I truly cannot believe this story, but one of my customers reached out the other day to gloat about this and I told him to pop over with it so we could take a look together.
Chris is a customer I’ve helped a lot, guiding him from basic plastic hi-fi gear through to ownership of Accuphase amplifiers like this. It’s been an amazing and steep learning curve for him, but one that has rewarded him with huge benefits.
As Chris explained the story to me in person, in my workshop, he was at his local tip when he found this pristine, and I mean perfect, almost unused Accuphase E-303, one of my favourite integrated amplifiers, and paid just $10 for it!
This one falls into my special New Gold Dream category of equipment finds. Naturally, I’ll be servicing this amplifier in the next few months and updating you about it, but it shows what can happen when you are in the right place at the right time.
UPDATE: Sadly, since writing this, I’ve learned some troubling information about this story. Customers and readers like Chris trust my services precisely BECAUSE of my focus on truth, transparency and loyalty to my customers. It’s ironic and disappointing to learn that what I was told may not have been true and that the amplifier has since been elsewhere for attention.
Accuphase E-303 Images
That’s right: ‘Accuphase E-303’, ‘rubbish tip’ and ‘$10’, words you rarely if ever find used together, yet here we are, at the great intersection of gold that brought my customer Chris this big upgrade over his Accuphase E-202 and E-205 integrated amplifiers. Let’s look at a few images to see what he got here.
Regulars will know how highly I rate the Accuphase E-303. In terms of integrated amplifiers, there aren’t too many better choices than this and as a result, many of my customers have grabbed one over the years. That said, at this age (40 years) they can certainly start to show signs of age and need some overhaul work. Not this one though, at least nothing obvious yet!
The moral of this story? Everyone get up out of the chair and head down to your local tip shop, and hold those you trust close to you. Chris found this pristine Accuphase E-303 for $10. Can you imagine what else might be waiting for a new home?
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DZIEŃ DOBRY…W POLSCE TEŻ JEST MNÓSTWO FANÓW VINTAGE. DZIĘKUJĘ ZA WSPANIAŁE ARTYKUŁY.CZYTAM Z WIELKIM ZAINTERESOWANIEM.SAM MAM MARANTZA CD 84 POZDRAWIAM Z POLSKI.MARCIN SARNECKI
Translation:
GOOD MORNING…THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF VINTAGE FANS IN POLAND. THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT ARTICLES. I READ WITH GREAT INTEREST. I HAVE MARANTZA CD 84 GREETINGS FROM POLAND. MARCIN SARNECKI
Good morning Marcin and thank you for your kind words, I’m very pleased that you are enjoying the articles and I know there are many vintage audio fans in Poland! The CD-84 is a wonderful player!
I’m guessing that a tip store is similar to a Goodwill store?
A tip is a rubbish dump or refuse site, Chuck. Like where the garbage trucks take the trash in the US. That’s why it’s even harder to believe!
I guess one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. That being said I’m gobsmacked by this bargain. I’ve heard of others finding audiophile turntables and speakers, but this takes the case. I better get there before the rain comes.
So true Arthur, I’ll see you there!
How good is this story? Thank you for sharing Mike, it put a big smile on my face.
Thanks Vladan and yes it’s incredible, glad you enjoyed this one!
Extraordinary. Just crazy. Clearly WA has a better class of rubbish than eastern Australia…. Was this from the rubbish shop in Peppermint Grove or where the Rineharts and Forrests dump their trash?
I know, it’s just ridiculous, I never find anything good at the tip, he finds a classic amplifier in mint, as new condition!
I fear this is what might happen to all of our possessions.
I need to add a valuation to all things we own in case everything is discarded.
Kids!
Scary isn’t it!