One piece to upgrade..........Anybody?

[Clive]

Gentlement, ladies, list that one piece of equipment that's still in your rack that needs to go OR needs to be upgraded and why ops:

Don't be ashamed now, 8 tracks are welcome. ;x(

[Snap]

Dish Network 300 (No HD through Dish only ATSC local HD via my TV), and my Sharp VCR!

[David Meek]

Oooh, just one? Okay, my Yamaha RX-V1 (for now, just the amp stage) has to be upgraded for 2-channel. I'm thinking Halo JC-1 monoblocks, the Musical Fidelity A-500, the Ayre V-5x, Pass Labs X-250.5 - something not to exceed US$6000-7000. Why? Because I've heard my Aerial Acoustics 7B speakers with better amplification and they just sing!

[NeutralMAN]

crossover components, would be good to have mundorf or hovland caps, and better coils. All other components are fine......Until I get THAT itch.

[Clive]

OOH it will come!!

[aud19]

I have this old broken piece of equipment called my bank account. It needs a serious uprage!

[Clive]

Help to stay on track There maybe pieces in your racks that is not being used at all. I mean, how many people here just have units in the rack just to make it look full? Which ones should go or use as boat anchores?

However, new members to HT may still be in the Pro-logic era and need suggestions on upgrades.

Read on.

[Kens1]

I recently got rid of my tape deck and vcr so I think I am about done with getting rid of things. Upgrading on the other hand ........ new speakers when I hear some that make me want them really bad over my old ones (4yr. old ones!).

[Burke Strickland]

My laser disc player is in serious need of upgrade. Don't tell me that I need to replace this obsolete relic with a DVD player -- I already have a couple of those -- since I still have 500 LDs and as far as I know, no one has figured out how to play those 12 inch disks in a DVD player. :>)

Even though I can upsample the video from my Pioneer 604 LD player via my HD tuner, I can't help but think the process would be helped by having a somewhat better LD player. Unfortunately, they are not readily available any more.

So perhaps the alternative upgrade should be a DVD RECORDER to transcribe the LDs that have not been replaced by DVDS while my current LD player still works.

Speaking of obsolete technology in the rack, I have a very nice SONY ES cassette deck which I purchased ONLY because a former employer required me to take some "self study" courses on my own time that were on cassette.

I had already retired my previous player with the vow never to replace it since I really have no day-to-day use for one . But at the time, continued employment seemed preferable to falling on my sword over that particular "principle".

However, if I had known then what I know now, I would have told them to shove their courses and I would now have one less boat anchor weighing down my rack. :>)

Burke

[David Meek]

Yes, but it's such a NICE boat anchor.

[Glen B]

New York merchant E-tronics is supposed to still have the Pioneer model DVL-919 DVD/LD/CD combo player in stock.

http://www.etronics.com/product.asp?icatid=4563&stk_code=piodvl919&svbname=425

[gd]

The DVL-919 is still readily available, and it's decent (I've had mine for several years), but it is far from the best in video quality.

If you're seriously into laserdiscs, these vintage Pioneer units are considered the ones to have (in ascending order):
Elite CLD-59
CLD-D703
CLD-D704
Elite CLD-79
Elite CLD-97
Elite CLD-99
LD-S9
HLD-X9

Those last two can only be found in Japan and are extremely pricy, but the others can be found at specialty shops that refurbish LD players.

Ultimately I'll get a DVD recorder and transfer the rare or must-have LDs (might invest in one of the better LD players for that task, not sure)... and eventually move the big gear and big discs out of the picture.

But -- in response to the OP -- what I'd really like to upgrade are the 5.1 speakers... however, I gotta upgrade my income before that happens...

[mitch57]

My Sanyo VCR. But I still need a VCR long enough to transfer them all th DVDs. And... I don't have a DVD recorder yet.

[Clive]

Maybe a combination unit with VCR and a DVD Recorder would help.
There are a few good ones out there!

[George Bellefontaine]

If and when or whenever HD DVD gets straightened out, I will no doubt have to upgrade my Sony 7700 DVD player, which in my book is still a honey of a dvd player.

[Pieter]

My hearing aid.

[AndrewM]

Don't be ashamed now, 8 tracks are welcome.

I was thinking of upgrading to an 8-track deck, in order to be totally retro you absolutely need to have one, at least that's what people tell me when I tell them I still have and listen to a record player and am thinking of getting a tubed pre-amp.

On a more serious note I'm thinking the next piece to be upgraded will be the pre-pro, that ol' B&K Ref 20 has served me well for many years now but I'm starting to miss some of the features of the newer units, well multi-channel inputs being the biggest of them the rest of the features I could probably live without.

I've also been thinking of getting a dedicated CD transport, perhaps a new projector. A new rack wouldn't be a bad idea either.

Andrew

[mitch57]

Maybe a combination unit with VCR and a DVD Recorder would help.
There are a few good ones out there!

What are your recommendations on a combo player/recroder. How about one that has it all. VCR/DVD and hard drive?