Hi to all, new member here. About a year ago I bought an Audio Technica turntable, model is AT LP120 XBT-USB. I've recently moved house, and am intending to set the turntable up in the lounge with some nice speakers and also to add in something that I can play my CDs on. My main aim is to build a system with decent sound so I'm probably not looking for bargain basement components, but at the same time I don't want to be spending thousands! I've been looking around for a while now, but to be honest I'm not sure where to start and am scared of making an expensive mistake. Could anyone advise please?
PS I have loads of vinyl going back to the 1970s and also loads of CDs.
Welcome to the forum!
I see you're over in the Borders - I used to stay over that way a few years ago for a while. Bit short on hifi dealers admittedly...!
If it was me (which is my way of saying you can regard or disregard this as you see fit), I'd get a list together in my head of the kind of sound that I like - bassy, clear, detailed, balanced - the kind of music you're into and how you might go about putting a system together. Needn't be a chore and in truth, it's probably something you're already aware of at least in part.
Seeing as you've got your turntable and a rough budget in mind, you've got a couple of routes you can take next system-wise; a traditional amp - speakers setup, or going down the active speakers route.
I can see a few replies recommending you hop in the car and head off up to Edinburgh (which I think you've said you're not fussy for), Anstruther (further away and more hassle to get to), or *** down the A7 to Tyson's. Google Maps is your friend guys...or any map frankly.
Plus you've going to have to faff around with Edinburgh's Emission Zone if you go near the city centre (Hi Fi Corner is outwith that), so you'll need a Euro 6 vehicle plus the best part of £15 - £20 for parking if you're looking at two hours in the city centre.
So, all that's all well and good, but do bear in mind that not all dealers carry all the gear you're maybe interested in instore. My own experience recently with Hi Fi Corner up in Joppa in Edinburgh was very poor - a very well stocked shop, leaning mainly towards the high end, but you really need to phone ahead to book a demo ("we've got more on the website mate" was the unhelpful reply from the guy instore when I was in a month or so back enquiring about a phono stage) so they can get the gear you might want to hear in.
The same is true of Peter Tyson in Carlisle and while they've a heap of floorspace in their large store, most of it is for domestic electrical white goods and TVs than hifi. Much more helpful team, but you really need to have an idea what you want before you go in as you'll spend an hour or two getting there and it'll be "we can get it from the warehouse in Newcastle").
The other thing to bear in mind with buying in a dealership is that if you change your mind when you get home because the speakers or amp don't sound so good in your living room as they did in the demo room, you're at the mercy of the dealer if they'll take it back and swap it for something else. Some will, some won't (the latter being James Morrow in Edinburgh). Reason being - in law - you've had the chance to inspect or hear the goods.
Buying online is a different matter and you're entitled to take the goods out from their packaging and in the case of hifi that's pretty handy. Any dealer saying that you can't is flouting the law so I'd avoid those. Plenty offer a 14 day return, others more (Cambridge offer 30 day returns on their direct purchases).
So, you've got £2,000 to play with. Again, if it was me, I'd do a little legwork online to see what's available. That's a pretty good budget so you don't need to stay stuck with entry level gear. Get a shortlist together on paper or a spreadsheet that chimes with your mental note previously on the sound you like and trawl the reviews - both from pro reviewers and user opinions too. It might be a little time consuming but it needn't be onerous.
I haven't bought gear from a dealer since about 2011 when I bought some Tannoy DC4s. Since then, I've bought a ton of stuff online but my core system is a pair of AVI active speakers, a Cambridge Alva ST turntable and AT-540ML cartridge, a Cambridge 200M DAC and a revolving series of CD players or universal players, which currently are the Denon DVD-3930 and a Pioneer PD-505SP. I'm not sure I'd be splashing heaps on a new CD player myself, these days I tend to buy older serviced models from the 90s and early 2000s. My most recent model is a Cambridge 752BD blu-ray player which dates from 2014.
I've avoided specific models here - there's a ton of it out there. You can't hear it all, you can't hear all the combinations and you haven't got the time. Nobody can and nobody does, so you might as well make it an easier route for yourself.
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