Welcome Alan
I'm going to completely buck the trend here and advise against buying (very) old gear that may need attention. For your budget you can build a cracking system. If you want an up front sound that does rock well but other genres too, I'd advise on a new CDP and maybe even speakers which can be had discounted at some outlets (otherwise buy more recent speakers say under 15 years old), and the system I'd build would keep it nice and simple:
Amp: Stick to an integrated. Mixed bag pre-power combos are fraught with pitfalls and ultimately are more expensive. There's nothing to be gained by using the fashion (?) for a passive pre with an old power amp. One of the best integrated amoplifiers on a budget which will compete with even a decent mid range amp today is the Denon PMA355UK. This offers 50wpc into an 8 Ohm load, uses very high quality components, has a really decently designed circuit a really decent power supply and even comes with remote control for ultimate convenience. It sounds great too and won loads of awards shortly after its release some years back. As a bonus, it also has a half reasonable phono stage and a headphones socket. It's a cracking amp and highly unlikely due to the quality and rating of components used, to need much, if any attention if you buy a minter on Ebay. Cost is around £100 used...utter bargain;
CD. No contest. Avoid the upgrade and kit swapping and go straight for a new Rega Appollo R. Does it all very well indeed and has a very analogue presentation. Cost £550 to £600.
That leaves £800 for speakers and cables.
For the speakers, again, avoid older boxes that will likely need crossover refurbs (electrolytic capacitors in many over 15 years old wil be shot). Newer ones used which would suit your tastes and should work well in an average room would include the Proac Studio 140 (sells well used too), the Q Acoustics 2050i are a reasonably well designed set which will boogie on a budget really well as will the Dali Icon 5 (used), KEF Q500. Any of these would meet your needs. If you aim at used, £400 to £600 will buy one of these.
That leaves enough for speaker cable (just buy some 1.5mm diameter OFC multistrand terminated with Z plugs to begin with or Van Damme tour cable, or the inexpensive Black Rhodium twist (I put my hands in the air and say that I sell this but that's not why I'm recommending it!) and buy some screened interconnects. Look for reasonable quality plugs (avoid cheap and nasty ones as if there has to be a signal connection, it matters to make it a good one).
You'll then have a system which rocks for the budget, will give you the detail you're after (without making your ears bleed) and each of the components will be dead easy to move on second hand if and when you decide to upgrade.
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Originally Posted by allya
