Help ? with upgrade to budget system

Thanks for your responses...just to clarify - I am wanting to replace my system with a new one and my total budget is $3000. I am new to this audiophile world and appreciate the wisdom of those with more experience.

So far I'm thinking about the Music Hall CD-25.2 with the Exposure 2010S Integrated and the Paradigm Reference Studio/60 v.3 speakers (OR the B&W 603 s3's). This system could be had for $3000 I think.

I am also curious if anyone has any experience with the Arcam Solo. The simplicity of a single component is attractive. I'd be looking at the Amphion Helium bookshelf speakers to compliment that unit, possibly. Though I'd probably need to keep the Tannoy TD12 sub to beef up the lower end.

So what do you all think ? Am I on the right track ?

I know that all this virtual system designing is no substitute for real world auditioning. I have some limitations in terms of audio dealers here in my town.

Thanks.

I understand that you need to have some idea about what you might be spending on electronics in order to know how much you have to spend on speakers. Nevertheless,I strongly recommend that you settle on speakers first, because the differences there are vast, compared to the differences further upstream. As evidence of this, consider that some speakers can mask the differences between amps and CD players, whereas no decent electronics can ever mask the differences between speakers. One of the advantages of this approach is that you might find that you do not need new electronics and, if you do, you can select the electronics that fit well with the speakers. Speaking of electronics, I do not think that it is worth your money to move from a 50 [or 65?] watt amp to a 75 watt amp. As long as you are paying for a change, you should at least step up to 100 watts which could be helpful in your new larger room, unless you choose efficient speakers [which takes us back to the point of choosing speakers first]. I would not buy a component that combines long living parts [amp, pre-amp, tuner] with parts that have a shorter life [mechanical parts of tape and CD and DVD players]. I am a dealer, so I will not make comments on this forum on the brands you are considering or not considering.

Memeboy is giving you great advice. You want a new system, but you don't need a new system. You need new speakers, and depending on what speakers you get, you might also need a new amp (which could be just a power amp if your current integrated has external couplers).

Stop *reading* and start listening, to speakers in particular. And while the selection in your area may not be wide, you are probably better off choosing from what you have available (and can listen to) than buying something online based on someone else's recommendation.

You would want better than the Music Hall player. Its going to make a huge difference to your system. Dont scrimp on the source . Go to a dealer and listen to speakers you like. Then have him play a few different cd player. The better the source the better that same pair of speakers will sound.

Good advice! Thanks Memeboy, Pabelson and Mapleleafs3. I'll do some auditioning of speakers and once those are chosen and in my home, I'll then take the next step with the CD player and/or amp. First things first. And I hear ya, Memeboy, regarding the all-in-one component....that's a good thing to keep in mind.

So, can a really good set of stand-mounted mini-monitors / bookshelf speakers fill a large space with clear, clean sound ? I've heard both sides of that one. Of course this is assuming the source and power is clear and clean to start with. What's puzzling to me, is that the professional reviewers sometimes use very low wattage power to drive some of these small speakers to very favorable results (to their ears, of course).