I wouldn't buy anything other than a second (ie. kitchen/bedroom) system new
for £200. If you do some research online and find out which stuff to buy,
you can (just about) put together a reasonable sounding setup for that sort
of money. As you mentioned, the used separates route also gives you the
option to expand/upgrade later as you can afford to do so. I've created a
very nice sounding setup myself, buying nearly everything secondhand off
Ebay (although admittedly spending more than £200). Btw, I wouldn't pay too
much attention as far as recent 'improvements' are concerned - most of what
you've heard almost certainly originates from hifi media hype!


"MG Lewis" wrote in message
om...
With around £200 budget I've been thinking of buying a new hi-fi
system like a Sony or Panasonic or going to richer sounds and trying
to pick up some bargain seperates from their Trade Counter section.

I keep hearing that seperates invariably offer better quality and it's
tempting to build up a system as and when I could afford to improve
it. However, I've read online somewhere that CD technology has
improved in the last couple of years for example, and perhaps other
aspects have too (amps and so on) and am now wondering whether a new
hi-fi system would sound just as good as seperates that may be several
years old in design.

I'd appreciate peoples thoughts and opinions on the old seperates v
new system choice.