What is your favorite budget audio component?

Still have and love my 30+ year old Audible Illusions Modulus II pre-amp.
I believe it was about $450.00 new. Still going strong and sounding good...Jim

Vandersteen 1Ci.  They punch way above their ~$1300 price.

I would say the Linn LP12, which is only budget in the context of the very expensive turntables that have littered the landscape in the last decade. Though due to the very long production run, decent, older examples can be had for less than $1000.

I consider it budget because it is an heirloom product at a real world price, with upgrades available for even 30 year old examples.

IMHO it may be the most important product of audio gear ever made.

That is not to say that it will slot well into all systems, and that there aren’t a million other quality turntables that are similarly priced that one might not prefer.

B&K TS108 tuner. I did not believe that it would sound better than my Kenwood KT917, but since fmtunerinfo.com claimed it did, I had to find out. It does, but not by much, and only on my B&W 803's, and then only when the subs are not on.

Paradigm PW amp. I bought it for $290 used ($500 new) and it has ARC room correction.