How I Built a Component Stereo for $40

My Dirt Cheap Stereo Using Components from Thrift Stores

This is the original system that started it all. I wanted a stereo and I didn't want to wait any more. I was determined to build it on the budget available.

Almost everyone would love to be a full-fledged audiophile and build a truly awesome stereo system with world class stereo components. But, that can be tough when you are on a very tight budget for hobby gear. However, that doesn't mean you can't have fun playing with stereo equipment. If you shop judiciously, you can put together a nice stereo on a shoestring budget. Here is how I put together my component stereo system for less than $40.



I donated my first component stereo to charity about a decade ago and, frankly, I've missed it. But, since I'm not on a free-spending bachelor budget anymore, I wanted to get back into stereo equipment without impacting our bottom line. My original plan was to buy a pair of used bookshelf speakers and a Lepai mini-amplifier from Amazon.com. It would have been a decent stereo for less than $50. Instead, I ended up with a full-sized stereo reciever, amplifier, and speakers for less than $40.



Speakers. Any audiophile will tell you that speakers form the core of a stereo system. I've seen some truly thunderous speakers at thrift stores from great brands like Fisher and Cerwin Vega, but, since I live in an apartment, I was looking for something that would be more of a nice bookshelf speaker. I visited an Atlanta area Goodwill store and found a pair of 40 watt Sharp Stereo Speakers for only $6.96. These speakers were engineered for a fairly powerful mini stereo they have bass ports, a driver, midrange speaker, and tweeter.


Amplifier. A second Goodwill run stifled my mini amplifier plan. I stumbled across a Technics SU-V76 amplifier for $12.91. It was an amp designed to be independent from the receiver. While some audiophiles will scoff at Technics, my first stereo was Technics and it delivered good performance for the money.

Receiver. Fortunately for me, an ST-S76 Technics receiver was stacked on top of the Amp and only cost $8.98. I cobbled both together with some nearby speakers and made sure they worked. After tapping it a few times, I was convinced that the system was solid and that I wouldn't lose a channel of speakers on the way home.

Sound Sources. For less than $30, the core of my system was established. However, the AM/FM tuner was my only sound source. I corrected that by connecting my existing Barnes & Noble Nook to the auxiliary input via an audio mini-jack to RCA connector conversion cable. I had previously bought a vintage Sony Discman portable CD player at a local Salvation Army Thrift Store for $5.99. I can also connect that to the amplifier via the conversion cable.

Sound Quality. The sound quality and the potential volume generated by this old school amplifier and speaker combination is astonishing. In truth, I can only crank the stereo dial up to two or three in fairness to our neighbors. It is more than capable of completely filling the room, the whole building, and perhaps the whole building. While true audiophiles might be appalled, I think these cast-off speakers deliver good sound and would outperform most entry level bookshelf speakers.

Next Steps. I've been debating whether to add a tape deck or vinyl record player to my project stereo. However, we don't have any vinyl records and we only have about two dozen cassettes. Nevertheless, cassette players are often available in thrift stores for around $10. Stereo Component CD players can often be found for similarly low prices. Although both components can be difficult to test at a thrift store. I've seldom seen record players at thrift stores probably due to their popularity, fragility, and mechanical complexity.

While I put together this dirt cheap system just to get a stereo again and to as a thrift store shopping challenge, it will serve as a good base for future expansion. If we like having a full-sized stereo again, we can slowly upgrade to more modern components or better speakers whether they are new or used. This stereo has room for some speakers by Definitive Technologies or a receiver by Marantz. But, the project has already been a success by making thrift store shopping even more fun.