A few years back I was exchanging emails with a guy concerning tube amplifiers. During the conversation I said I had been looking for a pair of high efficiency speakers to go along with a low powered tube amp. He offered me a pair of 1960's Klipsch LaScalas for $100 if I helped carry them down from his attic. I couldn't drive the 150 miles quick enough. They were in perfect condition.

I just bought 11 albums in a thrift store. 7 of them were unopened and still in the shrink wrap. All of them are part of a collection of classical pieces featuring the great composers. Total price for all 11 albums - $2.92 including tax. They are not components but it is a great deal.

The only equipment I bought that wasn't on sale were my 2 Epik subs and Oppo. I guess my best discounts would be my Sony VPL-VW70 Projector that MSRP'ed for $6000. I paid $1299 for a B-Stock unit. It was brand new, but I soon figured out why it was such a good deal. During dark scenes with a small amount of light (like someone walking down a dark alley with a candle), there would be terrible pixelation around the lighted part of the scene. You wouldn't think it would be a big deal, but it made some movies almost unwatchable. The colors and black levels, right of the box on this thing, were amazing, however. It blew away my Epson 8100. In order to fix the pixelation problem, you needed an external video processor. I ran across a Lumagen Radiance XD that Spectracal had used as a demo unit. It was basically brand new. It retailed for $4500 and I picked it up for $1000. So for $2300, I basically have a $10,500 projection system. The other good deal I got, was when a local theater installer got rid of all his showroom stuff. I bought a row of 4 Bass Millenia rocking theater seats for $1000. They retailed for over $3000 for the set.

I'm kinda Mr. Bargain; I think the RR2150 receiver is the only thing in my system I've paid full price for. The most recent bargain was my NAD PP-3 Digital Phono/USB Preamp, what I use to digitize LPs. Someone on eBay was unloading what he thought was a defective one for $28, but it arrived operating perfectly. At the time it retailed for $200.

Klipsch RF-82s....$1400 per pair...bought demo units in pristine condition for $499.

I once bought a "Heathkit" AP-2510 premaplifier on eBay for $22 (and free shipping). It's actually a Harman Kardon preamp (even the circuit boards bear the HK moniker - I know this because the "Tape 1" switch was flaky, and I had to remedy that with contact cleaner - works like a champ now) that in its day sold for around $300 or so; I use it as the preamp for the system in my guest bedroom.

Next, probably the M-Audio CX-5's. I have been able to find these for $129 each on line, and while they are not the all out best speakers available (but seriously...which ones are?...it's all so subjective), and since the topic thread was 'bargains', these certainly apply. Great deal for the money (they have been discontinued for a 'newer' model, but some can still be had as of this writing).

After that, I would say the Turtle Beach Audio streaming devices (Audiotron). I bought two new in '05 and '06 (while they were in production) for around $200 each (which at the time didn't seem all that expensive as I have a pretty big digital music library), but since then, I have been able to find several on eBay, one of which was $14 (plus $15 for shipping). Seriously...$14 for a component that was perfectly operable. I use the 'spare' Audiotrons in other rooms of the house (one of the Audiotrons interfaces to my 990 in my main system).

I have other bargains of course...but in my case, audio equipment is to me what heroin is to Scott Weiland...and as such, it seems there have been many 'sweet highs' (borne of bargains), and yet...I'm always on the lookout for yet another bargain, away from which...I cannot walk.

I bought my Klipsch RF.82s with the RC.62 center and two RB-51s all for 1300 about 12 years ago and I love their sound.

7500 at 25% off and free shipping (to the border, so $80 credit) and the dollar almost at par.

I completely forgot about this one... but back in the day, I used to work at the place in Lansing, Michigan that was a catalog showroom. Anyone remember those? Anyway, it was rather unusual one in the sense that we also sold audio gear; there were two salons - the garden-variety room (Technics, Pioneer, Kenwood etc) but also a high end room (Dynaco, Gale (speakers), Rogers speakers (as in LS 35A speakers, Mordaunt-Short, etc). Also sold in the high end room were components from dB Systems. Mind you, this was circa 1980, and the DB-1 preamplifier sold for around $700 or $800 (I can't recall). If you wanted the tone control module, that was another $700 or so. Again...1980 dollars. Pricey.

Anyway, inventory rolls around. in the 'to be serviced' bin is a DB-1 preamplifier. I ask my boss whether it's to be counted etc as it is in the store, and it is inventory - but the unit is apparently 'defective'. So, my boss suggests that I should go ask the Store Manager. I explain to the Store Manager the status of the piece...that it has to be serviced...but I need to know whether I should count it as part of inventory. He asks the sell price, I tell him, and he says "since it's defective, what will you give for it?". So...I going into wise-crack mode and say "How's about twenty five bucks?". He looks up and says "Fine...just get it out of here by 9:00 tonight".

I take it home, with its outboard power supply, and remove the case looking for the obvious burnt trace etc. Nothing. So, I decide to plug its power supply into the preamp and see what happens... The green LED on the power supply is now illuminated (it was extinguished when connected to the preamp with its cover on).

As it happens, it was one of the sheet metal screws that had come into contact with the + supply rail trace on the PCB, causing the power supply to short out. So, I carefully put the cover back on, and gingerly fastened the screws on its case.

It has worked flawlessly ever since...and it has the quietest phono stage I have ever heard (having an external power supply is a great way to keep hum and noise levels very low). I use it now in one room of my house (where the 990 is not resident). Twenty five bucks, out the door. Later that year, I talked the same Store Manager into selling me a DB-6 (dB Systems) power amplifier - a floor model - for $175. I think they went for $700 at the time. I also bought the tone control module for something like $100 a year later, also at inventory time (floor model).

Talk about being in the right place at the right time...

At a flea market last year, I got a Technics SP-25 turntable, EPA-B500 tonearm base and an EPA-250 arm wand (no headshell or plinth). Oh, the price? $25.00US.