What cheapo system gives you great pleasure?

Timothy Smith
Timothy Smith Posts: 764
in Speakers
Just curious what inexpensive, or even cheapo, system have you put together that gives you great listening pleasure?

At least WAY beyond what you would expect, for the modest investment and components.

My current favorite is:
Advent 300 receiver (used as a preamp)
Adcom GFA-535II amp
Boston Acoustic A150 speakers
No-namo CD player
(maybe $250 invested)
Norh ACA-2B tube pre, Sumo Andromeda SS amp. Magneplanar MMG speakers, M&K MX1250 Subwoofer, Pro-Ject RM1.3 Genie TT with Sumiko Pearl MM cart., Keces DAC, Cambridge Audio Azur 640c CD player
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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,086
    Polk RTA-12B's - $225
    Yamaha RX-A1020 - $650
    MIT EXp-2's - $50
    USB Stick - $20
    FLAC Files - Varies

    Less invested than some people have in one pair of MIT speaker wires. If I heard some of the rigs on this board I wouldn't be as happy, probably, but as it stands I like it. Still need an amp.
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited August 2015
    A tough one since I have a load of vintage gear around. The current system in my sig is pretty good!

    One of my favorite "cheapos" is an HK 430, Dynaco A25s, and a '90s Sony CDP. Total cost? Don't remember but well under $200 (maybe 120+?), the Sony was $8? Those old twin power HKs are very sweet sounding even if they're only 25 watts x 2. I also sometimes throw a little vinyl on that with an old Realistic mid-level table and its original Shure cart that cost me next to nothing. I call this my effortless system because it's like melting butter-not the greatest resolution or detail, but it takes you to a peaceful place.

    Also like those B.A. A series speakers (have a some A200s on a NAD and NAK. pre, but I wouldn't call that system cheap even though it did not set me back that much).
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    'Cheapo' is a relative term, but for something currently in use it would be the work system; iPod Classic, Wadia 171 iTransport dock, Benchmark DAC1, and Sennheiser 650 headphones.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
    Mine: about 7k more gear and I will be good.
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  • Mikey081057
    Mikey081057 Posts: 7,127
    Marantz 2252B, Polk monitor 5b's old hp laptop Audioquest dragonfly usb dac.
    My New Year's resolution is 3840 × 2160

    Family Room| Marantz AV7704| Usher Dancer Mini - 2 DMD Mains |Usher Dancer Mini-x DMD's Surrounds | Usher BE-616 DMD Center | SVS Ultra Rear Surrounds | Parasound Halo A21 | Parsound Halo A52+ | MIT Shotgun S3's | Dual SVS SB 4000 Ultras | Oppo UDP 203 | Directv Genie HD DVR | Samsung 75" Q8 QLED | PSAudio Stellar GCD | Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ | Lumin U1 Mini | HP Elite Slice PC | ROON'd for life |

    ManCave: HT:Polk LSiM 706VR3 LSiM 703's LSiM 702's|| Marantz AV7002 AV PrePro Sunfire TGA-7401| Sony PS4 Pro| Sony PS4 Pro|SVS PB13 Ultra| Oppo UDP 203 | Music Hall MMF 5.3se TT w/ Soundsmith Carmen | Samsung 55" SUHD TV | Sony PS4

    Patio | Polk Atrium 8's | Yamaha R-N303BL |

    Office BlueSound Node| KEF LS50 | Peactree Nova 125SE |

    Bedroom | Focal 905's | Chromecast Audio |

    Garage | Polk Monitor 5B's

    Closet Yamaha M80 | 2 Polk MP3K subs| Yaqin MC100B with Shuguang Treasures KT 88's & CV181Z's | Tesla E83CC's | Marantz 2252B | Marantz 2385 |Polk SDA SRS 2.3 | LSiM 705's |
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  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,774
    Hitmaster connected to ipod around the campfire. Doesn't get any better...

    8m11ekhxlj6v.jpg
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 1,394
    Such a loaded question. I would have to say this.e0orldpzf6vr.jpg

    A solid 50% of setups I have heard were ear piercing. So this easily beats it. The next 49.99% I heard I could not afford.

