I am in the process of assembling a vintage second system, based largely on components I’ve owned for decades, but had not restored. It is in some ways a serious system, and in other ways, has limitations, but it is truly period and has resale value. However it is not the receiver/bookshelf speaker approach (there is a store here in Austin, where I recently moved, that has a whole floor of receivers and bookshelf speakers, brought to spec, at relatively reasonable cost).
My small vintage system (with the caveat that this will be more money than a receiver/box speaker set up) is:
original Technics SP-10 that I bought new in 1973. This is not the more desirable mk ii or mk iii but I already owned it. It was restored by Bill Thalman, who arranged to have a custom plinth built. I will probably stick an older 12 SME arm on it, with perhaps an Ortofon SPU.
McIntosh MX 110z-- the only piece I bought recently for this system- cost from dealer- about $1500. Restoration--still awaiting final number, but the big cost here is Telefunken NOS 12AX 7 tubes, which you don’t have to use.
Quad II power amps- these have been around longer than dirt, are plentiful in the UK and pretty reasonable to restore- they are simple amps- but very low power. The real cost here is true GEC KT-66s, which are spendy.
Original Quad Loudspeaker (aka ’the 57’). The gold standard for midrange- transparent, almost spooky on some material. Not for your Iron Maiden records, though. Strings, jazz, female vocal, folk, that kind of small scale stuff just sings. Cost- not terribly expensive, must be restored, you see them used here on the ’Gon already restored. There are a couple of restorers who are noteworthy. I used Kent McCollum, who does a sympathetic restoration. I’ve owned mine since 1973, but stopped using them regularly in 1990.
This may be more than you want or too limited, but I get vinyl playback, a very good tuner, and what I consider to be the best midrange in the business, though the speakers were first brought to market 60 years ago.
They look like vintage radiators from England.
I now listen to horns through my main system and recommend tubes- you can, with an efficient horn, use an SET amp, which is to me, the raison d’être of having horns.
If I spent too much of your money, I’m sorry.
I had one of those Marantz receivers in 1970 with a pair of Advents before I dove deep. It was a good sounding system (at that time, based on what I knew and could afford as a high school student). I don’t know how well they would work with smaller Klipsch.
A good semi- vintage not terribly expensive table is the Well Tempered- had one for years when they weren’t vintage. Don’t know if the old ones are supported though.Quirky, but delivers. To me, a modded Oracle would win the glamor award.
I should probably delete this post, since your budget is $2500. But know, there's a lot to be had in vintage land and I'd still push for a decent old tube amp and horns if you could bring that in under budget.
regards
bill hart
