Buddy is looking for a budget 2ch system - Suggestions?

I'm sure this topic is done a lot around here but I'm trying to squeeze the absolute best sound out of a budget system for my best friend. This is a guy who still uses his DVD/CRT TV setup at home. He does have a Roku, so one step into the 21st century...

Factors:

- He's a technical guy, but not as far as stereos go. His wife is not technical, so the interface has to be easy, easy, easy

- I'm steering him towards new gear

- I'm keeping the budget to $400 for a receiver and speakers. I'll provide speaker cable and interconnects.

- Can't be an integrated, as they love radio

- Phono input is nice, but not necessary for now

- They have a small living room, about 10x12 with 7 foot ceilings. A dining room is open and adjacent, about 10x10 with hardwood floors/rugs art on the walls.

- Not going to do sub/sat systems, and not very excited about bookshelf unless something with nice bass extension (for the size) can be found

- They are not headbangerz, so mostly low to moderate levels required

My first thought was the floor standing Pioneer SP-FS51-LR at $200/pr. and the Sherwood RX-4109 for $99 at RatShack. The Sherwood even has a phono input.

I don't follow the new stuff much so if anyone has a suggestion or two please let me know!

:thmbsp: Those floor stander Pioneers are hard to beat and sound amazing at that price point. Not to pick on Sherwood but not a fan of the 4109. A friend got one on a Black Friday Sale and after some listening sessions I would say it sounded good, but not great. Possibly sacrifice some features like the phono pre and get better guts. Maybe a Yamaha R-S201? Or I would try to budget more funds for the receiver and try get something like an Onkyo TX-8020.

http://www.accessories4less.com/mak...oreceivers/home-audio/stereo-receivers/1.html

This is a good place to look. These are refurbished models from good brands; Yamaha, Onkyo and Denon.

I've gotten a couple of home theater receivers from them, an Onkyo SR303 and a Marantz 5007 from them with no problems.

Putterman said:

http://www.accessories4less.com/mak...oreceivers/home-audio/stereo-receivers/1.html

This is a good place to look. These are refurbished models from good brands; Yamaha, Onkyo and Denon.

I've gotten a couple of home theater receivers from them, an Onkyo SR303 and a Marantz 5007 from them with no problems.

Click to expand...

Thanks. I'm familiar with accessories4less, onecall, newegg. All are great. I was hoping for some suggestions on specific receivers. The Yamaha looks like a winner. Certainly a step up from the Sherwood for $50 more. Fry's had the Pioneers on sale today for $129/pr too. My buddy missed picking them up, though...

Purchased the Sherwood 4105 from Parts Express for my son last yr, sounds great driving a pair of Infinity RS325's. Same power output as the 4109, no phono stage, better specs with .08THD VS .8THD for the 4109. If shopping for new, at under $100 it's hard to beat if all you want is a decent stereo set up on a budget. Warranty 2yrs parts and labor, double that of Pioneer ( I really like Pioneer ) and better than most budget electronics.

Take a look at the BIC Venturi DV84, can be auditioned at Best Buy, also available at Parts Express. Around $300 for the pair with a 7yr warranty, 50lb floor stander. Freq resp 27 - 23000, looks like no need for a sub. I have absolutely no personal experience with these speakers so no idea how they sound, just looks like a lot of speaker for the money.

The Pioneer SP-FS52 also looks nice for $250 from Parts Express, and as I said I really like Pioneer. Another floor stander at 30lbs, 1yr warranty, freq response 40 - 20000, decent bass but might need a sub for movies. Again I have no experience with these speakers.

Hope this helps, and have fun helping your buddy select his system.

My vote would be for the new Yamaha R-S201 coupled to Polk T15 speakers, that would be a total of $250. You would need to add a phono preamp if you add a turntable later, but there isn't a problem with that. You have enough money left over from $400 to choose a good source device like CD or wi/Fi device. Good luck!

Check out the model in my signature.
It's from 2001, I've owned mine since it's release.
Suprizing bass response from it.
You can hook almost anything up to it.
It has AUX in. I use it as an amp for my media server.

Best bang for the buck I've ever seen. Rock solid construction too

Small footprint. It stacks up to bigger equipment every time.

It's never left me lacking, and I have a love affair with symphonic metal.

I still use the stock speakers, plus some kevlar woofers to add some umph to the bass channels.

Thanks for suggestions!

If it was me, and with the $400 budget and the parameters you've set, this is what I'd go with. Not only does it have a traditional FM tuner, it also has internet radio capability (vTuner, Last.fm, SIRIUS/XM, Mediafly, Pandora, Slacker, Napster, Rhapsody) when connected to the internet thru your wireless network or via ethernet. Also has a built-in DAC with multiple digital inputs as well as a built-in MM phono stage. I actually own one for use as background music in my home office and for it's price, sounds quite nice and in terms of features and flexibility, can't be beat.

Onkyo TX-8050 Network Receiver ($249)


Pioneer SP-BS22-LR ($127)

Ended up buying the Yamaha R-S201 for him as a gift for his 50th birthday. He'd be 60 before he ever got around to buying anything for himself anyway...

I "loaned" him a pair of Cambridge Soundworks Model 6 from my garage system. If he buys them from me I'll be happily looking for a new scroe. If not, they rock the garage pretty well and I'll be happy to get them back.

Thanks for the advice folks.

Well, how did he like the sound???????

Kingshead said:

Well, how did he like the sound???????

Click to expand...

We hooked everything up and ran his mac into the Yamaha for a test spin. It was a "old people" party situation and I think the wife was not thrilled I brought this into their home at that particular time. We didn't have any stands forthe CSWs so they sat on the floor. For a brief time we had them going at a decent volume and they sounded fantastic. I'm partial to the East Coast sound so I'm biased that way. I'll find some stands and go over one night whileshe's at work to give the setup a proper demo with decent source material via CD. His mp3 though itunes just won't be a good indicator.

I think I'll also give him a decent DAC to run his Mac though...

I recently gave my brother in law a Kenwood KA 4006 to replace his aging Pioneer receiver (don't remember which model, but very low on the totem pole) and a Sony DVP NS500V to replace an old CD player. Both pieces I gave him were no newer than his current pieces, but were definitely an improvement in sound. We left his old CD player connected to A/B the two and the improvement wasn't subtle, we both just looked at each other and said at the same time "WOW". So I know from very recent experience the satisfaction of helping out a friend/buddy in his quest for "music".

This is a good thing you did for your buddy, I'm sure every time he's listening and chilling he'll be thanking you.