I have a big ol honkin' Sansui G-7700 120W reciever that I use for ambient music in my business. That thing cost about $1000 new back in the 80's. I sat down one day and compared it to my Creek 4330 integrated (about $350 used here) and the Creek sound is much better, to say the least. The big Sansui would be great for loud rock, but much of other music's nuances are masked by an overly dark sound. There are certainly different sounds in older gear, so you might find a Marantz you love, but some of this newer solid state gear is really better than what I grew up on in the 70's, and it doesn't have to cost a fortune. Good luck, and be sure to look in the archives for advice by using buzz words like "budget" "beginner" "starter" etc.. Charlie
