Which HI-Fis are worth getting?

So... what kind of hi-fi setup should I be looking at? Like, a whole line of gear, you know? I've got about $500 to spend... any ideas? Which brands are actually legit in your eyes? Maybe Sony, Aiwa, Panasonic...? Does anyone know of anything high-quality sitting right around that price point? Maybe there's some kind of sale or discount out there somewhere... Power is a pretty big deal for me, especially the speakers. Also, a decent radio would be great, plus a dual cassette deck. Honestly, even just a single CD input would work. What do you guys think? Any suggestions at all?

Move this over to the electronics board; you'll get much better advice there, whereas people here are just going to mess with you and clutter up the thread (not that 😁 would ever do that)

With that kind of budget, I wouldn't touch an Aiwa or anything similar (personally, I'd pass), but you could snag some decent little Technics mini-systems for that amount, since most high-end HI-Fis don't bother making small systems in that price range...
Basically, do your homework on what's actually available before you drop any cash, because nobody is going to refund you just because you realized something sounds terrible after you bought it.

About a year and a half ago, I picked up a Philips CD/radio/cassette combo for about $333, and I spent the first entire year dragging it from one repair shop to another while it was under warranty just to get it to actually function properly (I know this is off-topic, but I guess I'm allowed to vent a little too 😛)

Look, at that price point, you aren't going to find anything crazy. You might score a decent Sony or Technics mini system if you're lucky, but that's about it. And please, whatever you do, stay away from those cheap boomboxes. Just don't. I guess the downside is most mini systems won't have dual cassette decks, though. Go hit up some local thrift stores and dig through old catalogs or price lists—or try searching online, though I doubt much is left out there.

Aiwa? Hard pass!

Let's be real here: there is no such thing as high-end audio for $500.

Go grab something used. It’ll honestly sound way better than buying something brand new for $500.

This is about transitioning over to digital electronics...

It is an undeniable truth that you won't find much worth having for $500, though you could certainly pick up a decent enough Sony mini-system. Now, Sony is undoubtedly the superior brand in terms of build quality, but they suffer from one unforgivable flaw—their CD players tend to fail quite prematurely. In my experience, nearly every Sony line I've encountered has been plagued by this exact issue, so perhaps it would be more prudent to consider a different manufacturer altogether. You might look toward Panasonic, or if you happen to track one down, maybe Pioneer (though I have rarely seen their mini-systems available in the local US market). As for Alvin, I wouldn't bother; I haven't heard anything particularly glowing about them.

I’ve actually got a Sony myself, man, and my buddy has an Aiwa. Honestly, both of them are absolute legends.👍

Adam Mendoza8 said:Let's be blunt: there is no such thing as high-end audio for $500.

Yeah, you're right about that. I remember paying about $2,100 for my own Panasonic setup, which had a five-disc changer, a really solid woofer, and all the bells and whistles, though that was back when I bought it seven years ago. 😁
In my experience, if you want brands that actually hold their own, you should look toward names like Panasonic, Sony, Panasonic, Technics, and Aiwa, or maybe Philips, but you won't find that kind of quality for under $1,500. Personally, I'd much rather spend a bit more money than drop $1,500 on something that's basically just junk.

Richard Howard2 said:This is definitely worth switching over to a dedicated electronic setup...

It’s true you can't get much for $500, but you could pick up a decent Sony mini-system. Sony is easily the highest quality brand out there, but they have one unforgivable flaw—their CD players die incredibly fast. Almost every Sony system I've come across has had that exact issue, so you might be better off looking at other brands. Go with Panasonic, or if you can find one, Pioneer (though I've never seen their mini-systems around here in the States). I wouldn't touch Aiwa; I haven't heard anything good about them.

Look, on one of my Sony systems, the CD player died after about six years of use—and then I got the most unbelievable example of customer service in America. Even though I didn't have the receipt or any warranty left after six years (poof!), they fixed the disc for me totally free of charge...

As for Aiwa—I don't know about lately, but in my experience, they were always pretty shitty.

(BTW, Susan Nguyen85, you probably don't even have what you'd call Hi-Fi—just a loud micro-system. You couldn't buy that for $700 even if you tried. Honestly, what you have right now could probably be bought for $500)

Either way, if you're picking something up like this, I’d definitely suggest bringing
a few CDs along with you so you can test them out on all those different HI-Fis to hear how they actually sound!!!
Anyway, just speaking from my own experience—I've owned quite a few of these setups over the years—
if you end up going for a mini-system, I’d say check out AIWA or KENWOOD, since I think they have the best sound quality. Honestly, SONY is kind of a joke when it comes to
these systems because their speakers are pretty terrible.
If you decide to build a setup piece by piece instead, the speakers are easily the most important thing for getting good sound. QUADRAL and JBL are awesome, and you can sometimes find JBL at a really good price.
Also, make sure the CD player supports MP3 if you can, otherwise you might regret it later on.

