[Earnrg]

what are some good choices for recievers with great stereo performance. even if its an a/v reciever as long as it has great stereo..

[RH Customs]

I'm currently borrowing a NAD 320BEE, and all I can say is WOW. I think for $250-300 that is the best bet. Sure it is only rated at 5o watts pc, but it is a pure and clean 50 watts and very powerful and crisp.

RH

[95bcwh]

what are some good choices for recievers with great stereo performance. even if its an a/v reciever as long as it has great stereo..

Depend what speaker you have, and how they sound...

From my experience in auditioning outlaw, ARCAM, Denon, Yamaha, Marantz, Sherwood Newcastle, and using the cheap ORB audio speakers as well as Axiom speakers.. my vote goes to ARCAM. But if your speakers sounded a little bright, then maybe Sherwood Newcastle/Marantz is a better fit.

But that's just my ears.. yours might be different.

[G Georgopoulos]

Receivers are cheap just like any mid-fi
if you want to enjoy music buy an amplifier
even second hand amplifiers should be
better than receivers


cheers

[Doublej]

How much do you want to spend?

Look at the HK stereo receivers, widely discounted on the web and also available at the harman outlet online for under $200. The Absolute Sound raved about one of them.

Unless you go vintage I don't think you do better for your money unless you want to go with an integrated amplifier.

[TONEPUB]

Not sure exactly what you are looking for and your budget. 

Some of the older McIntosh recievers were very nice, as were the 22xx series Marantz
if you can find a clean one.  Even the Pioneer 720 and 730 recievers sounded quite good
back in the day, but they are getting harder and harder to find clean!

The NAD suggestion was good too, they have always made decent gear.

Adcom made some decent tuner/preamps that are available used pretty reasonably and
you can add the amp of your choice...

[G.Michael]

If you go over to Audiogon.com, click on "member lookup" and look for Ezekiel, you may find some pretty good modified stereo receivers.  He does excellent work.  I bought a modded Sansui receiver from him and am very pleased. 

[RH Customs]

Integrated amps are what you'll want. Check out the NAD's.

RH

[zeke]

Don't know your price range, but the Magnum Dynalab 208 is supposedly a great receiver ...........

[MaxCast]

Outlaw makes a 2 channel receiver that got a good review in a rag.
I guess it depends on what you are going to use if for.
Just 2 channel?
FM/AM?
Xm radio?
How many sources?

[ZLS]

    Check samsaudiolabs for vintage recievers.  They do excellent work

[RH Customs]

Keep in mind that yes the Outlaw is very well made and sounds great, they are back ordered for quite awhile.

RH

[Wayner]

I like my vintage Marantz (2220B, 1530) but I think the Kenwood KR-6600 will slam into the lockers anything mentioned so far. Beautiful FM and AM and 60 watts RMS per channel, built like an army tank. Also has inputs for 2 phonos and you can even plug in a guitar and run the volume of that with a front panel jack and control knob. Mine is mint, bought at a garage sale for $20.

W

[toobluvr]

Do not underestimate vintage receivers!
Buy the right one, and it will kick butt on some way more expensive modern stuff...even highly regarded integrateds.

Ones to get were those made in the mid to late 70's, before mass marketing and general cheapening occurred.  They sound amazing...even by today's standards.....are built like tanks, and offer a plethora of features.

Some names to look for are Sansui, Kenwood, Marantz and Yamaha Natural Sound.
Do not get anything after the 1970's.

For example......
I dug my old Sansui 771 out of storage and have it driving a pair of DeVore or Polk monitors in my bedroom system.  Originally sold for about $500 new in 1975.  Dirt cheap on E-bay....can be had for about 50 bucks!  Incredible deal when you consider that a tuner (pulls and sounds great) and phono section are also included.

And the sound is what really shocked me.  Sufficiently detailed, nice pacing, smooth, warm  and fatigue-free...can listen for hours.  Modern gear will have a hard time beating the sound for even 20x more.  I actually prefer it to some of the recent and well-regarded integrateds I have owned.  Shocking...I know.  I have trouble accepting it myself, especially since I favor tubes, and we are talking about old solid state here.....which I thought would sound aggressive and forward, and basically unlistenable.  But hearing is believing. 

In my view, no need to spend more for that bedroom or office system, or any system where critical listening is not required.

So I second Wayner's opinion!   

[Bemopti123]

I fetched a HK 730 twin powered receiver (circa 1979) with two large transformers.  It is rated at 40 watts per channel, but it hits my speakers as hard as 100 watt separates.  Not to be outdone and to make it useful for another 27 years, I got it refurbish by alias EZEKIEL, from Audiogon.  He went through the unit, up and down, put a hospital grade captive powercord and I am telling you...what can sound like some really well designed 1970s receiver, to which not many components were skimped on?  NONE of the offerings today or in recent memory.  It is an amazing receiver for used Ebay prices ($100-135) but after so many years, it will definetly need some rebuilding.

Paul Keum

[jkelly]

I have a couple of extra HK-930's if you are looking for one.
Some say it has the best FM tuner, period.

Jeff

[djbnh]

I like my vintage Marantz (2220B, 1530) but I think the Kenwood KR-6600 will slam into the lockers anything mentioned so far. Beautiful FM and AM and 60 watts RMS per channel, built like an army tank. Also has inputs for 2 phonos and you can even plug in a guitar and run the volume of that with a front panel jack and control knob. Mine is mint, bought at a garage sale for $20.

W

Regarding vintage receivers, I have a minty Fisher 800B (circa 1960) that centers my mostly vintage bedroom system. Cost = $0, as it was my dad's unit. It's a very nice performer.

[Soundbitten]

I second the vintage route . I have 3 ( HK 930 , Marantz 2215B , Realistic 2080 ) and they all blow away the Sony (mid-90's ) I had previously owned . Though the Sony was rated 100 watts per channel it sounded less powerful than the lower rated vintage receivers . The 3 vintage receivers are all still in use , sound great and have never had any mechanical problems .