Sit back and relax as you browse our collection of currently available hi-fi equipment.

Welcome to the Liquid Audio store, where the attention to detail we’re famous for means you can purchase with confidence from a specialist with a reputation for excellence.

UPDATED September 2024, new equipment listed, more on the way!

• Every piece has been inspected, tested, cleaned, repaired and/or serviced, as required
• Most pieces come with a three-month warranty, generally excluding CD players
• Local sales are preferred but packing and insured shipping are available in some cases via our shipping partner Pack & Send

If you’ve seen something elsewhere on the site that doesn’t appear here in the store, you’ll find it in our sold equipment galleries 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Note that all sales are final and refunds due to a change of mind are generally not possible. Items can be reserved with a 20% non-refundable deposit. See our terms for more and if you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask!

Store Categories

• Advisory Services
• Amplifiers & Preamplifiers
• Cassette Decks
• CD Players & DACs
• Miscellaneous
• Receivers
• Speakers
• Tuners
• Turntables
• Clearance Corner
• Previously Sold Equipment

Advice & Guidance

Liquid Audio’s advisory service delivers expertise and insight from a specialist’s perspective. We’re here to protect you from pseudoscience, marketing BS and the pressure to buy new and often inferior equipment and can assist with:

• Vintage/classic hi-fi stereo equipment recommendations and sourcing
• Amplifier, CD player, turntable improvement, upgrades
• System assessment, building and synergy
• Tonearms, cartridges, vinyl accessories, turntable sourcing and building
• Model comparisons, compatibility and recommendations, and more!

Our advisory service is accessed via three pre-paid blocks, designed to suit everything from straightforward questions to deeper discussions and system evaluations:

To access our advisory service, simply purchase some time and submit your questions via the contact form.

Amplifiers & Preamplifiers

Incredible Accuphase C-280V Preamplifier for Sale!

I also delve into my long relationship with Accuphase as a brand and, oh yeah, this stunning end-game preamplifier, MY Accuphase C-280V, is also for sale, details later!

UPDATE: Four purchase offers received within 12 hours, thank you to all interested parties. Sold, pending payment!

For those wondering why I might be selling an endgame Accuphase preamplifier that I’ve only owned for 18 months, the answer is predictably simple: This Accuphase C-280V improved my system so much that I decided to purchase an Accuphase C-290 preamplifier once I found one, a newer and even better-sounding model that matches other pieces in my system. If I could keep both, I would but it’s simply not sensible.

History

I won’t go into crazy detail here and I will refrain from making this a review post until AFTER selling it, but the Accuphase C-280V is the final iteration of the 280 series of preamplifiers from Accuphase. This began with the game-changing Accuphase C-280 back in 1982, evolving into the Accuphase C-280L in 1987 and then the final iteration, the Accuphase C-280V you see here, in 1990.

Over that time, the build went from crazy compared to just about anything else, with the 18kg Accuphase C-280, to almost insane with my C-280V weighing in at a staggering 25kg! That’s more than most serious amplifiers weigh and as much or more than an entire modern plastic hi-fi system including speakers!!! The crazy build quality and performance of Accuphase gear from this era is just one of many reasons I love it.

Peaking with the Accuphase C-280V in 1990, at a cost of a cool 800,000 Yen, Accuphase changed things slightly with the new C-290, which I’ve just acquired an example of. The Accuphase C-290 has the same ridiculous build, slightly better in the sense that things are simplified a little, but with a separate, optional AD-290 phono preamplifier even better than the one in the C-280V.

All up, the C-290 plus AD-290 phono module cost a staggering 1.1 million Yen back in 1993, around $12,000 AUD. The current equivalent Accuphase C-3900 costs $50,000 AUD, and then you need to buy the C-47 phono preamplifier for $18,000 AUD. Can you see why I’m so fond of legacy Accuphase equipment..?!

Features

An Accuphase C-280V is completely unlike any modern hi-fi gear that most consider affordable, but why was the 280 series game-changing? Well the C-280, C-280L and C-280V are dual-mono class A preamplifiers, with the most outrageously over-engineered power supplies and circuit modules you’ll ever see, in mainstream gear anyway.

The highest-level 280 series came after the Accuphase 200 series, lovely preamps, but nothing like these monsters! Everything is over-engineered. All circuits are push-pull class A, all housed in gorgeous little shielded modules, each with its own power supply and filter capacitors. Switches and controls are the heaviest and most beautifully machined I’ve seen, besides those in other Accuphase gear.

