New Marantz audio gear sitting on a shelf next to a few magazines

5 Reasons to Upgrade Your Vintage Stereo Equipment

There is nothing quite like the warm sound of vintage stereo equipment, but there’s plenty of new gear from legendary brands that are worth exploring. Legions of music fans swear by the build and sound quality of gear from yesteryear, but vintage stereo equipment isn’t without its drawbacks or limitations. If you’re tired of vintage gear upkeep, looking to replace an old piece of equipment that stopped working, or just curious about the differences between new and vintage home stereo components, these five reasons may convince you to invest in a few new pieces of gear.

Gain Access to More Options

Integrated amplifiers and stereo receivers have become technological Swiss army knives with every sonic tool imaginable. With internal DACs (digital to analog converters) and Bluetooth capabilities, many new amps and receivers offer an array of digital connections and streaming options that a lot of old gear simply doesn’t offer. Optical and coaxial inputs provide even more options, especially for gamers or movie buffs looking to expand upon the sound of their favorite games or films. The popularity of vinyl and the CD resurgence have also inspired brands like Marantz to make sure that their analog offerings are plentiful, well-built, and easy to use. You may not use all of the inputs on the back of your new amp or receiver, but what’s wrong with having a few extra options?

Save Some Space

It’s never been easier to have all your analog and digital needs met with just a few pieces of equipment. Fewer components mean you need less space to build a stereo system that ticks all your audio boxes. Also, some vintage gear is bulky and weighs a ton. Newer audio gear often packs a ton of features into relatively small boxes. If you’re building a setup in a smaller space or have a massive music collection that leaves little room for much else, newer space-saving gear is worth looking into.

Experience Convenience

Fewer pieces of gear also mean you’ll have fewer wires and connections to deal with. Many modern Hi-Fi manufacturers value the plug-and-play approach, so no matter where you are along your audio journey, setting up your new system doesn’t require an advanced degree or hours of hair-pulling frustration. Modern integrated amplifiers such as the Marantz MODEL 30 offer advanced features like a premium phono EQ stage and an impedance selector that allows you to use both moving magnet cartridges and low-output moving coil cartridges. If you have a vintage amp, you would more than likely need to add a phono preamp to the mix in order to have these options. Also, less gear means you have fewer things to turn on, which means you have fewer things to remember to turn off. This will help you avoid moments of sheer panic when trying to remember if you turned all your stereo gear off before you left the house.

Listen to More Music

The easier music is to listen to, the more you’ll want to listen to music. If you can easily spin vinyl or CDs, sync your phone, plug in your laptop or TV, and connect with your gaming consoles, you’ve opened yourself up to every modern listening experience. This can easily be facilitated by a few choice pieces of modern gear. Without format or playback limitations, you can discover new music, spin an old favorite, entertain guests, and cover the most ground as a music fan.

Enhance Sound Quality

This may sound a bit controversial, but it’s true. Just because your current or former setup is vintage, doesn’t mean that it’s automatically better. Changes in regulations and advances in transformer technology and circuitry have led to less distortion and higher performance in many of today’s integrated amplifiers and stereo receivers. Components like CD players have also improved substantially over time. Since releasing its first CD player in 1982, Marantz has continued to hone their craft. The SACD 30n uses the latest technology to provide CD, SACD, and streaming music experiences that are sure to floor any audiophile. Precisely tuned to complement the MODEL 30, this system may inspire you to buy new gear and eventually own a vintage setup as you hold onto it for years to come.

Published in partnership with Marantz.