Trying to put together first vintage stereo

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Hey y'all. This is my first post so be easy on me. So I'm trying to put together a good stereo. I finally pulled the trigger on a turntable today and bought a marantz 6300. Now I'm wanting a marantz receiver as well. There's a few models that I've been on the fence about including the 2270,2325,2285. I know these are all great receivers. The speakers have been the toughest thing for me. I don't have a huge room at the moment that I'll be listening in but that will change down the road. So for my limited space I've been juggling back with quite a few including dynaco A25 or A35, AR 3, KLH 6, advent, altec, the list goes on. I don't need huge sound but would also like it if I need it in the future for a bigger space. Any suggestions pointers y'all got would be great to hear. Thanks
 
Unless you are dead set on an all vintage system I would recommend looking at speakers made from the 90s til now. I love vintage components but speakers improved dramatically in the last 25 years or so in my opinion. Good speakers that is, not mass-market junk.
 
To be honest it's the look that drives me to the older speakers. I love the beautiful cabinets and the tweed looking grill covers. I absolutely love my klipsh bookshelf speakers but unfortunately they're occupied.
 
KLH 5's could be a possibility. Fit that look you want and sound good. Envolved to recap complicated crossover.
 
My own experience has been that the room determines the speakers. I have some nice bookshelf speakers in the office, but a complementary setup of two pair of floor-standing speakers in the living room. However, if placement is flexible, smaller speakers can have a large effect.

I don't know that there is one speaker for all applications. My approach is to find speakers that meet my current needs, worry about what I might need later when it happens.

(I must admit, though, that from where I'm sitting now I can see several speakers stacked in a corner for "down the road". Rather than rationalize it, I simply never think about it. Many here may recommend the same practice.)
 
You don't know what you like until you hear it so I recommend buying a few pair of speakers and comparing them. Then pay attention to the specs and drivers on the ones you prefer. That should send you in the right direction (for your personal preferences) as you work your way into what you consider to be great speakers. Other peoples taste and opinion and speaker reviews will have no bearing whatsoever on your taste in sound. If you negotiate your purchases well it won't be hard to recover most if not all of your money at the point of resale for the ones you don't like as well or outgrow. Or you can just hoard them all like I do.
 
Although the pile of speakers in the corner isn't such a bad thing in my eye my girlfriend may not see it the same way. Lol. I know speakers have came a long way over the years. There is always the option of putting newer components in a older set of boxes. Again I have limited knowledge of it though.
 
I know I'm in the minority and I realize my preferences are superfluous but, much of the pleasure I get from this hobby is the visual stimulus which triggers great memories from my youth. Having said that, I love the looks of the lattice grills of the old sansui speakers.

These speakers do not get good reviews but the detail and style are beautiful. What can I say,
I can't resist a pretty face!

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I love the beautiful cabinets and the tweed looking grill covers

Me too.

You haven't mentioned any budget. If 500 is within your range, take a look at the Wharfdale Denton 80th anniversary's. Beautiful 'retro' looking speakers, brand new so they should be trouble free for a long time, and I'm pretty sure they would fall into the 'girlfriend approved' part. I think Music Direct sells them.
 
I don't really have a budget. Now I'm not gonna spend 10k on a pair of speakers or anything. But I paid 750 for my 6300. Imagine I will spend 1-2k on whatever marantz receiver I choose. No reason to skimp on the speakers. IMG_0126.JPG I picked these pioneer CS-a31 up a few months back for 100 bucks. They aren't anything special as far as sound but I just love the look of them.
 
I'll agree with Moby Dick on the looks of Sansui speakers. I have a pair SP1200's. But, IMO, thiersound does not equal the cabinets.
Again just my opinion, if your reciever budget is $1-2k would be unutilizing it, to not get some superior SOUNDING speakers. If you equal your receiver budget, should be able to do that. Do audition a few types to hear what voicing you like. Klipsch, JBL, ADS etc it that budget can please listeners, but will you like thier sound.
IMO, don't buy a receiver till you determine your speakers you will drive. Speaker efficiency, tone etc will influence receiver or amp needs. Take your time investigating. Much easier to buy than re-sell something you don't endup liking.
Good hunting
 
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don't give up the Dynaco A25s...really hard to beat......synergy is the answer....they match up well with lots of tubes & SS gear....plus that 10 inch woofer
 
That's why it's been so difficult to pick a receiver because I don't know how much power I'll need. I'd like to just grab a 2325 and some restored AR 3. Would be a lot of sound for a small room but I guess I don't have to crank it.
 