In the C-280V, the last two modules are separate left and right-channel phono preamp circuits. In the C-290 onwards, these were moved into an optional module. The C-280V has four separate transformers, two of which power these dual-mono phono preamplifier modules. I kid you not: each phono module has dedicated filter capacitors and a transformer.

Only Accuphase designs and build things this way with such extraordinary engineering attention to detail, and disregard for cost. These pieces are super expensive, for good reason. The power supply contains 120,000uF of capacitance, far more than most power amplifiers, boards are covered in gold, literally, and almost no expense is spared.

Other features include an ultra-premium conductive plastic volume potentiometer, one of the nicest I’ve seen. The preamp is fully balanced end to end and the phono preamp has adjustable gain and loading for just about any cartridge you would wish to use.

For vinyl lovers, the C-280V is a corker, sounding phenomenal, far better than dedicated phono preamps I’ve compared it to, including the $5,000 AUD Manley Chinook and smashing the over-rated Gold Note PH-10 which is a toy by comparison. It kicks butt with line-level sources too.

Service

Here are a few pictures of my Accuphase C-280V. This example is in very good, almost perfect condition. She’s received some phono preamp repairs in the previous 30 years, but I’ve made all the necessary service adjustments following the factory service procedure. I’ve also cleaned and lubricated where needed, including that monster potentiometer which can get a little stiff with age, and replaced a couple of capacitors in the phono preamp modules.

I should mention that I have a stock of ultra-premium parts including silver mica and polystyrene capacitors for supercharging the phono preamp and other modules in any of the 280 series preamplifiers including the C-280V, should that work be required. I’ve not made those improvements here but the next owner may choose to have that work done. Let’s go!

Results

There’s a great scene in The Chronicles Of Riddick where Riddick (Vin Diesel) says:

“Look, I’m not with everyone here.”

This for me encapsulates Accuphase as a brand. They do things completely differently, innovate, have a unique design language and aesthetic, eschew flavour-of-the-month Bluetoothy nonsense tech and are a through-and-through hi-fi audio company ONLY. Accuphase truly is not with any of the other mainstream audio brands.

In every way, Accuphase equipment is a cut above almost everything else I’ve ever seen, worked on, owned or listened to, and that’s thousands of pieces of gear, some of them serious high-end stuff, over decades. I’m not messing around here, you guys have seen what I’ve worked on and I’ve been saying this for years. I’m planning on showing it more frequently.

Let me make this easy and tell you that the Accuphase C-280V sounds astonishingly good, even better after this service work. I’ve been blessed to own some lovely sounding preamps and phono preamplifiers over the years but none of them match the performance of the C-280V, except for my new C-290/AD-290 combo.

Compared to my previous Accuphase C-202 and Perreaux SM-2, I heard noticeably more bass, more textural details in bass notes and leading edges, a wider, airier soundstage and a smoother, yet better resolved overall presentation.

Accuphase C-280V for Sale!

As mentioned, I love this stunning, endgame Accuphase C-280V, but my C-290 is better, as I predicted, based on an analysis of the various design elements. For this reason alone, I am selling this almost pristine piece of equipment.

I can assure any potential new owner that one never regrets a purchase like this. Pieces like this C-280V seriously advance any system capable of revealing the improvements available. I was staggered at how much better this C-280V was than my previous C-202, a great-sounding pre. It brought out the best in all the elements of my system, sources especially. It even made me put away my Fidelity Research XF-1 step-up transformers, that’s how good the all-active phono preamp in the C-280V is.

If you would like to own a piece of audio history and one of the finest preamplifiers made, this gorgeous and almost unmarked Accuphase C-280V can be yours for $6,950, serviced and including a 3-month warranty. Local sales only.

If almost seven grand seems like a lot, consider that replacing this C-280V with something equivalent new from Accuphase, like a C-3900, will set you back $50K AUD, plus more for a phono preamp. I reckon that makes older statement pieces like this a bit of a bargain.

Just like the other high-end pieces I’ve sold, I suspect this won’t hang around but let’s see. As always, this is how we do business, no-nonsense, no time-wasting, just straightforward business and exceptional equipment and service for loyal customers who value long-term relationships with those who assist them.

UPDATE: Four purchase offers received within 12 hours, thank you to all interested parties. Sold, pending payment!

Luxman L-205 Integrated Amplifier

Check out this little beauty, kindly donated by Vlad and ready for a new home!

