What is the best budget stereo receiver?

 

New member
Username: Jazzlistener100

Post Number: 9
Registered: Jun-11
I got some BA A60II's which are minty and ready for a nice receiver to back them up. I had a low grade no name 2 channel receiver which just blew out the right channel because of it's supreme quality design. I'm in the market for a budget receiver that will sound great and will have a warm sound, more of a sound to suite jazz. I've been thinking on a old 70's recevier, maybe a pioneer, kenwood, sansui, or sony receiver. The BA's aren't the old vinyl pumping speakers but I can get close with a old 70's receiver with a turntable which is my goal. What old budget receivers you guys suggest?
 

Gold Member
Username: Magfan

USA

Post Number: 2860
Registered: Oct-07
Outlaw RR2150 will get you there.
NAD makes a decent stereo receiver as does HK and a few others.

'Classic' Marantz 22xx or 23xx series would work, too, but repairs are getting problematic as is finding a good one in the first place.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 17372
Registered: May-04
.

"Old" and "budget" should tell you all you need to know about this proposition. Add in "receiver" and the case has been made for avoiding this category of product.

There's really too much to discuss with your post and not enough time to cover all the bases. Some people like the old ... er, "vintage" mass market stuff. They'll spend lots of money to keep a Pioneer SX636 running and swear it's the best thing ever made. As with things such as automobiles and cameras, there are "vintage" components which are worth having. And then there is all the rest. I sold the stuff that today is "old" and back then it wasn't well thought of by most people. I even have a few "vintage" pieces in my closet. I don't want them but, if you do, we'll make a deal. I won't guarantee you'll have "vinyl pumping" sound since I don't know what that is. But I have a Marantz receiver which is from the same time period as the BA's - actually slightly earlier production. It's a 2220B model with 20 watts per channel and appears to be all stock - I bought this used several years back. It worked the last time I had it plugged in but I won't make any promises about how its works today. I'll hook it up and make sure it's operational before I make any deal but this is a receiver that is now almost forty years old. I also have a Harman Kardon 730 from the same time period. It's been running 24/7 on a small TV I have in the back bedroom so I know it's functional. I'll part with either or both, just don't ask me to send pictures to you via email 'cause this computer won't tolerate that (Vista 64 bit POS).

If you want one of them, let me know but I make no guarantees for what you'll hear other than the sound of a nearly forty year old receiver.



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Gold Member
Username: Superjazzyjames

Post Number: 1945
Registered: Oct-10
Jazzlistener, you may want to check out thrift shops, Good Will and Salvation Army in your area. There are a lot of deals that are "good" for what you get. Be aware, this gear is old and notguarenteed to work, but you just might find what you want working or needing minor repairs. One guy I spoke to got almost an entire system for $150!
 

Gold Member
Username: Superjazzyjames

Post Number: 1947
Registered: Oct-10
Also Jazzlistener, you may want to join audio karma, www.audiokarma.org . Most of the folks there are into vintage and can give you some pointers.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Glasswolf

Columbia, South Carolina America

Post Number: 14813
Registered: Dec-03
Consider a separate amp and pre-amp combination if you're looking to drive a two-channel setup for music, and plan to use a turntable. I use this type of setup for music myself, using an older Onkyo Integra amplifier, tuner, and pre/pro with KEF reference speakers, a Pro-Ject turntable, and nakamichi tape deck and CD player. Works very well, and has the power to deliver solid low end and warm mid-bass response.

I listen to a lot of Dave Brubeck, Theloneous Monk, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Muddy Waters, Wynton Marsalis, Duke Ellington, Satchmo and Ella, and the like, too. It all sounds fantastic on vinyl or CD.
 

Gold Member
Username: Superjazzyjames

Post Number: 1948
Registered: Oct-10
"I listen to a lot of Dave Brubeck, Theloneous Monk, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Muddy Waters, Wynton Marsalis, Duke Ellington, Satchmo and Ella, and the like, too. It all sounds fantastic on vinyl or CD."

I'm not real familiar with Muddy Waters (I know, shame one), but the rest are great!
 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 17381
Registered: May-04
.

Muddy was still driving a tractor on the Stovall plantation and playing in the Mississippi juke joints and fish fry's back when Robert Johnson died. His "discovery" was a part of the Lomax expedition into the Delta to record regional roots music - what was called "race music" in the 1940's. His recordings for Lomax have just recently been introduced on CD and provide a rich vocabulary of what were at the time and still are today standard licks and chord progressions for acoustic blues players. The essential I-IV-V (with a turnaround) 12 bar blues format which is at the heart of 95% of pop music from the last 70 years comes from and closely hews to this idiom.

His recordings languished in the vaults for years and Muddy remained a popular but largely unknown - read: poorly compensated - regional talent until after the second World War. He was one of the first Delta Blues artsists who made the Great Migration Northward after WWII. Most would consider him to be the granddaddy of Chicago electric blues - though any true fan of Holwin' Wolf would dispute that claim. Clapton, Richards, Lennon, etc. developed their style by rejecting the "skiffle "music popular in England in the '50's and snatching up every 78 they could find with Waters, Holwin' Wolf, Patton, etc. It was from these recordings that they developed the blues rock style which was the breaking away point from American Rock and Roll of the late '50's. Forgotten by many in the 50's the resurgence of Delta Artists on the American Folk scene in the 60's brought many players a second career in Europe and the US.

Watch the movie "Cadillac Records" then buy http://www.amazon.com/Folk-Singer-Muddy-Waters/dp/B00000JNOJ A very young and firey Buddy Guy is the second guitartist on this recording. The Mobile Fidelity version is a true audiophile recording worthy of reference standards. You can probably still find it at Music Direct or Elusive Disc.


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Platinum Member
Username: Glasswolf

Columbia, South Carolina America

Post Number: 14814
Registered: Dec-03
Oh yeah, forgot Robert Johnson. I have his complete recorded sessions as well.
 

Gold Member
Username: Superjazzyjames

Post Number: 1951
Registered: Oct-10
Wow! And thanks for the history of Muddy Waters Jan. I'll have to see about adding Muddy to my personal cannon soon.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Glasswolf

Columbia, South Carolina America

Post Number: 14818
Registered: Dec-03
He's good. If you like jazz and want some more artists to check out, also look into DIzzy Gillespie, Chet Baker, Cannonball Adderley, Jelly Roll Morton, Harry James, Thad Jones, Mugsy Spanier, Rex Stewart, Ray Eldridge, and Charlie Parker. If you like Jazz Fusion, also check out a band called Incognito. That's a good friend of mine's favorite group. They've got about 15 or so CDs out now.

If you want to sample some of them, try grooveshark.com it's like a free Spotify type music search engine. great site.
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