Best Vintage Receivers of the 70's & 80's - Summary June 2023 - Marantz, Pioneer, Sony, Yamaha, etc

[@mikecampbell5856]

I really like the points system. It's a great way to rate electronics that doesn't involve subjective terms like warmth, thin sounding, forward midrange or punchy bass etc. I think power meters are awesome. I bought a One Little Bear VU meter because I love them. Maybe power meters should get an extra 1000 points. LOL

[@stereoniche]

I know, hard to NOT like seeing those things moving to the music. I actually did think about higher points, but didn't want to be too overly enthusiastic. :-)

[@johnnewcomb5162]

Yamaha CR 2020 is what I have, a great receiver . You can't go wrong with one. Great review.

[@bacarandii]

I think I have about 100 vintage amps (tube, solid-state, receivers, integrateds) and among my favorites (McIntosh separates aside) are: 1) Sansui AU-4900 integrated (which I like even more than my 8080DB, though it's not quite as pretty) 2) Harman-Kardon 430 (unmatched detail and transparency) 3) Marantz 2230 (fuller and warmer sounding to me than my 2275 -- especially irresistible when paired with vintage Dynaco A25s) 4) Pioneer SX-790 (the black-dial version of the SX-780) 5) Yamaha CR-2020 (gorgeous, and a bit less clinical-sounding than some of the other Yamaha "Natural Sound" pieces I've heard) 6) Sony STR-V2 (only 25 wpc -- but BIG-sounding -- and there's nothing like the green-blue glow of those lights!) I also have a very distinctive-looking 1987 Kyocera R-461 (by far the newest piece in my collection), which I picked up for almost nothing at a thrift shop about ten years back, but have never hooked it up, so I was curious about the higher-end Kyocera separates you cite here.

[@stereoniche]

There is a separate video on the Kyocera units. They are quite a different animal than other gear with their ceramic frame components.

[@sidesup8286]

Receivers are a lot like diapers. You grow out of them in a few years and then in old age you need them again. In this case for a nostalgia trip. I wouldn't mind getting my first receiver again. I was in my teens and it was a Sherwood. My very first pair of serious speakers would be tempting too. They were Jensen's with unique grills that were two tone brown. Anybody remember the model number from the mid 1970's? Would I use them? I doubt if I'd use them much, except for nostalgia. The JVC receiver looked unique. In the latter 1970s JVC had a stereo receiver line that retained a 5 band graphic equalizer built in. They had black faceplates and blue meters. They had JRS prefixes if I recall, and then numbers from 100 to 400. Like JRS 400. One of the upper model receivers was reviewed by Consumer Guide To Stereo & Hifi Equipment magazine. The manufacturers specs, especially distortion were way too lenient; like by 8 times in places! Their testing revealed this receivers specs to be better than most seperates. I sort of wanted it, but didn't want to spend the money. Whether it would have actually sounded as good as seperates, is another story. I once walked into a store and they were using it behind the counter for music in the store. I looked at it like a Rolls Royce. Of course who in retrospect could take everything seriously that magazine said. The had the the Bose 901 Series 1V rated on an even keel with the ($7,000) Beveridge 2 speakers. I sort of chuckled at that throughout the years, until a person whose opinion I truly respect (a local guy), guaranteed that the Beveridge 2SW system was the least open sounding electrostatic speaker he'd ever heard. He's been using electrostats all his life, and knows more about audio than me. The 2SW is a legend on the forums, which are legendary for bad advice from people who can't hear and evaluate.

[@adaboy4z]

This is a good comparison video no other like it. Keep them coming!

[@stereoniche]

Thanks and stay tuned!

[@morganconner5780]

Thank you so much that really helped me out with all the vintage receivers

[@stereoniche]

Glad it was helpful. I just did an updated video last month and covered a whole set of other receivers, so be sure to check it out if you have not already.

[@greymatter6834]

Currently using near field, a Luxman R-1120a. It has almost all the goods. Except 4 ohm load. A unique Dolby fm tuner, and is working nicely. Thanks for the insightful and timeless information.😊.

[@MichaelYates]

Another well presented video with beautiful top draw Receivers and Amplifiers. Really loving these videos even though they are making me real jealous lol

[@stereoniche]

Thanks Michael!!

[@sidesup8286]

Don't be too jealous. I remember reading a U.K hifi magazine decades ago, where a guy with the most powerful Pioneer receiver was the featured audiophile where the writer would visit his home. The guy from the magazine brought to his home a little 25 watt Nytech amplifier. With the Nytech amp which had near ten times less power, they said all of a sudden you could hear how smoother the sound got, and all of a sudden you could hear singers breathing and subtle things like that in the music, that the beastly Pioneer just could not reveal.

[@MichaelYates]

@@sidesup8286 This is very true, more power does not always mean better sound

[@Oldcrow77]

Makes me happy to see my 1020 at the top of the list And with 4 ohm 98 db speakers it has all the horsepower I need 🔈🎶👂😎

[@michaelscottcutler3627]

Rating some older, 1960s American manufactured units would be interesting. I'm a big Fisher fan.

