[davewe]

I just recently got back into my audio explorations, looking for some new equipment. having done some research, I now find myself surprised to learn that I may not have to change much equipment at all!

Some years back my wife was wanting a decent turntable. We have lots of old jazz records and a lousy cartridge. I had someone look at it and tell me that I couldn't get a cartridge for it anymore. He had just taken in an older Denon in trade. Said it was a great table. I mostly noticed how nice it looked, with a beautiful reddish wood. With a nearly new Shure cartridge I grabbed it for $150. Now I find out the Denon 62L is actually a fine table and worth a bit of cash.

At least 20 years ago i bought what I thought was a no-name brand receiver. I'm sure it was on sale or clearance, and no doubt the salesman told me what a fine powerful receiver it was. Don't think I'd ever hear the name since and asumed it wasn't that great though it always served me well and sounded fine. A couple years ago i retired it when I bought a Denon AV receiver. Just recently I brought it out of mothballs to put into a 2nd room. For a lark I did a Google search. I was shocked to find out that there was significant praise for the brand - Optonica (its an SA-5207).

So now what am I to do? Certainly won't replace the table and may HAVE to keep the receiver. Guess I'll have to concentrate on the speakers.

dave

[Carlman]

Next steps:
1. Let your ears decide what to do.... If the Optonica sounds better than the Denon receiver, you'll have to decide how you want to configure your system and incorporate it for 2-channel listening.

2. Decide on a budget

3. Decide what kind of sound you like, using music you listen to frequently.

4. Audition speakers

Good luck.

[DVV]

For your info Dave, Optionica was a trade name, a trade mark, wholly owned and produced by Sharp of Japan.

It most certainly is NOT a no-name product. The Optionica name was started in Sharp's attempt to start up a trade mark with a higher profile than Sharp usually has, what with needle to locomotive portfolio. Much like Technics was started up by Matsushita, who also own the Panasonic brand name, or Toyota starting up Lexus, etc.

In those days, circa mid-70, when somebody did that, they had to be quite a bit better than the rest if they wanted to make it in a crowded market. So, let's just say you were a little lucky and unwittingly bought what I expect to be a very fair product. Not Levinson, but not your run-off-the-mill el cheapo stuff either.

Cheers,
DVV