What do I need to update my Hi-fi system

[daisound]

My hi-fi system currently comprises Sysstemdek IIX turntable, Cyrus 2 amplifier, KEF Celeste Mk 2 speakers, & a new Pioneer BDP450 blueray video/CD player. The over 25yrs old Cyrus amplifier needs repairing or replacing. My knowledge of modern Hi-Fi is very limited. I want to update the sytem to give me the best budget priced performance I can get, and I want to get into audio & possibly video streaming. For downloading & streaming I have a modern PC with home Wi-Fi and a budget android tablet. I am somewhat bewildered by the amount of modern kit available, and am at a loss to know precisely what kit I need, without considering which manufacturer. Can anyone tell me what pieces of kit I need to buy & what of my present sytem can be retained ? Suggestion for particular high performing budget range items compatable with what I can keep of my present system would be helpful, although I can probably find them from the magazines best buy tables once I know what I am looking for.

 

[SteveR750]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

It's best to start off thinking about what you want it (your system) and how much you want to spend.

What music sources do you want to be able to use, presumably keep vinyl and CD, but you could use your laptop to play your CD music with the right software and ancilliary equipment. if you are wishing to stream music (Spotify, TIDAL, Qobuz etc) and video this might be a practical cost effective approach.

Secondly, it's worth thinking about what you like, and don't like about the sound of your system; which will give some guidance as to what to consider.

 

[Ketan Bharadia]

If everything else in your system is working properly it looks like you just need to sort out the amplifier. I'm sure Cyrus can still repair the 2 integrated, so that may be your best bet. If you fancy a change, something like Arcam's A19 (£650) is a good choice, perhaps with a speaker upgrade to something like B&W's 685 S2 (£500) to follow. While there are budget options for both the amp and speakers, I'm not sure they would be massively better than what you have now. If you want to get into streaming, you could feed your PC into an outboard DAC such as Arcam's iRDAC (£400). Or, just connect it via analogue leads straight into your amp.