Budget system doesn't have to result in cut-rate sound

Q: I just started collecting old and new records. Record Store Day sparked me, and I love my new hobby. I teach history, and I have a Crossley portable turntable hooked up in my classroom. I play classic rock in the mornings, and the kids really enjoy it.

I have about $700 to spend on a system for my home and know very little about stereo equipment. Could you recommend speakers, amplifier and turntable? I have a room downstairs where it will go, and my PC and TV are there. I would need CD and radio also.

A: You can put together a very nice-sounding system for $700.

Speakers are the most important part, so we will start there. For $252 per pair, Pioneer's SP-FS52-LR tower speakers (www.pioneerelectronics.com) can't be beat in terms of sound quality at the price. Designed by audiophile speaker designer Andrew Jones, they are detailed and sweet-sounding by any measure and are very satisfying music reproducers. Their tower design yields additional benefits. You will not need to buy speaker stands, which is a convenience and a cost savings. Because they are towers, they produce decent bass without a subwoofer, and towers tend to be very efficient, so you don't need a big amplifier to make them sound their best.

Get Onkyo's TX-8020 receiver (www. onkyousa.com) to drive the speakers. For only $159, it offers 50 clean watts per channel and a phono input. In terms of capability and price, it is a perfect match to the Pioneer speakers. It has a radio tuner built in and connections for several other components. I recommend you connect your TV cable/satellite box, DVD player and any video game system you have to the receiver so you can enjoy much better television sound.

To play your records, use Audio-Technica's AT-LP120-USB turntable. It sells for $249. Turn the output switch to "Phono" and use the phono input on the Onkyo receiver when you connect it. This will provide better sound than the phono preamp in the turntable.

Those three purchases bring you to $660. Get 16 gauge speaker wire to connect it all. You can get 100 feet for less than $10 on Amazon. You probably have a DVD or Blu-ray player connected to your TV. You can use this to play CDs. If you do not have a DVD player, a simple $30 unit will do the job. Just make sure it has analog audio outputs. Many disc players do not have them now.

The Pioneer speakers, Onkyo receiver and Audio-Technica turntable all rank among the best values in the audio world. Most inexpensive equipment — and even a lot of midpriced equipment — rates pretty poorly these days, and you have to be quite selective when choosing components for a system. These three products offer great performance and value, and they go well together, too.

Those who are willing to spend a bit more can upgrade the speakers to Wharfedale's Diamond 10.2 bookshelf speakers (www.wharfedaleusa.com) for another $200, or add Pro-ject's Debut Carbon turntable (www.sumikoaudio.net) for another $149. Alone, either component upgrade will make a noticeable improvement. Together, they will take you into the realm where audiophile sound reproduction begins. The Diamond 10.2 speakers are a bookshelf design but have excellent bass. Be sure to put them on stands. Sanus (www.sanus.com) makes nice stands for less than $50 per pair.

Send questions to Don Lindich at donlindich@gmail.com. Get more recommendations and read past columns at www.soundadviceblog.com.