[@stereoniche]

I may do a tube era receiver/amp comparison at some point.

[@greatpix]

This is off topic but ties in with one of the manufacturers in the test. Back in the '80s when Kyocera was selling a rebranded Sony video camera I had a customer who bought one from me tell me later that she liked the camera so much she bought stock in the company, and it increased so much in price, it paid for the camera. Another bit of trivia I learned as a dealer, Kyocera owned camera company Yashica/Contax. The Contax cameras were exceptional quality.

[@stereoniche]

I recall the prior owner of my gear mentioned he was also President of their camera division is Canada.

[@ucprof2008]

Should I restore my MAC 1900 or look for a rebuilt Japanese receiver. I use it for vinyl and cd’s.

[@stereoniche]

That is all up to you. I have never owned a Mac 1900, so cannot provide any feedback on the unit.

[@cnhhnc]

The Pioneer has a more musical/warmer, more pleasing sound than the more neutral, so-called Yamaha Natural sound, IMHO. The points system is useful in terms of some kind of objective comparison. The problem? When all is said and done, it's all about the sound. How they sound and what we find most pleasing or enjoyable. In that area, those early Pioneers are the clear winners, BUT others that are similar or can compete? Any '70s Twin Power Harman Kardon, some early '70s Sansui, etc. And to a lesser extent, the JVC Super A series-I believe late '70s early '80s? But, that's just what my ear hears. I also believe that the early '70s receivers and older benefited from the fact that they were replacing tube amp/receivers. And so, many were tuned in such a way that they simulated or leaned toward a more tubey signature. That's what makes them so pleasing to me. As we move forward they become more solid state sounding. In fact, that's one reason I prefer this Pioneer SX-YXY series to the later classic silver SX (X)X50 series. For sound that is.

[@spacehopper77]

My main amplification the pioneer Sx1250 receiver, would score 240, so second on your feature list but top at 160 watts on your power list. So combined I’d say it wins 😂.

[@stereoniche]

Very nice! 😊

[@Brucinator68]

Thoughts on vintage Phillips or Magnavox receivers?

[@stereoniche]

Neither get much attention from collectors, so they are usually value priced. I think Magnavox had a line in the late 70's that was OK. Philips had some very nice models. The black with white lettering models look great and seem to be some nice performers. Unfortunately, I have not owned either of these brands.

[@Brucinator68]

@@stereoniche my local hifi tech said he doesn't work on them. Even though they are beautiful to look at doesn't necessarily mean they're good. Bummer. Had my eye on a magnavox 1500.

[@Mrsteve4761]

Always an entertaining episode. BTW, I'd always heard Kyocera pronounced as "Kee-Oh-..." as with the city of Kyoto (Kee-Oh-Toe) in Japan.

[@stereoniche]

Makes perfect sense. I’ve never actually heard it pronounced prior, but the Kyoto pronunciation is probably the way to go.

[@greatpix]

I don't know if you were aware of this but your example of using Kyoto was appropriate as Kyocera was originally the Kyoto Ceramics Company.

[@marygee8900]

Using your rating system, my Pioneer SX-828 with the MC feature would score 245. I think I would rather have the SX-1010. Also, I would like to see an evaluation of my Sansui 8080DB or its big brother.

[@stinkenstine]

I’m an SX-1010 fan!

[@stereoniche]

Welcome!

[@bobk3840]

Do you have the opportunity to review a Technics SA-1000? That had 330 RMS watts per channel into 8 ohms.

[@stereoniche]

They were certainly a powerhouse, but I do not own one at this time.

[@steveearnshaw2216]

Interesting approach to ratings. Features are entirely objective. Very binary. All yes or no. Makes great ad copy. purchaser must first determine relevance. Sound quality is totally subjective. It takes experience to learn to trust your ears. Buy what brings you joy. Either method can work.

[@stereoniche]

You hit the nail on the head.

[@kurtburkhardt5862]

Having a Yamaha CR-820 and a R-100 I get the draw of those units. I also had a Kenwood 8010 and it was a big powerful beast 125WPC. Have always liked the Pioneer and Marantz receivers, never had a vintage one. Would have picked a Sansui or Onkyo over the JVC or separates in my comparison...

[@mikeinmass4]

Scott I enjoy your videos I notice in the background you have a yamaha amp I just purchased a yamaha mx 1000 I was wondering what you think of that particular unit some people have said ijust as good as a macintosh or crow amplifiers say you.

[@stereoniche]

I've not actually owned that unit, but I think the series, in general, is quite stellar. Overall, I've always found Yamaha's gear to sound quite neutral, meaning little to no coloration or emphasis. Some may hear that as being cold, others more accurate. I, personally, would prefer a Yammie or Mac over a Crown model.

[@mikeinmass4]

Thanks Scott for your quick reply actually I meant to say Krell but voice to text does not always work all the time.

