Share your unexpected budget amp and speaker combos...

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Metatron

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A bit of Tuesday morning nonsense...

Picture a gracefully ageing Sansui A60 driving a pair of Energy CB-10's. Runnning the HTPC and the TT... Not too shabby but a bit 'budget' right?
A bad power switch prompted a cleanup with contact cleaner a few weeks ago, and since i had it open, sommer cleaned the top of the circuit boards a little. Since then the phono stage developed a nasty hiss on the left channel. The rest of the amp is still perfect... This is not important. Back to the story...

Decided a replacement was in order while i consider repair options etc. . . A Rotel RB930AX doing the rounds on forum fit the bill. (Quadears). I was originally looking for a setup for the office and have been looking speakers fro quite some time. Utterly by accident and dumb luck I stumbled upon a pair of Wharfedale 7.2 anniversary editions in light wood finish from Bearenzo over the weekend. For dirt cheap.

So the Rotel needed some  TLC. Pulled out the contact cleaner and Channel bias was calibrated properly. I decided to test it with the Energy's first. Pretty good. Average, but good. Then tried the Wharfedales...

My goodness. I have not heard such sweet sound in a very, VERY, long time. I sat up until 2:00 this morning listening to lossless FLAC's (Diana Krall, Bocelli, assorted classics, Muse, Mumford&sons, Rene Olstead) and some Frisbees (various classical, Muse 2nd law, Adele 21)... Hearing things I didn't know was there before! Bocelli's Songo...  :cleansound:  ..... Rene Olstead's Summertime  :clap:

I just could not tear myself away.

Now i know this is not an Audiophile grade setup by a long shot but every so often a budget or vintage system comes along that just somehow WORKS and blows you mind.

What is yours?
 
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