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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
841 posts
 
Ouch yogi thanks for the heads up I'll be sure to steer clear of luxman. Tony I do think you could go wrong with the 2230 it has a very mellow sound if you find a good one im sure you will like it. I've heard a lot of sansui gear and have always found it a bit bright imhop.
whipsaw OP
768 posts
 
@Chrshanl37

That's interesting – thanks. As my system will be used in a room that is likely to add brittleness to the sound, I really want to steer more in the direction of warmth and non-bright components.

@Yogiboy

Thanks. I've always had real respect for Mac equipment, so it probably should be added to the mix. Also interesting to hear another anecdotal warning about Luxman.

@Chrshanl37

No doubt you're correct about all vintage equipment needing attention sooner or later. The Tandberg that I am considering was recently refurbished by a specialist in Germany, so while it is try that the company has been out of business for some time, I expect that it would provide many years of good service.
schubert
7,386 posts
 
IF you run across a Nikko they sounded as good as any and better that most.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,663 posts
 
Yes, Nikko had a lot of very listenable gear back in teh 70's.

My choice of receiver that I owned for many years back then was a Hitachi sr804 Class G receiver. IT was a very well made piece. The Class G design enabled more power in a smaller package but the sound quality fared poorly against the absolute top notch Tandberg tr2080 that I acquired concurrently a couple years later. Nikko sound was very neutral as I recall and always sounded good versus the other Japanese competition but the pricier Norwegian made tandberg was a cut above them all.
jesusa0
155 posts
 
Whipsaw:

1) Sansui AU-999 fully restored, recapped and upgraded;

2) Revox B-251 recapped and upgraded with MC board;

If you wish to contact me: mvdventura@gmail.com

Daniel
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