    Halen
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  • aprazer402
    aprazer402 Posts: 3,149
    Pioneer SX-780 receiver
    Pioneer PD-M40. CD-1987
    Technics SL-5200 turntable
    Onkyo Integra SL-2500 cassette deck
    Polk Audio Monitor 7 with Peerless tweeters
    Total cost used was right around $200.00.
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  • aprazer402
    aprazer402 Posts: 3,149
    Harmon Kardon 490i receiver
    Pioneer PL-550 turntable
    Sansui D770R cassette deck
    Magnavox FD-2040 CD player 1984 (built like a tank, this thing will not give up.)
    Polk Audio Monitor 5jr+ series ll

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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,092
    These are 2 of my favorite cheapo systems I had a while back in the garage:
    rg0b9fw439ui.jpg

    xbbkezujxm5u.jpg

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  • aprazer402
    aprazer402 Posts: 3,149
    Technics SA-500 receiver
    Technics SL-Q2 turntable
    JVC KD-V6 cassette deck
    Pioneer PD-M610 CD - 1989
    Polk Audio SDA-CRS+
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  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
    aprazer402 wrote: »
    Technics SA-500 receiver
    Technics SL-Q2 turntable
    JVC KD-V6 cassette deck
    Pioneer PD-M610 CD - 1989
    Polk Audio SDA-CRS+
    Your garage is nicer than my living room!
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  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
    Mine has bats and lizards
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    2 TL3's hooked up to my pc connected to a 36wpc Cambridge Soundworks sub/amp.
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • David7544
    David7544 Posts: 52
    Polk rti4's stand-mounted sound unbelievably good. I brought home a pair of B&W 685's thinking they would be an improvement. They weren't. I listened to them for two days and took them back. The highs sounded harsh compared to the rti4's. Maybe it's just whatever you're used to.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,197
    HCT HMS-100 (Dared MP-5 clone) 15 wpc, tube hybrid integrated amp
    Keces Dac-131 USB dac
    Polk Audio 5B's (x-over mods and RDO tweets)
    MIT Terminator 2 I/C's; homemade Canare 4S10 speaker cables
    Media Monkey computer audio player
    FLAC files ripped bit perfect with Db Power amp.

    Sounds way better than it should, always amazes me the fidelity from such a modest system.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,124
    o48r2u1q8jai.jpg

    Portable the Polk bluetooth speakers were purchased at 50% off so we're the headphones friends and family the Urchin and the Swimmer sound very nice the JD Labs headphone amp along with the Buckles all of these bring me much pleasure and wasn't a lot of coin. I also have a pair of 301s hooked up to a Technics integrated and a Technics CD player .
    Home Theater
    Parasound Halo A 31 OnkyoTX-NR838 Sony XBR55X850B 55" 4K RtiA9 Fronts CsiA6 Center RtiA3 Rears FxiA6 Side Surrounds Dual Psw 111's Oppo 105D Signal Ultra Speaker Cables & IC's Signal Magic Power Cable Technics SL Q300 Panamax MR4300 Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables Audioquest Forest USB Cable

    2 Channel
    Adcom 555II Vincent SA-T1 Marantz SA 15S2 Denon DR-M11 Clearaudio Bluemotion SDA 2.3tl's (Z) edition MIT Terminator II Speaker Cables & IC's Adcom 545II Adcom Gtp-450 Marantz CD5004 Technics M245X SDA 2B's, SDA CRS+

    Stuff for the Head
    JD LABS C5 Headphone Amplifier, Sennheiser HD 598, Polk Audio Buckle, Polk Audio Hinge, Velodyne vPulse, Bose IE2, Sennheiser CX 200 Street II, Sennheiser MX 365

