Integrated for Vandersteen 2ce sigII

You'll end up w/ a Dedicated anyway, because all the internal ones are afterthoughts regardless of manufacturer........they will NOT make you happy so why pay for them.........?
I'd recommend looking at the IFI phono stage, a used PS Audio GCPH, Lehmann Cube, or Rega Aria

I agree with Oros. The Marantz will be fine. People on Audiogon tend to read too much into this hobby. I've been into audio since the 70's I've heard great systems built around vintage receivers, old tube amps, Marantz 8004s:)  No worries go listen and have fun!

I know it's been awhile since I posted anything but life got in the way. In my pursuit of the vandersteens I came across a very well cared for pair of vandy 2s.  I picked them up for $350  which I feel was a bargain. I felt at that price I could get 90% of what the sig. IIs would give me. I figured I could set them up and see if they play nice with my gear and room. So far so good, so much so  I'm not sure I would benefit from spending the extra $2000 for the sig II. 
  So my question is do you think jumping up to the signature II would be the more substantial improvement or would the money be better spent improving things down the audio food chain?

  The Sig 2s are money well spent and share not one common part that's in original 30 year old 2s.
 For 350 you did fine but more like 35% of whats capable in the current Sig 2. Check out the new Belles Aria integrated at 1995 it outperforms the above and then some perhaps then later a pair of 2CE Sigs.
 Best JohnnyR
 

JohnnyR thank you for chiming in on this thread. Many people praise Your knowledge when it comes to Vandersteens and the associated equipment that work best with them so I appreciate the time you took to point out my inaccuracies regarding the older vandys.
  My reasoning for purchasing them was i figured I could at least get a sense of what the vandys would sound like in my room with my current equipment. If all is well my intention was to purchase the newest version Vandersteens. 
  Update:  got the older vandys set up and all was good the first night, however the the next night I went to listen and my left channel was half the volume of the right channel. Reversed the cables to check if it was the speakers but the problem was consistent with the other speaker. Just to make sure I reconnected my Paradigms and sure enough something happened to my left channel. Any idea what happened and how to go about fixing it?