Good Stuff Cheap

I've seen several used Counterpoint amps in that range. That's a great buy if the mosfets are still working. Insert some older Mullards or other NOS tubes, and they can be very nice. The Pioneer Elite DV05 DVD players are selling for $400 or less used...they have excellent video and decent, musical audio (definitely better than most cheap CD players). I have a Studer A727 CD player that I bought for $250 about five years ago, and I still like it better than any player I've owned since (including a Denon 2650(?), Rega Planet, and Pioneer DV05). It's their old pro model from the late 80s or early 90s, and I'm sure it cost $3000-$4000 new. It's built like a tank, and has a very warm sound (much like a more refined Revox B226, with better parts, better bass, etc). I'm assume a new $2000 plus CD player would sound much better, but I haven't compared any yet. The used Revox B226 often sell for $200-$300 used, and I'm sure they're still much better than any new, similarly priced CD players.

Marantz 4240 4-channel amp, around $ 250 used. Killer.
This amp, a cheap table, medium cartridge and any four speakers is like Shaq w/any four players - a real team.

Haffler DH-500 255/ch for <$500 used.

Dahlquist DQ-10's, w/new driver surrounds or mylar caps.. They need juice though, so probably the Haffler at 255/ch is a good bargain match.

Music Hall turntables. Not bad for the buck, even new.

Ah!Tjoeb CD Players. Tubes added to a basic Marantz chassis that come up used for $ 300 to 400.

Jolida - any of their amps or cdplayer are tube bargains.

ELAD Morrison preamp - a clean, neutral solid state line stage, Class A sound for $ $ 700 to $ 800 new, should go $ 500 used if you can ever find one!
Houston GFP power amps (demo's about 5-600) is a great 60w tube amp with some features missing on the high-end spread.

Apt Holman Preamp - not the best in every regard, but an adjustable phono stage second to none anywhere near this cost. I have seen them for a couple of hundred used. Worth it just for the phono stage.

Cable bargains besides Tributary - Kimber 4TC or 8TC(used)
and Harmonic Tech(used) come to mind.

Spica TC-50 - modest bass but otherwise incredible if you can find some used. My sister has these and has kept them for over ten years. Buy a sub if you must, but they are magical all by themselves. Stands a must.

Allison One - used around $ 300. Unconventional classic that may overcome some room issues with its shape.

Hartley Zodiacs - $ 250/pr new (in '75)/used__?/ 10" 2-way bass reflex cabinets, around 33" that put most modern speakers to shame for smoothness, dynamics, etc. Wish like hell I still had them! What was I thinking!

Phillips GA212 turntable. New $ 250 in '75. 'Semi-automatic',(it stops at the end of the LP - that's it)
and was just a hair worse than the Connoisseur table it lost out to. Likes Shure Type III's or better, but tracks very well, and is gorgeous to boot. Another loss.

Bunsen Burner - to pre-heat your tubes.
Large bags of flour or rice - to reduce unwanted refractions
and dampen vibrations. Put on floor near equipment. Caution -Low SAF. Duh!
Zildjian or Paiste High Hat/Splash cymbals - will add that missing shimmer to your high end. :)

Nice post Prs123. I have owned the Hafler and the Philips and lived off and on with the Allisons for almost a year. Have to agree with you on these three, even down to the cartridge on the 212.

prs123 i agree with dekay - nice post. i have to disagree with the morrison elad recommendation though. i had one and didn't like it at all. i did an a/b with several preamps in its price range (used) and it was the loser just about every time. most notably it got stomped by an arc sp7 (ss full service preamp from the early 80s) although tied the overrated arc sp9 mkII. the morrison also has only two inputs. mine was numbered 350 or so and it was made about 5 months ago...so there aren't that many around. i've been seeing an unusual number of these for sale lately everyhwere i look on; audioshopper, audioreview, global audio mart... i can only assume the owners came to the same conclusion as i did. dont believe the posts at audioreview. i believe there is a reason for the exaggerated stats that i wont get into here.

speaking of the arc sp7 i think this is a great bargin (although hard to find). i sold mine for $250. stupid.

i also recommend www.space-tech-lab.com for amazing bargains on tube preamps. at home i did an a/b with their lowest end model ($300) and the morrison and it wasn't a contest - all 5 picked the space-tech.

forgot to add acoustats on the menu. model 3s go for $400-$1000 used and are astonishing. they're big and extremely hard to ship so people sell them to locals for cheap.