I am interested in upgrading my late 80's system?

I would start with a nice little tube integrated amp...and a new source (if you need one?...you didn't mention vinyl or cd as your source).

You should be able to add these two new upgrades for around $1,000-$1,200 (used)...50-75watts are all you need.

(The speakers)...you can decide on an upgrade there (or not)...after you have a good long listen.

You may want to move to a pair of speakers with just a tad more bass than the little B&W's provide...or (if you like your speakers a lot) maybe just a small subwoofer add on?

Dave

Here is some great gear you should audition:

Tubes: Almarro
SS Amps: LFD, NAD
Passive Speakers: ATC 19s, B & W 805s

Active Speakers, ATC 16s and 20s

Try a primaluna prologue one integrated tube for $750 used here on audiogon. That will leave you $1200 or so for speakers/cables. I would upgrade the cables from the 80s as well. BTW, buying here will provide you with much less expensive equipment allowing you a jump up in quality for your budget. Also, if you do your homework and you choose quality you will be able to flip any equipment should it not meet your taste. However, you don't get good audition time in a store. MHO.

Hi, Again I appreciate the help. Several questions I wanted to answer: size of room 14w X 30 l X 8h. I mainly listen to cds and FM for NPR. I do not have a record player currently I did have an old AR years ago. I still have a large collecion of LP's so may go back to that as a source. My B&W speakers are on stands at the end of the room away from the electronics.
Again very good suggestions and now on to research where to locate items for listening. As stated before not much in the area.
Ray

Hey Ray,

What kind of CD player do you have? And please feel free to ignore the "buy this, buy that" and "if you don't like it sale it" crowd around here, as I feel you're the kind of guy that wants to do a decent upgrade and then enjoy it for a while, so take your time and find what you want, and that meets your listening expectations.

Anyway, first step if it was me, and since I now know you're a FM listener, is figuring out do you go to a Integrated Amp + Tuner combination, or do you go to another Receiver? Now I guessing you're the type of a person who believes in the K.I.S.S. approach "which is "keep it simple", as long as it sounds good. If that's the case, then I might go with a well taken care of tube based vintage Receiver such as a 60/70s era Receiver such as Fisher, McIntosh or Marantz, especially if the owners has had it serviced recently and it meets orginal specs. You know a lot of those old receivers will still beat "the pants off " of modern day receivers in both sound and overall performance. Btw, I love good vintage gear, and "down the road" I might pick up "am oldie, but goodie" receiver.

If you browse over to the sales pages you can find several examples at a fairly reasonable price. After that I would live with what I got for a while before taking the next step which may be replacing the speakers (although your B&Ws still have a good reputation, of course, if you like B&Ws you might want to check out their new 600 series, lots of good comments about them) or maybe even upgrading your CD player (again applying the "weakest link" principal). After you got that all in plece, you might then want to play around with upgrading your IC's or speakers cables. Once again, don't fall for the over-expensive hype, as there are many quality manufactors who make cables at a ressonable and affordable price. Btw, where are you located? Perhaps some of us, might be able to help you find a dealer somewhere near "your neck of the woods".