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
yes it was both impressive and sadly rather typical of him. I forgot about the sansui au999 that might be my choice as its much more laid back than other sansui offerings and i've heard many. What are you leaning towards?
As always, system synergy is the big unknown, and I have no way of guessing which of the contenders is most likely to click.

While certain Marantz and Sansui models are attractive, I think that I'm going to give the Tandberg a try. It has been serviced by a specialist, and at under $300 shipped, I can easily afford to sell it on and try one of the others, should it be unsatisfying. It's also a bit of a gut feeling, which, when shooting blind, could prove beneficial.

I appreciate all of the input, and will post some impressions after the components all arrive.

Cheers,

Tony C.