Our Top 5 Vintage Stereo Receivers You Can Score For Under $300!!!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ส.ค. 2022
- As a business that specializes in vintage stereo equipment and services hundreds of pieces of gear every year, we made a list of our favorite budget pieces. Did your favorite make the list?
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Almost all "vintage receivers" were under $100 not that many years ago. The internet has made every trendy thing an expensive thing.
Facts, I could find a lot of pioneer units at garage sales for less than $50 & that was around 2012-14
True that! Shits out of control nowadays, especially post covid.. Sickening prices. :/
Unfortunately
Agreed, it is out of control, everything is expensive
I got my Technics SA500 at goodwill for $20. Deals are out there, you just need to constantly be looking.
I liked this video alot, brought back some memories. I bought the Sony STR 6055 in 1972 when I was stationed in Germany from the Stuttgart PX. Worked so well I brought it back to the states with me and still have it and in perfect shape. I have it in my recording studio now as a comparison vintage sound source for mixes and it is my AM/FM radio when I want to listen to the radio in the studio. Good to see it make the list. Another one that was even more popular in the barracks was the Marantz 2270 with the horizontal tuning dial. There were more of those than anything else.
Finally, some love for the H/K! My first vintage receiver, also was a 330c. In 1983, when I was born... My father bought it new in 1977, and it has been in the family ever since. We listened to it as kids, then I had it in my room as a teenager. After that it went to my sister for a few years, and then returned back to me.
A couple of years ago, after amassing a collection of different kinds of 70s receivers myself, I set up the 330c for my parents to use. I also restored their original pair of AR-7x speakers, and a Connoisseur BD2 turntable for them too. The 330c put me on the path, into the world of vintage receivers. It's in great shape, and nothing has been done to it ever. I think I'll put it on the bench next, and recap it.
My 16th birthday present, too ...1978
The golden era, YOU BETCHA! The absolute BEST for stereos and speakers.
We had a Marantz in the 80's my dad bought in the 70's, we used up till late 90's. It sounded awesome and was built to last.
Loving my Sansui 9090 for almost 50 years! Magnificent piece of equipment
I still have mine from the 70's!
I remember the stereo wars with my friends in the early 70s. It was a constant battle for who had the best sounding system and the honor of hosting the next album release party.
ten yrs ago resale shops often sold vintage working receivers for a buck a watt,now its like a dime to 20 cents
I WAS THERE WITH YOU MAN, AND BESIDES MUSCLE CARS, putting together a "HI-FI" system a kid could afford was a HUGE PLEASURE./. Remember the research. my fav Cartridge the SHURE 91MED?? We had the "4 Channel Beauties, The best cars and music, THINGS SO TRUE, as I approach 70 I have an 07 Shelby (Because they did it right, - ) these Harman Kardon Citation 200 speakers I just linked to stereo- OH WHAT HAVE I BEEN MISSING. A few nights ago I found a receipt for an Hitachi Reel ro REAL!! Of \course I wanted a TEAC(K?), as my best bud had the Sony . $89. PS- My older bros picked the Gold plated Empire turntable, and a gorgeous 4 channel Marantz with 4 blue guages- THINGS OF UNCHANGING BEAUTY..
You are a classic!! The best time to live. I did it too!!!0
DY-NA-CO!!!!! In my garage is the gold plated "4 channel simulator" HEY GUYS- WHAT $20 item was ther most valuable add o to a 65-73 car?? THE "FM" converter- Phila: WXPN (88.5 UPenn's hip station, 93.3 WMMR- one of the Best in the country and 3) WDAS S O U L / and earliest rap.106.5?
@@kennethbrettel8762 Takes one to know one! b-r-o
What a great, cool video to put together. Awesome to see “real” items remembered.
One I would add to your list is the Zenith MC7051. I picked mine up for $20 thinking I would sell it for a profit, but it’s really an incredible unit. I liked it too much to sell it. It has a good vintage look and came in just under the limit in 1980. It’s 40 watts. One of the big advantages it offers is 2 phono stages, so you can DJ in your living room, if you choose to. Down side is it’s no wood veneer. It’s currently my favorite receiver.
Kevin, I'm new to your channel and I just want to THANK YOU for your honest and thorough reviews and comments on vintage audio equipment. It's not often on TH-cam can you find transparency and good info on vintage stereo equipment. I own Marantz, Sony, Sanusi, Rotel and Pioneer....and enjoy them all. So keep the good info coming and, above all, have a Happy Holiday! Thanks!
Thank you, John!
Excellent information, thank you. I've had this experience with relamping incorrectly, good points all around.
I grew up in the 70's 80's era and love the audio. I just started my collection and I thank you so much in helping me make the right choice for my systems. Excellent videos and information.
Thanks for watching
Your videos are fascinating I grew up in the seventies and people took their music listening seriously back then, everything now usually doesn't even meet the advertised power levels and not meant too last. I recently sold a rack mount stereo from Nikko rated at 100w per side minimum for a song that will probably still be working another twenty years later
Excellent assessment and bang-on. I was a preteen when these things were sold at local Hi-Fi shops and ended up with a Kenwood integrated amp and tuner - I since went on to McIntosh, EV Patricians, etc..
I've had a lot of vintage home audio gear over the years, it was my main hobby as an early teen around the millennium. Sold off a lot of it but still held on to my Onkyo TX-2500 MKII, a $20 Salvation Army score over 20 years ago. It has such a nice sound and great little receiver
Thanks for posting this. I've held onto my HK 330A for decades, it was just such a good receiver. Guess it's time to give it some love and fix the switch contacts.
A really good video. I love these old receivers; until recently I was able to rescue some really lovely ones from our local recycling site, but the new manager there has become very hard-nosed about folk taking stuff away :)
Currently running my late father's Realistic STA-77 (1976 vintage, I believe). Built, as you say, 'like a tank' - and it sounds great, although I'm sure it would be even better with a re-cap. The ergonomics are fantastic, and I love that the stereo/mono light is built into the tuning indicator itself - a lovely design touch, that. The relatively limited wattage has never affected my listening in the slightest.
Please keep making your videos for TH-cam.
I remember the Optimus ads.. with the picture of the Conductor conducting and the symphony references.... Ha ha... So cool.
I remember all my dad’s stereo equipment. He always had the best stereo equipment out of all our family and close family friends. He had a Sony STR-6055 which was a pretty awesome receiver! I remember this unit with fondness but the upgrade to this unit was so so much better and the unit he upgraded to I still have and it’s one of my most prized possessions. That receiver was the Pioneer SX-1050!!!
I love this review. Low key, not over complicated like one of the receivers and very helpful.
I always love these videos. It's like a trip down memory lane. And finally some love for the always under rated HK 330c. I bought one back in '77 on clearance. I needed it to upgrade my bedroom setup. I remember grooving out to the local rock station when my Dad came in. Now, keep in mind, my Dad was a real audiophile. Down in the living room he was rocking a Fisher tuner, Macintosh amps with a Mac C11 pre-amp driving a pair of AR speakers, oh, and a Thorens turntable. He listened to my new HK 330c, turned a few knobs, nodded his head and gave it his blessing. Then said; "Your next purchase is a decent set of speakers so you can really enjoy it." So noted. I still have it, out in the garage in a box just waiting for it's time to come again.
I lucked out with my Akai 1050. I found it at a thrift store about 8 years ago for $55. It replaced a couple of late 80s/1990s Fisher receivers which fizzed out in less than 20 years. The Akai is from 1975-1977 and it still sounds great.
Indeed, that is a fantastic price. I bought the same Akai 1050 brand new in July of 1978, stereo store in Saginaw, MI. I forget the price but may have been in the 500 dollar range at that time. Used it with my bose 901 speakers I bought at same time. The 1050 went blank in 1996, probably the high heat in Palm Srprings, Ca. I should have kept it to reconditon it later. The 901 went bad about same time. That summer,. 1996 I moved to suburb of Dayton, OH to marry a girl I met the previous year. I did not bring the Akai with me but I took the 901s. Good thing as the fall of 96 I found this store in Dayton called Mendolsens. They had a kit for 20 dollars to do the speaker foam surrounds. Made the 901 sound new again and I still have them, but stored for now.
Excellent video. Thanks for sharing it with us. I love this vintage hi-fi equipment.
I just picked up an original Sony STR-6055 yesterday. I am not disappointed. I love the deep rich bassy quality. I also inputted my phone via the aux port and can stream anything now. 1971 meet 2023. Love it!
How can I find out how to do the phone thing??? That's so badass! Thanks in advance.
Either use your headphones jack to phono or even better, use the usb c to a little cheap in line DAC and then to your phono connection on the back of the amp.
Works a treat.
I also use the headphone jack from TV to phono and put the TV through the amp.
@SoulDaddy33: When I say 'phono plug' i mean the inputs for tape , aux etc not record player.
I have a Vector Research VR 2500 that was purchased in the mid 80's that is built like a tank. I run ADS speakers a company I worked at in the mid 80's. Cool list and great channel !
I have a Kenwood KR-7200 I bought in 1973. Classic looks and it still plays perfectly and looks great in my den.
Fun to see the 330c top the list. I purchased one as an employee of Tech Hifi around '79/'80 and was absolutely in love with it's warmth, power, and clarity.
What is the difference between the 330a, 330b, and the 330c? Also, what does the contour switch do? thanks
@@greggregory820I didn't look at the specs, but looks-wise, the 330c takes the cake. I helped a friend in college purchase a 330a. I have owned my 930 since 1973, hard to believe it's 50 years old.
Kevin, love your channel… It takes me back! I’m now 62 years old and still love my classic rock.
In the late 70’s I had a Phillips 30 watt receiver that was black in color and had the best sound. It was paired with a Phillips turntable and Pro Audio speakers that brought the cops a time or two! Can you do a segment on the history of the Phillips equipment, their quality and are they still around today. I really enjoy listening to your commentary. Thank you and be well..
I still have my first receiver, a pioneer SX 454. Like you, I also powered huge Cerwin Vegas back in the day with no problem. The speakers are long gone but the receiver still works like it did the day I bought it.
I love my H/K 430 & 730 ..had them recapped and they BOTH sound amazing :)
That Onkyo, to me, is by far the best looking of the 5 you listed. I had an Onkyo TX-26(black) for over 30 years - it was awesome for what it was.
I definitely enjoyed your video - very informative! I've now subscribed - looking forward to more!
WOW!! Glad I stuff on this vid!! Brings back a lot of memories, going into the music store and seeing a wall of amps and stuff!! I've got a 75 JVC receiver that rocks!! I actually run it through my guitar amp speakers. 2 Acoustic 105 4 x12 cabs. When you turn it to 3 or 4 it will blow the windows out!! I roll the speakers onto my deck and turn em up and it sounds like a rock concert outside!!!!
Supposed to be stumbled on!! Sorry.
Great list, I love my 15wpc Pioneer SX-770.. Another cool and great sounding unit that flys under the radar.. Also very fun to work on / repair.
I bought one of these new in ‘71 and still have. Cosmetically it looks new and I always like the looks of Pioneer receivers. Been in the shop a couple of times over the last half century but no major failures.
Great video. I never tried the lower output relievers. Always believed in the "more power" is the best. That said, I am still using my 1971 Pioneer SX9000 and Pioneer CS 77a speakers.
Another big thumbs up for the Sony 6055! It was the first "real" stereo I ever bought back when I was in high school and, if I'm not mistaken, it also had a center channel output jack which makes it very easy to integrate a sub. (Might be mistaking that center out for the 6065 model). Loved the video!
I owned a Harmon Kardon 330c stereo a decade ago, gave it to family as I had several stereos at the time, back when all vintage stereo equipment was practically being given away. I can vouch for its durability and excellent sound, very powerful, rich and warm sound. The phono stage is also very nice. Compared to a Marantz 2235b stereo that I also owned (my main stereo for over a decade), I'd say its sound is a little darker and less open, but that's understandable considering where these machines stood in the marketplace. I would be more than happy to have one of these once again, and highly recommend that anyone purchase one if they are so lucky.
Thank you very much for this video, much appreciated.
Great video, and thanks for the excellent recommendations. I should mention that even s good 10 watt receiver with efficient speakers will often do great. We have a range of amps in our studio, from few hundred watt self-powered Focal’s and Ocean Way’s to small and larger (8 watt 6V6 to 500 watt) pure SET Class A tube amp’s. All of them are capable of driving to high levels of loudness with good dynamic range when paired properly. And I am not even talking about horn-loaded monitors which I generally eschew.
What a great selection of vintage receivers to start ones classic audio journey with. I have had experience with most of the units reviewed here the others I've owned were close relatives and they all had their own sweet nuances. I liked the way Yamaha looks but the sound from the Harmon I really enjoyed. Don't be scared of the low wattage numbers, these are real watts. I refer to these old school wattage ratings as 'real world watts' not these high numbers generated today by 1khz test tones for 3 seconds. These receivers will not disappoint, thank you very much for showing off these gems. It doesn't have to say Marantz or Pioneer on the face plate to get excellent 70s sound with that classic 70s look. As the big names turn to unobtanium in the future these other ones will only go up in price. They are a safe investment, they aren't making new face plates any time soon. Thanks again!
I had a low powered Akai AA-6300 I picked up for $10 that I bought to flip. Cleaned it up installed new lamps and it sounded so good I ended up using it in my bedroom system for a couple years. One strange thing it has a pair of 1/4 Jack type speaker outputs which ended up being really convenient. Great little amp !
Have had one of those, too! You're right. It was a great little amplifier!
I have a sx750 pioneer, I listen to in my garage and never had it serviced. Still sounds great!
I've rebuilt a couple of HH Scotts in this power class (330R & 335R) with bad power transistors, among other issues like drivers and caps, and they both sound excellent with plenty of headroom and bass response. I used 100w Onsemi NPN/PNP BPT's for the outputs and they're fairly bulletproof now. Transformers are adequate for their wattage rating, but not as overspec'ed as Pioneer receivers. Typically I'll get an additional 3-5w before clipping over Scotts power rating in these particular units. The 350R/355R receivers are even better, of course, once recapped. They can be found at a reasonable price but most likely will require some caps and/or TLC. I use a Scott 370R for my personal unit, but swap it out for a Pioneer SX-780 from time to time. Both fairly equal in presentation but the Scott has another 10w to play with. Great channel and thanks for sharing!
My dad bought a Fisher Futura 201 receiver new in 1971, I was 14 years old it sounds great at only 20 watts RMS, still have it although I had it recapped, I love the sound.
Hey bro keep it coming because this is exactly what I need in my life someone that knows about this type of stuff and especially vintage receivers you're blowing my mind bro you're the shit thank you I appreciate you 🤨😎🤔!
NOICE! I rock that STR 6055. Stellar vintage for the price indeed!
Just purchased a Yamaha CR-400, hope it is as good as it looks. Like your content, pleasant and straight talk. Thanks for the information.
Excellent video. Thank you!
Back in the day, I owned several of the brands listed - although higher powered model in the case of the Yammy ( i.e. CR 1000). Glad I waited til the end of the video to see the HK 330 - indeed, an absolute gem. Honourable mention should be a shout out to the NAD 7020.
I agree the seventies were the golden age of audio.
Harmon-Kardon was the Rodney Dangerfield of receivers. My H-K 960 was rated at 70 watts per channel but it had plenty of guts to power my epi 400's to ear splitting levels.
My friends had Marantz receivers and they looked down on Harmon-Kardon UNTILL they heard it!
I really enjoy your channel!
John from Canada
Correction - The Harmon-Kardon 960 was rated at 60 watts per channel.
In our neck of the woods, the Realistic stuff was the Rodney Dangerfield. Come to find out now, some Realistic stuff was pretty decent, still no respect. :)
The Technics/Panasonic 5500 (branded with either name, same receiver) is a great little unit looking a lot like Sony in many ways. They are 20WPC. I have one, and it's a keeper.
Thank's man!! Very helpful...
Just found your channel. Great stuff so keep the videos coming.
Appreciate it!
I picked up a Harman Kardon hk/680i for $100. Powering a vintage set of Savard speakers. Great video, very informative.
I got a Marantz 1080 & a Marantz 2220B in the early 2000s for under $300 for the pair combined. Even then people were chasing the '70s audio tech. I spent more getting pots and caps changed than on actually buying the units! They sound incredible though. Good to see your list of recommendations.
My 2220B was my first tuner, bought in 1975. Still going, tough as a dump truck. Replaced the display lamps once.
In 1960, at 14 yrs old, I was fascinated enough by the hifi gear in store that my parents got me into the second floor of a hifi store to assemble a HK stereo amp kit which I had enough paper route money to buy.
I got a bit of help, but managed to do a pretty fine wiring, soldering job. Time to turn it on…yikes…a 60cycle hum. Sad. The store called later. They had HK send a mod. Missing ground somewhere.
It worked! I happily used that amp until I was able to get into Heathkits much later. Even then, it still worked a charm. Life long HK fan. Too bad their stuff was so expensive at the time.
You triggered a good memory..thanks. Btw, our local thrift shop occasionally has good stuff.
Cheers
I agree when you say some units look better with the colored LEDs and some don't. That was a pic of our pioneer with the blue lights. We notice that the new age customer prefers the flashy colored LEDs. The high end units we keep pure
Well done . i have a HK 330 it's relegated to a guest roomwith older maybe KLH 11s. I have been doing electronics since 73, I have more power amps, pre amps than anything . i have a Mac 1700 with tube tuning, I bought at a hamfest for $50. 15 years ago, I have bought some Denon heos pieces to get music around easily. many good deals, thrift stores on line. i enjoyed your presentation.
This was a great video for me. I started out with Kenwood. Thanks for the memories😊 😊
Great list, have Yamaha CR800 that i love love. Needs to b gone through i think at this point but honestly still working well for the age. Thanks
Excellent information presentation. Great channel. Thank you 😊
Seeing your Pioneer hat, I was hoping to see a Pioneer on the list. I bought my Pioneer SX 737 through the base exchange while I was in the USAF in Thailand. It was an incredible receiver but unfortunately my wife got the stereo system in the divorce in the md 80's. Regarding the Sony, I suspect that the acrylic box covering the tuning capacitor was designed to keep dust off the cap, rather than a form of electrical isolation. Truly forward thinking. Nevertheless, a very informative video on a subject near and dear to my heart. 70's receivers were the best. Happy new year to you.
Marantz...I still have my receiver bought new in the 70s. No need to turn volume more than 1/3 unless you want the neighbors to enjoy the music.
I've got a Siemens RS 555 since 1981 ! At that time it was "State of the Art".
I love it !
Hi..newbie here. A lot of memories here. I sold audio from 1974 to 1987. Those were great years. I could talk with you about the gear for hours.
Nice coverage of these historic devices! You have a niche market! I’ll look for some of these
Good list. I have a Harmon Kardon 330B that still works fine. I opened it up and sprayed all the pots and jacks and switches with DeOxIt. It sounds great. Built like a tank...
I’ve been running a Marantz 2325 , pushing two sets of Klipsch one setbK- Horns , B-Channel set of Belle’s in back. It will give you goose bumps , alittle past a quarter volume is live bar room band levels ! I’m sure after 40 plus years it could use a refresh but until last year a bulb blew out , otherwise it still is Rocking !
Just had mine cleaned and replaced the lamp. Well worth it, still sounds great
Great information and good that you can get folks into some amazing vintage receivers from the best period in my mind, I feel you overlooked the powerhouse of the era. Pioneer (and Mraantz but cant touch them for under 300). The Pioneer SX-650 is a killer receiver; generally selling on ebay WORKING for about $250. I have recently restored 3 of these (my wife keeps taking them for differnt areas, no lie). Beautiful sound and soundstage. Most of my restorations is re-veneer but if people dont mind an ding or two, theh electronics are amazing.
Agree with the Pioneer. I didn't realize they had fallen below the $300 region. There for a while they were selling for over $400.
the sx-300 when one finds one for sale are a less than $300 receiver when they appear and with pioneer the receivers i tested are all good sounding no matter the ouput power
Of all the "stuff" I've owned over the years, I miss my 650 the most.
