with a lusciously creamy midrange. It's not budget speaker price territory, but it comes dangerously close to a lot of more expensive speakers out there. SGD 1,850 per pair.

Cables (Interconnects) - Cerious Technologies Nano Reference interconnect, or the latest model, the Graphene Extreme. It has a detailed liquidity that you typically only find in mega buck cables. Cerious cleared out the Nano Reference at under USD 300, and the Graphene can be purchased at a slight premium over this if you are an existing customer of Cerious.

Cables (AC) - Triode Wire Lab's Digital American. Slightly rich, but the overall tone is extremely refined and quiet. It has a near ideal mix of fullness, speed and dynamics. USD 499

[jb]

Hi Watchdog, welcome to our audio forum and hope you will share more of your audio experience so we all gain. For me my all time favourite and value for money list:

Speaker Cable- Nordost blue heaven $330 used ( for starter), upgrade to Nordost Hemidall $800 used , very detail sound and wide sound stage. and as you go up the Nordost range, the performance will improve one grade better. But Nordost cable may not work for all system as is not suited for a bright system and also depend on what genres of music you listen to.

Preamp - Krell KRC HR $2500-$3300, very well design preamp by Krell, seperate power supply for this preamp make the noise floor extremely low and able to hear deep into the sound stage, extra 6dB gain make it able to drive some difficult power amp, also good for rock music with the head room. female vocal is extremely nice as it would sound like singer is singing right in front of you. If you find one in the used market grap it asap as you will not regret it.

[WildRain]

- Logitech Squeezebox touch - outstanding value for <400$. Also can sound quite good with the soft mods, LPSU  and a decent DAC
- Plain vanilla Geek pulse - also excellent sounding at the MO price....minus the wait of course.
- Plixir elementa power cord 

[watchdog]

- Logitech Squeezebox touch - outstanding value for <400$. Also can sound quite good with the soft mods, LPSU  and a decent DAC
- Plain vanilla Geek pulse - also excellent sounding at the MO price....minus the wait of course.
- Plixir elementa power cord

I loved my SB Classic 3 and Touch to bits. Such a pity that Logitech killed it off. What were they thinking ?

Concur on the Plixir Elementa. Affordable with very good bang for the buck.

[Wizardofoz]

Still have an sb3 plus duet with colour display wireless remote

[jb]

Finite element footer- Cerapuc , price about $350 to 400 used

I am not a believer of placing footer under CDP/preamp/amp to improve the sound, but after trying out the finite element cerapuc loan from a friend. It improve the sound so much that convince me to get a set. Generally the high frequency will sound more crispy and tighten the bass, and it works to have bigger difference when use on CDP.

[sydney1128]

Yes, I benefitted from Finite Elemente Ceraball too under my CDP.
It enhance the sound by another few notch.
Quieter, more refine high frequency, bass tighten and a tab deeper.
Value for value instead of spending much more on new CDP.

Also I find Music Culture equipment to be value for money.
Bought their first reference power amp RA1 and enjoying it happily ever after!
From the same DNA as MBL, Music Culture has very similar sound signature to MBL because founder was former MBL boss! But looking at the price, it is price at 1/3 of what MBL is selling. As they are still not so popular YET, hence better grab fast before it gets more expensive in future!

[Shyan]

where can I buy the Cerapuc?

[jb]

Hi you can get from Coherence Audio , phone +65 63388422

http://www.finite-elemente.de/englisch-1/distributors/asia/

[sydney1128]

Shyan,

Make sure you know your equipment weight and use the correct FE footers or else the effect will be bad instead of good.
See the most effective weight distribution for those with 4 dots ....
Hope the diagram helps.

where can I buy the Cerapuc?

[WildRain]

Shyan,

Make sure you know your equipment weight and use the correct FE footers or else the effect will be bad instead of good.
See the most effective weight distribution for those with 4 dots ....
Hope the diagram helps.

Thanks for sharing bro...Is this per footer or per set of 3/4?

[sydney1128]

I don't think is a footer...
I usually prefer set of 4 to hold the weight equally.
You can always try 3 pieces too. You can play around it to get the best sound to your preference.
I use the Ceraball under my CD transport and hear immediate improvement in tightening of bass, smoother high and more quiet.
I am amaze by it! Instant improvement in my case.
Now will try the Cerapuc on my power amp... Will update you guys when I have the time to try it sometime this weekend 

[/quote]

Thanks for sharing bro...Is this per footer or per set of 3/4?
[/quote]

[Darknight]

Hello everyone. Audio equipment and accessories can come with really eye popping pricetags. But I'm sure that once in a while, you would have encountered something that redefined your idea of good value and performance. Here is my list. Care to share yours ?

Amp - Job 225. I am still a bit unsure how Goldmund / Job managed to do this. Most of its DNA is derived from a much more expensive model. Powerful, compact, highly detailed yet musical. USD 1,699

Speakers - KEF LS50. Pin sharp imaging and staging. Incredibly detailed sound for its price bracket, with a lusciously creamy midrange. It's not budget speaker price territory, but it comes dangerously close to a lot of more expensive speakers out there. SGD 1,850 per pair.

Cables (Interconnects) - Cerious Technologies Nano Reference interconnect, or the latest model, the Graphene Extreme. It has a detailed liquidity that you typically only find in mega buck cables. Cerious cleared out the Nano Reference at under USD 300, and the Graphene can be purchased at a slight premium over this if you are an existing customer of Cerious.

Cables (AC) - Triode Wire Lab's Digital American. Slightly rich, but the overall tone is extremely refined and quiet. It has a near ideal mix of fullness, speed and dynamics. USD 499

Those are great recommendations!

I will also add that for TWL cords, the Gold statement takes the DA up a notch in terms of refinement,  bass control and adds a touch of 'sweetness' to the music. Highly recommend if you're looking to add extension, refinement and sweetness to your setup.

[Francis Huang]

Whest audio, the company more famous for their phonostage, has a power cord that is quiet slightly dark and offers very good prat.