I’ve just completed a service and detail of this great little integrated amplifier and can highly recommend it for a smaller systems, second system or first proper system for a youngster.

Luxman L-205 Specifications

Power output: 40 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)

Frequency response: 10Hz to 100kHz

Total harmonic distortion: 0.02%

Input sensitivity: 1.8mV (MM), 160mV (line)

Signal-to-noise ratio: 90dB (MM), 107dB (line)

Dimensions: 453 x 317 x 111mm

Weight: 5.4kg

This lovely little Luxman L-205 integrated amplifier can be yours for just $395. Or, you can pay more for Chinese rubbish with no pedigree, Bluetooth and guaranteed to fail within 3 years!

Cassette Decks

Nothing currently available

CD Players & DACs

Nothing currently available

Miscellaneous

IsoTek EVO3 Genesis One Mains Power Conditioner/Regenerator

Check out this one-owner IsoTek EVO3 Genesis One mains power conditioner, lightly used and in perfect condition! Which one owner you may ask..? Me! I bought it new around 5 years ago and have used it since, with zero issues and some nice sonic improvements for connected gear.

A customer asked me what I thought about these and why I’m selling it. Easy. It’s great, but I need the space and the funds. I’ve just bought a very expensive Accuphase power amplifier, amongst other things, and so a bunch of stuff like this IsoTek mains regenerator must be sold.

In terms of what it does for the sound, it’s a really interesting question. When I first bought this regenerator, I plugged my sources into it and immediately noticed a lower noise floor and a slightly more relaxed sonic presentation from the entire system. I thought this was an interesting and certainly valuable improvement.

If you’ve been thinking of getting one of these, I’d have no hesitation in recommending you do. Almost more importantly, it safeguards your valuable equipment from power surges and spikes too.

These highly regarded mains power regenerators are the best way to power a source or other low-power devices, far better than a ‘filter’. The Genesis One is a 100 Watt mains voltage regenerator perfect for things like CD players, DACs, preamps, tuners etc. As long as the total power consumption stays under 100 Watts, you are cooking with gas.

Quite different from the common and much cheaper passive filters that you see in all the stores, this is an active device – a power supply – a far better way to power your sources. The Genesis One delivers a rock-steady, regulated 230VAC mains supply with less than 1% distortion. This feeds your sources with the purest, lowest distortion mains supply possible, much cleaner than power straight from the wall.

Contrast this with a filter, a fancy power board with built-in chokes for example, that only reduces line noise. These filters don’t regulate line voltage, nor do they completely regenerate a completely clean and steady 230V sine wave as the Isotek Evo3 Genesis One does.

Here’s some additional info from Isotek:

The EVO3 Genesis One is a state-of-the-art single-cell sine wave generation system with extremely low THD. The system can be used to dramatically improve single front-end components. Each cell can be combined/linked together so that only one input wall socket cable is required. 

• Removes both Common Mode and Differential Mode mains noise.
• Dedicated single outlet delivers clean low distortion reconstruction mains sine wave.
• Unique single-cell mains sine wave generation system exceeding 85dB of noise reduction extending to zero Hz running in class D amplification with a linear power supply.
• Internal wiring; solid core silver plated PCOCC with FEP virtually an air dielectric.
• 100W of totally clean power for all front-end components.

More information about this award-winning product can be found here.

These beautiful 10kg IsoTek EVO3 Genesis One (try saying that a few times…) mains power conditioner/regenerators are a current IsoTek product line and retail for $4,749.

Here’s a chance to own this perfect, one-owner example for just $2,250. Local customers preferred.

NOS Raytheon JAN 5703WB ‘Trivistor’ Vacuum Tubes

Many will have seen my articles and videos on the iconic Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 21 Tube DAC. If you need a set of 5703WB vacuum tubes for yours, look no further.

I have 50+ – now approx 30  Raytheon 5703WB vacuum tubes available for sale, all from the same production batch. This is the mil-spec, 50+G-rated triode tube used in the class-A output buffer of the Tri-Vista 21, Tri-Vista SACD Player, the Tri-Vista 300 Integrated Amplifier and others.

This batch of NOS Joint Arm Navy Raytheon 5703W tubes was made in December 1979 and is a rare find. Good examples like these rarely come up for sale. Many I’ve seen are later examples, in tatty boxes, sometimes even used. Remember, with NOS tubes, the older the better, generally speaking.

