If your were to assemble a vintage system ?


Let’s say you were going to put together a vintage system and your source was primarily vinyl. Your price limit is $1500. What would it be? 
Make it as musical as possible. Super detail or thunderous bass isn’t going to be very high on the list. My first thought would be a 70’s Marantz receiver (50ish wpc is more than adequate) an 80’s AR table, and any iteration of a Vandersteen 2C that didn’t bust the budget. 

Could easily also swap in a Pioneer SX750 instead of a Marantz. 
Cartridge? Not sure- might actually go with something modern/current. AT or Nagaoka 

what would you put together? 
128x128zavato
Sonus Faber Electa Amator 2
Naim amp (Green series)
Weiss Minerva DAC
+
Any digital source


Already have in the amplifier realm. A mint Pioneer SA-8800 for $450. Also have a Pioneer M-72/C-72 that together ran $850 and a restored Pioneer SX-3800 for $350.
I am in the process of recreating my first real stereo system (to the greatest extent possible). A Sansui 5000X receiver with 60 strong watts per channel, a Thorens TD-160 turntable, a Teac RTR, (original was a 4010-SL, went with an A-4300SX this go-round). Original speakers were Pioneer CS-88As, trying to pick up a pair this weekend, but will also use a pair of Genesis Physics Model 1s and a pair of EPI 100Vs. Cheating a little by using an Adcom GCD-700 run through an MSB Link III DAC. You would be surprised how good the sound is with the Genesis speakers - very tube-like and involving. Definitely not a high-res rig, but the enjoyment factor is through the roof due to the time-traveling sensation. And the components' appearance puts many of today's black boxes to shame.
What I owned in about 1976 I would clearly buy again:

advent 300 receiver $270
rogers LS3/5a- $595
B&O turntable (not the linear tracking) $375

then since you can split the advent as a preamp, add a used EL34 tube amp.  I had a marantz 8 that I paid $225 for, or you could find a dynaco ST70 for a similar price, or a Conrad Johnson MV45 for a bit more money.

total cost ~$1500