Interesting topic, thanks for bringing it up. Of course this is nostalgia for us old folks, but it's also relevant for younger people starting out on a budget. Because they might not be aware of how good some of the old stuff can sound, compared to similarly priced new gear. There's no doubt technology has marched forward relentlessly, but this doesn't always translate to better sound quality.
No kidding.
My first real system was a Technics SL-1700 with Stanton 681EEE, Kenwood integrated and JBL L26 speakers. Pioneer RT something or other 10.5" open reel deck. Patch cords, lamp cord, and factory undetachable power cords, of course. Well this was 1976. All we had. Pretty sure the only other comparable system on the whole WSU campus belonged to my roommate Doug.
The Kenwood and JBLs kept going until 1990. By then the foam surrounds were disintegrating, and the Kenwood required a wooden peg to keep the power switch on. All my records had long since been dubbed to open reel, my precious turntable stored away in a box for years as I had made one of the bigger blunders of my audio life, switching to CD without even bothering to compare. Well cut me some slack. Crazy as it sounds today we were at the time told CD was "perfect sound forever!"
Like I said the Technics was boxed away. By 1991 though I had a good job, house, wife, and set about upgrading the disintegrating speakers an all. Eventually these upgrades were well along when it dawned on me hey, I still have that turntable. Wonder what it sounds like?
Dug it out, hooked it up. Which by then seemed a waste of time, flimsy patch cords and all. What the... how'd the stylus get bent???!?! Oh well, why they make needle nose... put on one of my remaining few records and.... what the....!!
At this time I had a California Audio Labs CD player, Linaeum Model 10 speakers, and the Kenwood serving as pre-amp for a McCormack DNA1. Pretty sure that's what it was. Or if not then the Dynaco ST400 I had built back in high school. Anyway, as far as source goes it was the CAL we were used to.
Wife comes home, right away says something about how good it sounds. No clue, hadn't even seen the turntable yet. Strategically blocking her view I asked a few more questions. Just to be sure. Because we both had a hard time believing how much better than the CAL that old record player sounded.
The Kenwood, Pioneer and JBLs are long gone. The Technics I still have, still with the bent cantilever Stanton. Still plays just fine. Oh, and a Pioneer TX-9100 tuner I can never quite bring myself to sell, it just LOOKS SO GOOD! lol!