    Shower & Off the beaten path Rigs
    Polk Audio Boom Swimmer, Polk Audio Urchin B)
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  • polkfarmboy
    polkfarmboy Posts: 5,703
    I would have to say my yaqin mc10l, polk rti8 with a marantz dv4003 for spinning cds. It was warm bassy andtamed down thetweeters. People that listened too it were in love and it wasall for $950.
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  • jeremymarcinko
    jeremymarcinko Posts: 3,785
    My stereo in the den, blows every one away that comes in the house. It just served as background but it is so clear and dynamic that it gets a lot of comments. Under a grand in that system including the tt. The Onkyo integrated and fluance bookies make a great pair.
    Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant
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  • jimithng23
    jimithng23 Posts: 48
    I have maybe $300 invested in the garage setup:

    Sansui AU-555a integrated
    Polk Monitor 40s with Peerless tweets
    Some old Sony 5-disc progressive scan DVD player

    Surprised the neighbors haven't called the cops on me yet. That little Sansui punches way above its weight.
    Jeff Rowland CAPRI | Yamaha RX-V3800 | Jeff Rowland Model 6 Mono Blocs | Technics SL1200 MKII | Shure V15VxMR w/ JICO Stylus | Sony SCD-XA5400ES | Monster HTS 2600 | Polk Audio LSi 15 w/VR3 Fortress Mod | REL T/9 x2
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  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    My Mc100b with Monitor 10's and A Marantz 5004 CD player makes some sweet music!
    2 ch- Polk CRS+ * Vincent SA-31MK Preamp * Vincent Sp-331 Amp * Marantz SA8005 SACD * Project Xperience Classic TT * Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC cartridge

    HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD
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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,086
    jimithng23 wrote: »
    Polk Monitor 40s with Peerless tweets

    Say what?
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • jimithng23
    jimithng23 Posts: 48
    Nightfall wrote: »
    jimithng23 wrote: »
    Polk Monitor 40s with Peerless tweets

    Say what?

    Typo!

    Monitor 10s.

    ;-)
    Jeff Rowland CAPRI | Yamaha RX-V3800 | Jeff Rowland Model 6 Mono Blocs | Technics SL1200 MKII | Shure V15VxMR w/ JICO Stylus | Sony SCD-XA5400ES | Monster HTS 2600 | Polk Audio LSi 15 w/VR3 Fortress Mod | REL T/9 x2
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  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,774
    You guys idea of cheapo and mine differ by a bunco lol...
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  • deronb1
    deronb1 Posts: 5,021
    My main rig now! Rimshot!
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  • boston1450
    boston1450 Posts: 7,658
    edited August 2015
    The cheapest system i have & listening to right now is this
    ..
    Sansui Model 8 = 25.00
    Redid cabinet since
    Advent 1 speakers = 27.00
    after i put new surrounds in & new binding post 7l3k8i7ajrzl.jpg
    mgu3ym48byrf.jpg71fezve5gxqh.jpg
    Soon to be (project in progress) ADS Model 500 in one room & B7's in weight room hooked to the Sansui
    ..
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,907
    cheapo to me = dump find.
    I'll give some thought to the best sounding dump find collection of hardware here & get back to you all anon.

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,907
    You might disagree if you heard some of 'em.
    For example, the Allison One loudspeakers.

    but, of course, I see your point.
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited August 2015
    boston1450 wrote: »
    The cheapest system i have & listening to right now is this
    ..
    Sansui Model 8 = 25.00
    Redid cabinet since
    Advent 1 speakers = 27.00
    after i put new surrounds in & new binding post 7l3k8i7ajrzl.jpg
    mgu3ym48byrf.jpg71fezve5gxqh.jpg
    Soon to be (project in progress) ADS Model 500 in one room & B7's in weight room hooked to the Sansui

    Now you're talking my language! Great value. Of course, Mark will piece together something amazing that fell into his lap for far less, dare I say nothing! lol

    Can't wait to see it!

    And of course it's all relative unless you're really cheap, which some of us are, in which case free or next to nothing is good.

    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 10,018
    mhardy, did you find Alison One's at the dump? Remarkable to say the least. My college roommate bought a pair new and still has them, mint. He currently uses them as surrounds in a very high end system with Salks, etc. and they sound awesome. Very desireable and command high prices. Heck, the grills bring top buck.
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