My advice is to be patient and shop local (if you live in a mid/large city) and always keep some emergency "I will only spend this on great gear" cash because regardless of listed price I have found offering a crisp $100 bill will likely get you a yes response. The HK 330 was my first too, it was a lucky garage sale find for very little cash and the musicality for such a simple design will make most people very happy. Since I have added a HK 730 Twin for $75, Sansui AU-517 for $100 and a Luxman R-117 for $100. The Lux is 80's the rest are 70's and knock on wood all are working perfectly aside from a simple cleaning and a few bulbs replaced I have been very lucky.
While in Vietnam, I bought my system from the PACEX catalogue and had it sent straight home in 1971. Sansui 5000X amp, Pioneer CS-88 speakers, Sony TC-730 reel to reel, Sansui 2050C turntable and Sony TC-127 Cassette recorder. I still have it all. The turntable drive belt turned to liquid over the years and one channel is out on the amp.
SALUTE!!!!
Amazing video and love your content, but would if been nice if you included the small Hitachi HA-330 , it's an incredible little amp and outplays a lot of new gear.
I picked up a dusty old harman/kardon 730 that was ready to get thrown out. Spent a few hours cleaning it up, now looks like new, and the performance blows me away. Beyond impressive. I can't see myself ever getting rid of it. Paired with a set of Zu Omen MKII's FTW.
Agree!
A video like this about vintage integrated or power amps would be pretty cool. My personal pick for integrateds would be my little denon pma-757 that I got for $150. Sounds excellent in my desktop setup.
Also for power amps I love my crown ps-400, but finding one of those below 300 would be tough. The smaller ps-200 would be great for the price though, and the hafler dh-200 is probably one of the best sounding amps of any category that you could get used for below 300
Excellent list, I think a top ten list would have been sweet. I had all you have listed and yes they are great but there are some lovely small gems I have, like the pioneer sx 440, Sony str 6050, Yamaha CR-500, and Superscope R-350... And yes the Yamaha CR-700, small but with lots of power...
How does the sound compare amongst them?
@@stpierreorama they all have unique sounds but my preference in order Yamaha CR-700, Sony str 6050, Yamaha cr-500, and pioneer sx 440... just boils down to the power... but the 440 holds its ground well... but this is rather subjective... it could be also the state of these units... I have never had them looked at by a technician... it could be a reflection of their state rather than make...
Had a friend working at HiFi Buys tech recommend the Onkyo. As a budget minded piece, but had a phenomenal sound, very buttery with punch!!! That coupled with Advent speakers played The Doobies, John Cougar, and Aerosmith for many years.
awesome informative video thanks for sharing this knowledge. I've always loved old receivers. I'd like to see longer view of static shots of the product you are mentioning, with the narrative of course. It's a pain hitting pause all the time :). Otherwise great vids. 👍 Now I must return to my '02 Technics SA-DA10 Mosfet. I'm hoping it doesn't use fiber board!😖 I used to have a 1980 Telefunken DC-600. Just sold it last year after having owned it since new. It needed work. Even in 1980 they were outsourcing to Japan manufacturing. Was the German Telefunken receiver built any better?
Kevin, Thank you for your enthusiastic confidence in the HK 330C. Primarily a Sansui man but thought I would give HK a shot. Purchased 5 minutes ago for $302 and looking forward to hearing it. Will post later after receiving in 2 weeks
I am new to the tech side of things yet the Kenwood 4070's I have found to be super solid and all still working with no repairs needed. I currently own 2 and both work great.
Hey Patrick. Almost every Kenwood 4070 that has come through our doors needs the power switch replaced or serviced. Not the end of the world, but a known issue for sure. If it were mine, I'd plug it into a channel strip and use a channel strip to turn it off and on. The original switch builds up carbon and fails. Unfortunately it's a special switch, as it has the speaker selector incorporated. Thanks for watching! Kevin
I would love to find one of these receivers to put in my living room, and a nice looking cabinet with some big speakers. I love that they have adapters; so you can plug your phone into them, even Bluetooth adapters and listen to all your downloaded music. I have our 1994 Kenwood receiver in our little home gym, it sounds very good, but I would love to have one of these really old ones.
Great list. I will be trying the Sony. I have a HK 430 Twin pretty similar to the 330C but with the dual power supply. I re-capped myself really easy. Only rated to 25 Watts but the sound is much bigger. I tried to upgrade it listening to other vintage gear and modern and always come back to the HK so is staying in my set up
I love the Pioneer SX series of amplifiers. Solid as a rock. Great look.
