Giant Killers - Performance that belies price at any level

[Letsmakeadeal]

While reading the very interesting topic "Are you influenced by Price" this evening, I thought it might be fun to do a sweep to see what everyone thinks are giant killer components of today or yesterday (if still relevant and competitive ) where performance belies price. Not a budget view necessarily, but just damn good regardless...Competes in a bigger sandbox...10K speaker that competes with a 100K speaker, etc..However you want to categorize it, but contrast the item with the higher price / level components it can compete with...Could be a $350 Denon103R that holds its own against the 2,000 Ortofon? or the Mod Wright OPPO 105 that competes with "you name it". But, giant killer at whatever price point nevertheless.....

Lets do Cartridges, Tonearms, Turntables, Preamps, Amps, phonostages, SUTs, Cables and Speakers....Whatever you feel passionate about...

[MylesBAstor]

OK I'll play.

Here's a few names that pop into my head.

The original Quicksilver 8417 amps.

Merrill Audio Taranis amps

Denon 103R

VPI HW16.5 RCM

ELAC F6 speakers

Maggie 1.7 speakers

Joseph Audio Profile speakers

Rogers LS3/5A speakers

Martin-Logan Summit-X speakers

Vandersteen Treo speakers

[Rob]

for some reason i never took you for a LS3/5a fan. Try buying a vintage pair now, the 'right' ones start at $2500/pr, not the value they once were.

[MylesBAstor]

Guess I'm always full of surprises. I hear their weaknesses but also hear their strengths too. At least at what they used to cost. They imaged like crazy and though are by today's standards veiled sounding, were very easy to listen to.

[Rob]

I think it was a comment about classic british speakers and not able to hear past some deficiencies and I totally get where you're coming from. If you ever get a chance to hear a 15 ohm/pr of LS3/5a with a good tube amp, it's the only speaker you'll need for female vocals

[Rob]

the ELAC AF61 floor stander demoed at the recent LA show was crazy good.

[Purevinyl]

Heard a lot of buzz about Tekton Double Impact speakers!


Anyone heard these at the LA show?

[Letsmakeadeal]

I recently sold a component to a gent that has a pair of the Tekton Double impacts $3K / pair..I had not heard of them before. ..He compared them to many other high end speakers at 2-5 X the cost of his Double Impacts and felt the Tektons were better in every meaningful way.. True Giant killers potentially.

[Joe Pittman]

VPI's latest Scout turntable with JMW-9 arm really knocked me out. Serious high-end sound quality at a beer budget. Add the Heed Quasar phono preamp and a Denon 103R, and you can hold your head up high in local audiophile society and have enough money leftover to buy a decent Beamer.

[Steve Lefkowicz]

Heard a lot of buzz about Tekton Double Impact speakers!


Anyone heard these at the LA show?

Been listening to them all day in my room at the LA Audio Show. Pretty amazing. Hoping some members from here stop by to listen. Room 533.

[Letsmakeadeal]

Steve - Please tell us more about the double impacts...

[Steve Lefkowicz]

When i have time after the show. The Maggie .7 and the Tekton Lore fit our 12.5 X 19.5 foot room better, but if you are in the sweet spot the DI seem to be overall an exceptionally good speaker.

[jonathanb]

Evolution Acoustics MicroOne speakers, Merrill Cara preamp. Yeah, I'm biased.

[Paul S]

Can I add some classic late 70's Direct Drive turntables such as the Denon DP80, Sony PS-X9 / TTS8000, PSB 80 etc? These in my view are the real giant killers.

[Ritmo]

Just a few for consideration...

Speakers:
- Magnepans - from $600 to $16K offer fantastic musical experience for the dollar
- Revel Salon 2s - still sounding great and very competitive after 10 years!
- Elac - very impressive for the money
- Vandersteen Treos
- KEF LS-50
- Harbeth 30.1
- Focal Sopra 1
- Nola KO

Analog:
- VPI tables
- Rega tables
- Manley phono (fantastic for $2k)
- Zesto Andros 1.2 (so musical for less than $5K)
- Ortofon

Amps/Pre:
- Audio Alchemy (sounds great with Elac speaker as demonstrated by Mr Jones recently at Axpona)
- Pass Audio integrated amps
- ModWright
- ARC Ref 75SE and Ref 6

[Letsmakeadeal]

The new Elac speaker line seems to be the epitome of Giant Killer...How they hell do they do it? Big Company behind them but Wow what values they represent...Proves high end sound can be attained for entry level prices...Nice list Ritmo. Hard to argue about any of the items in your list...

