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A beginner audio system should have no weak links(cables etc.). This shows the person the importance of quality and not quantity.

Amplification from Marantz and speakers by Tannoy.

Start with B&W CDM1 speakers, and a good integrated receiver.

A decent AV receiver ($500) A decent speaker package($5-600) A DVD Player Could update as taste and budget allow.

For just starters a Rotel cd971, adcom or rotel or parasound amp, Martin Logan or NHT or Snell speakers, and basic monster cable should do it. In the past I've been able to approach it for less using Nak, Denon and Snell.

I'd recommend spending no more than $1000 and spending more time getting to love music. Better hi-fi doesn't lead to a greater love of music, merely a greater interest in gadgets.

I had this same dilemma when I got my first audio system six years ago: Creek integrated amp, Vandersteen 1Bs, Audio Alchemy CD player, Theta Cobalt D/A or similar, good interconnects. This was a very musical system which I enjoyed for many years, till I could afford a bigger system.

If you just want to play CDs, it's hard to spend more than $1000 and clearly get your money's worth.

If a beginner buys the Etymotic ER4S ($330) or the Sennheiser HD600 ($340) and also the Denon DCM-370 HDCD player ($250), they'll get an excellent taste of what's possible with more spacious, full-scale speakers/amp/preamp. Total cost: $600, with most of the fidelity of a $6000 system.

Modern equipment has become so good that truly excellent sound is available for less than $1000

First off, I'd recommend used equipment because the value is so much better (at 40–60% of list). I think you could put together a very nice system for $2–3k using a good basic CD player (or DVD, ugh), an integrated amp, and a very good pair of modest loudspeakers (e.g., NHT, B&W, Magnepan, PSB, Paradigm, Spendor). I wouldn't go hog wild on wire for this system, say $200 or so.

I don't think it can be done for less than $1000, but with some careful shopping $1500 can create wonders.

A starter system should include speakers, a sub, integrated amp, and cd player. 1500 should be spent on the speakers and sub and ~700 on the amp and ~500 for the Cd player

$800 Sony SACD player, whenever it becomes available. B&W CDM1 SE speakers and the rest for stands, cables, and an integrated amp. This would definitely be a starter system, but could be taken pretty far with cable, stand, and amp upgrades.

B&W DM602S2, NAD C340 and NAD C540 make an excellent little combo!

My system; NAD C520 CD player, NAD C340 integrated amp, Paradigm minimonitor speakers, AudioQuest cables and sorbothane feet, Target rack and speaker stands, Adcom AC line conditioner. Non-audiophile friends (the only kind I have) and spouse's friends are constantly amazed but put off by the cost (if purchased all at once, $1600–$1700, by my estimate). It's bargain basement by audiophile standards. Well worth the hours of enjoyment I receive every week. An aside: Music should also be recommended. Well-recorded discs sound great, but the system does nothing for dynamically compressed pop music.

A pair of Magnepan MMGs ($500), a JoLida 1501 hybrid integrated or 302 tube integrated, and a Tjoeb or JoLida 603 tube CDP (about $500) for a taste of tubes and planar magic. Or a Creek 4330, AE Aegis speakers, and a Rega Planet for about the same price for a taste of SS magic. Either one will give the listener sheer musical bliss without breaking the bank. Of course, if they're willing to go used, they can do it for less, or get better equipment.

Arcam Alpha 9 Bryston integrated Paradigm Ref minis

Magnepan MMGs. I bought my first set to replace a pair of 12" Pioneers, and even with my Sony reciever and CD player, I got awesome sound. Now that the Sony stuff has been retired in favor of some decent used tube gear, my total investment is under $2000 and it sounds 10 times better. But the little Maggies started it all.

When you need to check the pricetag, everything is just upper-midFi

The problem here is in getting someone to invest enough so that the sonic benefit over a packaged or lifestyle system is totally obvious—but not so expensive as to put them off. You could get a good CD-based system for $3000, about $1000 each for CD/amp/speakers.

