Your Best $100 System

[MCM_Fan]

This morning, I was playing around with several of the bits and pieces I've acquired at my local Goodwill over the past 5 months, trying different combinations of receivers and speakers. Inspired by the Best Thrift Store/Goodwill/SA Finds thread, I thought I'd try to come up with the best sounding, most bang for the buck system I could assemble with a total cost of less than $100.

Here's what I came up with:



Receiver: NAD 7250PE - $19.99
CD Player: Sony DVP-S7000 - $9.99
Main Speakers: Mitsubishi Diatone DS-73D - $29.99
Subwoofer: Boston Acoustics PV700 - $29.99
Speaker Stands: Optimus SS-10 15" - $7.99
Total - $97.95

I've been listening to this system all day, both FM and CDs and I'm pleased to report I got my money's worth. All these items were purchased at the same local Goodwill within a period spanning about 4 months.

Other items considered:

Tuner: Sansui TU-919 - $29.99. I consider this my greatest score to date, but it needed the driver IC for the LED digital display replaced. I found one for $18.95 plus shipping and installed it myself, but that brings the total for the tuner to over $50.00. Still, an outstanding score for such a great tuner, but it blows my $100 total system budget. Maybe someday it will be part of my Best $200 system...

Turntable: Realistic LAB440 - $14.99
Cassette Deck - Denon DRM-500 - $3.50 (was $6.99, but half price color tag that day)
For more versatility, I could remove the sub and replace it with these two. That would give me the ability to listen to FM, LPs, CDs and cassettes for a total system cost of $86.45.

Other Speakers:
Polk RTi28 - $24.99, my first Goodwill score back in late December. These are now at my girlfriend's house being driven my a little NAD 7120 receiver, a Sony DVP-SR210 and an Apple Airport Express for streaming.
Linn Index - $24.99, they also sounded good paired with the Boston subwoofer, but lost out to the larger, 3-way Diatones.

I also have pairs of Phase Technology PC60 Mark II ($7.99), Boston Acoustics HD8 ($19.99) and Mini Advents ($12.99) that all need refoamed. So, once again the larger 3-way Diatones with their doped cloth surrounds were the better bang for the buck.

I also have several 1970s era silver faced receivers from Sansui, Pioneer and Yamaha. I paid between $9.99 and $24.99 each for these. Some required additional parts (lamps), but all are completely functional and sound great. I am restoring them and will be gifting them to family and friends. They are all relatively low power models (between 8 and 30 WPC). So, they lost out to the newer, more powerful NAD in this exercise, but they were all worth the money in my opinion. I have yet to score a vintage high powered monster receiver, but I'm always on the lookout.

So, what's your best $100 system?

 

[Ths364]

You've done well! Mine's got to be:
Pioneer SX-727 $10
Super heavy-duty shot-filled speaker stands 8.99 (pair)
Elac Miracord 40h $40 with brand new Shure cartridge
Dynaudio Special One $29.95 (pair)

So $89 plus tax at 8% gets me in at $96.06
(I'm not likely to run the Dynaudio's with the SX-727 in reality though- 4Ω at 82 db1w1m is slightly unkind to the Pioneer imo). Getting the Dynaudio at that price is the score of the decade for me, though.

 

[smartin53]

So, what's your best $100 system?

The one I don't have...because I can't find squat at the local thrift stores. How on earth do you guys score these things other than living at them?

 

[Ths364]

I was there almost daily on my way from work, and also completely locked into Craigslist and scrambling on a moments notice.

I only included stuff I still have. No $4 garage sale LAB400 turntable that i flipped or other "gone" stuff.

 

[MCM_Fan]

The one I don't have...because I can't find squat at the local thrift stores. How on earth do you guys score these things other than living at them?

