Considering making the move from vintage to modern receiver

[kidamnesiac]

Thanks to some prodding in the right direction from frequenters of the gear subforum (ajxd and slinch, among others), I'm thinking about replacing my Marantz 2015 with something more modern. My budget is going to be around $500 at the very top end, but I'd like to stay around $300.

 

I'm actually looking at moving to a surround setup with a few HDMI and component inputs because my turntable is in the living room and I've been using my receiver for watching movies as well. I've been feeling the need for a center speaker and possibly a sub, but I also want great stereo sound for listening to music.

 

From research I've done on my own, I'm liking the Marantz NR1602/3/4. There's an NR1602 on my local craigslist for $400, but I think I could talk him down quite a bit, as that's a bit above market price used and he's relisted twice already. I know that these receivers don't have an integrated phono preamp, so I'd probably opt for a Bugle2.

 

My turntable is a stock Pro-Ject Debut Carbon. I'm looking for your thoughts on my selection as well as any suggestions/alternatives.

[JumpingBean]

Has your marantz been recapped?  If not, doing so would be an upgrade in itself.

I firmly believe that you get more bang for your buck buying vintage.  You could probably get an Pioneer SX-1050 or Marantz 2270 for much less than a NAD/Yamaha/modern Marantz receiver of the same power.  Also the phono stages on those old receivers are so good that you would never need a preamp.

I run a sx-980 to some Boston a150s and I gotta say I dont think any modern amp I've heard can compare to what that thing does in terms of warmth and sound stage.

[JumpingBean]

If you want a less warm, more detailed sound closer to that of a modern amp give the Sansui integrated amps a try.  I have an SU-D9 that I love to death, it sounds a lot better than my Yamaha A-S500.  I also paid 80 dollars for it, where as I paid 400 for the yamaha.

[slinch]

Yeah, if your 2015 works well, you'll have a hard time improving on it with a modern multichannel (or even stereo) receiver.

 

The Marantz NR range is pretty bad, useful only to improve on the sound from the built in speakers of your TV. In every other way it's a downgrade.

 

In the $300-$500 bracket you can find a worthwhile replacement if you're willing to buy used. A Marantz SR7002 can be found for under $300 and it's a great sounding receiver, good enough to use it for stereo alone. As for multichannel, well, it's a beast. You can even get a SR8002 for $300-$400, and it's hands down the best price/performance receiver you can find on the second hand market.

 

The SR7001 and SR8001 sell for even less, but they don't support HD audio, so if you watch a lot of Blu Rays it's quite a drawback.

[kidamnesiac]

Thanks guys. I'm glad to know that I'd be hard-pressed to exceed the quality of my current setup within my budget. slinch, I'll keep an eye out for a deal on an SR8002.

[jdtg]

Don't mean to hi-jack, but I'm just curious or looking for some input on a vintage receiver vs modern (integrated amp)... In the initial reply JumpingBean references the Pioneer X-1050 and Marantz 2270, after looking on eBay it looks like one in good condition is going for about $400 (seems high, but most eBay prices are). How would something of that caliber compare to say a new Marantz PM5004 or the Music Hall A15.3? How do the phono stages compare?

[streetwaves]

I would stick with the vintage and get that shit running up to spec.