Personally, if she already has a receiver but doesn't care for it any more, I'd think she might want to stick to that sort of thing.
They do afford one a lot of flexibility.
I'd say go with an Oppo player like a 980 so she can play any disc she wishes. $175 new. I do like mine a lot.
A close out on an Onkyo HT receiver in the $400 rang or so would be really nicee
A pair of NHT, PSB, Phase Tech OR Canton speakers for 200-300. Maybe even Totem Arroe ?
Blue Jeans cables to fill out the wires.
the Oppo 980 I have connected to my Sony ES rec is a good fit.... the ES line in Sony used to be a very good line, the Onkyo is the more musical of the two IMHO, but the Sony ES has the edge over the HT aspect.
Setup is easy and once done she can just point and shoot.
The receiver option will allow the use of a tuner, the cable box, the multi format disc player, CD, DVD, TV, and about anything else she might want to add later on... sources, amps, more speakers, sub, etc.
Most of my friends equate loud with good. Big bass, big sound. Few if any care to see into the music very deeply. All of them especially the women, want a simple and easy access too, hence the one player thought.
Buying speakers used isn't especially harrowing or troublesome, especially if they're 2 way monitors, they pack and usually ship very well. Depending on the weight, a receiver too shouldn't be too much of an issue, if it has orig packing. this method could allow her to step into the HDMI class and there's little simpler than using HDMI interfaces... plus it's a help against future proofing her system.
Those itty bitty speakers can be used as surroubnds by snipping off the RCA connectors and adding some #12 spool wire... or larger. I used Vampire #8 with great results for a long time. Violin! A decent HT setup too! Well.. an HT setup anyhow.
She gets the whole magilla that way music and movies for around a grand!
They do afford one a lot of flexibility.
I'd say go with an Oppo player like a 980 so she can play any disc she wishes. $175 new. I do like mine a lot.
A close out on an Onkyo HT receiver in the $400 rang or so would be really nicee
A pair of NHT, PSB, Phase Tech OR Canton speakers for 200-300. Maybe even Totem Arroe ?
Blue Jeans cables to fill out the wires.
the Oppo 980 I have connected to my Sony ES rec is a good fit.... the ES line in Sony used to be a very good line, the Onkyo is the more musical of the two IMHO, but the Sony ES has the edge over the HT aspect.
Setup is easy and once done she can just point and shoot.
The receiver option will allow the use of a tuner, the cable box, the multi format disc player, CD, DVD, TV, and about anything else she might want to add later on... sources, amps, more speakers, sub, etc.
Most of my friends equate loud with good. Big bass, big sound. Few if any care to see into the music very deeply. All of them especially the women, want a simple and easy access too, hence the one player thought.
Buying speakers used isn't especially harrowing or troublesome, especially if they're 2 way monitors, they pack and usually ship very well. Depending on the weight, a receiver too shouldn't be too much of an issue, if it has orig packing. this method could allow her to step into the HDMI class and there's little simpler than using HDMI interfaces... plus it's a help against future proofing her system.
Those itty bitty speakers can be used as surroubnds by snipping off the RCA connectors and adding some #12 spool wire... or larger. I used Vampire #8 with great results for a long time. Violin! A decent HT setup too! Well.. an HT setup anyhow.
She gets the whole magilla that way music and movies for around a grand!