[geeks] decent stereo kit on a budget (classical Baroque plus rock)

[Patrick Giagnocavo]

Let's say you have $300 to spend on used stereo kit.

Can you get a decent turntable, CD player, receiver/amplifier, and 2 
good speakers used or new with that combo?

I listen to a mix of classical (Mozart/Beethoven/Bach plus lesser known 
Baroque) and rock music (opera, not so much). 

While 128Kbps MP3 usually sounds good enough, there are times I want to 
set aside the headphones and iPod or laptop, sit in a big easy chair 
(yet to be purchased) after a meal and really *listen* either by myself 
or with guests.

Is it worth prowling the shops for decent but older vinyl recordings, or 
is that method of getting good music cheap mostly disappeared
 at this point?

Please no $10,000 Class D amp setups or tube-freakazoids with their 1938 
Hungarian-made left-handed red dot tube setups.  Yes I know the guy from 
Boston does his own sound engineering and uses tubes - I don't have his 
knowledge nor his budget.

If not $300, what is a reasonable price?  What goes into getting a 
decent speaker these days?

--Patrick