Investigation

It's not just that adding a classic component to a modern system widens your choice. You can also take advantage of the greater availability of many items while availing yourself of products, such as high-quality cassette decks, not to be found new.

Turntable: Technics SL-7. Fitted with a new cartridge, such as an Audio-Technica AT85EP, this plentiful little deck is hard to beat.

Cassette: Sony TC-K611S. Not only a great sounding recorder but one that's easy to look after too.

Tuner: Hitachi FT-5500 MkII. Compact, reliable and with a sound that's superb, this is the top vintage tuner choice.

CD player: Philips CD104. A durable, high-quality machine and perhaps the first to impress hardened audiophiles [HFN Apr '14].

Amplifier: Quad QC22/II. The classic valve amp combo and one with just enough power if you have the right loudspeakers.

loudspeakers: Yamaha NS-1000M. A top buy provided the drive units are sound [HFN Oct '18].