[Larkston Zinaspic]

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

[bubba966]

Pioneer Elite's aren't usually referred to as shouty & abrasive (that'd describe a Sony rather well though...).

Which model did you listen to? And what source & speakers were hooked up to it?

[Inscrutable]

I've heard some receivers that did justice to 2-ch, depending on your associated gear and expectations.  Sherwood Newcastle, B&K  and Nakamichi come to mind.

[Hantra]

If you want good two channel in a receiver, the only ones I have heard that fit the bill are the Arcam receivers.  The price is right too.  I owned the first iteration of the AVR-100, and loved it.

The Sony ES all-in-one unit I have downstairs ain't too bad.  It's one of the digital units, and sounds pretty good in two channel.  Probably the best I have heard in a receiver.

[Hantra]

The manufacturer has caught wind of me complaining about this issue on other forums and has accused me of spreading innacurate and misleading information, because he's quite confident that his speakers are not the weak link.

Foul.  Just foul. . .

By that statement though, I think we can safely narrow it down to about two manufacturers.  

[gonefishin]

I certainly haven't heard all the receivers out there...and I haven't even looked at them as of late.  I could certainly live with any of them, but prefer to use them for utility rather than sound.  

   I have been disappointed with the sound of various models from Sony, Yamaha, Pioneer EX and Denon.  While they may have different areas where one sound worse than the other...all of the models I've listened to still sounded disapointing...with some sounding fairly bad.

  If you have an integrated system (2 channel audio and home theater), then I would suggest getting a receiver with pre-outs.  This way you could hook up whichever amp you'd like for your two channel listening.  From there...you could also look at using the receiver in a bypass type mode too (if you wanted to get a different pre).  But I'd just look for the cheapest model with the pre-out feature.

   But, if your trying to locate the component that might be giving you problems.  Why not borrow a different reciever...try it out and see what you think.  If there is no or little change you can then try out a different CDP in the same way.  Just try to avoid simply buying this component with little or no improvement...and then buying that component with the same results.  If your still unsure if it may be your speakers or not...try to borrow an amp and pre.  But it could get expensive if you just chase the problem around.

    What speakers are you using?  That may actually help some others here suggest amplification.

  just a suggestion>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[ABEX]

Most of the receivers mentioned are from the Fareast that flood our shores in the form of cheap black box AB types. The new Digital models which have been mentioned on these BB's are plainly superior to what has come to us in the past.

It will not be long before engineers for the major american and other country  amp manufactures start picking up the ball and running with it.Like everything else they will have to or get left behind.

One of the bigger disapponitments is the way music is being served to us in the form of MP3's and Downloads which might hamper the ability to get the best form of the recordings. If Dynamic Range,seperation and other things suffer.If it becomes the only way to get music it will be a sad day for all who have this as a hobby. We will all be diehards for the best forms of reproductions and will have to except junk instead of quality most of the time.

Funny that music is failing as an art form to some of us that grew up in the 60's and 70's and we are seeing the advent of stuff like Rap. It should not even be considered music. There are few rappers that I can listen to,but they are really hard to find. Stuff like Everlast I think and Fine Young Criminals are the only ones I find entertaining. There are plenty of other types of music that I can enjoy though.  

The great vocalist from past are fading away and now we have stuff like Britney Spears which are sensations more than trained singers. Makes me wonder.

Country music is another venue that suffer's to my ears.It has become almost like rock. I was listening to Johnny Cash last night and it's a shame that we are losing that kind of talent and moving torwards stuff like some guy who shakes his ass on stage and is held up as great artist. Everything is more sensationalism and advertising todayinstead of true talent. And I am not a great country fan by any means,but I like to think that there can be true talent found in almost any venue. Charlie Pride,Merle Haggard and a few others I can tolerate.

Back to receivers,the best is yet to come for them in the form of ClassD amps I think. Another problem with them is the fact of interference and heat. They are just not efficient enough to be qualified as being best for those seeking purity in their music presentation.

Rotel is about the least costing model that is an AB unit that I would want to use and could live with depending on the speakers it is mated with.   I know there are a few more.

Just ranting!

[MaxCast]

Perhaps the best way to integrate HT with 2 channel is to have a 2 ch preamp with a pass through.  Your main outs on the receiver go to your pass thorugh on your 2ch preamp.  When you listen to two channel you just select your source on the 2 ch preamp.  When you listen to HT you control everything from the receiver.

[Bwanagreg]

I have to put a plug in here for NAD receivers. I have a 772 and it is very musical in two channel mode. Of course, I do use an external 2-channel amp (Tripath) for the front 2, but in terms of the DAC and preamp section it's hard for me to justify spending much more to improve it - it is very good.

[nathanm]

As an ass-shaking country and western singer myself I am highly offended by this thread and the spreading of misinformation that ass-shaking country music is not good.  Don't you people know that a person's negative opinion of a good or service constitutes misinformation?

I'd second the plug for NAD receivers.  Another nice thing is that if you watch DVDs through one of them they can also be very movieal.