Best 1,000 complete system for girlfriend ideas

Remember: You're not buying for an audiophile here! Keep away from separates. The NAD all-in-one is a good choice, even has a tuner, which she might like. If I recall, you can get it with the Alpha Minis, or buy the speakers separately. If you don't like that idea, get the electronics from Best Buy, but coax her into a real audio store for the speakers: Paradigm, B&W, PSB all offer multiple options in the $400-600 range. And terminate the speaker cables with something that's easy to deal with (spades are better than bare wire, for example).

This can be a VERY touchy situation. I would proceed with caution. My suggestion is to buy new / demo / refurb with a warranty and keep it simple. Most non-audiophile women are more concerned with looks and convenience so long as it sounds "reasonable" and it doesn't take up the entire room.

With that in mind, even "mass-fi" can sound pretty reasonable if you take the time to set it up as best possible. Work with her as it is her system and money. Adding "special touches" to HER decision will allow her to exercise her independance while allowing you to "tweak" the system. If you do this carefully and reasonably, you should be able to get it to the point that she will notice the difference and appreciate what CAN be done in the future. Sean
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The other responses above certainly convey the tone of concern over offering suggestions, since no one really knows your girl friend. I think, however, there are probably some "constants" that apply here when buying for the distaff member: buy something that is attractive to look at, takes up relatively little space, is reliable, and is easy to use. If you can combine those characteristics with decent sound, you'll probably have a winner. Many women find complex audio systems to be "user UN-friendly", and if your girlfriend does not find the system fairly intuitive to use, your best efforts will not be appreciated. (I also used to be an audio salesman, and take my word for it when I say that most women have very different objectives for an audio system than men.)

In this situation, I would NOT suggest buying used gear. It may not convey the message you want, and you'll have no warranty in the event something fails.

I recently put together several small systems for women who are friends of my wife, and the system that best met all of the criteria I mentioned above was built around the TEAC Reference components. This line has small, very nice looking units that also have pretty decent sound quality. There are two integrated amps to choose from (30 wpc, and 50 wpc), a tuner, and a CD player. All have gold-anodized finishes, and are easy to use. (An option to the CD player is to buy a decent DVD/CD player, which provides two functions for the price of one.)

For speakers, you've got some good, low-priced options. You might start by contacting AudioAdvisor to see what they have on sale -- they've recently had several good yet compact speakers on sale for around $200-250. The new Mission M71 speakers also got a superb review in TAS or Stereophile. Another option is one of low-priced speakers form PSB or Paradigm.

For a starter system, then, keep it simple, attractive, and easy to use, and you're 90% of the way home. The suggestions I've just listed will also provide pretty decent sound, and if your girlfriend likes what she hears, you can then help her upgrade the system over time.

linn classik + a cheap set of speakers. That's a high end receiver with cd player and tuner. The linn alone will cost 1000. B&W makes some really nice smaller speakers - the 301's. Paradigm makes some nice monitors too.

The NAD L-40 is a great suggestion. DMC-Electronics.com offers B-Stock for $360. I own one as a travel system. At that price it frees up money for better speakers, stands if wanted and decent speaker cable. It's a great piece for the money and performs surprisingly well.