Best Budget system? $500-$750 tops

You might want to consider the active Swans offered at newegg.com

Plenty of $$ left over for your source, and cables, and stands, plus Swan quality [although they are made offshore].
A little different approach but well worth the mouse click.

Jh2os,

If you are looking for a pair of really inexpensive speakers, I see that BestBuy has the Athena AS-B1 on sale for $119/pr. right now. I just bought a pair. Out of the box they are unoffensive and show some promise. I know this line of speakers has been pretty well reviewed over the last couple of years.

So, $200 for the Sharp and a pair of decent speakers. I don't think it can be beat!

Enjoy,

TIC

I also bought a pair of the AS-B1's. Even at the price, I have to say I am disappointed in the sound.

My first quick impression was decent highs and lows, but was it missing something in the midrange? I had been using them for a week as low background in another room.

When I finally got around to comparing them side by side to my B&W DM302 ($250 retail), I quickly realized that the B&Ws sounded very balanced, and are in fact, an extremely good sounding economy speaker. The Athenas, in direct A-B comparison, sounded kind of nasal, honky and hollow.

Just my 2 cents. I wanted to like them, I had read the modest hype and they seemed to be finished nicely for the price and had nice big metal binding posts....but

(On the other hand, if you find they work well with your electronics, my pair is available. There are 3 pair currently on Agon, I'll make you an even better deal!)

Srbarnett, I felt much the same way, even though I only listened to them in BestBuy, I figured even a better set-up couldn't help these speakers. A totally unengaging sound IMO. I am enjoying the Sharp (arrived yesterday) though. I currently have it set up with my Aperion 522's, stolen from rear channel duty in the HT temporarily. I think I am going to try a pair of Totem Acoustic Dreamcatchers with it next.

Source first.
$325 EVS Millennium DAC 1
$75 some digital IC
$50 some transport, like my Marantz which was $50 used.
$50 used IC
$100 used headphone amp or DIY
$100 Grado SR 80 headphones
$75 Walker SST (a must!)
$2 commercial grade outlet
====
ca. $700

or with vinyl ...
$300 Music Hall MMF-2.1
$20 Dayton black chrome spikes (to defeat the music halls suspension)
$125 Hagerman Bugle RIAA battery powered
$100 used headphone amp or DIY
$50 IC
$100 Grado SR 80 headphones
$75 Walker SST (a must!)
$2 commercial grade outlet
===
ca. $700, less if you get these at a good price.

For non-headphones

$400 MG-0.5/QR or MMG used (or maybe Vandersteen 1C, 1B, 2Ci)
$80 Panasonic XR-25 (store demo)
$80 Whatever CD/DVD transport, probably Panasonic

But truth be told, I would just watch thrift stores, garage sales, and eBay and score some vintage gear.

Or maybe do some DIY fostex bookshelf speakers and get something like those $200 ASL wave-8s or wave-20s and something directly into the amps, like a PC, CD discman, mp3 player - everyone has something like that laying around somewhere.

The problem with this budget is how to you do SET amps at this price? You can't afford the IRON!