Help with choosing new system

[Grumpyduck]

Ok so my father is in need of replacing his aging hi-fi system.

He has speakers positioned around the house hardwired into his old hifi, we need to be able to wire these speakers into any new components.

We need DAB, mp3 and CD playability, amplification, and a screen to see what's playing.

Your suggestions guys??

 

[Cable Monkey]

How much do you want to spend? If I were you my front end would be a Squeeze box, with an old PC or NAS drive storing your tunes. Amplification is quite a dilemma and depends on how much you wish to spend. It would need to be robust to handle the complex load of a number of speakers. Did the old one die?

 

[Grumpyduck]

Not sure how much he has just yet, I just wanted to get some ideas. as to what might be the way to go.

 

[Cable Monkey]

I suspect you need to match your budget to a capable amp. Richer Sounds, Superfi or Hifix and look at options in your price range then come back and see what we think. I like what Cambridge Audio does personally but there should be plenty of other suggestions.

 

[Grumpyduck]

Oh, I forgot to say, it needs to be a simple set-up that an older person can operate without to much fuss. I think that the box handling the storage of tunes has to be the same one as plays cd's etc (does such a unit exist?)or perhaps a cd player with an i-pod (or mp3 player) dock?

So what I am imagining is a cd player with hdd or i-pod dock on top of some kind of amplifier with 3 pairs of speaker connections...phew!!