Office system

Bryan, I have an all vintage system that I love. I know it wouldn't be everyones cup o tea. I have a pair of refurbished McIntosh MC40 tube monoblocks and a pair of Altec 604-8G speakers (model 17's). Think BIG. I think it truly sounds amazing for very little money. Trust me, people will notice it when they first walk in the door. If that is what you are after, along with excellent sound. With a little patience, they should be able to be found for right around your budget. And the speakers don't have a foam surround to worry about replacing. Rock, jazz, vocals, folk, it seems to do them all exceptionally well.

If you are not familiar with vintage units as you say,you better have 4K minimum for the mistakes you are bound to make.Its like saying I want to rebuild a 69 XLCH for 2K.Impossible even if your a wrench....

How about an older McIntosh Receiver? Most of the 1970s models are still pretty easy to find and parts are still available for most models directly from McIntosh. If you live anywhere near a large city there is most likely a Mac Service shop nearby as well. Pair the receiver with some older Altec or Bozak speakers and you would have a winner.

Bryan:

If you want to get your feet wet ... check out this ad for a Marantz 2240 . For $175 it's a good buy, as the seller is including the wooden case which alone normally sells for a $100 or so.

It will probably cost another $225 or so to clean it up; recalibrate the tuner, and replace any minor parts. I would also recommend upgrading the power cord. On the east coast, contact Bill at Music Technology . He does a great job restoring these vintage Marantz receivers.

As I stated previously, I had been using one of these receivers for 3 years happily until some of the capacitors started to go and I opted to purchase a new Outlaw receiver. The 2240 has all the vintage things that you want ... cool blue lights; vintage silver look; the real wood case; an excellent tuner section for both FM & AM, and the rich, warm sound.

Regards, Rich

A walk down nostalgia lane. Try Dynaco ST-70 and PAS 3, AR 3a speakers, and Dual 1019 with Shure. Or, Fisher 500-C (or Fisher KX200 integrated), Large Advent speakers, and Empire 598 with Stanton. How about Harmon Kardon Citation II and I, JBL L-100 speakers, and AR TT with Pickering.