• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Highest-end gear you've found at a thrift

Walked into my local S.A. one day back in 2012 and there sits a Pioneer Spec rack, with the Spec 1 amp, Spec 4 pre, cassette deck and tuner (with the rack mount/handles). They weren't giving it away, but I knew the amp and pre by themselves were worth more than the asking. The store handyman was busy trying to get it working and I said don't worry about it I'll take it. He says "but you don't even know if it works yet". I told him it didn't matter, it would be working when I was done with it.
He says "We're not supposed to sell it if it doesn't work but ok, there's some more stuff in the back that goes with it". So I walk back and there's another Pioneer rack and the 8-band equalizer. Ok, this just went from a really good score to a major scroe.
Everything worked fine, just needed the deoxit and a few lamps. I recapped the amp, pre, and equalizer and replaced any other components with a bad reputation that winter, and have been enjoying them since. I've managed to fill the second rack with RT-707 reel-to-reels as well as the vintage Pioneer reverb amp and dynamic processor from the same era.
 
Last edited:
10 years ago I walked into a local Goodwill and walked out with a rack full of mid 1980's Harman Kardon gear and a pair of Domus Mirage speakers. Cost me a whopping 50 bucks for all. Two weeks ago another local Goodwill netted me a pair of Snell E/III's speakers, a Yamaha CX-1000u preamp, and a B&K ST-140 amp for a whopping $40.00 for everything!!!
 

....hope this image comes through...
A pair of infinity quantum kappa 8 s for $10!!!
They required a serious cleaning, woofer refoam, and (so far) a temporary polydome replacement.
I also deactivated the 12.5 mh coil from the woofer circuit to save my amp.

Might as well add a couple of others;
Pioneer sx 650 ($35) and marantz 2230 ($20)...
Jamo j-103 (3-way bookshelf with teak veneer) four of them for $28
Akai 2350,sansui 210,kenwood ka 701. ..

As well as numerous jvc, kenwood and yamaha speakers which have been handed out to friends who clearly needed to improve their systems - friends don't let friends listen to crappy systems, right?
 
Last edited:
I've never found anything I would consider high end but have come across a few Pioneer SX series receivers, silver Marantz gear and a NAD turntable. The problem with my local Goodwill is that they look everything up on ebay and add 20% or more. I guess they like having that stuff sit on there shelf for months and months until they reduce the price several times. Right now they have a silver MCS tape deck for $150 that started out at $400. I did recently buy an Oppo multi player at the SA for $15.
 
Aesthetix Calypso with the box from a thrift basement sale when they were doing a major clean out. $25, they didn't seem to care one bit. There was also a lot of silver faceplate gear which was gobbled up with a quickness.
 
Ds2000 said:
Aesthetix Calypso with the box from a thrift basement sale when they were doing a major clean out. $25, they didn't seem to care one bit. There was also a lot of silver faceplate gear which was gobbled up with a quickness.
Click to expand...
They had no idea what it was worth.
 
blownsi said:
I've never found anything I would consider high end but have come across a few Pioneer SX series receivers, silver Marantz gear and a NAD turntable. The problem with my local Goodwill is that they look everything up on ebay and add 20% or more. I guess they like having that stuff sit on there shelf for months and months until they reduce the price several times. Right now they have a silver MCS tape deck for $150 that started out at $400. I did recently buy an Oppo multi player at the SA for $15.
Click to expand...
Wow!!MCS tape deck for $400.That is totally insane.My local thrift knows that tape decks are a slow mover and price most at 12.99.The salad days of thrift audio finds are pretty much over.
 
Two pairs of American Acoustics Acoustics speakers in great condition for about $30NZ, which I then sold at online auction for about $300NZ each pair. Two Sansui and One Marantz 6200 turntables for less than $40 each at auction - all onsold. Sansui SP30's for about $20 at auction (they were lovely). A pair of JBL TL-700's for $10 a pair that just needed a refoam. A pair of Pioneer HPM60's for about $30 (ditto). A pioneer C21 preamp in the local pawnshop for $104 NZD. NICE.
 
I found a Pioneer SX-780 receiver at GW a few months back for $13. Everything works and except for a small scratch on top is very clean. All the lights even work. Not the greatest but after I recap it, it will make for part of a nice first system for my youngest son. The only other was a Magnavox console for $50. The 9303 amp inside made a nice stand alone after a refurb and some mods.
 
Well lets see the list is very long, NONE. I have to agree with superdog those days are long gone and the small town I live in has very little if any audio enthusiasts. People I talk to or ask about this stuff think I am wasting time and money, may be true but it makes me happy. Oh I did get a pair of avid 100s for 14 bucks but I would not call that a score although they sound fantastic.
 
Denon DP 62L turntable
$10
Just needed a few missing pieces - additional counterweights, foot.
included a Denon 305 cart
 
Ds2000 said:
Aesthetix Calypso with the box from a thrift basement sale when they were doing a major clean out. $25, they didn't seem to care one bit. There was also a lot of silver faceplate gear which was gobbled up with a quickness.
Click to expand...

Sweet baby jesus.

claybar said:
I've been to every GW within 50 miles of me. Not one has anything. :(
Click to expand...

Don't feel bad. The Internet has ended the days of rubes and yard sale know-nothings. Now, they THINK they know that their MCS tape deck should sell for 400, lol.
 
I'm not sure if I would necessarily call this "high end", but I found an Onkyo power amplifier one time for $20 at Goodwill. Got it home, hooked it up, it sounded pretty good for about five minutes, then one of the channels went out. Tried it again, a few hours later, the same. Put it on Ebay, and it sold for $20. So at least I got my money back, minus the Ebay fees. :)
 
Last edited:
I got a Denon PMA -860 Intergrated Amp for $35 and a month or so later a pair of Klipsch KG2 Speakers for $4.99 from the same Goodwill. Then a Realistic STA -740 Reciever for $12. Found even better stuff in the garbage though. The best is a customer asking if I would be I would be interested in a pair of ADS L1090 speakers for $70. Couldn't say sold fast enough. Also a Denon CDR-W1500 CD Player and Denon DVM -3700 for free in the garbage. Then my Advent 300Reciever found in the trash.Great as a Pre-Amp/Tuner for my Audionics PZ3 Amp.

Opus
 
Triad mini monitors for 20 bucks. Accuphase T 105 tuner for 10 bucks. Pioneer sx 434 and sx 650. Hitachi ps 10 tt...basically nib from the mid seventies. I guess the Triad and Accuphase stuff might be considered high end.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom