Need BEST Bang for the Buck stereo reciever $300

 

New member
Username: Audiobuff

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jan-07
Hi, thinking about the H/K 3480 or a nice kenwood M2A, opinions?

Thanks!
 

Bronze Member
Username: Shawnharman

Post Number: 35
Registered: Dec-05
H/k
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5418
Registered: Dec-04
h/k
 

Platinum Member
Username: Project6

Post Number: 12485
Registered: Dec-03
Harman Kardon
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5423
Registered: Dec-04
A nice Kenwood?


Nice?
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5424
Registered: Dec-04
And there is no crying in Baseball.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Project6

Post Number: 12486
Registered: Dec-03
I still have my Kenwood.
 

New member
Username: Audiobuff

Post Number: 2
Registered: Jan-07
Nuck, obviously you dont know much about vintage audio the M2A happens to be a very well respected amp.
 

New member
Username: Audiobuff

Post Number: 3
Registered: Jan-07
Actually, i had one more question, What is the bass response like with the H/K? I have a JBL S120PII Sub so i dont think it will be a problem. Does it put out alot of sound?
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5428
Registered: Dec-04
I didn't ditch Kenwood, I went after the adjective.

And no AuDIObuFF , I must not know about much.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Thecrypt

Lawrence, Kansas

Post Number: 98
Registered: Dec-06
I've been left speechless.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5430
Registered: Dec-04
me too, for a change.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5431
Registered: Dec-04
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/47055-bw_dm2/

and

https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-audio/313696.html

the 'c' system.
 

Silver Member
Username: Thecrypt

Lawrence, Kansas

Post Number: 101
Registered: Dec-06
Silver FTW

Upload
 

Platinum Member
Username: Project6

Post Number: 12487
Registered: Dec-03
"Nuck, obviously you dont know much about vintage audio the M2A happens to be a very well respected amp."

Then why come here for opinions? You did ask for them didn't you?
 

New member
Username: Audiobuff

Post Number: 4
Registered: Jan-07
I didnt know he was being sarcastic,Nuck, sorry if i offended you, what you said was just taken the wrong way by me. Pardon my mistake, HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW YOU OWN A AUDIO STORE LOL!?!?!! its hard to relay thoughts through a text based medium......sheesh

My bad...

thanks for the help EVERYONE!

o yea, have a great day :-)
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5435
Registered: Dec-04
Buff, I could not agree more with your assessment of the lack of intonation and tonality of the English language when presented as black text on a white page.

No offense taken at all, and none intended.

Where is the Kenwood amp coming from/available at?
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5436
Registered: Dec-04
https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-audio/8727.html
 

New member
Username: Audiobuff

Post Number: 5
Registered: Jan-07
There is one on ebay, its funny, I actually contacted the person who started that thread to see if he wanted to part with one of his...but i think that it will mainly be off of ebay.
 

Gold Member
Username: Hawk

Highlands Ranch, CO USA

Post Number: 1085
Registered: Dec-03
Nick:

Forget a stereo receiver. Get a stereo integrated amp, the NAD C320bee, for $299. It will be waaaaaaay better than any stereo receiver at that price point. Get it here while they still have them:

http://www.saturdayaudio.com/

Click on the box in the upper right hand corner.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5474
Registered: Dec-04
Grrreat deal.
Just a tad light on power, but a super entry level unit for 3 skins!
 

New member
Username: Audiobuff

Post Number: 6
Registered: Jan-07
Very nice, that looks like a definite winner, what is NADs warranty like? Do they have many problems?
 

Gold Member
Username: Hawk

Highlands Ranch, CO USA

Post Number: 1089
Registered: Dec-03
1. Two years, parts and labor

2. Problems with NAD integrateds? None that I know of. In fact, as the 320bee and the 372 are both "Recommended Components" by Stereophile, I think it is fair to say they are among the better quality built units out there.

I am not sure I would say the NAD is light on power, either. I have heard NAD's 50wpc amps compared directly to other brands 100wpc amps, and the NAD not only had more power, it was cleaner sounding, too. It is amazing what a good power supply, larger capacitors, and higher output transistors can do for an amp.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Mvanmeter

KY USA

Post Number: 80
Registered: Jan-06
to the original poster - Nick.....

I will drop this suggestion, bacause I have a slightly older model which has given very good service for a number of years. Then I'll run away before the fierce flames begin... 8-}

Pioneer VSX-816
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=250-510
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5497
Registered: Dec-04
I am a fan of bigger power, that's all.
I cannot find a a fault with the 320BEE for 299.
At all.
It might be hard to beat at $100 more.
 

New member
Username: Audiobuff

Post Number: 7
Registered: Jan-07
Ok Nuck, thanks alot, one more question, if i could get a kenwood m2a for 250-300 would that kick the pants off of the NAD? and if i used my current reciever as a preout, i could use the subwoofer out on that for my sub (JBL S120PII) right?

lol thanks Martin, ill take a look

Thanks a ton!
 

New member
Username: Audiobuff

Post Number: 8
Registered: Jan-07
Also is the M2A considered to be audiofile material?
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5501
Registered: Dec-04
BuFf, I won't make a rec on anything beating a Nad.
You see, Nad has been making hifi for a while, as did Kenwood at one time, but the move to Mass Market audio left me in a bit of a lurch.

I have no experience with Kenwood amps, but my CAD454 cassette deck recorded a lot of band stuff.

That was a 1969 unit, the band was 1975.

Good luck!
 

New member
Username: Audiobuff

Post Number: 9
Registered: Jan-07
o well, i think if i can ill go with the M2A, 220wpc @ 0.004% THD, cant beat that for $200.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5506
Registered: Dec-04
That looks cool for 2 bills, Buff.
Just so long as you know that THD is a useless number, just like damping factor, total power @ rated disortion and nearly everything else, mostly amplifier power.

If you can drag up some intermodal distortion values and a viable slew rate on the amp, it might be close to that Pioneer I posted.
 

New member
Username: Audiobuff

Post Number: 10
Registered: Jan-07
220 watts per channel minimum RMS, both channels driven, at 8 ohms from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz with no more than 0.004% total harmonic distortion.

Clipping Power at 8 ohms............242 W at 4 ohms..........324 W Clipping Headroom at 8 ohms......0.2 dB at 4 ohms..........1.1 dB Dynamic Power at 8 ohms...........325 W at 4 ohms...........484 W Dynamic Headroom at 8 ohms.....1.5 dB at 4 ohms...........2.9 dB

Total Harmonic Distortion (20 Hz to 20,000 Hz)Input to SPEAKER output.............0.004% at rated power into 8 ohms .........................................................0.004% at 1/2 rated power into 8 ohms, .........................................................0.001% at rated power into 8 ohms at 1 kHz

Intermodulation Distortion...........0.004% at rated power into 8 ohms

Damping Factor............................More than 1,000 at 50 Hz, 8 ohms

Transient Response Rise Time ........................................1.8us Slew Rate ........................................+- 100 V/us

Frequency Response....................1 Hz to 200 kHz, + 0 dB, - 3 dB

Signal-to-Noise Ratio.....................120 dB (IHF A Curve)

Speaker Impedance.......................Accept 4 ohms to 16 ohms

Input Sensitivity/Impedance.........1 V/47 k ohms
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5507
Registered: Dec-04
Great info, Buff.
The 1.8 slew rate is very good, the 100 variable is a standard, but is getting picky.

I cannot find a single reason not to own this amp, at all.

I would buy 2.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Audiobuff

Post Number: 11
Registered: Jan-07
Sweet, great to hear, also if i want to use my sub, do i get a pre amp? is there a pre amp that has a sub output on it? Or could i just go from my crappy pioneer VSX-D412 to the amp using RCA jacks then hook the sub into the pioneers sub out?


Thanks again Nuck!
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5508
Registered: Dec-04
Buff, I must have missed the sub info.
Nearly every pre(and most receivers) have sub options.
Most subs have options as well, including speaker level inputs.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Audiobuff

Post Number: 12
Registered: Jan-07
I was outbid in the last 2 seconds , looks like i will go with the NAD, i know its 50wpc, but is that enough power to fill a room and supply ample sound for a party? Nuck is there a cheap preamp you could recommend that has a sub out on it?
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5511
Registered: Dec-04
Buff scroll back up to Hawk's entries.
You will not be disappointed.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Audiobuff

Post Number: 13
Registered: Jan-07
Will it output more sound than the 120wpc H/K? You guys are going to laugh me out of the forums on this one, but the speakers i will be using are SonySONY SS-MF750H's, will i even be able to take advantage of this amps wonderful SQ with these speakers? they dont sound horrible, but sony......yea......sony
 

Bronze Member
Username: Audiobuff

Post Number: 14
Registered: Jan-07
I can get a pair of Infinity Ref 2000.6 for $200, any recommendations for best bang for the buck speakers?
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5515
Registered: Dec-04
Bang for the buck speakers?
Yup, but caveat emptour.
These ain't a Kegger type Party speaker.
However, the Emma's can roll nicely...

www.Alegriaaudio.com

You need a saw and some white glue and some nails.

The Ling speakers are my absolute favorites.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5516
Registered: Dec-04
Between the Nad BEE and a 120wpc H/K?

Cannot pick on that one.

Darn, I still like both.
 

Silver Member
Username: Stefanom

Vienna, VA United States

Post Number: 301
Registered: Apr-06
I'd consider the HK 3380 as well. It has 40 fewer watts (which translates into a couple fewer dB), but the same quality, and runs for 200 bucks. If you're planning a speaker upgrade as well, that extra 100 will definitely come in handy more there than the extra 40 watts will get you.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Audiobuff

Post Number: 15
Registered: Jan-07
Harmanaudio.com has refurb 3480 for $200
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