Very very cheap system recommendations!

[Vict0r]

Reading between the lines, it seems the only thing the kid cares about is that it can play cds, sound halfway decent, takes up the least amount of space possible and could attach some other source (wireless, bluetooth) down the line. Correct?

What about a good bluetooth speaker that takes a 3.5mm line in, and a discman?

I own an Anker Soundcore Motion+ and it sounds better than it has any right to. Much better than the cheap mini system I used to own in the nineties.

It even supports EQ through a decent app. Kid can hook up his phone, tablet, laptop and/or gaming console through bluetooth, and a cd player through 3.5mm

Throw in a second hand discman, or one of those cheap newer ones from Amazon, and you're set under a 100. Zero footprint in the room and very versatile. Portable, even!

 

[Mart68]

Yes. - "I am looking for a very cheap starter system for one of my kids.". Doesn't sound much like getting them into the joys of physical media. Might mean "please don't mess with my expensive gear"!

Okay my mistake it's the second sentence: ''They are buying CD's but they do not have anything to play them on.''

 

[Redacted]

Okay my mistake it's the second sentence: ''They are buying CD's but they do not have anything to play them on.''

Yeah, they're using Dad's nice CD player!

Classic strong-arming of parents by pointed hints....!

Here's an idea - a CD player that requires a PIN to be entered to start it up!

 

[Mart68]

Yeah, they're using Dad's nice CD player!

Classic strong-arming of parents by pointed hints....!

Here's an idea - a CD player that requires a PIN to be entered to start it up!

The trick is to make the playback system so complex no other family member can figure out how to switch it on, so they just leave it alone.

 

[Redacted]

The trick is to make the playback system so complex no other family member can figure out how to switch it on, so they just leave it alone.

I ended up with that years ago, with 4-5 remote controls (before everthing was integrated) - I got shouted at a lot, and ran around having to turn stuff on and off for family. And when kids get to be teenage, they are more likely to mess up the setup rather than leave it alone!

Hiding in the loft may be the best option.....

 

[Redacted]

How small is the room if a CD player is taking up too much space?

My room as a teenager was 9'x9' I managed to fit a clock radio and an Aiwa midi system in there.

I'd tell them 'It's this or nothing - beggars can't be choosers.'

Even in our children's activity room - the space under the stairs with a locking door - there was space for a CD player, so long as nobody stood up.
We called it the "Terry Waite Memorial Hall".

 

[Mart68]

Even in our children's activity room - the space under the stairs with a locking door - there was space for a CD player, so long as nobody stood up.
We called it the "Terry Waite Memorial Hall".

Was there a radiator you could chain them to?

 

[somebodyelse]

Given the budget I'd be looking for a used CD or DVD player in a mini size, and the Edifier MR3 as probably the best measuring active speaker that's available in the UK under £100. While looking for the CD player you might spot a good deal on a whole mini/micro system - the speakers will probably be the weak link there, but could be compared directly with your Bronze 2s.

 

[Redacted]

Was there a radiator you could chain them to?

Under the stairs?
We're not made of money.

 

[antcollinet]

I am looking for a very cheap starter system for one of my kids. They are buying CD's but they do not have anything to play them on. I have already, a few times, tried some of my old kit from the loft, ostensibly a Technics SL-PG390 CD player from the 90's (actually my first CD player), and some Monitor Audio Bronze 2 bookshelf speakers bought in the last five years. I got all these out of the loft, whereby they were all summarily dismissed about 6 hours later - like a dagger to my heart. The plan was to buy an old amp to go with them. That was about a year ago...

So, I am looking again after a very tiny bit of encouragement, I have a stringent list of criteria, any kit cannot look terrible, ideally it will not sound terrible. Half size preferably. It will be used in sub-prime conditions possibly terrible conditions, in a teenagers bedroom possibly on a set of drawers. A remote might be nice. Some way to attach a modern streamer down the line might be useful. Although streamer is not needed now. I am thinking I might need a CD player, amp, and speakers. I have had a look at some denon all in one systems but nothing some jumps out. It might be nice any kit can be added to in the future. I suppose one aim is for said kit to inspire a love for music and stereo. I think the music is already sorted, the stereo less so.

Ideally I can pick any kit up from ebay for buttons, buts lets say £100 for the lot! Any ideas?

For that budget, try to get something like a bose wave CD player on ebay - or similar type of device.