Grab a pristine NOS set for your Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 21 or other projects whilst these early-date code units are available. Keep them tucked away for when you need them – if you own equipment that uses them, you will eventually need to replace them.

All boxes are intact and present in excellent to perfect condition. All tubes are NOS, never used, and in perfect condition. Priced at just $25 AUD per tube.

Receivers

Super-Cool JVC JR-S301 AM/FM Stereo Receiver

Just look at this classic vintage beauty! Only just in and needing service and a minor repair, this lovely one-owner JVC AM/FM stereo receiver has 60 Watts per channel, VU and tuning meters, four in total, a graphic equaliser and phono preamplifier built in. What more could you want in a vintage receiver?!

This receiver is just gorgeous and quite a rare offering, given that JVC had a slightly lower profile here in Australia. After giving her a deep clean and service, and making a small repair to the tuning mechanism, she works perfectly and has that rich, warm sound we expect from equipment like this.

Description and specs, courtesy of HiFi Engine.

Description

The JR-S301 is big enough to fill the average to large listening room with the wall-to-wall sound of the musical truth.

JVC’s new DC amplifier design delivers an output of 60 watts per channel in this, medium-priced number of our latest lineup.

The JR-S301 shares most of the features available on the more costly models, including a DC power amplifier, precision preamplifier, advanced tuner, SEA graphic equalizer and more.

Specifications

Tuning range: FM, MW

Power output: 60 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)

Frequency response: 5Hz to 40kHz

Total harmonic distortion: 0.008%

Damping factor: 70

Input sensitivity: 2.5mV (MM), 190mV (line)

Signal-to-noise ratio: 75dB (MM), 95dB (line)

Output: 190mV (line), 30mV (DIN)

Speaker load impedance: 4Ω to 16Ω

Dimensions: 166 x 500 x 378mm

Weight: 12.4kg

Year: 1978

This lovely JVC JR-S301 stereo receiver can be yours for just $850.

Lovely Rotel RX-202 Mk2 AM/FM Stereo Receiver

Just in and just repaired by yours truly, this lovely Rotel RX-202 Mk2 receiver is ready for a new home. This all-analog receiver has the AM/FM tuner, a phono preamp, and several line-level inputs for your listening convenience.

I’ve just replaced the fuses and power supply capacitors with uprated parts and this old girl is quiet as a mouse and running beautifully! This lovely vintage Rotel receiver is priced at just $250.

Lovely Marantz SR-73 Stereo/Surround Receiver

Yes, we have another affordable and cute little receiver for sale, this one a pristine Marantz SR-73 receiver, with manual and loop antenna. This one-owner unit is perfect for a second system or someone’s first!

This little beauty is also just $195.

Speakers

Ultra-Rare Pair of NOS Yamaha NS-1200 / JA3120 Woofer Re-Cone Kits!

Parts like these never come up for sale and this is likely the only pair of genuine Yamaha NS-1200 JA3120 woofer re-cone kits available anywhere in the world!

This pair of re-cone kits will repair and renew the cones, spiders, voice coils and surrounds of JA3120 woofers. If you own NS-1200s and want to re-cone your JA3120 woofers, the only way to do it is with genuine parts like these. When professionally installed, it’s like having a new woofer. Speakers cannot retain their original Theile-Small characteristics unless you use genuine parts, so the only way to effect proper repair is to use genuine parts.

These genuine Yamaha re-cone kits come in their factory original boxes and include cones, surrounds, voice coils, spiders and braids. The boxes retain their original foam support material, meaning shipping should be safe, though insurance is necessary for something like this.

This sale is for a set of two genuine NOS Yamaha re-cone kits, in pristine, perfect original condition. There will likely never be another pair of these for sale, so if you own a pair of Yamaha NS-1200s and want to refresh the woofers, or if you have JA3120 woofers that need repair, this is perhaps your last chance to do it properly.

These unobtainable re-cone kits cost $1,200 AUD for the pair. Shipping and insurance will be additional, where applicable.

NOTE: I’ve received suspicious requests for dimensions, measurements, etc, pointless requests that I won’t fulfil. If you own Yamaha NS-1200s and need JA3120 re-cone kits, these kits are the parts you need, no further discussion needed. Purchase them if you love your NS-1200s and the price works for you.

Get in touch if you have any questions about purchasing this pair of re-cone kits!

Tuners

Nothing currently available

Turntables & Vinyl

Check out this incredible, 100% original, one-owner, almost time-capsule quality Kenwood KD-500 direct drive turntable I’ve just fully serviced and listed for sale!

