What is your favorite budget audio component?

Good question.

My immediate response was “what’s the budget”?

But OK…. I’ll go with $1,000 as the limit.

Are we supposed to name drop here or merely pick out the generic item or device?
I’ll go generic.

Of all the things I’ve bought the most thru the years for under a grand over and over, it has to be ‘receivers’. Either 2 ch or multi ch as time passed, but it was always the first link in the chain.

They always trickled down into another room somewhere.

They offer immense flexibility and possible arrangements. Often decent ones can be had for well under a grand. $700 to $900 lands some pretty decent tech in just one box.

Besides that, I’d say headphones.

oops forgot these....

OK. here’s something everyone can afford and should have in their rigs or available.

1. Herbies Audio Labs – “Iso footers” – a series of three small poly or rubber bases in which small one inch round balls can be set and used as isolation devices. Excellent results for light to medium weight items. Not recommended for any heavy weight stuff like big 100lb. plus amps.

Great for things under say 60 lbs or so, like CDP, DAC, line stages, receivers, tuners, PLC, Disc spinners, Personal confusers, etc. these came originally with solid wooden balls and or solid semi hard poly balls as the two options. Fascinating value. Incredible idea.

The ‘ball’ itself changes things most. I preferred the Ebony over the ‘poly’.

$20 ea. $60 for a set. When they were available.

2. Wooden block footers or varying compositions. Teak, Ash, Ebony, Apple, Maple, Cocobolo, Zebrawood, Myrtle, Mahogany, etc.
Used as a set of 3 all being the same types as footers for any components aside from loudspeakers, of course.

Just as fascinating results and each particular wood will introduce its own sonic flavor into the audio. Cut to two inches or so tall, by an inch to an inch and a half deep and wide.

As with the HAL footers, arrange in a triangle beneath the component to suit.

Usually, Free as waste cuts at wood working hobby shops.

Not a lot more if you have to buy a stick and cut it yourself at only 9 inches or less overall.

My EXP shows, the denser (harder) the wood, the cleaner the sound scape. As well, more pronounced or defined will be the leading edges of notes is often the realization. Shorter grain woods seem to add more color to the harmonic, like Mahog. Ebony for ex. Cleans up the images better.

And if all are cut the same dimensions, its an attractive addition to the gear on the rack or stands.
Removing OEM footers is optional.

I would never have believed it but years ago, another member sent me several sets of various wood types to try. I did. I’m sold on these things ever since. Absolutely remarkable… and FREE!! Great for outboard power supplies too.

This is said in spite of the fact I have iso footers like Black Diamond and Vibrapods, and other upscale cones, in house already.

I mean for freee… why not?

3. Female NEMA to Male IEC 15A 125VAC adapters for burning in power cords, and not burning up the system.

Connect to the pricey PC, plug into wall, plug refrigerator, freezer, fan or ??? into that and let it sit there for 10 – 14 days, then disconnect, and insert run in power cord into system. Leave alone and run rig normally for a couple days or so and either be impressed, awed or pack it up and send it back.

With a few, of these adapters you can run in quicker still more PCs using but one appliance..

But always a big savings on your pricey outfit… tubes… light bill, etc.