Hi group,

I have 2 hifi systems (well 5 actually) which I want to replace within
the next year. I'm just getting back into Hifi and I would love any advice :

The first is a Carver (C-1 / M-500t / TL-3300 Cd player with big 3way AR
speakers on stands). Questions : How old is this system ? Is it completely
outdated and outclassed by current equipment ? What would I need to spend to
equal or improve it ? What would I need to look for ? The CD player skips
and tracks badly on 50% of CDs - is there any point in repairing it ?

The second is newer : NAD 1000 preAmp - NAD 2700THX Amp - Sony XE-220 CD
player ( My Dad kept the original NAD CD player ) with Wharfedale Modus 4 (I
think) speakers. Questions : Why do I like this (especially for anything
non-classical) almost more than the Carver ( the Wharfedale speakers were
only £100 on sale ) ? i.e. How does it compare to my Carver ? Is the Sony
entry level CD player too nasty for this system ? What's a good CD player to
buy (in the range £500 - £1000 ) ?

Lastly, these systems are rated at 250W / and 150W continuous power into 8
ohms.... will I need to stick to 100+ Watts to avoid disappointment ? I have
2 Cambridge Audio A1s and an A500 - they both sound nice especially the A500
(65W) driving Italian Chario speakers (but My Dad has that steup ).

I look forward to anyone who can point me in a good direction. I am not a
HiFi expert though I've heard of all the jargon ( bi-wire / stereo image /
impedence etc.. ). There's too much HiFi out there to know where to start !

Thx for reading,
Roland Herrera,
Bristol,
UK