[zyxwvutsr]

I am thinking about buying a cheap vintage receiver to power some bookshelf speakers. Ideally, these would be better than a t-amp at handling >90db efficiency, 8ohm speakers.

Problem - I have no idea where to start and the huge selection available on ebay is not helping either. Are there any particular brands/models that I should look out for?

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[MD1032]

The Harman Kardon 430 that I got is a great deal, I'd recommend it.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Vintage receivers are a good way to go. But you should buy locally, since they're expensive to ship and could be damaged en route. Thrift stores, junk shops and garage sales are where you should go. No shipping and you can haggle. Take your headphones along to give them a listen, too.

If you want an idea of what's out there, look at Tuner Information Center - Vintage Stereo Tuners. I think it's smart to consider the FM section and the phono pre, as well. If you DIY an antenna ($5-$20, maybe an hour of work), the quality of FM broadcasts might surprise you. And if you see a vintage turntable while scouting receivers, go for it. Cleaning, a new belt and a Grado Black cart are all you need to get into vinyl. Speaking of which, buy any cool records you find, too. A little patience and a little work will get you a lot of listening pleasure.

 

[Drag0n]

Old Pioneers were great.
I have a Realistic STA-2100, and an STA-2100D,, theyre both great, and have an awesome headphone section on it. Better then alot of home head amps ive heard.

Marantz is also good.

Tandberg

Carver

Rotel

Denon

Sansui

Kenwood

There are so many that you can find in used shops and yard/tag sales.

 

[zyxwvutsr]

thx for all the replies.

How about a yamaha rx 595? would ~$30 be too much to pay?

 

[soundboy]

Go pick up one of these and read thru this thread

 

[Drag0n]

Quote:

Originally Posted by soundboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Go pick up one of these and read thru this thread

I have one of those. I didnt want to use it wirelessly, so i modded the jumpers to use it like an integrated amp.
It sounds good through bookshelf speakers. The frequency response doesnt go down really low, so its better with small speakers. Its very clear and pretty detailed though, and you can find them pretty darn cheap.
I forget what i paid, but it was probably under $25usd i think.

 

[Spareribs]

I have an old Marantz 2270 (70 watts per channel) and it sounds incredible, especially if I use a tube pre amp with it.

Keep in mind that vintage Marantz amps can be a little expensive. I paid $250 for it but it's worth every penny and a good investment. The only downside is that you may have to get it serviced which can cost around $300.

There are other vintage amps that are highly regarded and can be found for less than $100. Hunting for a great classic vintage amp is a lot of fun. Having one is like having a relic of the 70's

Slightly off topic: Last year, I found a pair of excellent Marantz bookshelf speakers at a Goodwill Thrift store for $8.97! They sound excellent and was in perfect condition. That was my bargain of the decade.

 

[peter braun]

I prefer the vintage Sansui and Kenwood receivers or integrated amps. Any of the G series Sansui receivers would make a good choice as well as the 6600, 7600, 9600 Kenwood receivers. What is your price range? The Marantz receivers
have superb build quality but will be a bit more expensive than many of the other vintage brands. I have also heard good things about the older Luxman receivers but never used one.

 

[zyxwvutsr]

I'd like to keep the price at under $80, so it seems like the vintage receivers from the 70s/80s would be a no go (after repair/refurbishing costs).

 

[scompton]

If you are patient, you can easily get a very good vintage amp/receiver at thrift stores for less than $50. I bought an NAD 3155 for $15 at Goodwill. The Goodwill near me has a table where you can test them with speakers. The speakers might not be the best in the world, but you can tell if they work. I take my iPod for a source, and a pair of headphones to listen to how the headphone jack sounds.