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Choosing The Right Receiver

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Posted on February 7, 2016 at 13:34:17
GoPanthers
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Hello Asylum,

I'm looking for the right receiver for my home stereo set up and would love some input. I'm pretty set on using a pair of Bose 301 speakers, so won't need a 7 channel input. I will likely only connect a turntable, but would also like to be able to stream music from my laptop, either through a wired connection or over bluetooth.

What would the asylum recommend? Not looking to spend more than a few hundred dollars.

Thanks in advance!

 

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Vintage Yamaha ...., posted on February 7, 2016 at 14:25:48
reelsmith.
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...specifically a CR-620.

Lots of vintage receivers will fill the bill and they will have decent phono stages. If you find a cheap receiver today with a phono stage it (the phono stage) is pretty much guaranteed to sound like crap.

Dean.




reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.


 

Good choice., posted on February 7, 2016 at 16:02:04
Awe-d-o-file
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But I'd only want a recapped/restored one.

ET
ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

Had a CR 320, posted on February 7, 2016 at 16:47:59
G Squared
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Nice unit

Great tuner
Gsquared

 

CR-3020 ? ..., posted on February 7, 2016 at 17:28:23
reelsmith.
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The 20-Series was comprised of the 220, 420, 620, 820, 1020, 2020 and the nearly 2' wide 3020 ...a beast of a receiver !

I've always wanted one, more than any other receiver. Lucky you if that's the one you had !

Dean.


reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.


 

Yep. Typo, posted on February 7, 2016 at 17:51:18
G Squared
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Gave it to a music lover and budding young vinyl junkie.
Gsquared

 

This link might help...., posted on February 7, 2016 at 18:47:23
slapshot
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Just one person's opinion, I suppose, but you might find it useful.

 

RE: Vintage Yamaha ....With bluetooth?, posted on February 7, 2016 at 19:46:16
PAR
Or onboard DAC. Unlikely. Please see OP's requirements.

 

RE: Choosing The Right Receiver, posted on February 7, 2016 at 20:12:13
PAR
Your budget and specification will make it hard to find something these days if you only want stereo and not an AV receiver but do want radio, a DAC and Bluetooth in the box. Most new receivers are 7 channel for AV whereas used stereo receivers from the past will not have any digital facilities.

Do you really need the FM/AM radio facility of a receiver (remember that you may also be able to stream radio stations) or would you be happy with an integrated amplifier? Do you really need the amp to incorporate a DAC and/or Bluetooth for streaming or would you be prepared to add a Bluetooth receiver and a DAC later? So would it be OK to have a just astereo receiver with a phono input for now? Or a stereo amp with digital facilities but no radio?

I am asking to see if there is any flexibilty in what you want.

 

RE: Choosing The Right Receiver, posted on February 7, 2016 at 20:25:44
GoPanthers
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Thanks for the replies so far. I'm likely not using the right vernacular. If I want to play something from the radio, I'll probably do so through a streaming service. The only real requirements I have are:

1. Can plug in 2 speakers. Might add a center channel one day.

2. Can hook up my turntable.

3. Can play music from my laptop via bluetooth or plugged in.

So yes there is flexibility. I'm not looking for something that I can use for home theatre or surround sound. This will be used in a relatively small room.

 

RE: Choosing The Right Receiver, posted on February 7, 2016 at 20:27:35
cloudwalker
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Buy a used one. One that looks good. Look for one that weighs at least 25 pounds. If you don't like how it sounds, buy another one. 7.1 mostly affects the output, not the input. One with a DAC would be good. (They have a digital input). I would recommend a subwoofer with those speakers.

 

RE: Choosing The Right Receiver, posted on February 7, 2016 at 20:42:30
PAR
OK, I am going to recommend a NAD digital network amp. It is the more powerful of the two that they make which may be needed with your Bose speakers.

You will see that it doesn't cater for LP. I think that a combination of phono input plus DAC/Bluetooth may be asking too much ( you'll tend to get one or the other). But that isn't a problem. You just need to add a little outboard phono stage such as the ones from Pro-ject.

This should keep you within a few hundred dollars.

 

Antonio Brown........, posted on February 7, 2016 at 20:43:40
Todd Krieger
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GoSteelers (2016-17)

 

RE: Antonio Brown........, posted on February 7, 2016 at 20:45:03
GoPanthers
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Lol. My Panthers are a college team in Atlanta.

 

And here's a little phono stage for MM carts..., posted on February 7, 2016 at 20:48:20
PAR
Other suppliers are available!

 

RE: Antonio Brown........, posted on February 7, 2016 at 20:57:54
Todd Krieger
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"Lol. My Panthers are a college team in Atlanta."

And I thought you were referring to the NHL hockey team in Florida...... Oh well........

 

RE: Antonio Brown........, posted on February 7, 2016 at 21:00:09
GoPanthers
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Coulda been an ACC team in Pittsburgh too I guess. Either way, we're all looking forward to 2016-2017.

 

Cancel that idea...., posted on February 8, 2016 at 03:31:02
PAR
I have done a little further research and found that it doesn't have any analogue inputs which means that the phono input cannot be connected. So I'll change to the very similar but slighly lower powered NAD D-3020 which does have the input to which you couple the outboard phonostage. Power will be fine unless you have a large room to fill or want play in a small room at ear bleeding levels.

