My thrift store set-up: nothing over $30

Tensepian

New Member
So I travel for work. Lotsa time in rental cars. Due to my growing discontent with Bluetooth streaming to modern car audio systems(you'd think they'd be prime examples of modern drivers/bitrates/ blah blah. Nope! Appallingly, disgustingly bad! In a blaring, bass-y, fatiguing way) I was compelled to seek out doper audio equipment for my general listening enjoyment. But I'm cheap. So I went thrifting.

Now I'm sure the guys with their $3k Yamaha tt's and Marrantz whatever receivers would take a dump all over this, but for +/- $20 per item...

So this is my current system. I'll list the pieces I'm using first, and the spare/alternate units I've found.

general listening/cd/tuner:
Tivoli Model 2 "radio works" - $20

Turntable:
Realistic Lab 440 - $10
Audio technica LP60 USB - $20
Hitachi L55 - $15
Sansui L-P50 - $12
Philips 312 - found in my old man's shop. Sold it.

Speakers:
Realistic Nova 10s - $25
Powered Advent Loudspeakers - $30 (i refurbed one, the other is beyond me, so its "in the shop")
Bose 201 series II - $6 (great condition, made a lot of sound, but ...f*&% Bose, ya know? Gave 'em away)

Receiver:
Panasonic SU-374 stereo integrated amp - $15 (this thing is AWESOME. It ties together/switches between all my disparate equipment, phono in, pre out [to those PALs], volume/bass/treble control, balance, LOUDNESS BUTTON[for makin' stuff louder!]. And its a pretty small box compared to some giant Denon or whatever, most receivers. With little 80's LCD signal bars that dance around to my tunes. Sweet!)

MCS 3275 - also from pop's shop. Pretty impressive(imposing?), but needed refurb to work, sold to capable collector/restorer.


Anyway, that's what I'm enjoy music on currently. Always looking to replace pieces with upgrades. If the price is right...




 
Nice line up would really like to see some pictures that would be cool. And not everyone here has high dollar systems (I sure as heck don't) and those that do don't as a rule put down other peoples systems.
 
Sure. I'm in the middle of renovating a little cabin > garage conversion back into a cabin/tiny house. That's why everything looks half built

It's all just displayed beneath my tv. Had the audio technica LP60 in place of the Lab 440. Looked more contemporary/ fitting, but it doesn't sound anywhere near as good.

Had the Advents, which look cooler, more premium, flanking the fireplace. But with the white drivers exposed, the Novas kinda work.

And that's what a non-working PAL board looks like (out of frame: one frustrated dude!)
 

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Hey nice work! I just gave a turntable(Pioneer PL-112d), receiver(Denon DRA-545R), and speakers(Realistic Nova 10's) that I accumulated from thrift stores to a friend. Really cool speakers! I ended up growing quite fond of them, and had a hard time giving them up!
 
And not everyone here has high dollar systems (I sure as heck don't) and those that do don't as a rule put down other peoples systems.

Isn't it amazing what you can cobble together for just a few bucks? After all, it is all about the music and how it sounds to YOU. I have multiple systems, and the luxury of a dedicated listening space that is set up like an audio showroom, but perhaps my "favorite" system is not my TOTL (read "expensive as all get out") gear. I listen to a lot of "cheaply recorded/mastered/engineered" music from the 60's-80's, so some of the "mid-fi" (and I hate that term) does it more justice than an uber resolving "high-end" rig. I learned (after many decades of spending money/chasing the dragon) to just "go with the flow" and listen to the music--not the gear.

ENJOY!!!
 
Screw the gear,...I like the insert stove!

Nice system setup you have there. Keep picking.
 
Very nice. You are off to a good start.

Don't dismiss gear based on brand name.
The minor brands and those not currently in vogue with collectors are opportunities for the educated.

Above all: Have fun.
 
Lots of bang for the buck here. As for any potential nay-sayers remember, "Those that mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."_:)
 
The minor brands and those not currently in vogue with collectors are opportunities for the educated.

Amen Brother!!! :thumbsup: There are many lesser-known or lesser-respected brands out there "sleepers" that can blow the doors off of some of the big names--and be had at pennies on the dollar compared to their "brand name"compatriots. Ask yourself--what do you want?--prestige or performance?
 
Congrats!!
Keep looking because you never know what you will find! Most of the gear in my signature was either a thrift store or Craigslist find.
 
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