It's funny because the first couple scores were just plain dumb/random luck. My best haul was Super Bowl Sunday (during the power outage) when I got the NAD 7250PE for $19.99 and the Sansui TU-919 for $29.99. Back then, I only hit the local Goodwill once every month or two. After a couple good scores, I started swinging by there much more often and haven't gotten anything worth mentioning over the last couple months. The Mitsubishi Diatone DS-73D speakers were my last really good score, and I almost passed on those. I didn't know what they were at the time, but did some googling and went back an hour later and thankfully they were still there.

I have passed on multiple silver faced receivers recently. They've basically double their prices, most are up to $29.99 or $39.99 now, which it twice what I'd previously paid and is too much for something that's going to need lamps replaced and possible additional work. Plus, I haven't seen anything I'd rather have that what I already bought and restored for less money.

 

[MCM_Fan]

I only included stuff I still have. No $4 garage sale LAB400 turntable that i flipped or other "gone" stuff.

I plan on keeping my $14.99 Lab440. The console in the photo has a slide out turntable shelf. It's too narrow to accommodate my other turntable, and Bang and Olufsen Beogram 3400, but the Lab440 is a perfect fit and the walnut grain vinyl is a decent match for the walnut veneer on the cabinet. It's a pretty decent turntable, too.

 

[nickrobotron]

My $80 garage sale system:
Denon SACD player $20
Yamaha A-1000 integrated amp $20
Yamaha NS-690 II speakers $40

 

[Wolverine]

I have several system currently in use (see signature) that have been built by use of thrift stores or Craigslist. I could certainly mix and match a lot of those components and come up with several systems that meet the threads $100 criteria. You can certainly look up some of my previous threads to see a few of the scores I have made in the past. What would be my best system for $100 would probably vary on personal preference. The one below just happens to be the system I am listening to as I read this thread and easily meets the criteria.

Receiver: Sansui QRX-7500A (Salvation Army $10)
SACD/CD player: Sony SCD-CE595 (Goodwill $15)
Cassette Deck: Tascam 122 (Habitat for Humanity $40)
Speakers: Rogers BBC Monitors w/stands (Craigslist $30)

They all were plug and play except for the cassette deck which needed a new belt ($60). If repair costs violate the contest rules then substitute the Tascam 122 with a Tascam 112 (Goodwill $5) or a Nakamichi CR2A (Diversity Thrift $5) and I am well under the $100 limit. If the Rogers BBC Monitors found on Craigslist violates the rules then substitute any of the following; Polk Monitor 10's (Habitat for Humanity $30), Burhoe Blue's (Salvation Army $20) or DCM Time Windows 1a's (Habitat for Humanity $30)

I have been extremely lucky to have found such great gear and in such great shape. With the exception of a belt issue, a board issue with a Adcom GFP-555 pre-amp and cap replacement on a pair of KLH 5's I have not had to send any gear out for work. Based on threads here my finds are not unusual but I have probably had more than my share.

Utilizing thrifts and Craigslist is a great way to try different gear out without breaking the budget. Not all finds have to be scores if they fit a need or you just plain like the gear.

Enjoy the hunt but enjoy the gear more!

 

[stratmel]

My garage system qualifies:

Sansui 2000A, CL find $50.00
Mitsubishi DD-4001, Christmas present
Pioneer CT-1270WR, freebie
ADS L470, $8.00 at GW

Sounds great to me.

Enjoy the music,
-Mark

 

[55Redneck]

My main system in my shop qualifies.

Sansui 771 receiver. (free from the back of a P/U the was going to the crusher)
Sony CDP-CE275 CD player. (free from a buddy getting rid of his old stuff)
Rotel RD850 Cassette deck. ( $3.33 from the local dump, bought 6 items for 20 bucks that day, works great)
Technics SL-3 linear tracking T-table. (4 bucks at church bargain ctr and 50 bucks for a cart and stylus)
Harman Kardon HK40 speakers. (free from above buddy)
Pioneer CS-J100 speakers. ($14.99 from Value Village)
+ maybe another 20 bucks for RCA's and speaker wires brings the grand total up to $92.32. This setup sounds absolutly wonderfull to me but as many of you do, I'm always looking for an upgrade somewhere.