Let's also see if any of the other inmates can find something else that meets your needs.

 

LOL, posted on February 8, 2016 at 06:43:43
Awe-d-o-file
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Thanks for the laugh

ET
ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

RE: Good choice., posted on February 8, 2016 at 07:38:41
There's a nice one on ebay right now , $299 obo. As long as you only need 35 watts per channel it might be a good choice.

 

I read them ..., posted on February 8, 2016 at 07:49:31
reelsmith.
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I will likely only connect a turntable, but would also like to be able to stream music from my laptop, either through a wired connection or over bluetooth.

No mention of a DAC and you can certainly run a wire to any vintage receiver.

Dean.




reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.


 

Lucky guy. (nt), posted on February 8, 2016 at 07:53:10
reelsmith.
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.


reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.


 

RE: Choosing The Right Receiver, posted on February 8, 2016 at 08:09:46
fantja
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I will second the NAD, preferably an older model.

 

Kickstarter for young audiophiles. Nt, posted on February 8, 2016 at 08:23:14
G Squared
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Nt
Gsquared

 

RE: I read them ..., posted on February 8, 2016 at 10:39:03
PAR
Streaming to a receiver or other amplifier implies the delivery of a stream of digital data. That is why the term was invented. Delivery of analogue sound via a wire is not synonymous.

As the device streamed to must have a means of decoding the digital stream it is therfore implicit that the OP requires a DAC. He also requires a DAC if his alternative request for Bluetooth connection is implemented.

 

Okay ..., posted on February 8, 2016 at 12:55:00
reelsmith.
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I connect my laptop to my integrated amp via the headphone jack on the laptop. Works fine, for my purposes

I missed that he only wanted to stream. Easy enough to add a Bluetooth receiver with a built in DAC.

Dean.






reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.


 

RE: Choosing The Right Receiver, posted on February 8, 2016 at 17:47:26
BCR
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Check out this one!

 

RE: Choosing The Right Receiver, posted on February 8, 2016 at 23:01:30
Bill the K
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For a few hundreds, the best buy may be NAD 316BEE. For more hnudreds try NAD 326BEE.

Best Wishes
Bill

 

RE: Choosing The Right Receiver, posted on February 9, 2016 at 07:42:14
Jeffrey Lee
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Location: Louisville
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But he also said that he could stream music through a wired connection, so a vintage receiver would be fine, a fact that others who replied seemed to notice.

 

RE: Choosing The Right Receiver, posted on February 9, 2016 at 08:23:07
PAR
Sorry to be tiresome but I have already pointed out that streaming means a digital stream. An analogue connection is simply "playing to/from". Otherwise we have all been "streaming " since the invention of electrical recording 90 years ago. I mean you wouldn't speak of streaming from a turntable,cassette tape recorder or FM tuner.

So as the OP asked to stream then I would look for a digital solution as that is is what the word means. A wired connection in this context means USB , co-axial etc. The OP clearly appreciates this as he asks for streaming by Bluetooth as an alternative. Bluetooth is an alternative method to digital wired whereas an analogue connection is not.

Had he said instead that he just wants to play music from his computer through the receiver then that would have been different and could include a computer headphone output to analogue input (even if technically it is usually not the optimum solution).

 

RE: Choosing The Right Receiver, posted on February 9, 2016 at 19:19:28
Jeffrey Lee
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Nope. Streaming refers to something very specific, as per the following definition which is available easily:

"Streaming Music, or more accurately known as streaming audio, is a way of delivering sound without the need to download files of different audio formats. Music services such as Spotify use this method to provide songs that can be enjoyed on all types of different devices.

So streaming is about how the music gets to you, not about how you listen to it via your electronics. When I plug my phone into my preamp (but only in emergencies) I'm still streaming music even though a cable is being used. It's not complicated.

 

Outlaw RR2150, posted on February 10, 2016 at 12:01:07
davidbeinct
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Look for a used Outlaw RR2150. They don't come up that often but it's one of the best stereo (2.1) receivers out there, IMO. I've heard one driving Aerial 7s and it is a pretty impressive system. It has both a 24/48 USB DAC in the back inputs and an aux plug (3.5) in front. Has bass management too.

Not super expensive new either, I think $699.

If you will someday want to add a center channel, which is definitely nice if you want to use it for video, you are probably going to have to look at AVRs.

 

RE: Good choice., posted on February 13, 2016 at 11:32:22
Raymond Leggs
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The older onkyo TX series stereo receivers are available on Ebay all the time. They are pretty good receivers. In fact i own one. Its built like tank unlike the yamaha surround receiver i had.

 

RE: Choosing The Right Receiver, posted on March 2, 2016 at 19:37:21
GoPanthers
Audiophile

Posts: 5
Location: Alanta
Joined: February 7, 2016
If anybody is curious, I went with the Sprout from PS Audio. A little more than I wanted to spend, but met all of my requirements and I really appreciate the simplicity in the design. Arriving this weekend and I plan on testing it out all day Saturday.

http://www.psaudio.com/products/sprout/

Thanks for all of the responses. PAR's initial recommendation led me in the right direction.

 

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