[@stereoniche]

@@mikeinmass4 Yeah, that voice to text can get you, sometimes in an embarrassing way! LOL Krell, well, they are in a bit of a class by themselves really. They sound fantastic, but are typically like using a hammer to kill a gnat. I think they are best used when paired with speakers that benefit from their incredible specs, think Infinity, Apogee, etc. that are notorious for hard to drive speakers. They made "lesser" amps, of course, that are more general, but when I think Krell, I think big iron, industrial strength Hi-Fi.

[@russellcardwell6502]

Sorry I was talking about the str v7 moving phono coil

[@stereoniche]

Hi Russell! Well, you found a typo. The total points are correct, but when I made the graphic, I did not include the 20 extra points the Sony v7 received for the MC function. I maintain a separate spreadsheet for each review to keep things accurate. I will do an updated video once I complete several more reviews and will correct it there. Thanks for catching it!

[@Error2username]

Are there preout on all of them?

[@stereoniche]

No. Only the ones that have points for "Pre out/Amp In" which is on the right in the middle section.

[@michaelwright1602]

No Sansui?

[@stereoniche]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5uaq2WZp7Vol5I

[@WardoUSA]

Have you ever heard a Fisher RS-2010?

[@stereoniche]

I have seen this line, but never owned any.

[@WardoUSA]

@@stereoniche I am very excited to get mine back from the shop. This is my first vintage stereo. I recently swapped out svs ultras for old JBL 4312’s and love them.

[@stereoniche]

@@WardoUSA Welcome to vintage audio! Let us know how you like the system once you get it all in place.

[@Thesaurcery4U2C]

I would gladly own any of those receivers, but that Kenwood really caught my eye as far as what I like for styling. However, there isn't an unattractive unit among them.

[@stereoniche]

They are certainly lookers!

[@russellcardwell6502]

The moving phono coil should have earned more points wouldn’t you think?

[@stereoniche]

You were referencing the Sony v7 and I did miss putting the 20 pts for the MC function in the graphic, but the total is correct.

[@russellcardwell6502]

@@stereoniche thank you for getting back , I do enjoy your videos you do a good job presenting pieces from your collection, the point system is great and informative, I meant my comment in a helpful way nothing negative meant , I really like the Sony STR V series, I have a STRV5 and it gets as much play time as my other receiver’s keep up the good work Regards Russell Cardwell

[@GeirRssaak]

Sad that you never have listened to Tandberg receivers!!!

[@stereoniche]

Not....... YET!!! 🙂

[@jimspc07]

I find Sansui missing, possibly the greatest of them all. While my first Sansui early 1960s sm12m (now deceased) would not rate here their many later models were usually a best in class offerings.

[@stereoniche]

I did some reviews of Sansui, one of my favorite brands. I need to do an updated summary so it is included, but do a search for the Sansui AU-20000

[@greatpix]

I was a Kyocera dealer and it's pronounced Kee-O-Cera. The original name of the company was Kyoto Ceramics Company.

[@danielknepper6884]

It's almost like the whole Technics fiasco. Teck- nicks or Teck-niques😅😅😅😅😅

[@stereoniche]

Yes, I found out after the fact that the correct pronunciation is like Kyoto. Funny thing is, the former Kyocera President over Canada I believe also pronounced it the same way, or at least, did not make any mention of my incorrect pronunciation. :-)

[@Relayer6a]

I'm not so sure about the points for wood cab and power meters. I think they only matter as a tiebreaker, personally. Nice to have but wouldn't sway me if it was lacking in any other area to a unit that didn't have them. I sold stereo gear when the Kyocera units were around. W-A-Y over priced. A Hafler DH-500 (250 wpc) was $750 and a DH-110 fully kitted out with phono stage was $500. There were makes like Adcom and PS audio in the same price category as the Hafler stuff and arguably better.

[@vectoracademy3992]

If U have same piece for sale...in mint condition...tell the price in Indian rupees plz..

[@OP-ho1dm]

No, that's not right to include an poweramp+preamp system into the comparison of receivers: it does not have tuner + why don't you compare it with adcom or yamaha b-70+c-70?

[@stereoniche]

I am not adding points for the tuner.

[@OP-ho1dm]

@@stereoniche it does not matter, what matters is that tuner "spoils" sound and systems without tuner are thought to be of higher level in terms of sound quality. My point is: when you compare smth compare it to smth similar and not compare a receiver to a separate system of poweramp+preamp, otherwise you can compare a dish washing machine to a washing machine - they both wash, why not?

[@sidesup8286]

How much does any of this matter?

[@scottprice8994]

This is a strange way to rank stereo receivers. Some people may like a feature, and other people may not like a feature. For example, some people like wood cabinets, and others like a metal cabinet. I like wood cabinet. That is just a personal preference, though.

[@stereoniche]

In the end, it all boils down to personal preferences. I decided to go this route because I plan to eventually post it all on a website and individuals can search for what functions are most important to them, albeit, not an all inclusive list. :-)

[@LeonBarnes-zg2xm]

Without mentionning the H&K 730 or 930 twin ,not really much sence in watching the video. Considering its supposed to be about vintage.

[@stereoniche]

It is a point in time update only, not an all vintage review. I don't yet have an HK 730/930 in my collection to review, but once I do, it will eventually get added and reviewed. Make sense?