Rega Planet CD player, Don Morrison ELAD preamp, Fabfare FTA100 AM/FM tuner, Jamo Concert 11 speakers, Copland amp

I recently spent $800 on audio cables. They make a big difference in the sound on moderate systems such as mine.

$2k will just gain you a foothold in the doorway of audio nirvana. I have a second system comprising Paradigm Ref Studio 20s, a Rega Mira integrated, and an NAD CD player, hooked up with TARA Labs Prism 22 and Kimber speaker cable. This system is musical, plays damn loud when needed, and is good for movie soundtracks through the VCR as well. Some days I think it sounds better than my 15-grand rig. But that's probably just the bargain boy in me reacting to value for money.

$2000 or less, maybe much less. I got my first real stereo rig in 1986 for less than $1000, buying all components brand new...45W Harmon Kardon receiver, B&W DM110s, way-too-bouncy featherweight Dual turntable, Onkyo dual cassette, and of course, Monster Cable! Nowadays a person can assemble a very fun system for $1000 or so, good cabling included, especially buying the amplification used rather than new--if not used entry-level separates, then an integrated amp or an old heavyweight receiver (Marantz, Pioneer, etc.). Then if one is satisfied with that and doesn't want to buy anything fancier, s/he's well set, and if one begins to want something better, there's plenty of time to listen and learn in peparation. And we self-appointed audio experts can pass along to our friends the fine art of cheapo room tuning with everyday objects and inexpensive materials. Yes, I occasionally use and enjoy the old receiver and DM110s, and I still use the Onkyo tape deck with my big stereo to make tapes to listen to in the car.

I think you can get high-end sound (for a small to medium-sized room) from a system comprising $1000 speakers (B&W, Dynaudio, etc.), a $1000 intergrated amp (Adcom, Rotel, etc.), and a $700 CD player (Arcom, Rotel, etc.). Add $300 for cables and you have the beginings of a hi-fidelity system that can upgraded for years as money allows. Add another $1000 and you can go separates on the amp and preamp.

htb

Speakers: inexpensive but good minimonitors like B&W DM302s ($300). Can upgrade later and use minimonitors in the den or for surrounds. Good speakers remain good speakers, so this is a good place to make an investment, but the quality and price of some minimonitors make speakers a good place to save money. Will need stands ($100). I'm a dedicated separates guy. Though costly, the quality is generally better and there's more flexibility. Amp: At least 100Wpc of decent quality; e.g., Sonograph SA250 ($1200). Will make speakers sound better, powerful enough to deliver solid transients, and won't need to be upgraded later when the speakers are upgraded. Amps don't become obsolete the way CD players and receivers do, so this is a good place to make an investment in quality. Preamp: Good preamp either with or without surround, depending on purpose. The Adcom GFP-750 is hard to beat at $1250. Be careful of spending too much and then wanting to add surround or have the surround formats change. CD Player: If the signal isn't available from the source, nothing downstream can get it back. However, this is a good place to save money, as formats and technology are changing. Rega CD at $800 is a good candidate, but I'd be willing to spend even less and upgrade later. This is not the place to make an investment. Cables: Decent cables but nothing outrageous; e.g., AudioQuest Jade and Type 4. A total of $200 should cover interconnects and speaker cable. Leave the speaker cable unterminated (use bare wire ends) to save $50–$75. At $3750, this system is expensive for a starter system. A decent system with an integrated amp can be had for $1500–$2000. However, this system is quite nice and, with a speaker upgrade ($2000 and up), is solidly high-end and will remain so well into the future. For example, if you decide you want action-movie bliss, get a DVD player, add a surround processor to the preamp, move the minimonitors and their amp to the back, use B&W 802s L/R, B&W HTM1 or HTM2 for center, and biamp each new speaker with a Bryston 4B-ST. This is an earth-shaking high-end system and nothing in the original system went to waste. Less dramatic upgrades can also be accommodated.

Need to start with good speakers, and there you're looking at about $2500/pr. Next you want at least decent CD player, at least $400. Good power source/preamp, whether separates or integrated, you're looking at another $1500. Want decent interconnects and speaker wire: another $200–$500. If you truly want a taste of high-end, that would put you at about $5000 to start out.

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