1st things 1st, Aj watch out DO NOT wire speakers right off the back, you'll risk frying them. Apparently the 1500's used direct coupled quasi-complimentary amplifiers and they didn't have DC blocking capacitors between the outputs and the speakers. Check the DC voltage at the speaker terminals first, it should read no higher than .2 volts, if it does you stand a good chance of blowing your speakers. (This is all per Randy Bassham from a post in '06). Magnavox had a separate powered electrostatic headphone adapter that has blocking capacitors. (I've included a pic) Another weird caveat is they're designed to work with Maggie record players and you need a special plug in the back or else when you go to phono it just powers off with a non Maggie player. (It was designed to shut off after the record finished with the Maggie player I think.
Superdave, your review is the reason I kept a lookout for the 1500 in the first place, thank you! Aj I have both the 1500 and the 1500 plus, and they really are special receivers. I looked forever to try and find the spec differences and couldn't either. Comparing side by side the plus edged out the regular but it could've just been psychosomatic. (Also the 1500 does have chrome plated knobs as well)
From Craigslist (for $100 bucks!) I picked up a GREAT condition1500 with a reel to reel, turntable (with new mag cartridge) the headphone adapter and a pair of electrostatic headphones and 4 speakers, two S-8756 (15" woofer and horn) and two even better sounding end table cabinet (also15" woofer horn combo) cabinet speakers. I was blown away with how good it all sounded. Just a ton of clean power coming through the receiver that just makes the music sing. Sounds great with all the speakers I tried but especially with the magnavox speakers (all have rubber surrounds and are sealed and styrofoam home encased) can't say enough about those speakers too. A pair of S-8756 just popped up on the bay for $400 out in California.
I liked the system so much when a 1500 plus popped up on the Bay with a record player and a pair of small Maggie speakers from the same era I didn't blink twice at dropping $275 or so on the lot. Then I found another set of electrostat headphones and adapter(almost a hundred bucks!) so I could really set it all up. (Also I researched "warm sounding" cd players and the Belgian made magnavox CDB 650 came up, I just happened to luck into a mislabeled ebay auction on a Euphonic Technologies modified unit for a hundred bucks (Michael Goldfield in Connecticut modded these back in the day (total mods were over $1000+ price of the player)) and it is ridiculous. Sounds just unreal. I grabbed another one when it came up on television Bay as a gift for my twin brother with the original remote but paid 3x the price.
Like Superdave original post. I'm kind of done searching. Honestly I have a gone over Marantz 2330 and JBL L96's relegated to bedroom duty because this set sounds so great. Vocals are incredible, and just the overall musiciality in general. I don't have enough records and reel to reels to warrant them hooked up right now. Here's picks of my set up right now. Was able to wire the S-8756's out to my dining room (with the help of a non usable double sided fireplace) and it's a hit, sounds great. I use the loudness button with volume down and they sing.
So every pic I try to upload is too large. Soon as I figure it out I'll post pics.
-Brian