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Want to start a great looking quality vintage setup

Hello, I’m looking to set up a secondary system for my office which would be purely vintage equipment. As this is not my main listening source I’m really just looking for something that would be attractive, but of course have good quality components but at a budget. I love the look of the silver face and the blue lights of the bygone eras. Macintosh, options of that sort of beyond my budget, but I’ve been reviewing some of the Pioneer spec options, but was wondering what else was out there that folks here would recommend. Essentially looking for a coordinated preamp, amp and phonograph. I can probably find a good set of vintage speakers locally to go with whatever my components are. I’m open to receiver combos as again, this is as much about the look of the components as it is about the audiophile quality, perhaps even more about the aesthetic. 

clw2000
tosnc
30 posts
 

Congratulations on the Mc gear.  That will look nice.  What speakers are you going to use?

I have less high end tastes and for vintage would have just gone for the look and gotten an NAD 3050 integrated with the BluOS module.  New but looks old.  Add a pair of ADS L810 speakers, a B&O Beogram 1800 turntable and you would have a system every EE in Rolla in the early 80's would have drooled over.

I hope the ice and sleet melt soon so the delivery man can deliver your components.  Seems to be going away pretty fast here in Raleigh.

clw2000 OP
8 posts
 

Thanks. Not sure about the speakers yet aside from something that’s high efficiency. There are some JBL studio monitors here locally in Hendersonville that certainly have the look. Idk though. I may use my cheapo Audio Technica phonograph a while until I can invest a little more there.

elliottbnewcombjr
7,782 posts
 

ok, good start, you might keep an eye out for a second MC502.

for more power, that amp can be used in mono, 150 wpc/8 ohms

so, avoid speakers with low impedance dips, it will do stereo 50 wpc @ 8 ohms; 75wpc @ 4 ohms, or 150wpc mono @ 8 ohms (no 4 ohm use in Mono) 

gives you a bit more freedom when choosing speaker's efficiency.

elliottbnewcombjr
7,782 posts
 

for remote volume, mute, balance of my vintage system, I use a Chase RLC-1 Remote Line Controller. S/N 105 db, no one has ever been able to tell if it is in or out.

https://reverb.com/item/90939763-chase-rlc-1-remote-line-controller-new-open-box

Remote balance is wonderful, you never want to live without it once you have it.

secretguy
1,986 posts
 

My favorite vintage looks: Marantz receivers and Empire Troubador tables.

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