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A new Arcam item that has a CD player and amplifier in one unit for around $1500 or so sounds like a good deal to me.
Readers often complain that high-end audio products are priced too high for the typical enthusiast to afford. But good audiophile gear does exist. In your opinion, what's the best audio deal out there?
Two things: 1) The Yamaha M-35 amp. You have to find one used, but they are small, light, cheap, and sound great. Mine replaced a $1200 tube amp in my system. 2) Realistic Minimus-7 speakers. Again, small, light, cheap, and sound great (for what they are). Bought mine at a garage sale for $10. Every audiophile should have both of these.
1) Simple musical compressor (LA-2A) for car stereos and ipods (possibly home) so classical and acoustic music can be enjoyed away from "perfect" room. 2) Decibel limiting software for iPods. 3) 24 bit music, I don't care what format, just give it to me!
The Wharfedale Diamond 8.1. (No, not the 9.1.) The 8.1 produces excellent sound for peanuts. Some may say that the bass isn't that low and that the speaker isn't that resolving. But at that price, it's the best you'll EVER get!
DIY tube amplifiers are great bargains. There are many examples from Bottlehead (Foreplay & Paramour), Diy HiFi Supply (Joplin, Billie, Basie), Welborne Labs (DRD amps), and others. Audio Note even has kits, but they are pricey just like their finished gear. Most of these kits are not that difficult to assemble and provide you with hand assembled, point-to-point wired, single ended triode amplification at about half of what a similar quality unit would cost assembled, plus you learn a lot about amplification, electronics and what makes good sound. That is a bargain. It is, however, an entry level pathway into the addiction of tweaking.
Any of the demo deals on the Musical Fidelity A3.2cr power amp. If you can get by on 150 or so watts, I just don't think you can get better sound for less than 10 grand and up. I have heard MANY very expensive amplifiers in my system, and this one does the job as well as any of them, within its power limitations. And you can pick one up for around $1500-$1700 at various demo sales. It is the only cheap solid-state amp I know of that can fill the room behind and around the speakers, and layer the rows of a symphony orchestra as they appear to the microphone. Great deal. Spend the money saved on a great preamp and you're in business.