What are/were the best sounding cheap components you have ever had?

KEF Corelli speakers knocked me out of the park when I wandered into a high end joint and listened to them after auditioning mediocre speakers at a Pacific Stereo. Was it at Northridge Audio? Anyway, it re-lit the high-end spark I got from my father when I was a kid. The spark hasn't faded since.

Ocean Digital WR 10 Digital Tuner.

I bought it to dip my toe into the world of Internet Radio.

It was becoming impossible to get even a clean mono signal from WQXR in NYC ( yes it's a shitty 710 watt classical station) But there was a time when my Magnum Dynalab could receive it in Stereo BUT with all the new hi-rise construction in lower Manhattan those days were long gone....

I was told by one of the former repair techs from Stereo Exchange to just get  an internet based unit.

I didn't want to spend a lot so I went for the WR 10 based on reviews.

WOW it's a great little unit.

Mind you I'm just using it to  stream classical music ( Easy Classic French in this case) for background BUT WOW!

I replaced the wall wart with a $50 dollar IFI power supply,added a Monarchy DIP and have it running into my Kora Tube DAC - and it sounds AMAZING ...

The unit was under $150 bucks, the power supply another 50 and a used Monarchy DIP   $200 bucks. Another maybe 150 bucks for digital cables, which you would need in any case and you have a little world beater.
 

It sounds ridiculously good!

 Pair it with a a set of self powered speakers and it would be a fabulous, desk top, 2nd bedroom, work room sound system.  

Well, in 1975 I bought a friend's 100 album rock vinyl collection for $10.  Paired with a Shure V15-III.  Great sound for a pittance.

 More recently I picked up a Qudelix 5k USB headphone amp/dac/dsp.  Shockingly good for $100.

The NuForce STA-200 was a nice inexpensive amp that audio advisor sold for around $500.00.

KLH stereo clock radio purchased in ‘82. Walnut cabinets( main unit had one speaker & then a separate speaker) & sounded really good. Obviously not extended at either end but very smooth & listenable. It was $200 which was a lot for a clock radio then but had it for over 30 years until I gave it to a friend to enjoy.