The Auricaps will cost more than $25, but won't bust your budget. I don't know how many are needed. You must have seen the same article on MSNBC (I think). It described the same system.

The Wave8 gets good reviews for a $200/pair amp. I've seen it but haven't heard it. I myself have built a Bottlehead Foreplay pre-amp, which costs all of $149 as a kit. Easy to build and sounds great. It gives a tube sound to an otherwise solid-state system. I would buy Wave8s myself but my speakers are very inefficient. The Outlaw cables are a steal, buy 3 pair even though you only need 2 and get the price break. The third pair will get used eventually.