The perrenial "Recommend a decent but not overly expensive stereo" question

Anyway, I decided I need something NOW as a stop-gap measure, so I went out and bought a $50 boom-box type thing, since I alreayd had in mind that I'd like to get something portable to take with me if I ever decide to resume practicing dance at my gym. (I never practiced at this one, just a previous one, and the space is not as inviting in the new one, for various reasons.) Anyway, I got it home and it would not play. At first I thought it might just be the CD I put in (which might have been made in Lebanon) so I tried something more mainstream, but no, just no response.

So tomorrow I think I am going to take it back and go stereo shopping, following some of the suggestions made above.

Sounds tinny. Can you believe it? $50 CD player that sounds tinny? I think I am still going to try to pull together a system (I like how I say it as though what I am looking for is going to be so complicated) and pretend I will use this one to take with me for practicing salsa at the gym or wherever.

Wow, it really sounds tinny when there's a big cymbal strike.

anyone have a recc for a combo cd player/ipod dock?

I believe these all have iPod docks, but you'll want to double check.

Yamaha CRX-330 CD receiver, $300 MSRP ($250)
Yamaha DRX-730 CD/DVD receiver, $450 MSRP ($330)
Denon RCD N7 Network CD receiver, $600 MSRP ($444)
Marantz M-CR603 Network CD Receiver, $700 MSRP ($562)
Peachtree Audio Decco, $800 MSRP

Prices in parens are what I found via Google/Amazon/eBay at the time I wrote this in July: http://www.fastnbulbous.com/computer-audio.htm

hmm, thanks -- the first one is generally within my price range.
is there a way to hook up a turntable to it? sorry, i am clueless about a lot of this stuff.

i mean, basically what I'm looking for is this:
a stereo system for my office (which is fairly small), that includes decent speakers, a CD player, a turntable and a way to hook up an ipod... whaddaya think, is it possible for under $500?
for some reason whenever i start looking this stuff up, i get overwhelmed/depressed. help me.

Turn that frown upside down, shopping for gear is fun, plus you have a job where you can play records in your office, you bastard ;)

Audio Technica AT-LP60USB Fully Automatic Belt Driven Turntable with USB Port - $98

Yamaha NS-6490, 70 watts, $150 MSRP ($106)
or
Polk Audio Monitor 30, 100 watts, $200 MSRP ($70)

That should keep it under $500 total.

Normally I'd recommend better speakers, but unless you can lock your office securely, I would hate to keep too nice of speakers at work. You can always upgrade 'em. In the past I've spent as much as I can afford on the speakers, then upgraded the rest gradually.

:D
thanks. i'll check it out. it's actually for my home office (which I'll be spending much more time in in 2012).

Get a bottom of the range Bose Wave music system. It will go a bit over your budget and there aint no i-pod dock, you use the audio jack. At least you will love it. I got one a few years ago for my kitchen. It cost me £450 but is worth every penny. The sound quality is remarkable for such a small system.

I know you are asking for something cheap. I believe you end up spending more on cheap shit. You go into an endless cycle of replacing cheap shit, whereas with a low end quality product you get value for money. Something that is more reliable, lasts longer and makes you happier.

and it sucks you off.

hmmm...
i was looking at some of those bose things. the all in one aspect is appealing, but I'm pretty interested in finally getting something decent to play vinyl on...i've got a ton of it, just haven't had a good system in years.