ATTENTION BX Shoppers!

George Grand

What would youse guys say if I told you I bought a BRAND NEW, Ipod docking station, with 2 half decent, two-way speakers, a remote control thing, and.....
hold your zorches, a two-channel, 2 line input, VACUUM TUBE based integrated amp?

All in one brand new box at normal BX prices.

tonyb

I would say..." Damn you George,Damn you to Hell."

Thats my take on it.

RuSsMaN

I'd say I know what Stephanie is getting for Christmas.

BaggedLancer

If you had said USB turntable to convert vinyl to mp3's I think I would have passed out.

However, without that, sounds like a nice gift you're giving to someone.

tonyb

GG didn't say anything about giving it away as a gift........

...he's going to do a nice X-mass Karma.....count me in!!:)

George Grand

My wife dispatched me to the BX so that "I" could purchase gifts for the underprivileged teenage boys whose families SHE adopted for Christmas.

"Go buy me three or four portable cd players or something. Teenage boys should like that."

When I got to the BX I realized teenage boys don't want port cd players. They want Ipods and mp3 players. So I asked somebody in the BX to show me what those things looked like, and I found a couple mp3 players. I'll have to find a couple more, but that's okay. Anyhow, I'm standing around waiting to pay, and I'm leaning up against this display with all their Ipod docking stations. That's when I saw the vacuum tubes sticking out the top of this thing. WTF I said to myself. Here? In the BX? The price underneath the display for all four pieces said $99.97/set. I grabbed a brand new box, (which had a $199 BX price sticker on it), and when I got to the register, the guy scanned it, and it came up even less than the $99.97.

I think I should buy ten more. It is labeled on the box as a HCT KOREA product, made in China. It is model number HMS-100. The amp has a detachable IEC power cord, a cage over the tubes, and a massive non-toroidal transformer. Little laboratory grade toggle switch to select between Line 1 and 2 inputs, two sets of RCA inputs (gold-plated), and gold plated 5 way speaker binding posts. Mini-headphone plug on the front fascia. It may even come with really nice little speaker cables with bananas on the ends. When I open the box I'll let you know. I need to learn more about this thing before I open this box. The only way to do that may be to go back and get another one. This way I'll always have one in a sealed box.

phoneisbusy

Sounds like a nice find. Your magic closet aura seems extend beyond to the BX.
Best wishes for the holiday season and good for you for your generousity for the boys.

regards

Dave

BaggedLancer

Don't know if you got my PM GG, but here is one on ebay with some details for it:
http://cgi.ebay.com/HCT-HMS-100-APPLE-IPOD-DOCK-SYSTEM-W-13-WATT-TUBE-AMP_W0QQitemZ320195135954QQihZ011QQcategoryZ84082QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

$299.99 bid, $399.99 buy it now.

Sounds like you can get them for a great price.

Comes with:

Piano black finish speakers
Power cable
Audio cable to connect Docking Station and Amplifier
Banana Plug speaker cables
Aux source audio cable for connecting CD player etc
Video cable to connect from docking station to TV

Specs:
Power Output 13Wx2
Frequency Response 20Hz -20KHz (+/- 0.5Db)
Harmonic Distortion 0.5%
Signal-To-Noise Ratio 86Db
Input Impedance 100K
Output Impedance 4ohm, 8ohm
Valve Type 2x6N1(ECC85) 1x6E2(EM87)
Power Supply AC100~120V/50~60Hz AC220~240V/50~60Hz

Dimensions:
Amp (LxWxH) 260x145x130mm
Dock (WxDxH) 155x130x123mm
Weight 30 lbs.


Hopefully that's the info you were looking for before you go buy another one just to open the first box.

jflail2

Zero wrote: »

Those are gunna be some lucky kids.

Hell, for that kind of coin - I'm thinking about a computer rig. Time to hit up Ft. Eustis, Langley and Norfolk if all else fails.

No kidding, was it just your local BX with a close out?

If they're everywhere I might have to talk dad into a ride down to Seymour Johnson for old times sake

BaggedLancer

Sona wrote: »

Hey, GG,

While you're at it, buy a couple Wii's.

You could do a good deed and turn a profit this season.

I don't think GG is concerned about turning a profit. . I just posted the link for reference of what's inside the box and the specs on it in case the box didn't say. The guy on the ebay link probably opened the box before.

George Grand

The ebay listing/Sona's image is the exact product I have.

I WILL be going back to the BX. I WILL be buying all I can. I WILL turn a profit and grace my favorite kids at Githens. Questions?

All I wanted to post was, this thing is OUT there. If the BX has them, everyplace could have them. I already know MY BX here at McGuire. It's a matter of time before I walk in and buy one brand new in the box for 50% off what I paid today. Till then, I will purchase them for what I paid today. This could happen to you too.

I have found a sticker on the bottom of the box which indicates to me that the BX paid $136 for this product. Seems about right if their initial sell price was $199 (which it was). So AudioAdvisor is selling this thing minus some of the parts for $649? What does that tell you about AA?

nms

What does BX stand for?

