I want a minisystem that has deep, clear bass, good sound quality, and that plays loud. Since I don't know how these systems sound, it would help if you could comment on their quality.
I looked at a number of mini systems over the past year, first for use in my study, and later to give to my daughter for her 12th birthday (last month). One of the best sounding and easily the best value I found is the Onkyo CS-210, which only cost $200. I know this sounds too cheap to be true, but the fact is that unlike most of the under $400 competition which uses IC outputs, this sucker has real transistor outputs (very good quality, too). The thing sounded even better than several of the over $400 crowd, such as the Denon D-50 system. The speakers are purely Onkyo (not an independently sourced speaker like the Missions packages with the older Denon mini-systems), yet they are surprisingly good. I went so far as to test this little system against a full size receiver (a Denon DRA-395 with a pair of AR speakers) and the little Onkyo mini-system was much better until you went to very loud volumes--at normal listening volumes it imaged much better. I would highly recommend the Onkyo mini-system as the equal to or better than any other system I checked out for under $500.
Thankyou for your responses. Let me give some more info on WHY I want these particular systems. I want so much freakin' bass that you can here it from the basement. I want to make the speakers BOUNCE!!! Falp, I'm not sure if your Denons can do that...
None of these systems can do what you want--mini systems inherently lack bass. However, the Onkyo I recommended has a subwoofer out which can give you all the bass you need or want. I suggest you get the Onkyo system for $200 and add a PSB SubZero-i subwoofer, also for about $200, and you will be in business.