**** The $200 System Challenge! ****

[Reverend]

Tom and I came up with a challenge that we'd like everyone to get involved with.  This stems from drunken talks about the small bookshelf system Tom has in his listening room and how much it cost to put that system together.  So, the challenge/contest will be to put together a system for $200 or less.

Rules:
1. System must and only contain the following items:  (1) receiver or integrated amp + (1) source + (1) set of speakers
2. The system must cost a total of $200 or less (this includes shipping charges)

The date of the challenge is yet to be determined but we will give everyone a few weeks to get their system together.  There may be further stipulations to the rules but for right now you get the general idea.  Please respond to this thread if you are interested in participating.

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

New or used?   I think I have around $200 in my current system (Most of it was free).

[Reverend]

New or used, it doesn't matter.  I think free is ok, unless your deceased Uncle (example) left you a whole mcintosh system then I think we'd have to call bullshit on that.

[SunnyDaze]

Considering my main system retails for a little over 15 grand and I've got under 900 into it, I might have an advantage with this. 

[OldiesButGoodies]

Hmmm interesting challenge.  Hard to quantify why we would think our combo is the 'best', but it should be a cool way of identifying good-sound-for-cheap combos and fighting about it on the forum.  Great idea Rev - you and Tom should drink more and more often.

[bmwr75]

Considering my main system retails for a little over 15 grand and I've got under 900 into it, I might have an advantage with this. 

SD,

I know you are a Math major.......but 900 is > 200 no matter how you cipher it.

[bmwr75]

I'll bite on this one.

Harmon Kardon T30C TT -  paid $0 (gift from a friend)

Sony TA-5950 integrated VFET amp - paid $75

ADS L1230 speakers - paid $123

[Reverend]

Those ADS speakers are pretty huge.  Maybe we should stipulate that there be bookshelf speakers only.  I think the main idea was to have a contest/challenge with a small bookshelf system.

[non-prophet]

Rev, Maybe we should have it consist of only new found equipment between a start and end date.  No previously owned gear. 

[tinpan]

Sure wish I had a budget of $ 948 for this excercise

[bmwr75]

Those ADS speakers are pretty huge.  Maybe we should stipulate that there be bookshelf speakers only.  I think the main idea was to have a contest/challenge with a small bookshelf system.

There you go changin' the rules.............OK, how about instead a pair of Dynaco A35s that I paid $50 for??

That gets my total down to $125.

[Reverend]

Maybe instead of having it ONLY be newly acquired items, it can also be items that are not part of your main setup/s?  But maybe someone has a piece in their main system they'd like to use.  You shouldn't have to go out and buy something new to fit that void.  Or if it's not in your main system you already have an item you've had stached/in storage that you'd like to use?  I think this is going to be hard to nail down the details. 

[MacGeek]

This will be fun.  We may not have enough time/beer to listen to everything. 

How do we determine what something cost?  If I bought a bunch of gear in an estate/garage sale and sold enough of it to get back my investment, is what I have left over considered free?  Or, should I prorate the purchase price and if so how do I do that?

As to the speaker size question, maybe the system should need to fit in a certain size box, like the airlines do with carry on bags...........

[Kingman]

I didn't pay but $78 for my AL III's. I may be in...

[OCCD]

Bookshelf speakers will be the rule.  $200 is the limit.  NO  EQUIPMENT YOU CURRENTLY OWN MAY BE USED. Must be equipment purchased after the contest begins. Contest will run the entire month of August. Systems will be brought into the shop during a meeting to be determined in September, so we can all listen to the systems.  More rules will be on the way. I am ready for a beer.    Lets say you buy three components  for $300 and sell two pieces off for $300. The value toward the cap with the one piece remaining will be 1/3 the purchase price.  One other revision I would like to see is : shipping is not part of the cap price. That would compensate for spending $$$ to drive and pick something up.