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2nd system thoughts on vintage receivers

I have a decent main system and am thinking about a bit of a "vintage" system for my bedroom. Mainly thinking about some items, I have had in the past. I have been leaning towards these models:

A Nakamichi Stasis receiver, likely the SR-3a or 4a, but open to others. The Magnum Dynalab receivers are great, but more that I care to spend on this system.

Small bookshelf speakers, perhaps Quad, but open to other thoughts,

A CD player and being a bedroom and lazy, perhaps a changer with a separate DAC

I would likely use older Wireworld Eclipse and Gold Eclipse speaker wires and interconnects that I have.

Being a 2nd/bedroom system not likely to use a turntable. For what it’s worth, I listen mostly to classic Jazz from the 50s through the early 80s and very much female singers of Jazz and Standards, Ella, Dinah Washington, Diana Krall and several others. In the evening while relaxing and preparing for sleep I do tune into a local college FM station that is mainly my type of music. (I love how young college age students respond to Jazz. I have two sons that have played brass, percussion and guitar and seem to be going down the Jazz/Female vocal route as well. Any thoughts are appreciated. A prejudice I have is for separate transistors and the like over chips/integrated circuits. I have and have owned great tube gear from ARC, CJ and the like...but not in the bedroom, unless I end up needing the heat. For what it’s worth, I am not interested in compressed or processed sources.

Thanks for any input/experience you can share.

jusam
petaluman
167 posts
 

I think a fine second system can be built around a vintage receiver.  Keep in mind, though, that they are more likely to have problems due to parts aging.  If you're going this route for bang for the buck, you can just wing it and hope for the best.  The risk is that a power supply failure could go either way - it won't power up, or it could take out your speakers.

However, if you plan to maintain a vintage system, you should consider getting an estimate for a parts refresh.  Jon Soderberg at https://vintageamprepair.net might work on Nak receivers.  He worked at Threshold, so he's quite familiar with the Stasis design.  I'm sure others here can recommend other reputable technicians.

Considering you mentioned hooking them up to Quads, though, you might want to up-budget for separates.  Hopefully, tuners are a buyer's market, at least...  Another classic speaker that should work superbly in a bedroom system would be the LS3/5A design.

andrewkelley
276 posts
 

In my vintage system i use an accuphase p250 amp that is fed by a bliesound node 2i. The accuphase has had a total restore and has beautiful big meters and lots of power. Mc speakers are old restored McIntosh the ones that ate all wood and look like furniture. I also have the restored McIntosh eq The cables are old Audioquest volcano. Its a super clean and good looking with a warm sound

fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,635 posts
 

@reubent.

I do have some decent college radio stations where I reside. I am so sorry that you are wrong in assuming otherwise. They sound better here over internet, i. e. on streamers rather than over FM radio. I don’t have to play with antennas or analog vintage tuning, freq. drift, multiplex noise, blah blah. The receiver I have in my bedroom has a remote. You are right on about that.

Of course I bought it long before my first streamer.

reubent
7,054 posts
 

@fuzztone  - Sorry, I only assumed you didn't have any good radio stations near you based on your comment:

Why a receiver? Nothin' on the radio anymore around here.

I must have misunderstood your comment.

fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,635 posts
 

No prob. It was definitely not expressed clearly.

Probably my fault.

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