Building A Component Stereo On A Shoestring Budget

Can you put together a pretty decent stereo on a shoestring budget?  Absolutely.  It's simply a test of your research and shopping skill.  At your local thrift shop, you can probably find stereo speakers for less than $20 and stereo receivers for less than $40.  If you are able to test them in the store and confirm that they work, you may find yourself quite a bargain.

A $40 Thrift Store Stereo by Technics!

 If you prefer new equipment and shop well, you can find a new stereo receiver for $110 or less and a CD player for less than $100.  You should be able to find decent speakers for less than $50 a pair.  The deals are out there on websites like Amazon.com, Sears.com, and Walmart.com.  Even the Best Buy ad in your local Sunday paper can reveal some awesome deals.



Of course, you won't receive any accolades on audiophile web forums and you won't see your system written up in audiophile magazines.  Perhaps they don't want to acknowledge that you don't have to build a $100,000 stereo and put it in a dedicated listening room?  Perhaps the knowledge that you are happy with $10 speakers might make them question their own stereo investments?  Perhaps they hold back on their judgement out of consideration for your budgetary constraints?  Ultimately, your shoestring system is about you enjoying your music collection at a price you can afford.  Even a humble $80 Technical Pro RX37URI Stereo Receiver With USB And SD Card Inputs can get you started listening to music. It is the music and your enjoyment that counts!

When I was young and dumb, I probably blew $1000 on my first stereo.  Now, that I'm getting back into stereos, I'm far more cautious.  My initial build out of  a dirt cheap thrift store stereo was only about $40.  Of course, my $40 stereo was only a starting point for more serious expansions and expansions.  It's a platform for new beginnings.  It's also a chance to hear music on decent speakers.