SA-2025 by
Mark Hardy, on Flickr
I am -- FWIW -- not a big fan of that era of Technics receivers (although they look fairly nice)... but it
was nice of your wife to get you one as a surprise!
The SA-202 is rather low powered (30 wpc, per link below) relative to much of the late 1970s solid state hardware and, IMO/IME that line of Technics receivers were also kind of
thin sounding. They're also rather flimsily built and not too impressive inside.
http://www.vintagetechnics.audio/sh...2OiJzYS0yMDIiO2k6MTtzOjk6InJlY2VpdmVycyI7fQ==
"For best results" a moderately sensitive (rated in the high 80s dB SPL at 1 meter distance for an input of 1 watt into an 8 ohm load) and "warmer" sounding loudspeaker model would be where I'd go for an SA-202.
A recommendation?
Well -- vintage or new? New, I cannot offer much, except to say that many folks
really like the new ELAC B5 or B6 models. They're a little less sensitive than
optimal for an SA-202, though. They're said to sound very good, and the prices are
very right.
Vintage? Well -- there are
zillions of choices at all price points (just as is the case in
new loudspeakers). What'll be common (if
anything) in your neck of the woods is hard (impossible) for me to guess. That being said, there are a bunch of stalwarts with which it would be hard to go wrong (assuming they were in good cosmetic & working order and the price were right). Perhaps a pair of any of these?
* EPI 100 (or other family members of about that size/price)
* Dynaco A-25
* Polk Audio Monitor 7 family members
* ads L-710
EDIT: One nice thing about some versions of the ads L-710: perforated metal grilles! Quite kitteh-resistant. We used a pair in the family room of our erstwhile home in MA for some time
for just that reason.