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Vintage Receiver: TANDBERG, MARANTZ, or…?

Hi guys,

My primary system is in storage in NY, and I am building a small system in Lisbon, Portugal, where I am currently basing.

I have started with the purchase of a pair of Von Schweikert VR-1 speakers, and would like to use a '70s vintage receiver as the heart of the system.

Frankly, I am shooting blind, so to speak, as I haven't listened to any of the units that I am considering (having used separates for decades). However, having done a fair bit of research on-line, I am gravitating towards the Tandberg 1040P. The Marantz 2230 also looks like an interesting possibility, as I am seeking something high-quality, warm, and with an excellent tuner.

So…if any members have strong opinions about good '70s receivers, especially if you have listened to them with the VS monitors, please do contribute, and you don't have to limit yourselves to those models.

I should add that in NY I used Virtual Dynamics David speaker cables, and loved them. But that was with a different (and better) system, and I will now look for something less expensive. Any opinions on cables and the type of receiver I am considering would also be appreciated.

Thanks much in advance!

Regards,

Tony C.
whipsaw
chrshanl37
833 posts
 
How about a luxman? Never owned one but I have a few friends that are really into vintage gear and they love the old luxman gear. I have owned a marantz 2285b however and now kick myself for selling it.
jesusa0
155 posts
 
I have Revox, Sansui and Sony vintage amps for sale and I live in Spain. If you would like to contact me, please don´t hesitate.

Daniel
lloydc's avatar
lloydc
734 posts
 
Sansui, Luxman, or Tandberg would be preferable to Pioneer or Technics, which were thought to be characterized by a bright, irritating high end, back in the day.
czarivey
5,690 posts
 
Lloydc,
Your statement is way too general. There are vintage pioneers that more superior to Sansui and visa versa.
SX-9XX series are very solid and powerful performers, but SX-1000 is my prefered less expensive one that have all of the qualities of SX-9XX series + stunning vintage looks with turquoise light over the tuner dial.
whipsaw OP
753 posts
 

Thanks for the input thus far, guys.

@Loomisjohnson

Those are the reasons that I am inclined in that direction. I suspect that the warmth will match well with the VS-1s, and I've always had a soft spot for high-class tuners (once had a brilliant Accuphase).

@Lloydc

Thanks – that's consistent with what I have heard elsewhere. It seems the the Sansuis are a bit under the radar, but worth considering.

@Chrshanl37

I know that there are some huge vintage Luxman fans out there, but it sounds as though they were/are a bit less reliable than some of the others under consideration. I do seem to recall their components being beautiful, though!

@Chrshanl37

Thank you, Daniel. Which Sansui do you have?

@Swampwalker, @Czarivey

Thanks for the suggestion. It is possible that a long-standing bias of mine may get in the way of the Pioneer option. I don't doubt that some of their models are good, but way back (I was in high school when most of these were made), I used to hang around a nice store in Evanston, IL called Audio Consultants, and Pioneer receivers struck me more as mid-range, as opposed to elite. As I say, there's a bias at work, though.

Cheers,

Tony C.
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