My name is Danny....and I am a cheapskate audiophile

Danny Tse
Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
edited December 2005 in 2 Channel Audio
And I think I have hit bottom....

Inspired by this thread at Home Theater Forum, I checked out that Insignia 100 watts/channel stereo receiver at my local Best Buy. Curiosity is more like it. For a mere $102.00 (on sale right now at bestbuy.com), what I am looking at is a nicely put together stereo receiver with full pre-out/main-in jacks in the back and a toroidal transformer underneath the top vents. I don't know how it sounds, but I am actually considering getting this receiver to try out. Yeah, yeah, yeah....Best Buy. I know they are evil, but just maybe this piece is a sleeper.

I think I need an intervention.... :rolleyes:
Post edited by Danny Tse on
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Comments

  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited December 2005
    Hi Danny!
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • Danny Tse
    Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
    edited December 2005
    danger boy wrote:
    Hi Danny!

    :D:D
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  • sucks2beme
    sucks2beme Posts: 5,601
    edited December 2005
    Great concept. I've done all my systems with closeouts and used.
    As tempting as it sounds, you might want to check for a lightly used receiver
    I'm sure you can go with a mid to higher end product for almost the same money. The nice thing about HT, it has flooded the market with a lot of displaced 2 channel stuff. Good luck with your quest!

    CHEAP IS GOOD!!!!!!
    "The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited December 2005
    You know, I used to have this same dream. Everything gets so expensive and you go look at something like this and start to think it could be reasonable. After all the thought about it and you get the new box home with the pristine untouched unit inside it all seems worth it. Even after you hook it up you think it's pretty cool. The bad part is a few days later when you turn it on and realize it may not have been worth even the $100 you spent on it. I'll admit, I've done it. Do yourself a favor and look into one of the t-amps or something instead. Or then again, we all must do it a few times for ourselves I guess. :)
    Good luck!
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • ohskigod
    ohskigod Posts: 6,502
    edited December 2005
    +1 for the t-amp. that little thing never ceases to amaze me. I just used one to power my Vandersteen 2c's I was selling. the T-amp did more than enough for a demo, and sounded fantastic in its ownright, everyone that heard it couldnt believe you could get it for 26.99 on target.com.
    Living Room 2 Channel -
    Schiit SYS Passive Pre. Jolida CD player. Songbird streamer. California Audio Labs Sigma II DAC, DIY 300as1/a1 Ice modules Class D amp. LSi15 with MM842 woofer upgrade, Nordost Blue Heaven and Unity interconnects.

    Upstairs 2 Channel Rig -
    Prometheus Ref. TVC passive pre, SAE A-205 Amp, Wiim pro streamer and Topping E50 DAC, California Audio Labs DX1 CD player, Von Schweikert VR3.5 speakers.

    Studio Rig - Scarlett 18i20(Gen3) DAW, Mac Mini, Aiyma A07 Max (BridgedX2), Totem Mites
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  • fredv
    fredv Posts: 923
    edited December 2005
    +1 for t-amp. I got mine from traget.com as well. That's the price, and it was on back order for a month before I got it a week ago. I hooked up a discman and Monitor 10A to it. It is the "hi-fi" of the computer room now!!!

    -fredv-
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  • Danny Tse
    Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
    edited December 2005
    I looked into the Insignia stereo receiver some more and noticed ebay has almost a whole page worth or damaged/non-working units. Looks to be a bad sign.
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  • lanion
    lanion Posts: 843
    edited December 2005
    T-Amp has a new mode out by the way. 2 x 15 watts.

    http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/audio/6cd8/
    http://www.si-technologies.com/frontEnd/cm_productDetail.jsp?productID=35
    My Iron Man training/charity blog.

    HT:
    32" Sharp LCD. H/K dpr 1001 to Outlaw Audio 7900 to Polk LSi + Paradigm Studio center. Hsu DualDrive ULS-15. PS3/Wii. Outlaw 7900.
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited December 2005
    I've noticed in the audio quest for the "best bang for the buck" gear there are always tradeoffs. The next new "be all...end all" $100 peice of equipment that sounds like stuff costing 10 to 20 times more tends to have those drawbacks that become more apparent over time.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited December 2005
    Precisely Shack! That's why I ignore the best bang for the bucks, it's just a waste of money!

    It's just a quick fix for audio junkies who have to feed their habit.
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • dragon1952
    dragon1952 Posts: 4,899
    edited December 2005
    cfrizz wrote:
    Precisely Shack! That's why I ignore the best bang for the bucks, it's just a waste of money!

    It's just a quick fix for audio junkies who have to feed their habit.

    And cheapskate audiophiles :D
    2 channel - Willsenton R8 tube integrated, Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE DAC, audio optimized NUC7i5, Windows 10 Pro/JRiver MC29/Fidelizer Plus 8.7 w/LPS and external SSD drive, PS Audio PerfectWave P3 regenerator, KEF R3 speakers, Rythmik F12SE subwoofer, Audioquest Diamond USB cable, Gabriel Gold IC's, Morrow Audio SP5 speaker cables. Computer - Windows 10/JRiver, Schiit Magni 3+/Modi 3+, Fostex PMO.4n monitors, Sennheiser HD600 headphones
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited December 2005
    I'm tired of chasing after the cheap gear that "sounds as good as GREAT gear costing much more"...I want the benchmark gear!

    Just like with cars. I don't want the riceburner du jour that performs like a Porsche.....I want the Porsche!
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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