$1500 Mini System?

if I had 1500 bucks to spend, this is what I would buy. cd player-cambridge audio 4sce not as good as the rega but sometimes half the price and 1150 bucks in amplification won't pick up much difference. amp- I would definitly go with an intergrated amp for sure. If you go with cheaper speakers like the 250.00 B&W which have gotten AMAZING reviews you can go with a rega mira or lunar intergrated amp. Cables- I am not sure about speaker cable but for innerconnects I would go with the 40.00 cambridge audio cables. I tested them in my $7,000.00 system against harmonic tech truthlinks, nordost black knights, and a few others. These, for 40.00 bucks, held their own.. I recently shopped for a system like that of what you are looking for. As far as speakers go though, As good as the 250.00 B&Ws are (which by the way are very similar in sound to the 500.00 B&Ws) are very limiting. But in the 500-600 dollar range nothing really stands out. I did not like many that I heard. But the above system will be very good.... You can however, find a used pair of vandersteen 1c speakers for about 450.00 used. If you find a demo of them maybe 525.00 that may help...

Any other suggestions?

Don't get carried away. A nonaudiophile would be better off starting simple. The NAD Music System gives them a passable CD, a tuner, and a nice little pair of PSB Alpha Minis that they don't have to worry about placement for. All for $800. It wouldn't satisfy 99% of the folks who read this board, but that's not who you're trying to please. It's got a line input and a tape loop so it's quite expandable. (They could add a powered subwoofer, for example.) Just let them get used to something better than they've had before you start throwing esoterica at them. (And, hey, Snowball, nobody spending $1500 on a complete system should buy anything better than Radio Shack wire. Put your money where it matters.) If you want to go something better, I'd stick to NAD or Rotel electronics. As for speakers, never trust reviews, let alone newsgroup posts. Go out and listen to everything you can find and make up your own mind.

These are my picks: NAD c340 integrated amp: $320.00 from Sound City or Happy Medium Cambridge Audio D500 24/96 cd player: approx $425 Audio Research Aegis One speakers: $300 (don't be misled by the price: read the reviews, LISTEN to them - they are nothing short of phenomenal) Decent Stands: approx $100 DH Labs Silver Sonic Interconnect: $80 DH Labs Silver Sonic Speaker Cables: appprox $100. So, there you go : an honest, clean-sounding and punchy system for $1325, with money left over for what is really important - the music. Good Luck!

I'd go for either a Denon DM 10 system: great looks, although a touch bright, gorgeous looking, and pair that with B&W DM 602, or I'd buy a TEAC Reference 300, also gorgeous looking, and partner that with some of the bigger Mission speakers. Both systems are very user-friendly, real mini-systems, sound pretty good (for the money) are reliable and backed-up by companies with a reputation for good service (at least in my experience). Oh, and like Srama says, save some money for the music....