Nice.
Here's one I'm taking a reasonable guess on - since I haven't yet heard the speakers -

a pair of Audioengine 5's; they're powered and accept iPod input but also another input - so, say, an Oppo CD/universal player. Total cost under $500.

And since AlexO's post presumes a computer for a source, I'll adopt that approach too, and one can run the computer directly into the 5's, as another source at hand. Get an external DAC later if you want.
(or delete the Oppo, and get the DAC and/or headphones).

Here's my stab at it:

Insignia 6 1/2" Bass-Reflex Bookshelf Speakers NS-B2111 $90/pair, definite overachievers.

Harman Kardon HK3385 $200, a good amplifer section, decent phono stage and accepts iPod input, unfortunately from the iPod headphone jack. Also can be hooked up to the computer. There are cheaper options for around $100, but they won't sound as good.

Oppo DV-980H Universal DVD Player $170, plays CDs, HDCDs, SACDs, DVD-As and is a great upconverting DVD player.

You're under $500 with speaker wire and an interconnect.

Great lists!

I'll go with...

Philips Progressive Scan DVD Player w/ 1080i Upconversion, model DVP3962/37 for 42.00

Add the JBL LSR2325P 5" Bi-Amplified Two-Way Studio Monitor at 400 per pair.

Or, the Mackie MR5 at 350 a pair.

Then spend the rest on accessories to taste.

TOO EASY:

Used Rotel Integrated from the late to early 90's. (about $100-125)

One pair of NHT mid sized speakers. They've gone down for a while as NHT shut it's doors and is re-inventing itself.

The speakers are now crazy cheap. 40+% off for new, nevermind used (about $150-200)

Used NAD CD player. About $100-125.

Set of cheap stands for the speakers.... and then some mid priced wire and ..tunes!

I'be been playing with the Insignia NS-B2111 with a 25 dollar Sony DVD player as my CD playback unit.

The [url=http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Insignia&%23174%3B+-+6-1/2"+Bass-Reflex+Bookshelf+Speakers+(Pair)/7705307.p?skuId=7705307&id=1138085354138]Insignia's[/url] were marked to 60 bucks, so I'm 85 dollars in.

I used an old Yamaha amp and preamp, and, while not exacty state of the art, these babies tossed a huge image and were amazingly dynamic - they can cover alot of dynamic ground, for sure.

Picking something at retail to go with them for amplification...

Marantz PM 5003 at 549.00. With a built in MM phone pre, no less!

NAD C-315 BEE at 349 bucks.

Cambridge CA340A at 270 bucks.

How about the SONIC IMPACT - 5065 at 57 bucks, a [url=http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/home-entertainment/9c60/?cpg=froogle]T Amp Gen 2[/url] at 49.99, or the Dayton DTA-1 for 34 bucks!

[url=http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-812]This one[/url] is also intriguing at 139.00.

For todays shockingly good cheap system, I'm going with the Insignia speakers, the Sony DVD/CD, and the T Amp Gen 2...for a grand total of 135 dollars.

I'll splurge and get a pair of the Phillips after market interconnects...SWA3102S...I think rhodium plated...4 more dollars.

You could home brew your speaker wires, maybe 15 more bucks for a Walmart of Home Depot extension cord.

150 bucks and you could ROCK Stephen's listening room.

Ah, too bad the $15 Radio Shack Accurian amps are no longer available. I got two of them before they were gone, one powers my office system from the computer.

http://www.radioshack.com/pwr/product-re...-Amplifier.html

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=126730

Quote:
I
How about the SONIC IMPACT - 5065 at 57 bucks, a T Amp Gen 2 at 49.99, or the Dayton DTA-1 for 34 bucks!

This one is also intriguing at 139.00.

For todays shockingly good cheap system, I'm going with the Insignia speakers, the Sony DVD/CD, and the T Amp Gen 2...for a grand total of 135 dollars.

I'll splurge and get a pair of the Phillips after market interconnects...SWA3102S...I think rhodium plated...4 more dollars.

Which brings up a question. I started paying attention to audiophile stuff a couple of years back largely because of the arrival of 'class T' amps.

The reviews/sites I read described them as being the holy grail - dirt cheap with genuine high end sound.

So why do they remain the province of DIYers? I'm the furthest thing from an expert, but I haven't seen tripaths spread into the mass market in the way I thought they would.

By the way, I love this thread. It's exactly where I started and am now gong back to.

I'm putting together a Dayton, a pair of the Insignias, and a PS 1 as a source. Can't wait to hear it, even if it's not wonderful.

s.

Class T is a trademark of Tripath and they are responsible for lack of movement with the technology. There have been only incremental iterations of the original low-powered amps which are not enough to satisfy many power-hungry audio applications. Now digital amplifiers (Class D) have taken off with the likes of Bel Canto, PS Audio and Wyred4Sound.

Fascinating. I knew 'Class T' wasn't a real classification, but didn't know tripath (or Tripath, as it turns out) was a company.

Any idea why it's come out this way?

s.