Gary, have an SX-727 that I bought from a friend in 1974. Still works and looks good. That receiver is 45 plus years old.
I bought my JVC JR S300 Mark II back in 1977. Still have it and it still sounds great.
I still have my Pioneer SX-626 that I bought in 1974. It still sounds great 👍.
I had the Yamaha cr 400 back in the 70s. Loved that amp!!
The 330C is excellent however, the Made in Japan models of Harman Kardon receivers are, dare I say, even better. Just like you mentioned, I had my vintage Two Thirty serviced locally here in Colorado and the manager personally handed it back to me and said it was one of the best receivers he'd heard. 10W@8ohms 20W@4ohms I'm reluctant to switch given the availability of high sensitivity speakers. I get plenty of volume and accuracy from my B&Ws with 4ohms and 89db. Vintage Harman Kardon's are always overlooked for their simplicity but, there's no denying the reviews out there from owners. Their low wattage "entry level" offerings all punch above their weight and sound like something double their price. Any of the vintage lines ending in "30" or "Thirty" up to their flagship Twin Powered 930 are tough to beat in terms of sound quality V price.
I'm fond of the Nakamichi SR-3 or 4... great phono stage & good power for bookshelf speakers.
Here's the thing; most people don't realise there's more to hi-fi than huge output power. A 15watt per channel amp will go uncomfortably loud in most domestic settings (unless you live in an aircraft hangar).
I don't even have particularly efficient speakers (Wharfedale Dovedale 3, Hacker LS1500) but I can make a nuisance of myself if I feel like it! My daily driver reciever is a Rotel RX-203 which if memory serves is even lower at 12 watts RMS per channel but the thing is I'm not usually trying to disturb people in other timezones.
The FM stereo is rock-solid, the sound quality is perfectly good enough and it cost me the best price; free! I found it in a dumpster in 2009. Took it home, dragged a damp cloth across it, tried it and it worked. Nothing wrong with it at all. Even the dial lights all work and there are no noisy control pots.
Agree 100%
I think a lot of it is "bragging rights" and keeping up with the Joneses.
@@skylabsaudio Anyone who wants bragging rights should build a Mullard 3+3 class-A and couple it up to a pair of corner horns! 3 watts was never so unnervingly, uncannily loud! It has the additional advantage of having glowing tubes to show off if that sort of thing matters (not really in my case...)
Couldn't agree more! One of the best receivers of all time was the Teleton SAQ 206 which performed spectacularly well in listening tests - especially its bass output - but was completely ignored by the buying public as it had an output of 'only' 6 watts (RMS) per channel.
@@NTSCuser Looking back at old mags it seems Teleton weren't taken particularly seriously because they were seen as a budget brand. While there is some truth to it, many of their products punched well above their weight. They weren't the fanciest looking items and there generally wasn't anything superfluous about tham but electronically and in terms of performance they appeared to do well in tests and reviews.
Many of the smaller British brands of the 60's and 70's seemed to suffer this fate. Even the likes of Alba made some pretty decent stuff in the 70's but no one wanted to know. I bought an Alba 1500 stero reciever for a tenner when it was only about 10 years old (so early 80's) and it was superb. Stupidly I subsequently sold it on for a tenner a couple of years later and have often regretted it since. It put out 10 or maybe 15 watts per channel and it sounded absolutely great and was a superb match for the Wharfedale Dentons I paired it with.
All this waffle will sound pretty low-brow and low-rent to many audiophools but I always judge by results and don't unduly sweat the details.
great video, I am partial to a Kenwood kr 6050, love the simple looks..
I was sweating bullets as you went thru the list but that ended when you declared the HK 330C your top choice. Currently I'm doing a full rebuild and restoration of a 330C and I can't wait until it's finished! It sounded good before but it should sound great when it's done! Subbed.
Thanks! Love those damn little monsters. Such a cool vintage piece.
