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Extremely budget minded system for under $500.00 ?

I am helping a friend look for a system to start in. Any suggestions for a $500.00 limit budget? Speakers, receiver and cd player, or all in one unit. I know that for most of us the ultimate is something we srive for (and the cost sometimes exceeds our initial expectations) but this is a serious question and may I add, a challenging one. The $500.00 is maybe even pushing it. I would appreciate some help on this one. Thanks
proclaim123

Showing 2 responses by duane

duane
189 posts
 
I would look at the Energy XL-150's or the newer C-10 speakers. Used should be around $120. (Paradigm Titans would be a second choice) Use Audioquest F-14 speaker cable. I have some used for .50 cents a foot. Solid core cable.
Find a used Onkyo TX-8211 receiver. Maybe $200. and find an older Magnivox CD player that has the #4 transport in it. Every year for an 8 year run you could get 1 Magnivox that had that transport. (or Phillips) Try to find one that has been modified and/or call repair places where one was fixed and the customer didn't pick it up.
Also an older Arcam or Rotel player is good.

Even though people think that the Digital part of our industry moves fast, in reality, a lot of the older and nicer CD players blow away the new entry level players.

Get a used pair of Audioquest Topaz interconnects to finish it up.
duane
189 posts
 
Good basic cables, even older ones do make a big difference. I loaned some Audioquest IC's and speaker cable to a guy that had a Kenwood rack system a few years back and the $70 worth of cables I loaned him doubled his sound quality.

He got too excited though and decided to spend $400 on cables and his system wasn't up to it so it only sounded 10% better than the $70 cable package.
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