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

If I was feeling nostalgic and wanted a vintage radio… I would get some really early tube equipment (the really warm romantic kind) and go all the way. The kind of rolled off warmth is very soporific, perfect for a bedroom.

if you can't refurbish yourself, which most cannot, it's hard to know exactly what you're getting...

I think your idea is sound, and I respectfully disagree with the members here saying older gear doesn't sound as good. I own the Nakamichi SR4A you mentioned, and it's quite a nice sounding piece of gear. I also highly recommend the early Luxman receivers. I own an R1030, and 2- R1070's. These seem to be under the radar, and haven't seen the price increases of Marantz and Pioneer. Depending on the efficiency of you speakers and volume levels you expect, I can't recommend the Luxman R1030 enough. I use mine in a nearfield desk set up, and it's sound quality is unbelievable. Yes, it might need a bit of a tune up, but you could easily find a 1030 and get it back to 100% for less than $500. Pair it with some similar vintage speakers and you will have a very nice sounding system.   

I bought a Fisher 500C refurbed by AEA  for a second system in 20016 and it has been an absolute delight.

I paid for some upgrades to the phono section and tube bias section and the Fisher has been rock solid reliable and joy to listen to.

Used with hot rodded Klipsch LaScalas, Esoteric sacd/cd spinner, and a JVC QLY5F turntable.  A  really rocking system and total delight.

I love Naks and have my ZX7 coming back from Willy Hermann as I just had it refurbed.

The Fisher can show you the tube magic and hold its own against any receiver I have ever heard (and I have a re-done Marantz in the closet-due to the presentation of the Fisher)

Have fun and happy hunting.

It is highly dependent on exactly what piece of equipment. I bought a top of the line generation one Nakamichi CD Player $2,000? (so $5-6K in todays dollars) 30 years ago. I was going through my stuff last year, found it, hooked it up. I played no more than ten seconds and unhooked it and threw it away. 
 

I also tried my Marantz 1040 new in 1972… point to point… sounds terrible. 
 

I am sure there are a few. But there has been so much advancement in the high end.