I need your advice on system for a non-audiophile


While I am sure this type of thread may have been posted before, I'd really like your input on this. At the risk of sounding like an out of touch audiophile, I simply have been away from the lower end market (e.g., the Best Buy scene for audio) for so long that I really don't know if I can be of help to a work colleague who asked for my help in buying a new "stereo."

My colleague told me she has a "crappy Sony system" that really doesn't sound that good and would like my suggestion for buying something new. I suspect its an older cheap rack-type all Sony system. She tells me it has "5 tiny little speakers."

I asked her to tell what three things are most important to her in this new system and here is her reply:

1. Sound quality that is clear

2. Not small system, but not too large. My house is really small so I don't' want a system that takes up all of my free space (she has seen my 300 pound Rockports and triple wide loaded SRA rack so she may be thinking about that when she worries about a system taking up all of her "free space.")

3. Price, between $700 - $1,000 if possible.

Any suggestions? Thanks
fmpnd

Showing 2 responses by rcprince

I like Tpreaves' suggestion; I had not realized you could get the Image speakers for so low, otherwise I would have suggested the Alphas or Betas from PSB. Only other brand at the entry level I'd suggest would be Marantz, and you might want to get a receiver rather than an integrated, if your friend is in an area where a tuner would be useful.
One thing you could do, if there's one around that you trust, is take her to a brick and mortar dealer that has some entry-level components like the ones mentioned above. That way, you can let her hear for herself and determine if that's the sound she likes. I have done that with quite a few non-audiophile friends in the past, and all of them are still quite happy with their systems 10 years later. The key to this is a dealer that you trust; I'm fortunate enough to have a few in the area that meet that criterion.