[[email protected]]

Eminent Technology LFT-VIII speakers, Rogue Audio Sphinx integrated. Although there are only a few posts so far, interesting there's no mention of cables (yet?).

[Letsmakeadeal]

Glad someone called out Eminent Technology...OMG I have a pair of rebuilt VIs and they are Giant Killers by any definition...The VIIIs are one of the great values in Audio today IMHO...Giant Killer for sure...

[cpp]

Quicksilver V4 monos
Rogue Audio, Cronus Magnum II Integrated
Manley Chinook Phono Stage
Van Alstine Fet Valve 600 amp
Vas Nova Cartridge
Fritz Carbon 7 Se Speakers
Magnepan 1.7i
GE Triton 2+
Lumin D1
VPI Classic line

[Letsmakeadeal]

OK - Here are a few Blast from the Past Giant Killers - Still Killing it.....


Vandersteen 2C
Thiel 3.6
Dunlavy SC-3,4
Magneplanar - All
Genesis 500
Dynaco A25
Original Martin Logan CLS
Apogee Duetta, Diva
ADS L910

Audio Research SP10, SP 9, SP 11
Audio Research Original Reference Line
Mark Levinson 20.5, 20.6
Conrad Johnson Premier 1,3,5
Sansui G9000, G22000, G33000
Counterpoint SA9/11, 5.1
Marantz (all tube) anything
Robertson 4010

VPI - Seems like they are all good or great at their price points..Many Giant Killers in there
Technics SP-10 MKII & III
Platine Verdier
SME 3012 & 3012R
Oracle Delphi iterations
Garrard idlers
Sure V15 - iterations
Kiseki Purple Heart

Just a few that come to mind...Still very much in play if you can find them

[jonathanhorwich]

To me a killer speaker which even today will stand up (slightly veiled by today's standard) is the Dunlavy SCIVa. Utterly coherent top to bottom, superb deep bass. I used them for years as a monitor. But now lack the ultra speed and transparency of the best current crop.

[mep]

Yamaha C2a preamp. Killer preamp that also has a good MC phono stage. Used to be able to pick them up for around $300 and I think the price is getting closer to $1k now. If you could buy one in good shape for $1k I would still consider it a bargain for what it brings to the table.

[JCOConnell]

yeah, those came out in the early 80's. They were selling used for under $500 until just a few years ago.

[Rust]

Funny you should mention the Yamaha, lent mine to my brother in law. Pretty good for the money.

[Johnny Vinyl]

I haven't heard enough gear to say if a component or accessory is a giant killer, but I have heard the Vandersteen 2C's many many times at a buddy's home. He had them paired with some Meitner/Museatex amp/preamp and an Oracle Delphi Mk 2 or 3 (don't remember). This was back in the mid-eighties, and to this day there are few systems I've heard that come even close.

After I left the publishing industry we lost touch, and heard later he fell on some really bad times. He was a good guy, and wherever he is I hope he's okay now.

With regard to my own system I'd like to think I made some good and well thought out purchases, and although I believe it punches above its weight it not a giant killer by any stretch.

[Letsmakeadeal]

Those were the days...That is still a very nice system even today...

[bonzo75]

Speakers
Heco Direkt for small rooms, Acoustats for average rooms, Maggie 1.7i, instead of Martin Logans and Quads pick Audio Exklusiv from Germany
When budget gets to restored Apogee duetta, Scintilla, and then FR level you kill almost everything for not much.
Digital Various Lampi models, above GG it doesn't get better
Amps With horns, there are a lot of SET amps that sound good at lower prices, ending with an used Tenor 75 OTL. With SS, its tough, things keep getting better the more you pay, and many can sound bad. I think if you get to Luxman m900u level and Berning Quadratures, you can rest until you have mega bucks for Vitus or Boulder.
Analog PTP Lenco, Audio Technica Art 9, Hana SL, Ear 912, Zesto, ASR phono

Also one thing is to get off the products which have high distribution and marketing margins and at many shows. Those will usually have a higher price than required

[Rob]

I have a pair of Acoustat 2+2s i want outta my place...like yesterday. I'll make you a deal, actually they're my friends he doesn't have the space either.

[bonzo75]

Someone should pick yours up, there are a lot of Acoustat lovers out there. The ones I was recommending were the Spectras - I should have specified that - Spectra 2200, which I heard. I am off stats now though, I owned ML Summits, and for a while just wanted to upgrade on stats and went around listening to many stats and ribbon planars. What I was recommending up was just different speakers for different sizes and budgets, starting with the Heco for least budget and space. For me all speakers end at a good Apogee, except a couple of horns . And I will get one of them with my next flat.