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Really Inexpensive Systems That Sounded Great?

I think there is a big difference between "cheap" and inexpensive. I have blown money on "cheap" cables and immediately regretted it when my ears started bleeding from the brightness in my digital components. I also don’t mean "bargains" like the time I scored $2000 speakers for $200 on Craigslist, that is basically luck.

I am talking about inexpensive (less than $1500) for a system that sounded really great to you.

I fell into a whole house audio system from DTS Play-Fi because I wanted to try and compare different brands. I picked up Play-Fi amps, preamps and active speakers made by Polk, Paradigm, Klipsch, Onkyo and DefTech all for less than $1000 a pop. For what it is, whole house audio/casual listening it sounds great.

What inexpensive great sounding systems have you tried?

 

kota1
kota1 OP
2,706 posts
 

Welcome to the forum @syd7865 , how do you like the shitt tube pre?

redhouse6
8 posts
 

I use a Nakamichi Soundscape 5 in my office. It sounds surprisingly good. Selling for $100 - 200 on eBay 

chumsusi's avatar
chumsusi
26 posts
 

My system consists of a Rotel RCD 971, Muzishare X7 with upgraded Jupiter Copper Foil Caps, modified ProAc 1mkii speakers (more like DIY speakers), Van den hul D102 mkiii cables, Linn k400 speaker cables and Shunyata Venom 3 power cables. Many of them were bought used and total system cost me about $3,000. I have had this system for the longest time and up till this point don’t have an upgrade itch.

 

Oh. And a few DIY acoustic panels that cost me a couple hundred bucks.

Happy listening!

syd7865
24 posts
 

Thank you Kota1,

Schitt freya+ is wonderful preamp for the money. transparent, detailed sound w/o much noise. 

I have 6^N7 tubes in operation,;preamp  is highly rated in reviews.

allenf1963
338 posts
 

I recently put together a 4th listening area in my home, due to the fact I had picked up a couple of pieces of new, inexpensive gear, and I was tired of the boxes remaining unopened.  Since November when I undertook this project, that system has received the majority of my listening pleasure because it just sounds so damn good -- or maybe it's the newness and my excitement of bringing a pair of my older speakers into use.  Whatever the reason, this inexpensive project punches way above its price-point.  The goods:

 

Polk Audio Monitor 10 speakers I bought new in 1987, still in mint condition

Boyuurange Reisong  A10 EL34 Tube Integrated Amp (tubes upgraded through Brent Jessie) bought in 2020 and just unboxed

Bluesound Node bought in 2022 utilizing Tidal

Fluance RT-85 Turntable bought in 2019 and just unboxed

Interconnects by Monster Cable bought almost 20 years ago and DIY Speaker Wire with 12 gauge wire and Gold Spade connects just purchased

 

I had forgotten how much I enjoyed listening to those Polk Audio's.  I know Polk is a "4 letter word" (not in the good way) to many in this Forum...but I love them and that's all that matters in my home.

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