[Elysian]

Quote:

Except I'd go DIY. Since I don't have too many speakers and no unfinished projects

, I'd order drivers for the Zaph|Audio ZRT. I'm quite impressed with the measurements and attention to the design.

Either that or drivers for Troels Gravesen's OBL11. Maybe I'd just go for the OBL11 because I already have a pair of nice two-way floorstanders. The OBL11 is special because it's an open baffle with a 15" woofer. That might be the last word in getting great bass without having to fool with subs. Also, for a time back around when the ESL-57 was released, speakers like these were considered strong competition.

I'd also put the ProAc Response 2.5 clones on the table. I'm not sure about driver availablity today, but the parts and cabinets can be pulled together for about $900-$1,000. They're a load of fun with remarkable bass.

But $900 will pull down a kick-butt pair of speakers. Why buy something that might make a very slight difference (assuming you haven't been conned with a garden hose) when you can get performance about as good as anything out there?

If you skip the snakeoil and build a few things, you can have a reference-level setup for speakers and headphones, as well as a turntable, for $2,000-$3,000. Audio is actually pretty cheap today.

Do you feel a well-built DIY speakers using the ZRT, OBL11, or Response 2.5 drivers overperforms the Quads (57, 63, or any of the newer ones)?  That's pretty tempting and from what I can tell from your posts, you have a good ear for quality
 
I've also been looking at some of the rebuilds of vintage speaker amps, as one of those huge block of iron from Japan from the 70s seems to run about $300-600, and then the restoration job and parts is another $500-600 for something that, I've heard, punches way above its weight class.  $2k for two DIY speakers and a vintage amp is tempting, I'll admit.

 

[BobSaysHi]

I would say thanks.

 

[Samgotit]

Buy an Invincible Metal Furniture desk (the old type with a vellum writing surface). And sign up for Oprah's LIFECLASS.
 
 

 

[Happy Camper]

I'd give it to my wifeypoo. :rolleyes:

I'd pay off the national debt, replace the bay bridge and use the rest for the world's largest record collection.

 

[Il Mostro]

Found money?  Always a good thing.  I would try and find as much Russian River Brewery "Pliny The Elder" IPA as I could lay my mitts on. This stuff in unobtanium, and the few places that have it limit purchases to one 500ml bottle per customer per day.  I could use some of the money for bribes. Then I would head to my favorite dispensary... 

 

[Spareribs]

I would put it to a set of good speakers probably.

 

[9pintube]

I'd say thanks buy 1 lotto ticket and the rest would go towards Vinyl Lp's and a few HD Track down loads.......

 

[koolkat]

I would thank the person, give some of it to my parents, my younger brother, and then donate some to a charity, and then the rest will go towards the organisation of a family trip/stay (extended fam) on an island But if I had to spend it on audio, I would somehow build a decent speaker set-up.. I'm pretty happy with my SR60+E7+Clip+

 

[jc9394]

Add a little more and get the LCD-2.  It is the BEST before the STAX...

 

[koolkat]

Are the "low end" Stax any good? 

 

[jjinh]

Quote:

Are the "low end" Stax any good? 

Better than most high-end dynamics.
 

 

[deadlylover]

Quote:

Better than most high-end dynamics.

 
Pretty much.
 
Low end Stax has been getting rarer/more expensive nowadays, and once you approach the $1k mark you are within ortho flagship territory.
 
The $500 basic setup brand new back in the old days just rapes. It would be quite difficult to come up with a better dynamic+amp combo at that price.

 

[jjinh]

Quote:

 
Pretty much.
 
Low end Stax has been getting rarer/more expensive nowadays, and once you approach the $1k mark you are within ortho flagship territory.
 
The $500 basic setup brand new back in the old days just rapes. It would be quite difficult to come up with a better dynamic+amp combo at that price.

 
The SRS-005 kit can still be had for about $400 new, but the SR-003s sound quite different to the lambdas.
 

 

[PleasantNoise]

Well If it's on audio gear, I would either put a little bit more money in, and get the LCD2.
Or Maybe He-5LE and A schiit Lyr (I have some extra cash waiting to be spent on audio gear, so I can cheat the extra 250 with that)
Or I could quench my Cd thirst a tad, $900 should get me a good few Cds to bump up my collection.

Or... I could sink it into my other audio area, and Purchase a 7 string guitar, or a new amp, maybe an ENGL Thunder 50....
 

 

[kckc]

Buy UM custom IEMs