[dB Cooper]

My Tivoli One gives stereo from both the line and headphone outs. Of course, I never use the headphone jack because the damn thing is located in a tight recess on the rear panel along with two identical (line-in and -out) jacks. This was a stupid design choice IMHO, sacrificing convenience for (I guess) a "cleaner looking" front panel. Otherwise the thing is great value. On the overpriced "Music System", they finally put the headphone jack on the front where it belongs.

[J Fallows]

Hey now,
Here are some of the brands that I was surprised to find at the thrift store.
Red Rose Music (Mark Levinson)
Primare
REL
Sonance
Vienna Acoustics
Amber
NHT
etc.
Get Out There!

[Brett Buck]

My Tivoli One gives stereo from both the line and headphone outs. Of course, I never use the headphone jack because the damn thing is located in a tight recess on the rear panel along with two identical (line-in and -out) jacks. This was a stupid design choice IMHO, sacrificing convenience for (I guess) a "cleaner looking" front panel. Otherwise the thing is great value. On the overpriced "Music System", they finally put the headphone jack on the front where it belongs.

  I stand corrected. I don't have my model one any more, but maybe there are two different versions.

   I have a Model Two, and I still think that it's about the least expensive option for a quality system. I have access to just about anything I would want to listen to and there's no doubt in my mind that it's by far the best bang for the buck, at least if you are buying new.  It's certainly a lot more listenable/musical than most Best-Buy quality mid-fi stuff.

   As a follow up to my (much) earlier response, I have also had a chance to actually put together a system along the lines of that I suggested earlier - S5 Electronics K-12 tube amp kit ($130), B&W Dm110i ($150, eBay), and a cheapie Panasonic portable CD player (~$30). This worked WAY better than I had expected. The speakers are a better mix with the tube amp than they were with more powerful solid-state amplifiers and they are efficient enough to make good use of the 8 watts available. Not surprisingly, it's  significantly better at the extremes than the Tivoli.

    So, I take back my negative comments about the $500 limit. With careful shopping for good used speakers around $150-250 a pair, and a $130 for an amp kit, and about 2 hours of your time for assembly, you can get the core of a pretty good system. Add a $125 for a Dyna FM-3 (eBay and a few hours of your time to correct the known flaws and align it), and an input selector switch from the junk box, you are all set.

    Brett

[JLM]

J Fallows,

Wow!  What thrift stores do you shop at? 

Around here most of that stuff isn't available new or used from bricks and mortar retailers.  About the best I've seen at thrift stores (confession: I don't look often) is phono, 8-track, receiver combos with blown speakers (wood grain covered masonite cabinets of course). 

The best score I've heard of anywhere near here was a pair of 30 year old unfinished Klipsch Heresy's from a college spring moving out sale for $5.

[JLM]

Honestly the $500 barely gives a fair shake to trying the real/true audio waters.  Sure you can do it at the big boxes, or DIY, or by rummaging through vintage stuff and taking your chances that it works, will keep working, or works well together.

Without serious compromises in some aspect in the system (especially bass/volume output) IMO it cost around $1000 MSRP to gain a real sonic advantage over the big boxes.  The little class D amps are nice, but only accept a single input.  (Never understood why the option for additional inputs aren't offered to turn them into "real" integrated amps.)  I thinking along the lines of NAD integrated ($400), AV-1 speakers with matching sub ($430), and Oppo universal player ($160).

Without serious compromises in some aspect in the system (especially bass/volume output) IMO it cost around $1500 to gain a solid toe hold into the real/true audio waters.  Quality speakers that reach 40 Hz start with something like Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 ($700/pair).  The Oppo would still be my pick (and would make for a decent transport later on).  Burson Audio integrated ($830) or various used tube amps would fit the budget.

[mark funk]

I put a little set together for my wife in her needle pointing room, just stuff I had setting around I don't think it cost my over $500. Dynaco SCA 80Q I think I payed $100 for that and a Marantz CD5400 that was $109 and an Adcon GTP-350 used as a tuner I can't remember what that thing cost with a pair of little 3 way Philips/Magnavox speakers I don't know where I got those, they must not have cost too much by looking  at them. I was surprised it did not sound half bad. IMO that Dyna sound as good as most of the stuff I have tried to hear in the big box stores. There still is a lot of older stuff out there that sounds OK for not a lot of money if you know what to look for. I have been seeing a lot of Frank's older stuff on Ebay. You could not go wrong with some of Frank's older stuff for a starter set! 

[gjs_cds]

Honestly the $500 barely gives a fair shake to trying the real/true audio waters.  Sure you can do it at the big boxes, or DIY, or by rummaging through vintage stuff and taking your chances that it works, will keep working, or works well together.

As an adult with a real job, I can understand your position.  But remembering what it was like to be a young 20-something student getting a MS or PhD and not having a substantial income, your post comes off as audio snobbery.  Even the little guy wants to think they've got a good starter system.  And they should have that right.

I think the key here is $500 to $1k dollar increments.  Buy used (or "vintage") gear, and experiment with DIY. 

A perfect example is the path I chose.  As an undergraduate summer job, I sold audio at a (blue) big box store.  And during that time, Arnie Nudell's Eosone line was introduced, and I was able to get their flagship speakers at 75% off.  Later, in grad school--a fellow audiophile was in financial need, and we agreed to swap my Pioneer HT receiver and about 250 bucks for his Rotel 980bx amp and Rotel 950 pre-amp.  Definitely, a great place to start--as it was Stereophile (Stereopile) class B.  I use that amp as my back-up am even today.  And since I had a decent high-current amp, I was able to save up and get a pair of Acoustat 2+2s for about a grand a couple years later.  A couple hears after that, I was able to pick up Frank's Omega III 440HC for another grand (used).  About a year later, I picked up a used OmegaStar pre-amp (SL).  Forgot what I paid for it, but it was between $500 and $1k.  And since then, I've upgraded the Omega III to the current OmegaStar.

And I was able to do this before I finished my degree.  Not bad for a "poor" student, who researched his options, was patient, and made calculated long-term decision.  Acoustat 2+2 full-range electrostatics, Frank's OmegaStar 440HC and OmegaStar pre-amp.

[Dan Kolton]

gjs_cds,

Sounds (pun intended) like a great system at any price.  I've heard double KLH 9s driven by Franks latest Ultra preamp. and, as I recall, an Ultra power amp.  Truly wonderful sound; lack of extreme bottom hardly noticeable.

[JLM]

gls cds,

Sorry you took it that way.  Many don't want to work that hard (rummaging pawn shops/garage sales/audiogon or going the DIY route) at the entry point of audio.  The used/vintage/DIY routes are fraught with multiple risks, especially for a newbie.

And I didn't want to mislead as to what you can get for $500.  My first half-way "real" system was a AM/FM/cassette/amp that I swapped out the masonite speakers for JBLs.

Heck after 30 some years in this my system is under $3500 (with room features/treatments included).