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
Marantz 1060, can be had fairly inexpensively 500.00 . With a little patience and solder, recapping is 125.00. A Thorens TD160 with a  MM cartridge is about 600.00. Two Fostex FE166NV full range drivers 225.00 and a couple of sheets of 3/4" Baltic Birch for a set of double horns $150.00. Bit over budget at 1600, but would be a very satisfying set up.


I would start in 1973, when I bought and built a Dynaco SCA-80Q at the desk in my dorm room at UW-Madison. My roommate and I each bought a pair of The Smaller Advent Loudspeaker from the "Happy Medium". We agreed to split the system. He bought a Dual 1215, probably with a Shure M91E.


I know that many of you might sneer at the Dynaco SS amp, but it was a learning experience. When we split up as roommates, I bought an AR XB, which I still have, albeit with a Grace 707 arm in its current incarnation.


I have arrived back at a pair of Smaller Advents paired with a Knight Kit KA-40 16Wx2 tube amp that my Dad originally built in 1959-60. It is my workshop stereo, enjoyed almost daily while I work. Mostly streaming now, from digital files on an iMac connected through an Apogee Duet. It is really enjoyable system! The Duet dates from my silly project of digitizing all my vinyl instead of listening to it. I stopped when the law of diminishing returns was applied.


My main system is Linn, 1983 LP12, Accurate Kontrol, AV5125, Active Keilidhs, Mac Mini, iFi Nano iOne. Both systems are enjoyable in their own way. I play around with Amarra, BitPerfect, Tidal, Spotify, Apple etc. but the above law applies to that as well. Started with LP12, Kans and Denon power amps in the 80-90s, then to Arcam electronics, then to Linn.


Not exactly an answer to OP's query, but I'm still enjoying authentic vintage gear that has withstood the test of time. Plus, my 95 year old Dad loves that I have his old gear and use it!


My system is vintage...AudioStatic ES300R and DCM5 powered by Mark Levinson bos. 333, 360S, 380S and 25S...average equipment age 25 years, sounding better than 95% of today’s hi-end
AR or Empire TT; good MM cartridge; Spendor, stacked original large Advents, or ProAc Series 2 monitors. Decent receiver. 
I would replicate my first system, from 1970. 
Sansui AU-555 Amp
Sansui TU-555 Tuner
Dual 1019 Turntable w/Shure V15 Type III cartridge
Samsui SP-100 Speakers
 AKAI R2R w/X field head

wished I had McIntosh money back then, LOL