Vintage speaker upgrade suggestions?


To start it off... I'm one of those people who's trying to go hifi on a very very low budget. My find of the year was a Marantz SR2000 receiver (circa 1970+?) and a pair of Mission 710's (bookshelves, 1983+) for $100. Recently, I came across an ad for a pair of Boston Acoustics A70's for $30. My questions are as follows. The receiver is rated at 40 watts per channel. Will this be enough to adequately power the A70's? If so, how big of a difference in sound will I get? I also have the option of using these to replace a pair of Bose 401's attached to a different receiver. Lastly, I couldn't really get a straight answer out of the guys at Myer Emco when I asked whether I'd notice any difference if I were to listen to SACDs using this system. I was told "some people can hear a difference, some people can't" implying there's not a real difference.

In summation:
Is 40w/channel enough to power A70's?
How do A70's compare against Mission 710's or Bose 401's?
Would I notice any advantages in switching to SACD with these speakers/receiver?

If it helps, I listen to Jazz (mostly vocal), Classical (mostly piano) and a bit of electronic.
alo

Showing 2 responses by fatparrot

Forget about SACD!

Please don't take this the wrong way, but you will not get hi-end sound from your buying methods. But if you find that you enjoy the sound, then you are lucky, because you will not catch the "audiophile addiction", which can be quite expensive.

First, the Marantz is about 25 years old, and should be checked and most likely refurbished (capacitors) which would not be worth the money.

Second, all of the speakers you've listed are were "college dorm specials"...about 20+ years ago! They're so old, plan on replacing the drivers. Again, not worth it

Third, what you have assembled may be good for "head-banger" rock and roll, but for the type of music that you like...forget about it.

You cannot assemble a decent mid-fi, let alone entry level hi-end system, with your "flea market" buying attitude. You can definitely get lucky, and occasionally find some great vintage equipment at garage sales or swap meets, but what you have doesn't qualify! Do some research, and read the posts at Agon regularly. Just because it's old doesn't make it "vintage".
Alo, my apologies! I kind of hit the nail on the head with my college dorm room crack...I didn't realize that you were actually a struggling college student! Your taste in music threw me off. Kudos to you for your taste in music, and your attempt to get the most value for your dollar, and not just strapping on an MP-3 player with cheap-ass headphones! I also didn't realize that you had your gear checked out...many people don't even bother.

So, what are you using for a source? Is your system in a dorm or other small room? How loudly do you like to listen? What is your other receiver? How do you budget your purchases...do you currently have any cash to burn now? Have you decided on speakers for your next purchase?

Again, my apologies