Well, those old Marantz receivers from the 70's are nostalgia pieces... and they do play music. Many years back I took a big cardboard box into a record store that sold lots of vintage receivers. I made a big show of the "weight" as we set it in place. The owners are friends, and let me connect to their best, efficient speakers. Inside the cardboard box was a 5 AH battery and a very slightly modified $5 Chinese 7297 chip amp touted by one of our members. We hooked it up to compare to the myriad Pioneer and Marantz receivers, and all picked the chip amp as best.
So, when you say desirable, I say in what way?
If you are looking for sound, sell it.