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Looking for a good vintage stereo

CrazyEddie69 said:
I am looking for some advice about getting an older integrated amplifier/receiver. I have ZERO knowledge and experience with older equipment.

I have a 6.1 Marantz SR5200, but the sound is gutless in 2 channel stereo. I have purchased a new 7.2 Surround sound system (Denon) for my media room, but would like a good stereo to listen to vinyl and CD.
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My experience mirrors your's a bit. About 20 years ago I got a nice, new home theatre receiver. It was great for movies but totally sucked for music.

If your music sources are vinyl and CD (not broadcast radio) as you say, I'd suggest you avoid the added complexity of a receiver altogether. In fact, I'd say ditch the solid state and find a nice vintage tube amp. Either an integrated or separate preamp and amp. There really is something special about tubes. And, unlike newer gear, vintage actually appreciates in value.
 
Marantz (my fav), Sansui, pioneer, Kenwood all good stuff for vintage. If you can spend a bit more look for used Accuphase. They are high end with great build quality.
 
What. you mean to say is you are looking for good older equipment. When you say vintage you are implying the unit improves with age and we know that never happens with hifi equipment. Now I will admit some Hifi equipment as time goes on the value of the product exceeds inflation, but does that make it vintage. I suppose only if you are considering the monetary value. Performance wise nothing improves with age. So its not vintage.
 
Lot's of vintage things don't get better when they get old. Better or worse has nothing to do with widget whatever being vintage or not.
Lot's of vintage receivers sound like stink. Most have a sound someone likes.
A select few even pull off the warm and wooly passably well. If that year vintage receiver soothes the mind as they sip the wine, then it is indeed a very fine vintage.
 
What would recommend Quiet? I recently purchased a Sansui AU-517. I loved it, but the right channel went after 7 days (it's in for repairs, but I expect the worst). It was light years better than my Marantz SR 5200, but that's not saying much because my Sony STR-D311 bought new in 1991 for 180.00 sounds 10x better.
 
I'm not sure what Marantz may have been missing several years ago, but my friend's SR7008 AVR sounds great. Far, far from gutless, with Def Tech BP-10s.
 
I second the Kenwood suggestion. My best and favorite integrated amp is a Kenwood KA1100SD, 150 WPC, excellent phono section, parametric bass and treble controls and CD direct mode, it sounds awesome to me with records or with my nice DAC through CD input. Highly recommend.
 
CrazyEddie69 said:
What would recommend Quiet? I recently purchased a Sansui AU-517. I loved it, but the right channel went after 7 days (it's in for repairs, but I expect the worst). It was light years better than my Marantz SR 5200, but that's not saying much because my Sony STR-D311 bought new in 1991 for 180.00 sounds 10x better.
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I don't recommend any specific unit. To many good ones out there to fixate on just one. I'm partial to 1964 to 1978 receivers. My method is to got clean plug and play units for a "very" low price and hope for the best. If it fails I'll give it to who ever want's it. No failures in three years from 2 dozen units. When they do I'll consider them disposable, like everything else we buy today.
 
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