I agree completely with freediver's recommendation of the Peachtree Audio deepblue2. I bought one for my daughter to replace the first system I got her, a Pioneer Elite amp, DVD/CD player and Usher 520 speakers. She and her husband wanted a simpler setup because their toddler was beginning to twist knobs and bounce off speaker stands and they, like your niece, were listening mostly to music from their iphones and ipads.
The sound of the deepblue2 is remarkable, I haven't heard anything better at anywhere near the price. The engineering and ergonomics are great and the simplicity and versatility sound like a perfect match for someone like your niece. For a young person who might be changing locations for a few years the ability to pick it up and move it so easily is a real advantage, and its size makes it easy to fit in almost any living space.
I was so impressed with it that I recommended it to some friends who seldom used their conventional system because it was stashed away in a cabinet and, like many other people, the easy access to music on a phone or tablet meant they simply weren't playing CDs anymore. Best part is, the deepblue2 sounds much better than their old system.
My advice would be to spend the same amount of money you were planning on but spend it on a deepblue2 and an iPad. She'll thank you.
The sound of the deepblue2 is remarkable, I haven't heard anything better at anywhere near the price. The engineering and ergonomics are great and the simplicity and versatility sound like a perfect match for someone like your niece. For a young person who might be changing locations for a few years the ability to pick it up and move it so easily is a real advantage, and its size makes it easy to fit in almost any living space.
I was so impressed with it that I recommended it to some friends who seldom used their conventional system because it was stashed away in a cabinet and, like many other people, the easy access to music on a phone or tablet meant they simply weren't playing CDs anymore. Best part is, the deepblue2 sounds much better than their old system.
My advice would be to spend the same amount of money you were planning on but spend it on a deepblue2 and an iPad. She'll thank you.