Oh, this is hard, I usually ask my friends and family what they think, so if you haven’t yet, ask some people and get their recommendations. Sometimes, I even go to their houses and check out the product myself. I think it depends on the price and what you’re looking for, but as you mentioned that you’re looking for a cheap stereo, I say go with Sony. Sony has some great prices for stereos and well, I think it’s one of the best brands for stereo. However, as I don’t know the price range you’re looking in, go check out online websites of electronic stores like Best Buy and see what they have. Best Buy is the first place I go to to check out electronics because they do have great and affordable prices for everything. Best of luck and I’ll ask a couple of people for recommendations too and report back.