I'll second the advice to select your speakers first. Go for higher sensitivity (i.e. +92 dB) speakers - that will give you a greater range of amplification options.
There is a lot of very good value to be had in the used market, if you are patient and aren't in a hurry.
What sources will you use? You've mentioned vinyl, but do you still have a large selection left over from when you had a stereo? If not, you might want to consider streaming audio (digital files) instead.
Music servers (dedicated appliance or stand alone pc) and DAC technology have come a long way in the last 15 years.
I may be venturing into sacrilegious territory here, but digital file streaming now has the ability to match vinyl reproduction, in terms of sonic performance.
I have both. On certain (hi-res) digital files, my streaming setup can match my vinyl rig, and yet, my vinyl setup is four times as expensive.
Have fun and welcome back!
There is a lot of very good value to be had in the used market, if you are patient and aren't in a hurry.
What sources will you use? You've mentioned vinyl, but do you still have a large selection left over from when you had a stereo? If not, you might want to consider streaming audio (digital files) instead.
Music servers (dedicated appliance or stand alone pc) and DAC technology have come a long way in the last 15 years.
I may be venturing into sacrilegious territory here, but digital file streaming now has the ability to match vinyl reproduction, in terms of sonic performance.
I have both. On certain (hi-res) digital files, my streaming setup can match my vinyl rig, and yet, my vinyl setup is four times as expensive.
Have fun and welcome back!