What is your favorite budget audio component?

After thinking this over, I have forgotten my favorite cheap upgrade is this: 

My room was a little bit "hot" so I purchased a 5' X  9' rug. Using a couple of carpet tack strips which I nailed to the wall and into studs, I was able to hang the rug from the tack strip. Not only did it greatly improve the sound but the rug adds a good look to the room. 

I am a dealer for carpet tack strip so don't buy them from Lowes I can sell them to at a greatly marked up price. 

Jim
Dealer of the decade.

Already been mentioned but if we stick to sub $1000, just has to include Bluesound Vault 2( $999 new open box) and Oppo 105d, most versatile cost effective shiny disc spinner in existence...imho.

But my biggest steal was a nearly new Exogal Comet Plus, list $2995, for a paltry $1000 even! How could I not buy it!

My favorite unit was a Onkyo T-4711  AM/FM Stereo tuner I bought new at the old Circuit City store back in 96'  It's retail price was at the time $600.00 but I got it new for $159.99, as a matter of fact I bought three of them, two gold, and one black unit all for the same price because I have three systems and I wanted a decent tuner for background music when working on something. All three are now working for 21 years and not one ever had a problem. This is a great tuner and one I'm never letting go of.

DSpeaker Antimode 8033 dsp room eq for subwoofers.

My favorite budget component is a crown DC150 A series II I got in trade for labor.  I removed a woofer and reconed it for my church. I cleaned up the old Leslie and made sure the belts and lube were good.  They had a slightly used DC 150 II sitting around.  I asked how much? They said free!  It is not being used, we know you will use it.  You can get them for about $300.00 bucks.  The 45 year old sounds great with lots of kick and power, clean good low end, bright highs, detail and good for a small townhome. Not at all esoteric.   And it still specs at 94 RMS L and 93 RMS R, into am 8 ohm load before starting to clip.  (90W claimed when new.)Not bad for that age!  The Electrolitics tested good too!  Amazing great old time build quality?  You did say budget, I say its great for me! (Not wealthy)