What to add to my system for best sound?

First thing I would do is take the money you were going to spend on higher end speaker cables and put it back in your pocket. At this stage of the game, you will get far more bang for your bucks by upgrading your source [CD player] and your amplification. In the meantime, believe it or not, I would use 12 gauge OFC wire cables for my speakers. You can get it for about 30 cents per foot and,
along with upgraded amplification and CD player, will give you a much bigger upgrade than scrimping on your other components for higher end speaker cables. If you are having a hard time deciding between tubes and solid state, you might check out the Jolida JD1501 Hybrid Integrated Amp. It uses tubes AND Solid State. For your source, again, if you like a tube sound, check out the AH! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 CD Player. At this stage of the game, I would take a look at CD/SACD players, but -- frankly -- I would hold off on SACD until your budget is higher -- maybe on your next round of upgrades. Prices of SACD players will come down, higher end SACD technology will filter down and in the meantime, you can be enjoying the heck out of your CD player. Just my opinion.

Geoff --

I will not flame you. I agree that an upgrade in speakers is usually the biggest bang for the buck. And, not a controversial some people claim to hear it while others don't kind of thing like high end cables. The kind of obvious everyone hears it no doubt about it this sounds so
much better kind of thing.

But, I also believe you need some balance in a system. So, I also believe a good way to upgrade is to improve the
weakest link. In her system, I think the speakers are the
strongest link. At some point, you need better components to get the most out of your speakers and I believe that upgrading the other two components will help get more out of those speakers.

There is also a real noticeable difference between a receiver and an integrated amp or separates and I believe
her speakers have enough resolution to be able to hear the difference a nice integrated amp like the Jolida will make.

Further, I believe that digital technology has really improved and higher end technology is filtering down into
players at a lower price point. I have noticed a large
difference when a system is balanced; Nice speakers served by appropriate amplification being fed by a nice
CD player.

Finally, I believe there are some components that give a
much bigger bang for the buck and when one is on a budget,
it is best to seek out those types of components -- like
the Ah! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 CD player and the Jolida hybrid integrated.

Geoff -- I have no problem with your approach -- I wholeheartedly endorse it. At this stage of the game,
when one wants to hear a significant upgrade in music
quality, an upgrade in speakers will definitely give a big bang for the buck. I don't think Julie will go wrong with
a speaker upgrade and I also think she would notice some difference with a better front end and amplifier.
I would put upgraded speaker cables last on her list of
priorities. If could do nothing but talk her out of
blowing her money on high end cables and get her to
put every penny of that money into speakers instead, I
would feel like I made a difference in the world. So, you're preaching to proverbial choir. But, i still like those two components and believe they also have a place in a system at her price point. If she starts with a speaker ungrade, perhaps a component upgrade would be next -- and I would STILL hold off on purcahsing high end cables.