Lots of great stuff in this user group. I was reflecting as I was reading a few threads last night, and thought I may be a posterchild for budget audio. Five systems spread all around a 120 year old house farmhouse with funky room layout challenges everywhere. I will probably get laughs and jeers, but over the years, I have tried. Here is what I have.

Entertainment room: Denon AVR-S540BT, Audio-Technia AT-LP120XUSB, Samsung BD-JM59 CD/DVD player, Sennheiser HD280 Pro headphones, Insignia NS-65DF710NA21 FireTV, Polk Monitor 60 Series II towers, Polk Monitor 30 Series II satellite, Polk Monitor CS1 Series II center, Polk PSW505 subwoofer.

Library (recently turned into a Listening) room: ZBOX Volumio-based server, SMSL SU-1 DAC, Fosi P3 Tube amp, Dual Fosi V3 Monos, Wharfedale Super Lintons, REL Storm III subwoofer, Dayton-Audio CS1200 subwoofer

Bedroom (also new install): Aiyima A01 Pro, Neumi BS5 bookshelfs, RSL Speedwoofer 10e.

Workshop: Aiyima A01 Pro, Micca RB42X G2 bookshelfs, Dayton Audio CS800 subwoofer.

Home office: Aiyima D03 amp, Wiim Pro Plus streamer, Polk TSi100 bookshelfs, Polk PSW125 subwoofer.

All purchases were done over the years either as closeouts, scratch and dent, AliExpress, or Black Friday sales so total for equipping these five rooms is \~$6K, so at $1250 average per setup, probably could be considered budget. Most expensive items were the Super Lintons at $2050 Crutchfield scratch/dent, the REL Storm III at $400 from the original owner, and the ZBOX at $320 (which would have been a lot more if I hadn’t had RAM and a 2Tb SSD laying around from purchases two years ago when memory was cheap).

Some notes: 1) for the entertainment room I recently purchased, but not yet installed a Wiim Ultra ($263 Amazon Prime Day) mostly for convenience in accessing music as an alternative to vinyl/CDs, 2) the library listening room has a bunch of tweaks, first, I upgraded the tubes for the P3 to GE JAN 5456Ws; second, I upgraded the op amp chain in the V3s to now OPA828>Burson V7C>OPA627, for speed/attack, mid-range/bass detail, and warmth respectively; third, the positions you see for the Super Lintons on the stands is for listening sessions, normal daily placement is out of the way in the room corners; and fourth, the subwoofer setup is very deliberately layered, with the REL crossover at 70Hz for bass articulation, and the CS1200 placed behind a curtain activating a full length closet (30’x8’) along the right wall adding bass foundation and room pressurization, 3) the Neumi BS5s in the bedroom have foam filled ports and BXI sound panels to balance placing them on the wall, and 4) forgive me, but the home office is the best I can do as there is literally no wall space in that room--but with Wiim RoomFit active, it is tolerable for jamming while working.

A cornucopia