This stunning one-owner Kenwood KD-500 comes complete with its as-purchased SME-3009 tonearm and the mega-bonus: a rare Fidelity Research FR-101 moving magnet cartridge! This incredible vintage deck sounds fantastic, check it out below. My apologies for the colour cast in some of these shots BTW, it doesn’t look yellow as you’ll see in many shots.

UPDATE: Four purchase requests received within 2 hours. Reserved with a deposit, pending full payment!

This sale is a collaboration between Liquid Audio and Addicted to Audio, one of Perth’s best hi-fi stores. This is something we occasionally do and it works well for everyone, including the customer. Thank you to Dan for finding this beauty!

Kenwood KD-500 Specifications

Courtesy of Vinyl Engine

Drive: direct-drive system
Motor: 8-pole 24 slot brushless DC servo motor
Platter: 30cm, 1.5kg aluminium alloy die-cast
Speeds: 33.33 and 45rpm
Wow and flutter: less than 0.03% WRMS
Signal to noise ratio: more than 60dB
Tonearm: static-balance type, s-shaped pipe arm, eia plug-in connector
Effective length: 237mm
Overhang: 15mm
Stylus pressure range: 0 to 4g
Usable cartridge range: 5 to 12g
Dimensions: 502 x 382 x 162mm
Weight: 14.9kg (that’s right, not 5kg, 15kg!)

In terms of service, you’ll already know that a Liquid Audio service is more thorough than most. I’ve cleaned and serviced the motor, a delicate operation utilising a premium synthetic bearing oil. I’ve serviced the switches and controls, reset the master running speeds, and adjusted all the tonearm parameters including lateral balance, azimuth and VTA, arm geometry adjustments that many have no idea how to complete.

I’ve written a ton about the Kenwood KD-500 over the years, so check out a couple of these articles for more. Let me say though that you rarely find a KD-500 in this condition, and with the valuable SME-3009 and even rarer now FR-101, it’s a killer combo.

To say that a deck of this quality crushes new $2,000 turntables is a dramatic understatement. You only have to see and feel a deck like this to know that, and then listen to it for confirmation.

This just fully serviced, perfect-running, 100% original Kenwood KD-500/SME-3009 combo is now ready for her next owner. The SME-3009 tonearm alone would normally sell for around $1,000. 

I’m asking for $1950 for this complete Kenwood KD-500 turntable package including KD-500, SME-3009, original SME tonearm cable and Fidelity Research FR-101 moving magnet cart.

Naturally, this stunner comes with a 3-month warranty for peace of mind, likely the only KD-500 sold with a warranty in Australia. This is how we roll BTW: no nonsense, no time-wasting or silly stories, just straightforward business and exceptional equipment for loyal customers who appreciate the difference and don’t want their time wasted either.

If you’re interested in this lovely machine, let me know as I’m sure it won’t hang around. Local sales only.

UPDATE: Four purchase requests received within 2 hours. Reserved with a deposit, pending full payment!

Dual 1225 Turntable, For Parts or Project!

Check out this lovely old Dual 1225 idler drive turntable. Everything is there but sold for parts or projects with cables cut.

This Dual 1225 is perfect for setting up in a new plinth or for parts if you own a Dual idler drive deck already. $100

Lovely Aurealis R3 Tonearm Cable, Made in Oz!

Check out this nice little tonearm cable, from Australian cable manufacturer Aurealis. This lovely cable is 0.75m in length and features premium ETI hollow pin RCA connectors and LITZ UPOCC cable.

This is a $400 RRP cable, details are available here.

This one is like new and is available for just $275.

Clearance Corner

Welcome to our clearance corner, where you’ll find equipment needing a little TLC. This might be perfect for your next project, hard-to-find spare parts like knobs, fascias etc, or things like boards, modules and assemblies. I would keep these pieces if I had the room, but I don’t, so they have to go.

Equipment in our clearance corner:

• Needs work and is partly or non-functional
• Is sold as-is, grab-and-go
• Make me an offer!

Arcam Alpha 9 Integrated Amplifier

Sold for parts or projects, one intact but non-functional Arcam Alpha 9 integrated amplifier. $100

Previously Sold Equipment

Sold Equipment Gallery 1

Sold Equipment Gallery 2

Sold Equipment Gallery 3

Sold Equipment Gallery 4

Sold Equipment Gallery 5