Top vintage receivers vs. modern high-end equipment

I agree with the others who have suggested that to do justice to this classic speaker you consider classic tube electronics, which you appear to be receptive to based on your second post. The Paragon was of course designed prior to the advent of solid state amplification, although I believe a "series ii" version was introduced during the 1980s.

There are lots of good choices at various price points, of course. And the condition of the specific example you choose may very well be a more important factor in terms of sonics than the make and model, although a satisfactory restoration is usually possible.

All of the tube pieces that were suggested above by the others (and by you) are excellent. H. H. Scott and Pilot, among others, also made fine pieces in those days, which can be found today for relatively modest prices.

As you are no doubt aware McIntosh and especially Marantz tube equipment unfortunately tends to be very expensive. But having owned several of the classic Marantz pieces during the 1990s (Models 1, 2, 7, 9, and two different 10Bs; stereo pairs in the case of mono units), I can attest that they command high prices for good reason. My sonic favorite among all those models, btw, were the stereo pair of Model 2 monoblock amplifiers I had. I only sold them because in triode mode, which I found to be sonically preferable to ultralinear, the ~20 watts they produced were not quite enough for the speakers I had at the time, when playing recordings having particularly wide dynamic range. In the case of your Paragon I doubt that would be a problem, but the problem would be that a pair in nice condition would likely cost well north of $10K these days.

I’ve never heard a Marantz 8B, which of course is well regarded while also being more easily findable and much less expensive than a pair of 2s (or the still more expensive 9s). However unlike the 2 and the 9 I don’t think the 8B provides a triode/ultralinear switch, and I believe internal wiring changes would be necessary for it to operate in triode mode.

Good luck, however you decide to proceed. Regards,
-- Al

just adding my 2 cents, if I had the Paragon would not be looking at 1970s receivers, would look for a Marantz 7 pre and a pair of MAC MC60s......

Agreed. Lose the receiver unless you really need a tuner. I run 1960s EICO HF35 monoblocs. Why? Because, given that I don't need power, they sound as good as the best I've heard.

This is all very interesting. Perhaps a better choice than high-powered vintage receivers is some classic tube equipment, like the Marantz 7 preamplifier, and Marantz 8b amplifier combo. I once had a Model 7 and was impressed with it. The 8b has a simple circuit with what might be the best output tubes out there...that might be a good way to go: you stay in the vintage era like the Paragon, and get very good (although not very high-powered) amplification.

In my opinion:

The Consumer-Grade Electronics have always had their "better" stuff AND their "cheap JUNK".  And some brands tended to build a more solid unit than others (Vintage Pioneer, Marantz, and Harman-Kardon's better offerings) in Solid-State.  Also, some of the premium Japanese stuff that was actually MADE in Japan in the late-70's thru 1980's was also supposed to have been pretty darned good.

I can't speak much for Vintage Tube Gear - but that does not sound like the era of stuff that you would be looking-for.

Likewise, in Audio, there has almost ALWAYS been the "Consumer Stuff" vs. the "Esoteric Audiophile Stuff".  I think that the key difference was that less of the "Classic" Audiophile equipment was as far out-of-reach financially as a lot of the Modern-Era Audiophile stuff (some of it was even sold as "assemble it yourself" kits and was supposedly pretty darned GOOD [Dynaco and some H-K Citation]).

Products offered by various companies usually changed over time - some for the better.  (Heck - in TV, look at what used to be the junk that one used to find at "Monkey Wards" - stuff like Goldstar and Samsung, which are now premier brands in that market.)  And some for the worse - usually, when a good up-and-coming company sells their soul to a Corporation that gradually replaces the founders and cheapens the products.

If you are into Vinyl - it DOES make sense to look at something from the "heyday" of HiFi Vinyl recordings (1960s thru early 1980s).  After that, with the advent of the CD and the "Digital" hype - most consumer electronics companies stopped putting much effort into their Phono circuitry.  But, as others have said - get a mid to high-end product and spend a few bucks on restoring it (cleaning controls / replacing Electrolytic Caps, etc.)

That's when I started! No receiver then or now compares with the same period integrated. Get an integrated, add a vintage tuner, can't be beat on looks OR performance.

But if you're dead set on a receiver, or integrated/tuner for that matter, what you get will depend more on how it was reconditioned and recapped than how it was new.

My old Pioneer TX-9100 just looks so beautiful I will probably never part with it in spite of it hardly ever being used. But hey- make me an offer! Lol!