But how would a 4 ohm speaker perform on a 2325. I've read lot of mixed opinions. Any clarification?
 
don't give up the Dynaco A25s...really hard to beat......synergy is the answer....they match up well with lots of tubes & SS gear....plus that 10 inch woofer

Couldn't agree more. I love my A25s and it also helped that the owner had them basically under a blanket in a spare bedroom for 30+ years. Not sure where you're located, but they pop up from time to time in excellent condition. They love classic rock and jazz.
 
There is always the option of putting newer components in a older set of boxes. Again I have limited knowledge of it though.

I would recommend not going down this rabbit hole, based on what you have said so far. Speaker engineering is more complicated than it may appear, and the chances of getting it right for the average tinkerer are smaller than you would probably want to mess with. There are exceptions - like the AK designed Econowave, which is a thoroughly worked out design starting with, for example, a pair of vintage Advents. But the idea of acquiring some nice old cabinets and buying some drivers that fit the holes and an off the shelf premade crossover (for example) is not likely to make a good sounding speaker. Stick to speakers that are good to begin with and may just need refoaming of the woofers and replacement of crossover capacitors. You'll thank me later.
 
Yeah that was a last resort I would rather not try to get into. I've seen a handful of really nice A25s and to be honest seeing a pair of those at a local store made me want to put together a system in the first place.
 
The advice on the Dynaco A25s is spot on. They are a great sounding, great looking vintage speaker. If you do eventually outgrow them, you should have no trouble getting back out of them what you paid for them (assuming you didn't grotesquely overpay). There are good reasons why they continue to be popular.

The best advice would be to listen to as many different vintage speakers as you can. Add your location to your profile and maybe some fellow AK members in your area will invite you over for a listening party.

Also, go to the Speakers sub-forum. As the tagline says: The most vital link in the chain..... They really are. Different people like different things, but reading as many informed opinions as possible can't hurt.

This thread is now 51 pages long and absolutely chock full of great information: List the top 3 best sounding speakers you have ever owned. As you peruse that thread, you will see certain makes and models that get mentioned very frequently (the Dynaco A25s, for instance). Narrow down your initial choice to three or four of the frequently mentioned models, see if any AKers near you have some you can listen to, see what you like and start searching your local craigslist and used equipment dealers for a pair.
 
Hey y'all. This is my first post so be easy on me. So I'm trying to put together a good stereo. I finally pulled the trigger on a turntable today and bought a marantz 6300. Now I'm wanting a marantz receiver as well. There's a few models that I've been on the fence about including the 2270,2325,2285. I know these are all great receivers. The speakers have been the toughest thing for me. I don't have a huge room at the moment that I'll be listening in but that will change down the road. So for my limited space I've been juggling back with quite a few including dynaco A25 or A35, AR 3, KLH 6, advent, altec, the list goes on. I don't need huge sound but would also like it if I need it in the future for a bigger space. Any suggestions pointers y'all got would be great to hear. Thanks
To be honest it's the look that drives me to the older speakers. I love the beautiful cabinets and the tweed looking grill covers. I absolutely love my klipsch bookshelf speakers but unfortunately they're occupied.
I'm a big fan of vintage Polk myself (I have Monitor 10Bs and Monitor 4s). I love the Marantz Imperial I's I just got in (incredibly hard to find though), which are my reference speaker now. I tried Advents but wasn't a fan; they just didn't have "it". Haven't tried any Dynacos or KLHs yet.

I have/had lots of 90's and newer speakers (Boston Acoustics, Eosone, Sapphire, Klipsch, Polk - low end model though, Bose - also low end model, Cerwin-Vega!), but the vintage ones have won out for me in the ones I have compared. I do agree vintage speakers look a lot better too.

But, that's just my ears.
 
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