10 year old Hi-Fi needs component upgrade

[admin_exported]

Hi!

I've been enjoying my entry-level hi-fi system for more or less ten years. After all this time I guess I'm missing out on some clarity and definition, especially after listening to some more modern propositions and reading What Hi-Fi ? and seeing my system had a few shortcomings.

My current system: B&W DM602 speakers (the original version I guess, not S2, not S3), NAD 312 Integrated Amp, the rest being from Technics: SL-PS670D CD player, RS-AZ6 tape deck and ST-GT350 tuner.What do you think of this ?

For a start I'm thinking of replacing the unnecessary long and outdated speaker cables with some QED Silver Anniversary XT, and the analogue interconnects from the CD player to the amp with Chord Company Crimson. Is it a good idea ?

If you had around € 350 / £ 250 to spend, which component would you replace, given that I mostly listen to CD's ?

I'm also thinking of buying a Pro-Ject Debut III turntable. If my current amp stays in the equation of the question above, I'll have to buy a phono amp right ? What's the best solution ? (the following can be read in the amp's manual: "The Phono circuit is designed to work with moving-magnet pickup cartridges or with "high output" moving-coil pickups. A low-output MC pickup should be used with an external pre-amp or set-up transformer.")

Many thanks for your attention!

Tiago

 

[strobo]

I'd guess changing the source is the first priority. If you get hold of a new CD player you might just squeeze a little more out of the amp before you get around to replacing that. I would think replaicng the amp first might just highlight even more shortcomings in your CD player, and make you reluctant to listen to it until the player is changed.

Cable upgrades are definitely worth it. My stereo system is also ten years old, and I find cables upgrades always offer a little more from the existing setup for not a lot of outlay or hassle.

If I remember correctly, the Pro-Ject Debut series comes with a pre-amp built in, so you don't really need an off-board one, though I suppose some of the off-board ones will be of a better quality. An upgrade path for the future, eh?

 

[Anonymous]

Hi, thanks for your advice! I'm going to follow your suggested upgrade path: first the source, then the rest. I think I'm going for the well performing, good looking and well priced (£ 270) Marantz CD6002.

As for the Amp and turntable, I think I figured out that the Pro-Ject Debut III has a moving magnet cartridge, so I can just connect it to the amp's phono stage without the need to buy a pre-amp. And I can buy the cheaper Debut III that doesn't come with a preamp ( £ 130 instead of £ 225). And actually, unless the preamp in the pack is actually worth £ 95, I'd rather buy a separate Cambridge Audio Azur 640P for £ 60, which, being a separate unit from the turntable, opens up an upgrade path for the future, like you point out.

All in all, there's still an advantage in having and old amp, despite being entry level 😀. I'll upgrade the amp later (and probably then will have to buy a preamp).

Cheers,

Tiago