AndyGwis

I want one. . .

Wait, that looks like the iTube by Fatman. . . if you get anymore, I would love to try one out!

http://blog.stereophile.com/stephenmejias/101606fatman/

George Grand

Base Exchange. It's an Air Force thing. PX (post exchange in the Army). Military K-Mart if you will, one on each base.

If it wasn't freakin' rush hour, with every hammerhead in South Jersey on the road right now, I'd be headed as we speak. I'll wait till after dinner. Even then, I have a feeling they are out of stock, and I may have to turn on the charm just to get the display model.

AndyGwis

Man, this would be perfect for my office rig! A quaint little bookie system with remote that can play my MP3s from the computer and ipod.

Looks like these retail for close to $650 new. . . www.hctkorea.co.kr/admin/product/download.php?&bbs_id=hctmanual&page=&type=1&doc_num=57

mrbigbluelight

nms wrote: »

What does BX stand for?

Truth, justice, and the American way.

obieone

One of the few things I miss about the military-RETARDED prices on stuff.

George Grand

GONZO. Just got back. The display model was gone. There is a possibility that one is in the family. After I got home with mine, and before I got with you guys about it, I called one of the pilots at the squadron to go get it. A fine son of The Reich named Martin, there is a possibility HE went and got that one.

When I went back, the salesman took the pricing placard off the empty spot in the display rack and went into the back to look for one for me. Before he did that, he stated that the price on the placard, $99.77, indicates a product that the BX will no longer order or stock. This is BX secret code talk because the price ends in the number 7 according to the salesman. I know the BX well enough to say that one or two may float through their again. One or two may get returned unopened in the box because they were a Christmas purchase that wasn't what was wanted/needed. I see this happen ALL THE TIME. I can also say that I've already checked the BX mail order catalog and it's not in there either.

I'm going to sit on this one for awhile. Stephie won't want it. She's got a big Onk receiver in there driving a pair of AR-302's, and she'd rather listen to her Ipod or mp3 thing through a Boston Acoustics sub/sat system she's got in there too.

Sherardp

BX here in Japan has them in stock for the same price. Perhaps I should buy one for the office.

George Grand

Perhaps? If McGuire had ten they'd be all mine. I noticed that underneath the $199 price sticker is another BX sticker for $259.

George Grand

You tell me why The Bronx is the only borough name that is preceded by the word "the". People never say "I'm going up to The Queens" or "I'm going to The Brooklyn", or "I'm going to The Manhattan". Why is that? There IS a reason for it and it's a good $5 bar bet in the NYC area.

engtaz

"I would say..." Damn you George,Damn you to Hell."tonyb
I 2nd that. LOL

engtaz

George Grand

Correct Sal. When still in Dutch hands, that whole area was owned by The Broncks, Bronckes, Van Bronks, or something like that. So if you were headed that way, you were probably going to visit The Broncks.

TroyD

I just looked in my PX (I would say BX but this place is 'run' by the Army)....no such animal.

However, I have an HCT ipod/alarm clock thingee that the previous occupant of my room bought and left behind.....and I don't mind saying, I like it. Pretty well constructed, sounds good (you need a PHD to figure out how to set the alarm and so forth though).

Good score, El Roma.

BDT

George Grand

It was a terrible score. The way I see it, they had a total of three. Two in stock and the display model. How did I end up with only one? I'm retiring before I start peeing myself in the middle of the a deal.

I was thinking about you and your perceived rig problems in the future. Would've been a cheap out.

TroyD

George, I applaud you for being a 'forward thinking' kinda guy. There was a time when if the sentence contained 'tube' and 'ipod' that you would have kept on walking.

Keep this up and people will think you've become downright trendy.

BDT

treitz3

TroyD wrote: »

There was a time when if the sentence contained 'tube' and 'ipod' that you would have kept on walking.

George, I haven't known you for that long but I must concur. Times are a changin'.....

Sherardp

So I went to my BX and PX and these are in stock for 98.00 bucks. Is this worthy of buying. I could put one in the office if I bought, have you had a chance to listen to it yet George.

ledhed

Tubes for under $100. Doesn't seem to get much better than that.

George Grand

I can't believe you're asking me about this thing when they're in stock for $98 at your local BX, with its LIBERAL return policy. Do you know why there are no more in the McGuire BX? It's not because anybody other than me "knew" about these things. It's because some grandmother or grandfather was there with a shopping list when they dropped the price on these things, and it became the only $99 Ipod/docking station/amp/speaker combo on a display shelf full of $200+ combos. 12 year old kids will be getting these freakin' things for Christmas. And unless you hurry, some kid's going to have yours.

My ears are worthless for outside opinions after 32 years of tanker engines. Just buy as many as you can for crying out loud.

BaggedLancer

ledhed wrote: »

Tubes for under $100. Doesn't seem to get much better than that.

+1. That about sums it up.