Found this:
"SAN JOSE, Calif. February 9, 2007 -- Tripath Technology Inc. (OTCBB:TRPH) (the "Company") announced today that it has filed for protection under chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (the "Code") in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California (the "Bankruptcy Court"). The Company will ask the Bankruptcy Court to allow it to continue operating in the normal course of business as provided in the Code.

Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such statements. The risks and uncertainties include many factors. Further information regarding these and other risks and uncertainties is included in the Company's United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

About Tripath Technology Inc.

Based in San Jose, California, Tripath Technology Inc. is a fabless semiconductor company that focuses on providing highly efficient power amplification to the digital media, consumer electronics and communications markets. Tripath owns the patented technology called Digital Power Processing([R]) (DPP), which leverages modern advances in digital signal processing and power processing. Tripath markets audio amplifiers with DPP under the brand name Class-T([R]). Tripath's current customers include, but are not limited to, companies such as Alcatel, Alpine, Hitachi, JVC, Sanyo, Sharp, Sony and Toshiba. For more information on Tripath, please visit Tripath's web site at www.tripath.com."

Apparently, they have sold or licensed the T-Amp technology because these amps are still available.

I apparently misspoke because it looks like Bel Canto used the TK2350 in its EVo 200.2 amplifier. So it appears Tripath was in the high end market as a supplier of amplifier technology. I see most companies are now using the Bang & Olufsen ICEpower for high end digital amplifers. I don't know why apparently Tripath has failed and B&O ICEpower is thriving. Perhaps better more elegant technology?

As a citizen of B&O's home country I have a guess, which of course would not be more valid than any other's, as I don't know too much about these technologies. But B&O still have a solid economical base, and dealers around the globe to spread their "message". That's why I think they may have a better platform than Tripath, plus they have achieved tremendous success with the ICE-Power technology so far. Maybe someone on the forum have more knowledge about this, but this is my best guess.

Keld! The ICE units are very popular amongst the Apogee ribbon speaker cult! Fun overlap!

I cheated a little on the 500 bucks, but....

700 bucks for the Ferguson Hill FHOO7 on sale, with subwoofer. Includes a dedicated two input integrated amp - no phono pre.

25 dollar Sony DVD player.

6 bucks for "stands" and four bucks for Phillips rhodium interconnects.

This is them playing Bruce Cockburn's "Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws" CD.

I use an ICEpower amp in my studio, powering the 2nd pair of speakers I use to reference mixes (truth audio ta1p)

How do the little Ferguson's sound? The bigger guys are said to be quite nice.

The tweeter is open baffle and gives a nice sense of airiness without excess treble emphasis.

The mid seems to to have a little emphasis at its lower end - but that may be my fault and as I get the 'subwoofer' dialed in for frequency and level matching, it may work out fine.

All of it just got put in place and plugged in yesterday.

It images well, on the new Peter Gabriel "Scratch My Back" it did a good job floating Peter's voice over the 'orchestra.' That album sounds very cinematic, imaging more like it's a big screen rather than placing certain instruments in specific locations.

James McMurtry's "Live in Europe" produces a nice club/live feel.

The new Charlotte Gainsburg sounds so compressed I didn't give it enough attention to judge.

That first disc, Bruce's "Dancing..." gives specific instrumental imaging.

So, the new babies seem able to tell me what's on the disc.

The bass is surprisingly good - but I think I have it set too fat, so far!

They image best close in - I'll measure my distances, but I'd consider these close/isosceles speakers

Excellent report.

Neat looking critters.

With the missus off chaperoning a trip to Disney in Orlando, it was time to get some audio stuff done - namely, seeing if my 'spend no money' system could be listened to.

This one's for my son, whose tastes run heavily to hip-hop but who also has Monk on his iTunes playlist.

I have some more mainstream equipment set aside for him, but wanted to know just how cheap I could get and still make something satisfactory for a loved one.

Answer: lesson learned.

The speakers are the Insignias alluded to on page 1 of the thread, the NS-B2111s. They are impressive, to say the least, when you take em' out of the box. Big, solid, good posts, nice fit n' finish. I got returns to Best Buy for about $50.

The amp is one of my T amp toys - this was bought off ebay a couple weeks back for $40. It uses the same chip as the Trends Audio amp.

I forgot to bring my PS-1 home from the office, and substituted for the weekend an Oppo 980H.

First impression: on compressed pop and hip hop, not bad. As everyone else has noted, these things have a better than you'd expect soundstage, and more detail than I anticipated. Nice highs.

The amp gave me trouble though; sometimes it just wouldn't put out sound, though after a day of using it the problem seems to have gone away.

The limits come up pretty fast when you listen to something with less compression, more space in it - like 'Kind Of Blue.' "So What" just didn't sound right, though again I caught a surprising amount of detail.

Here's my favorite part: I could make it sound better than all the above, give it a much more satisfactory quality by just doing one thing...

Hooking up the Magnum-Dynalab tuner. It's the cheapest MD ever made as far as I know, and I don't get great fm reception. Still, the combination of a very good tuner, already compressed fm and the rest of the system is a winner.

So I now have the world's most ungainly clock radio, minus the clock.

s.