IMO vintage audio equipment is purchased mainly for nostalgia. The level of performance from present mid-fi gear usually exceeds many touted vintage pieces. How would a conrad-johnson Premier One($4k 1983) compare to one of the better current budget power amps(Benchmark AHB2)? Something to think about. Other than reel/reel, cassette decks and tuners vintage gear is best avoided if sound quality is paramount.
Vintage vs. New, Risk vs. Reward
There are lots of respectable merchants for used vintage high end equipment. Having developed my chops during the golden age of hi fi, the vintage has lots of appeal. The question is about the risk of making a rather large investment in what today “measures perfectly” but what tomorrow could quickly end up a paper weight due to age. This versus an investment in new which may bring with it, in addition to the probability of better reliability, but also the latest in technological advancement. I recognize that “new” and “reliability” are much different (reduced) standards than years gone by (IMO/experience).
Appreciate your highs on this topic..