Bought a vintage Sansui 9090db receiver off eBay for $450 (shipped), then I snagged a pair of Bose 901 series II speakers w/ active equalizer for $275 (picked up locally). I hooked all this up to my pre-extisting Apple Airport Express w/ airtunes.

I'm totally blown away by the sound quality. Pink Floyd's "Welcome to the Machine" almost rocked the plaster off the walls, and Bob Dylan's voice in "Forever Young" sounds so natural it's almost creepy. Right now I'm listening to Hank Williams "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," and it sounds so good I could cry, especially for the price I paid.

I know, I know. You guys all hate Bose, but I'm tell'n ya, nothing else this cheap could sound so good.