I currently have an Aiwa stereo which is very good. I have owned a Pioneer in the past and that was very good also. They both are good, reputable brands and they make equipment that lasts. I have found that you tend to get what you pay for - buy cheap, get cheap.

I like Onkyo. They have above average quality in sound and components and the price point is equal to the performance.

I have always found Sanyo , Sony and Toshiba are good. I have not really had a system that has been bad.

In 1979 I bought my first Pioneer home stereo. I have had them ever since (I still have that very one in my shop) and love them. I currently have Pioneer units in my car and truck as well. I have never needed servicing on any of these units.

I have always liked sony it seems like every time i think ohh ill just buy the cheap one to save money im sure its the same as the expensive they always blow up in no time. I think stereos are deffinately on thing that falls into the "you get what you pay for" category. Hope something i said helps with your decision.

Sony and Aiwa are both good.

I remember a Sansui system that sounded amazing. Now I use a Dual turntable connected to a JVC console.

sansui was pretty damn good back in the day, but if money weren't an issue the esl series by martin logan blow everything out of the water. BUt.. at 8,000 a piece(with carbon fiber trim,of course) they are out of many peoples price range. I like them even better than bang-olufsen.

I don't concern myself with brands that are "the worst", because none of them make it out of the store or past my door. Unfortunately, too much of the mass-market audio equipment available today is produced and sold on the cheap: cheap designs, cheap parts, and cheaply priced. At some point in the cost-cutting process the product gets worse, not more affordable. I build my systems by buying individual components, which allows me to upgrade a component when I can afford it. I usually to shop at smaller stores that can provide a level of service that few chains can offer. These stores tend to be quite selective in the products they sell, which usually fall into the good, better, or best categories. I can rarely afford the best, but I have had the opportunity to listen to it. I have also encountered a few good chain operations, but these tend to be fairly small (i.e., less than a half-dozen stores). Audio equipment I have bought over the past few years has been made by companies such as: - Anthem (http://www.anthemav.com/). - Bryston (http://www.bryston.ca/). - Cambridge Audio (http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/). - Clearaudio (http://www.clearaudio.de/). - Dual (info at http://www.dual-reference.com/). - Linn (http://www.linn.co.uk/). - Musical Fidelity (http://www.musicalfidelity.com/). - Paradigm (http://www.paradigm.ca/). - Pioneer (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/). - Primare (http://www.primare.net/). - ProAc (http://www.proac-loudspeakers.com/). - PSB (http://www.psbspeakers.com/). - Rega (http://www.rega.co.uk/). - Synthesis (http://www.synthesis.co.it/). - Yamaha (http://www.yamaha.com/).