A friend of mine owns this five-component Panasonic system. I have never heard anything more muddy or inferior in my entire life. It’s no wonder what Susan Nguyen8 listens to; even the Buzzcocks would sound depressing on a setup like that... 😁

Aiwa—terrible experiences there. You put something on a tape and feel sick when you actually play it back. Philips is even worse; every single moving part breaks within a year or two.

I own some mediocre Sony Space Invaders line with three CD players (they skip), two cassette decks (they crackle), and a radio (it just hisses, no matter how much you fiddle with that wire antenna, regardless of which local station you try to tune into). But hey, the thing is about five years old, so I suppose it was expected. The CDs need cleaning, I don't really need the radio, and the speakers are actually its only redeeming quality—honestly the best sound I've ever heard from a mini-system. The only problem is the unit lacks a classic equalizer; instead, you just choose from a few presets (jazz, rock, dance...), all of which seem specifically designed for techno. I have to set it to the brightest preset (labeled "soul"?!), turn the extra bass down to zero, and then I get a decent sound with solid bass. I shudder to think how it would sound on any other setting... 😲

np Anastasia - Funeral Theme

For $500, you can always pick up a mini system instead of a full HI-FI setup. Honestly, you could just grab an average CD player 😁

Regarding Kevin Chavez3's point, using an equalizer is often seen as a total anti-hi-fi move since it messes with the original sound profile. No serious high-end audio line includes an equalizer; if there are tone controls on the amp, they’re usually bypassed entirely.

Well, I learned a thing or two from ironfalcon18. 😁

So, Anastasia - The Circle is not Round (really?)...

I’ve finally made up my mind—it’s time to get my hands on my favorite speakers...
After four years of waiting for the right opening, I’m going to pitch them as a sponsorship for some upcoming festivals. Once that's set, we'll be using them as monitors for mixing concert recordings from the set...
We’re talking about the Diapason Adamantes—hands down the finest small speakers I’ve ever heard or seen...
They run a bit north of $6667. If this sponsorship deal falls through, I might have to arrange a more profitable gig just to afford them—I’m reaching my breaking point listening to music solely through headphones...

So you've gone and sworn yourself to it, $6667 or what? Quite ambitious... 😉

There are plenty of other bookshelf monitors out there that I respect—Dynaudio, Sonus Faber, you name it—all sitting in that reasonable $7,000-$10,000 range. $2667But when I first heard these, it was like hearing Fugazi for the very first time. It wasn't just listening; it was instant, lifelong devotion. 🙄 😁

Diapason speakers are fantastic. In that price range, I was really impressed by both the jama Concert 8 and the Sonus Faber Electa Amator II. But honestly? Nothing topped my setup with the Marantz model 7 preamp, the Marantz model 9 power amp, and the Marantz CD-7. Pairing those with B&W Nautilus 801s... man, that sound was just incredible. 😁 Would this set cost roughly this much together? $115 At least I had the chance to hear something like that.

You guys are all just obnoxious, boring audiophiles... 😁

As for $500, just go grab a Kenwood mini system. I picked one up myself, and honestly, it sounds pretty decent.

ironfalcon18 said:Diapason speakers are great. Within that specific price bracket, I was extremely impressed by the Yamaha Concert 8 and the Sonus Faber Electa Amator II. To be perfectly honest, the absolute pinnacle of sound I ever experienced was a Marantz model 7 preamplifier paired with a Marantz model 9 power amp, a Marantz CD-7 player, and B&W Nautilus 801 speakers. It sounded incredible. 😁 Even if this setup costs roughly $115, at least I had the chance to actually hear something like that.

Interesting. And perhaps even more interesting is the realization that you are only discussing high-end mid-range gear. Aside from the B&W Nautilus series, which truly belongs in the high-end tier, the Yamaha is merely mid-range. Sonus Faber and Marantz sit in the upper mid-range, whereas true high-end requires a significantly larger investment—we're talking amplifiers from brands like Krell, Mark Levinson, Bryston, or Burmester, paired with speakers such as the Martin Logan Statement or Focal. Then there's the JM lab Granda Utopia, Avalon Eidolon, audio Physics Kronos, and so on—you end up looking at a system costing nearly $250,000. Not to mention those exotic, hand-built limited editions. Personally, my lifelong dream is to simply not own any of that... just to sit in silence.