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Stereo Receiver Recommendations

J

james t kirk

Well-known member
Aug 17, 2001
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I think I need a new receiver. My existing receiver was bought while I was in High School - it's an old Technics SA 410. At the time, I think it was a lifetime's savings. (I was making $3.30 per hour working at Woolco if I remember correctly.) I think it cost in the area of 300 bucks at the time, maybe more.

Anyway, it's still works, but it's lost its read out for the channel the radio is on, and now it's forgetting its presets. I tried changing the batteries figuring that I hadn't changed them in oh, 6 or so years, but that doesn't seem to have done the trick.

It would seem that Technics doesn't even bother making receivers any more.

So, I am in the market I guess for a new receiver.

Any recommendations.

I've stopped obsessing about Audio products, oh, for about 20 years now I suppose. Funny what seems so important when you are 17 doesn't mean so much as you get older.

Never the less, I would like a decent unit with great lows and high, a depth of sound so to speak.

I'm not looking to spend a king's ransom either, but open to suggestions.
 
Yamaha and Pioneer.
 
JT,

another option might be to just buy an external tuner and/or an integrated amp

I'm not sure what your budget is, but you should look at the Rotel RX-1052

PS McIntosh would be another possible route. I'm not sure what they make these days or how much they would run you.
 
Onkyo and JVC have some nice receivers and price has remained about the same while receivers do more and are better.

Technics was a good line. I still have but seldom use a Technics audio cassette tape deck and a Technics turntable that was 'state of the art' back in '77.

You really have research them, then go and listen to them.
 
WoodPeckr said:
Technics turntable that was 'state of the art' back in '77.
Click to expand...
yeah, too bad the Linn Sondek LP-12 never got the recognition it deserved : )
 
I cleaned out my room today, and was noticing that my stereo, purchased in 1982, was looking a little obsolete. I have not listened to it in at least a year, I loaded my CDs onto iTunes and I listen with my PC.

Is it possible to get audiophile sound from a PC? If you had really good speakers, and a high-end sound card (I assume there is such a thing?), what else could you need? Digital is digital, the PC should be as capable as anything of playing the content, unless it would not be timed properly?
 
C Dick,

Bose make incedible PC speaker systems for the computer. I believe they have 2 models in the "companion" series that sound amazing and are very small in size with a subwoof included. If you listen to music off your pc primarily I would reccomend these. Heard them last week at Bay Bloor Radio and was amazed at the quality.
 
I haven't heard Bose for years, but they used to be overpriced considering what you get.
 
pool said:
I haven't heard Bose for years, but they used to be overpriced considering what you get.
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Don't judge by size but by quality of sound. You can't deny the sound of Bose. Overpriced, absolutely. But then Sony is overpriced and over-hyped also.

Sony kind of reminds me of Volkswagen...they used to be great, but now they're just good.
 
True Hi-Fi sound is scarce these days. Many items sold don't even put the Hi-Fi decal on the product or in the literature - presumably because it doesn't meet the specs.

Today it's all about gadgets and features. When you show a preson a piece of audio equipment, the first thing they ask is "What does it do?".
Of course, the answer should be obvious - it plays back music - so the real question is "what ELSE does it do?". The whole idea of actual sound quality and characteristics doesn;t enter into the discussion.

Annyway, audiophiles are extinct and now most people listen to disposable music on disposable formats. Perhaps it's just as well, how much sound can Yuppies really use in the 450Sq chicken coup they have to pay off?

Assuming reproduction is important to you, especially if you listen to lots of acoustic & voice music in Classical, Jazz, Latin and such, skip the " Home Entertainment Systems " in places like BestBuy & Futureshop and go to a dedicated audio store.

I haven't bothered in a couple of years, but last time I went to Bay&Bloor they still had a few old school Receivers or Intergrated Amps by Yamaha, Marantz and some older unsold NADs. The Nad would be closest to my own ear - if they're still around. Yamaha supposedly makes a higher end Amplifier with MOSFET but I doubt it's sold here and the salesperson probably wouldn't know.

Otherwise you can try a vintage consignemt store with used high-end equipment from the audiophile era. There's a place in RichmondHill - I'll try to find the business card - it's a cheaper way to get high end stuff that costs an arm and a leg (Bryston, Perreaux, McIntosh..). Or you might luck into pretty good alternatives like Carver, Revox, Sansui or Luxman.
 
The place is called............................................ ...

