Vacation Home System

NAD's L53 is an all-in-one receiver/DVD/CD player that performs well with music and movies. It sells for around $600 new but you can find refurbished units for less than $450.

http://nadelectronics.com/products/hifi-receivers/L53-DVD/CD-Receiver

As for speakers, PSB Alpha series would be an excellent choice and, even with wires and stands, you will be well under your $1000 total budget, even if you opt for towers.

http://www.psbspeakers.com/series.php?sId=4

Or, if space is a consideration, I highly...highly...recommend the Orb Audio sub/sat system, which gives full-range performance and looks fantastic. American made, too.

http://www.orbaudio.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=16

I have to admit, the Bose Acoustimass 3 and 5 aren't terrible either but the Orb system is a true audiophile speaker system for only about $100 and change more than the Orbs.

Here is my budget system in our second home at the lake:

Magnepan MMG (found at Goodwill in mint condion for $35 - pure luck)

NAD 80w/ch Receiver from the 1980s (eBay for $120)

Rotel RCD970 CD player (eBay)

Cables? The ones that I don't use anymore on the main system. (AQ type-4 speaker cable, can't remember what interconnect).

Whole system is well under $500 and is very listenable.

Monitor Audio RS6 used, Rotel separates used.

Just bought my niece a system on eBay for under $500 that consists of: Kyocera DA-610 CD player, Kyocera R-451 tuner/amp (actually a receiver but they call it a "tuner/amp"), small Mirage monitors on Target stands, Speltz anticables, and Mapleshade Golden Helix speaker cables. This system is really beautiful looking (I used to own Kyocera stuff back in the 80's and have always loved it) and sounds amazing, esp considering the CD player cost me $34 and the receiver $65.

Thanks one and all! I am now armed with some great ideas. Let the search begin! BTW-Maggies, NAD and Rotel were under consideration. Now I can look at Kyocera, Orbs and Mirage as well. Thanks again!