@@skylabsaudio Bought my first HK 330A in December 1971 and still have it and the original box but it needs some attention now to. A little 230A is my current daily driver while another 330A, a Nocturne Eight Twenty, and a Rotel RX-400A wait their turns to come on the bench for some servicing. A HK 630 I just bought is in the mail somewhere between here and the UK so I expect I'll have to give it some love to before declaring it a reliable runner. All I need now is one of the HK 330B variants to help round out my HK collection. I'm no trained tech but since retiring a few years ago my interest in these older units has taken off and now I'm starting to understand more how they work and how to troubleshoot them. There are some really good videos here on YT and posts on the Audiokarma site which have helped immensely with my education. Anyway, keep the good vids coming and cheers from Western Canada!
I'm relatively new to the vintage receiver game, and I've been very lucky, my first receiver was a marantz 2216, I sold it, (I regret it, but I did make money) I now have a pioneer sx580, and the Hk330c, the 330c is my favorite !
Still have my Kenwood KR2400 since 1976. Its still a daily player running some bookshelf Scott speakers. Very pleasing sound. I have 3 Marantz receivers I got for less than $300 but those days are gone.
Although not within your time criteria, the Nakamichi receiver that licensed the Nelson Pass circuit is really good!
Since a year or so I owna Yamaha CR820. I Absolutely love it! The sound is good. And it has got the same "reserved" design as the CR400 which makes it timeless imho.
The original Advent 15 w/ch receiver should be on this list. Nicely detailed, it also sounds smooth and rich like a tube amp and often sells under $300. Plus you can separate the amp and preamp. The phono section was designed by APT Holman of THX fame. People used to buy the Advent receiver for just it's preamp section and use it with powered speakers like the Acoustat X, it was that good.
Just picked up a H/K 330B, before that I was listening to a Cambridge audio Sonota AR30 at 40WPC and this thing feels like it has more power than the Cambridge. I always thought speakers were the main component that made a stereo sound good or not, boy was I wrong!!!!! I love the sound of this 330b receiver, it sounds like nothing I have heard before, very warm and mellow. I am using Accend acoustics cmt170's and they sound great with this receiver!
Was wondering if you would mention the 330C and was delighted that it took the top spot. It sounds as good as it looks and indeed is easy to work on. I did not know the others on your list and will keep an eye out. Very good video. Thanks for this info. Also love that you are an advocate for the view that low power is sufficient. That’s my experience too. For comfortable listening levels, my 330C is as capable as my Hafler DH-200 at driving even inefficient speakers with the volume knob a bit below noon. That is in the amp’s sweet spot, far away from clipping level with clarity and plenty of tight oomph in the bass. The Hafler is great, too. But I can’t turn it up much past 9 o’clock. Lots of power left untapped! Those Harman Kardon engineers knew their stuff. Subscribed.
Thank you for watching! Appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment. :) Those H/Ks are amazing!
Great video ,my "x"wife brought the Harmon Kardon 330c into the marriage then we bought the Bang and olfsen beogram 1000 turn table KLH series 6 .I loved playing my music for the neighbors from my front porch.
Still have my Sanyo JCX2300K, 26 watts/channel. I love this receiver. I've replaced it twice and still gone back to using it. I think I bought this in 1980 ...
Because I stumbled on this video.. 1 new subscriber for you. Great, Great video. Can’t wait for more!
Thanks!
Thank you, Tom. Really appreciate it!
👍👍👍!!
I'm running a Sansui TU-717 with a matching AU-717 amp. Both mint without a single blemish. These are pushing a pair of vintage, sequentially numbered. Klipsch Heresy's. in oak cabinets. This was my Christmas gift in 1978 (I was 16).WTH was Dad thinking; lol. I am still enjoying this system today; with ZERO issues. With 500w x 2 at my fingertips; I can still level a city block. Hahahaha
Just got in to vintage receivers again after some years with digital amplifiers. A Marantz 2226 blackface got the interest back. Just this week I found a Nikko 5055, needed pilot lamps and new dial cord and it was up and running after a adjustment. Today a found a Pioneer LX not SLX 880, was made between 1969-1972, 28w, gave it a wash and adjustment needs new bulbs for tuning pointer, power and stereo indicator. Otherwise in fully working order.
My 1st stereo was a 330c. I bought it in 1976. Loved it! I traded it in on a more powerful Technics receiver 10 years later and have regretted it ever since.