Hi,
I am the proud owner of a rather old Aiwa stereo system model Z-L10,it plays CDs,cassettes,has a radio and a turntable.
Sadly it is beginning to show it's age and is beginning to play up,especially when playing CDs.
I would really like to upgrade my equipment and get rid of some functions that I don't really need,like the cassette player and the radio,all I want really is a reasonably good record deck and a good CD player.
So how do I go about modernising my equipment,I know next to nothing regarding amps and equalisers etc,I just want to be able to play my vinyls and my CDs on reasonable equipment that I haven't paid the earth for.I've looked on Amazon and other sites but some of the all-in-one systems have very varied reviews,so what should I be looking for if I want to just buy a good turntable and CD player?
Thanks in advance

How much are you looking to spend?

Presumably you'll be wanting a new amplifier and speakers as well and maybe a DAB radio with line out?

Hi David,not really sure how much stuff is,would £350-£400 be too little?

I have speakers with my old system,not really interested in the radio,I would think I would need an amplifier.

Just found this lot at Richer Sounds website:
Amplifier: Cambridge Azur 651P - £119.95
CD Player: Cambridge Topaz CD5 V4 - £119.95
Turntable (inc. cartridge): Marantz TT5005 - £149.95

Total price: £389.95

If, as you say, you can use the speakers from your old set up, that would represent a significant upgrade and leave you the option of adding better speakers at a later date. Most modern amps don't have specific inputs for turntables, which means that you need a separate preamplifier, called a 'phono stage' between the turntable and the amp. The Marantz, however, has its phono stage built in, so it will plug directly into any of the amp's input sockets.

David,you are a diamond,I really appreciate the time and trouble you have taken to significantly advance my understanding of how things work,I am very grateful to you.

If the speakers with the Aiwa system are anything like similar systems I have heard from them then I would strongly advise you to chuck them away. They won't do the rest of the system described above any sort of justice.

Even a cheap pair of Wharfedales like these

http://www.richersounds.com/product/...0/whar-9.0-blk

are likely to blow them into the weeds sound wise. A bit more upmarket

http://www.richersounds.com/product/...mercury-v1-oak
http://www.richersounds.com/product/...1/miss-mx1-blk

Try and get a demo so you can hear what all the components sound like together. I suggest you take along a CD you know well. Also have a look at and maybe request help on this forum: http://www.whathifi.com/forum

Thanks for all your helpful advice guys,I have taken notice of all the suggestions and I now feel that I understand a lot more about how things work and what I need to buy.

I wouldn't disagree with the Richer Sounds kit advised above and I understand the reasons that the Marantz has been recommended. For a little extra you could go for the Project Essential though

Hi,
Thanks for your input,would I not then have to buy a phono pre amp for this type of turntable, the Morantz TT5005 has it built in.

You would need to buy a pre-amp. Or an amp with phono stage built in, for example

http://www.richersounds.com/product/...0/pion-a10-blk

I've also only just noticed that David Waine may have accidentally listed the wrong item. The Cambridge Audio Azur 651P is a phono pre-amp, not a full amp. Perhaps he meant the AM5?

http://www.richersounds.com/product/...651p/camb-651p
http://www.richersounds.com/product/...-topaz-am5-blk

I'm really not liking the recommendation of that Marantz.

Turntables are a difficult thing to purchase these days; you either get cheap, plastic Chinese designs like that Marantz, or old-fashioned Linn LP12 clones like the Project.

Project every time for me. The Marantz will wear out your records a lot faster than the Project will.

Thanks guys,
I'm beginning to get a better understanding of how it all works.
So basically I need to get an amplifier with a built in phono stage,then I can get any turntable that suits me,or an amp without the phono stage and buy the phono pre amp separately,which still allows me to buy any turntable I like,correct.

Correct. Though having an integrated phono pre-amp is one less box to find a mains plug for. And one less thing to go wrong.

I might be tempted by something like this

Denon PMA520 amp
Project Essential turntable
Denon DCD520 CD player
Mission MX1 speakers

Mind you at £680 give or take some small change might be a bit out of your budget.

But I've had a Denon amp and CD player in my own HiFi system and they are good bits of kit. Usually score well in reviews.

And don't forget to throw in a few quid for the speaker cables.

http://www.russandrews.com/product.a...GBP&pf_id=3378

Thanks for that Chris,them speaker cables better be good.

Yes - but the Project is far the superior player