think preferences thru before reviewing specific equipment:
1. tubes or SS: TUBES,
both preamp and amp, or integrated.
2. speakers: EFFICIENT, to keep power need down, heat down, size down, increase flexibility of placement, remember line of sight of any remote beam.
3. type of drivers:
Horns and Big Woofer, no ports;
no horns, lots/enough bass, no ports;
no horns, no ports, stereo pair of subs.
f. Features: many or purist. i.e. Stereo/Mono; Remote Balance; fletcher munson 'loudness' eq for very low listening; some defeatable tone controls; tape loop; dual output
g. Vintage or New or mix.
h. Phono, a big category, keep options and future options, and flexible gain/flexible impedance in mind. SS or Tubes? TUBES
i. Turntable: DD or belt or idler? Plinth size to fit Long Arm
j. Tonearms: Single, Two, Three {MC, MM, Mono ready to go back and forth in any listening session