Audio Excellence: 905-881-7109. 8763-a Bayview ave. Richmondhill. 4 years ago I bought a used amp: carver & used pre- amp: conrad johnson. Good selection of used stuff. Their web site is www.audioexcellence.ca
 
First and foremost, I am looking for sound quality obviously. I am not so concerned about "what it does" as opposed to how it does.

I won't be able to remember all the bells and whistles anyway.

From what I understand, you can't get the depth of sound out of CD's anyway, that analogue gives a far superior sound. I still have all my Lps from the 80's and back.

Same with digital photos. If you want the true quality, you go analogue.

I would prefer to buy a new receiver from a company that is currently in production and not going to go broke. Hence, Yamaha is one name that I recognize from the golden age of audio that is still around.

Funny that people mention about bose being over rated. That was always my impression of them as well. Highly over rated. Same with Blaupunkdt. I always thought of them as a sort of German Westinghouse frankly.

I think I will always lean to the Japanese brands.
 
The Bandit said:


Don't judge by size but by quality of sound. You can't deny the sound of Bose. Overpriced, absolutely. But then Sony is overpriced and over-hyped also.
Click to expand...

Actually, you can deny the sound quality of Bose. It sounds bad. It tests bad. They are great at marketing though.

JTK, I would decide if you want to go vintage or get something current. Vintage can sound great and be reasonably priced. However, odds are it may need maintenance at some time and good vintage techs are rare. If you want to go this route, let me know and I will send you some recommendations.

Most of the current stuff is disposable. You will also get home theater options etc. However, it is usually pretty soulless. If you go this route, I would look at HK or go with one of the Panasonic XA series digital receivers (I believe Panasonic owned Technics at one level or another).
 
Garrett said:
If you go this route, I would look at HK or go with one of the Panasonic XA series digital receivers (I believe Panasonic owned Technics at one level or another).
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Yes, Panasonic owned Technics and still does.

Both were or are owned by Matsushta Electric of Japan.

Technics USED to be Panasonics higher end audio line because people associated Panasonic with little cheap portable radios, etc. Sort of like Audi is to Volkswagon and why.

Anyway, back in the very early 80's Technics was a pretty good name, but it looks like all they make now (buy their website) is turntables and accessories.
 
Do some research on eBay. Save a ton, and generally get a lot of useful info about what is best. Takes time, but using eBay and a bunch of audio sites I saved a bundle and got a decent system.
Research pays off if you want anything decent....and that does not include Bose, Sony, Yamahaha, pioneer, etc....for not much more you can get far superior sound.
 
Also interested in upgrading to a new receiver. The balance control on my 25-year-old Yamaha receiver keeps cutting out, and only works now if it is tapped a few times. Time for an upgrade. Will follow the thread. Willing to spend $200 - $300.
 
The Bandit said:
You can't deny the sound of Bose.
Click to expand...

To a large degree it's what you are accustom to, and your individual preference. Even in the so called "audiophile" circles, people have their own ideas on what constitutes the "ultimate" sound. At least with the Bose computer speakers they don't appear to have those bizarre designs that I remember from the 70s, but I believe the parts are cheap. Some of my favorite speakers are small monitors, but I know my for my money, I'm getting quality parts and build.

I've never looked into the computer thing in any depth, but I'd be inclined to look at [nearfield] monitors as long as we're not talking compressed files. Not being able to afford the ones I want, I was thinking along the lines of something like these at one time :

M-Audio ... or you could go with the model up w/ sub .. there's lots of others out there too.

btw 'nad' make a receiver that may be worth checking out, if you decide to go that route, JT .. there's also an interesting one from Music hall

nad C720BEE

MH Maven

check this thread : receiver recommendations

If you do decide to go with used, check out audiogon and canuckaudio - I bought most of my current stuff used - mainly through audiogon.

Audio Excellence is great ... it's the only x-mas card I can count on every year and I even got a free cd voucher this time around.

Getting back to sound being subjective, to a degree - some folk prefer the "hi fi" sound, which in itself is open to interpretation. Everyone seeks something different. Thanks to Garret and others whose praise of a certain non-oversampling DAC [given it's value], I now have way better sound coming from my DVD player : ). It's not that it's bad, by any means - it's different, and I may prefer non-oversampling in another DAC - who knows.

It seems you know what you like, JT, and are "in tune" with the music. I think you would appreciate the depth that is possible if you do some field work.

just don't forget to upgrade the fuse - isolclean - and be sure it's in the right direction ... some people, huh ... pffft .. : )
 
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