$1500 Mini System?

..."Classik" is great choice, also he can get the pair of "Tukans" for $500 and later on,Velodyne VA 806 sub (200+used)some Audioquest 4 cables...and he is on the way to become, another audiophile...good luck!

Soliloquy will introduce a medium-small $500 bookshelf or stand non-ported monitor speaker at CES--the Sat 5. Same drivers as their other models up to $3000. Inch thick cabinets, and premium wood finishes. Their $895 similar, slightly larger, ported monitor is regarded as a super product. Check solspeak.com. For speaker cables, I suggest the new Analysis Plus "Copper 12" cables @ $150, 8' (SERIOUS...GET THEM! Check analysisplus.com and find a dealer) and Goertz Purl interconnects (~$80). Either used components, or something like NAD 522 CD and C340 int. amp, $700 for the pair. Don't forget Vibrapod isolation feet for both components and speakers. This is more than a mini system, it's the real deal! And keep the speakers on stands (cement blocks?) out from the wall if possible!

if I had 1500 bucks to spend, this is what I would buy. cd player-cambridge audio 4sce not as good as the rega but sometimes half the price and 1150 bucks in amplification won't pick up much difference. amp- I would definitly go with an intergrated amp for sure. If you go with cheaper speakers like the 250.00 B&W which have gotten AMAZING reviews you can go with a rega mira or lunar intergrated amp. Cables- I am not sure about speaker cable but for innerconnects I would go with the 40.00 cambridge audio cables. I tested them in my $7,000.00 system against harmonic tech truthlinks, nordost black knights, and a few others. These, for 40.00 bucks, held their own.. I recently shopped for a system like that of what you are looking for. As far as speakers go though, As good as the 250.00 B&Ws are (which by the way are very similar in sound to the 500.00 B&Ws) are very limiting. But in the 500-600 dollar range nothing really stands out. I did not like many that I heard. But the above system will be very good.... You can however, find a used pair of vandersteen 1c speakers for about 450.00 used. If you find a demo of them maybe 525.00 that may help...

Any other suggestions?