 

[bigLP]

Its probably worth the effort to talk to friends and family to see what they have in their attics and basements. I've got a roomful of other people's discards that, along with some fosi and topping and diy stuff, allow me to put systems together for my own kids and nieces and nephews. I just inherited some Polk rti 400 speakers and a velodyne sub from a friend who was moving. Speakers are toughest to find used/free I think.
Anyways, shake a few trees and see what falls out

 

[yewneek]

I am looking for a very cheap starter system for one of my kids. They are buying CD's but they do not have anything to play them on. I have already, a few times, tried some of my old kit from the loft, ostensibly a Technics SL-PG390 CD player from the 90's (actually my first CD player), and some Monitor Audio Bronze 2 bookshelf speakers bought in the last five years. I got all these out of the loft, whereby they were all summarily dismissed about 6 hours later - like a dagger to my heart. The plan was to buy an old amp to go with them. That was about a year ago...

So, I am looking again after a very tiny bit of encouragement, I have a stringent list of criteria, any kit cannot look terrible, ideally it will not sound terrible. Half size preferably. It will be used in sub-prime conditions possibly terrible conditions, in a teenagers bedroom possibly on a set of drawers. A remote might be nice. Some way to attach a modern streamer down the line might be useful. Although streamer is not needed now. I am thinking I might need a CD player, amp, and speakers. I have had a look at some denon all in one systems but nothing some jumps out. It might be nice any kit can be added to in the future. I suppose one aim is for said kit to inspire a love for music and stereo. I think the music is already sorted, the stereo less so.

Ideally I can pick any kit up from ebay for buttons, buts lets say £100 for the lot! Any ideas?

I've got a Kenwood/Trio KR-2600 (18Wpc) I've checked over, cleaned, aligned, filter recapped, LED-upgraded, sitting ready to be listed somewhere. It's yours for £75.

Also got a Pioneer PDR-509 CD Recorder/remote with two cassettes of recordable discs.
A JVC R-S7 receiver(60Wpc).
A Rega Planar 2/3 custom hybrid.
Possibly a Philips CD650/remote too.

I'm based just outside Oxford.

 

[Apesbrain]

The footprint of this little CD player takes up hardly more than a CD case:

syitren R300 CD Player Portable Bluetooth Desktop Retro CD players for Home,Without Speakers, Rechargeble Battery Small Compact Vintage CD Player,SPDlF Out,Brown: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

Shop syitren R300 CD Player Portable Bluetooth Desktop Retro CD players for Home,Without Speakers, Rechargeble Battery Small Compact Vintage CD Player,SPDlF Out,Brown. Free delivery and returns on eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

If you already have a bluetooth speaker, that's all you need. Or, connect via optical to a powered speaker like this one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DYJY1ZWP/

 

[wadude]

Full Range Speaker Stereo System with CD, Bluetooth and Radio

Experience your music in full clarity and richness, even when space is tight, with this compact, all-in-one stereo system that will fit anywhere. Whether you're playing a CD, the radio, or Bluetooth® streaming from your smartphone, the PM270 delivers high-quality sound through powerful stereo...

shop.panasonic.com

 

[Snarfie]

Just check if there’s still an old Windows laptop lying around in the attic chances are there’s one gathering dust up in the loft.

Install Mathaudio room EQ for free, along with Foobar2000, and add the MathAudio Room EQ plugin or REW with APO.
For under €50 you can buy a measurement mic (Superluxe) with battery (or even borrow one), an do a couple of measurements and the kid hears a hugh difference.

Superlux ECM 888 B

1/4" Condensator Meet microfoon met Kogelkarakteristiek (rondom gevoelig) Frequentie bereik: 20 - 20.000 Hz, Gevoeligheid bij 1,000 Hz: 43dBV/Pa (7.1mV/Pa) ±3dB, Impedantie: 800 Ohm, 94 dB SPL, 128 dB max, Equivalent noise level: 22 dB, Signal-to...

www.thomann.nl

And that old laptop many of them still have a CD drive, so you can rip your CDs or rebuild your music library.

While your kid is probably rolling his eyes at the “old junk” and saying it doesn’t look or sound nice, that same setup can actually outperform a lot of modern flashy stuff by a mile once it’s properly dialled in measured an corrected. In the end, they might still prefer their streaming (which will run in a Windows platform including casting) and aesthetics but you’ll know the ugly old setup is doing a seriously good job.

 

[saalaq]

Was there a radiator you could chain them to?

Not every old building had one handy, unfortunately. Sometimes you just had to get creative with whatever secure spot was available.

 

[tonapo]

Thanks for all the replies! Much appreciated.