which is your favorite inexpensive stereo system?

Source: Oppo DV-980H -- $169
Amp: Onkyo A-9555 Integrated -- $450 at J&R
Speakers: Athena LS-500 Towers -- $298 at Audio Advisor (closeout)
Interconnect: AQ Blue Racer II -- $69 at Audio Advisor
Speaker Cables: AQ GBC -- $79.95 at HCM Audio. Specify banana plugs for Onkyo

Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1- used from agon

NAD or Cambridge Audio- used

Oppo- used

all good picks...fwiw...i think you should splurge on used spkrs at this level. electronics are not gonna be much different to this friend imo. oppo is a good call as they are universal but you trade off on redbook cds as oppo does not have as good of a built in dac as say the NAD which will make his standard cds sound better perhaps. stick with solid state.

A Decware 84C Tube Integrated Amp with a pair of Parker Signature 95 Speakers 2 ways would get u at or a little above this price range $1,200 or $1,300.00 new or used at the price range.

An iPod with Audioengine 2 or 5s is a wonderfull nearfield stereo.

For a true stereo:

Cambridge Audio 540 v2 integrated amp ($400) with a Sony Playstation 1 CD ($40) and DALI Lektor 1 speakers ($300) with Chord silver cables ($200).

Cambridge offers a great phono stage ($100) that you can link up a Rega P1 tt ($400).