Question The £250 system challenge

[scene]

I was reading the review of the Arcam SA30 and while I was thinking what a fantastic bit of kit, I couldn't but help think "two grand!" And this got me thinking about my first system, a secondhand Technics, with turntable, tuner, tapedeck and a pair of large speakers that was the heart of my hifi for the next 10 years. It cost me £250.

Everyone has a first system, often one they've scrimped and saved for. So this is what I thought: what's the best system you can build for £250?

The only prize is the kudos of designing the system that the forum thinks is the best.

Some ground rules:
1. It has to have a source, be it turntable, CDP, or streamer. If you want to use a PC or even a phone as the source, fine, but it's cost is part of the cost of the system.
2. It has to have speakers. I love headphones, but this is a first system and needs to be able to play music others can hear.
3. It has to be something you can buy, be it new or secondhand, from a dealer or auction site. Actual prices, not starting bids.

Updated:
4. One entry per email - makes voting/reviewing easier. Yes, you can make multiple entries.
5. Please describe/price the system (and each component) - don't just include the links - prices change, links stop working...

 

[scene]

Being honest that was some uber cheap kit, but occasionally stuff crops up... Doubt I'll manage to do anything, as good, so cheaply again.

It's nice to get lucky once in a while...

 

[chris661]

If you want to talk lucky, I hit a once-in-a-lifetime deal a few years back.

Walked into the local 2nd hand shop, and they had a set of four 15" PA speakers, with dented grilles over the drivers, grey carpet and plastic corners.
Looked at the drivers, and I thought "those look a bit like Tannoy dual-concentrics..."

Looked at the little plastic recessed dish on the front, and there's a couple of rotary switches for HF adjustment. Embossed between the switches: TANNOY.

They were on sale for £50 per pair. I paid £80 for all four and got them out of the shop as fast as humanly possible.

At the time, I needed the money more than the speakers, so I sold them on. There's a small part of me that wishes I'd kept them but, having heard those cabinets as well as other implementations of those drivers, I'm not sure they're worth the price tag they command - there are better performing drivers at that sort of money.

Chris