Is upgrading worth it?

70s music sounds fine on my system. I like to use bad recordings to test my gear- it should not editorialize if the recording is messed up. I have found that a lot of equipment *will* get upset when you play a bad recording, and make it worse, even though the same equipment will play good recordings OK.

However I don't think of 70s recordings as being particularly bad, although some are lacking bass and are over-produced. But that's been an on-going problem.

I listen to rock, folk, classical, jazz; whatever appeals. The decade IMO has nothing to do with it being a good or bad recording, although I don't like the increase in digtaliss that occurred in the later decades.

Overall, the more I have improved my system, the better all of my recordings have become. My collection is about 6000 LPs right now...

To my ears settling for an ancient cheap system for 50s, 60s, 70s music is absurd. It takes some work, but you can get amazing results that can magically turn old distorted CDs into gold without equalization or other evil tools.
Supremes, Motown, Phil Spector Wall of Sound girl groups, 80's Rock-of-Ages music, progressive rock... it's all good with a little effort and a good ear.
My main suggestion is to put some tubes in the chain (at least in the preamp only, like I do).

Its way cool spend cash!!

I don't always care about new features. I am fine with older equipment. I use to watch a lot of movies in surround sound, but mainly listen to cds and online radio more. I don't think upgrading is always worth it. If it's a certain model that you really want go for it. so many new electronics have a high failure rate anymore. Check out each models reviews that you want a lot. Doing this saved me thousands in bad receivers that I would have bought.