 

[AnalogDigit]

My Realistic/JVC system was pretty cheap:
Realistic STA 52B Receiver $20 off of Craiglist.
Realistic MC 1200 Speakers $20 Salvation Army.
JVC XL-V311 Single CD Player $20 Salvation Army.
JVC TD-W999 Dual Cassette Deck with double auto reverse Goodwill $20.

 

[janikphoto]

Under $100? Well, let's see...

$40 for the Yamaha CR-640
$15 for the Belgium-made Magnavox CDB-473
$0, as in free, JBL L-220's just needed $30 in foam surrounds
$15 for the Pioneer SG-750 EQ with pretty dancing lights
Maybe five bucks in RCAs and wire...

That should be around $100 total.

 

[gregd]

I live just around the corner from the Goodwill outlet so I stop in whenever I'm passing by. With that and occasional garage sales I've managed to cobble together a couple pretty good systems.

Den: Haffler dh 200 amp $25 needed input jack repair
Marantz 3600 pre Free The guy had 2 sold one for what I paid for both
KLH Model sevens $10 sound great

Main room: Marantz 2245 with case $40 needed pots cleaned
Marantz 6200 TT $5
Leak sandwich speakers $10 had to flip the woofers.

 

[janikphoto]

I live just around the corner from the Goodwill outlet so I stop in whenever I'm passing by. With that and occasional garage sales I've managed to cobble together a couple pretty good systems.

Den: Haffler dh 200 amp $25 needed input jack repair
Marantz 3600 pre Free The guy had 2 sold one for what I paid for both
KLH Model sevens $10 sound great

Main room: Marantz 2245 with case $40 needed pots cleaned
Marantz 6200 TT $5
Leak sandwich speakers $10 had to flip the woofers.

I paid $50 for my 6200 and another $15 for the belt. Still one of my favorite TT's.

 

[68custom]

the sub $100 system I currently use consists of a SMSL -AMP3 T-amp $53 delivered, a Sony Discman D335 $6 at GW, and a pair of Baby Advent IIs $5 for the pair at GW plus the refoams for $23.
Best score ever was a nice Mac 1900 for $3 many years ago.

 

[BadassBob]

I bought all of this off of CL, but now it each component has found a new home within my friends and family

NAD C350 $40
Dynaco A25s $25
Entech Number Cruncher 203.2 $25
optical cable to connect to my PC $8

That was a great sounding system. Since then, the NAD is at my brothers where he enjoys it. The A25s were given to a friend along with an Adcom GFA-535II/GTP-450 setup as a house warming gift. He sees daily usage out of it, plus his wife loves to sit and listen to talk radio.

 

[Doctordirt]

My garage system qualifies as well

Project One Mark IIIB -- $10
AR 2ax -- $40
Sony 100 disc changer -- $19.99
Dual 1245 -- $19.99

 

[chicks]

Dozens of 'em over the years. Here's a current setup:

Marantz model 1060 integrated - $15 + $2 or so for 6 replacement caps on the power amp board.
B&W DM-302 speakers - $4
Philips Magnavox FD-1010 CDP - Don't remember, maybe $8?

 

[BadassBob]

Dozens of 'em over the years. Here's a current setup:

Marantz model 1060 integrated - $15 + $2 or so for 6 replacement caps on the power amp board.
B&W DM-302 speakers - $4
Philips Magnavox FD-1010 CDP - Don't remember, maybe $8?

My brother picked up a pair of the DM-302s at a garage sale for $10 a few weeks ago, and I think they sound great. If you close your eyes youd swear something bigger was playing.

 

[Brad Muller]

Probably a pair of JBL L100t3's and a Sansui G9000 receiver. Throw in a Sony CDP-C69es Cd player. For $65.00, that's probably my best system to date.:yes: