I need a new receiver for my TV

[CavScout]

I am a collector of vintage stereo receivers but to watch movies and stuff I want a receiver where I can use a remote control.
I am only going to be running two speakers so I don't really need surround sound or anything like that.
So I'm looking for recommendations on a nice compact receiver

 

[whoaru99]

What sort of TV?

Does the TV have plain old analog audio output?

Do you use a cable box or satellite box? Those often have analog audio outputs.

If it's a new or newer TV many have only digital output. If that's the case you'd need a DAC, either standalone to connect to a receiver or built into the receiver you get.

 

[zebra03]

Harman Kardon makes a nice not-so-compact receiver . In fact 2 of them .

 

[Duane]

I am a collector of vintage stereo receivers but to watch movies and stuff I want a receiver where I can use a remote control.
I am only going to be running two speakers so I don't really need surround sound or anything like that.
So I'm looking for recommendations on a nice compact receiver

What's your budget? There's several receivers or integrated amps that will do what you want. Nice to be able to narrow them down.

 

[CavScout]

I would like to stay under $1000 CAN.
I just don't want to pay for a bunch of features that I don't care for such as surround sound and Bluetooth and other crap if I don't have to.
This will be simply for TV audio and also perhaps if my wife wants to play the music channel.
Personally I have my own audio setup for listening to music and that will always be vinyl and CD.
I will be running it through 2 Vintage speakers (high-end).
I understand that most of the modern receivers come with a bunch of crap regardless whether you want it or not but I just don't want to pay for a bunch of features that are optional.
Also the used listings like Kijiji and Craigslist and eBay are full of used receivers from a few years ago for 10% of the original cost or lower.
It kills me to be buying something that is going to depreciate that fast and makes me wonder if I should buy something that is already used.

 

[Duane]

For tv viewing, what are you using for a source? Cable, sat or something else. If you have cable, are you using a cable box or just coax? If coax, does your tv have analog audio out jacks?

I'm with you on finding something used.

 

[JoeESP9]

Why not buy a 2 channel integrated amplifier. If you're interested in new, look below ($349). Of course a lot depends on your budget.

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-S301B...d=1505502459&sr=8-2&keywords=yamaha+amplifier

 

[CavScout]

There is a Marantz SR-6200 for sale in my area with an asking price of $100 Canadian and it looks like it's in great shape.
I am thinking that might do the trick

 

[CavScout]

I am tempted to go and buy a new one but I do not care about sounds surround and I don't have the room for it anyway.
Also I am wondering if it will work with my vintage speakers of which I have several high-end sets.
Wharfedale TSR110, JBL L100, JBL 4312, ALTEC LANSING, Sansui SP

 

[bigx5murf]

I haven't bought a new AVR in over 15 years. I love buying used AVR, you can find them for as you've said 10% their original costs, possibly less. So who cares if they've got a bunch of superfluous features you won't use? That's what makes them so versatile. You can build any sort of system around one. In my house now I have the following systems built around an AVR, a. 5.2 HTPC based AV, 2.1 audio only, two 2.0 AV bedrooms systems, and 2 spare AVR I haven't decided what to do with. The cost of all my AVRs, $170. The msrp on them, probably around $9k.

 

[donprice]

So I'm looking for recommendations on a nice compact receiver

How important is the compact part? In my mind, compact = less power and far fewer choices.

I suggest looking at the newer Yamaha Aventage series AVRs. The oldest ones (RX-A1000 for example) are about 7 years old and are modern designs with lots of bells and whistles (which can be ignored) like network capability while retaining serious power for running 2-channel. The RX-A20x0 and RX-A30x0 models are the heavyweights in the line. The older RX-A2000/2010 and RX-A3000/3010 do not support 4k (or dolby atmos) and are getting dumped by those that must have the latest and greatest....might find one for about half your budget or less with a little luck.

 

[CavScout]

Ended up buying a Denon AVR-S720W
brand new from Best Buy, sounds good through my 2 Wharfedale TSR-110's

 

[Bodyblue]

Ended up buying a Denon AVR-S720W
brand new from Best Buy, sounds good through my 2 Wharfedale TSR-110's

I bet you will like it. If you can at least get a center channel and run 3.1 sound you will be amazed at how much better it sounds than just two channel sound. I listen to vintage two channel for music, but for movies and TV that are encoded for center channel dialog, HT amps are worlds better.......so I have both.

 

[bigx5murf]

I bet you will like it. If you can at least get a center channel and run 3.1 sound you will be amazed at how much better it sounds than just two channel sound. I listen to vintage two channel for music, but for movies and TV that are encoded for center channel dialog, HT amps are worlds better.......so I have both.

I've been torn on whether or not to run a center, and have been switching back and forth for awhile. The good, dialog sounds way better when you sit in the extreme left and right positions outside the sweet spot. Which me and my wife do often when we do other stuff while watching TV, like ironing, or folding laundry. The bad, the center ends up outputting the majority of the audio, estimates say 70-80% of all audio information is coming out of the center on properly encoded 5.1 material. Doesn't make sense when your front L-R speakers are better than your center, with wider frequency response, and higher sensitivity.

 

[whoaru99]

... Doesn't make sense when your front L-R speakers are better than your center, with wider frequency response, and higher sensitivity.

Well, a lot of the stuff in movies is anchored in the center because that's where a lot of the focus and action is.

IMO, most people do use a center that is of lesser overall capability than their mains. But, that's not a fault of surround sound that's a compromise decision of the owner. There is nothing but you stopping you from using the same speaker for center as for front left and right (or all the way around for that matter).

 

[Bodyblue]

I've been torn on whether or not to run a center, and have been switching back and forth for awhile. The good, dialog sounds way better when you sit in the extreme left and right positions outside the sweet spot. Which me and my wife do often when we do other stuff while watching TV, like ironing, or folding laundry. The bad, the center ends up outputting the majority of the audio, estimates say 70-80% of all audio information is coming out of the center on properly encoded 5.1 material. Doesn't make sense when your front L-R speakers are better than your center, with wider frequency response, and higher sensitivity.

I think the point is that for dialog, frequency response is not as critical. If you are watching a concert, sure I can see that freq response would be more important but almost everything else clear dialog is more important. I have a decent Polk center channel that actually sounds pretty good but before I had it, I had a cheapie and it did the job pretty good for normal volume TV watching etc.

Here is a pic of what our living room setup looks like. We have a small front room and I love both two channel vintage stuff AND modern HT sound. So I have a Marantz 2220B with Marantz TT driving two Marantz Imperial 6s. On the left is an older Marantz SR 4002 AVR and under that is a Marantz DVD/SACD that outputs HDMI to the AVR for DVDs and analog outs to the 2220 for CDs. I have a Playstation 4 under those for BluRay playback. The Imperials are at seated ear level in front of the couch. The front mains are mounted low in the TV stand and are Realistic Minimus 1s. They are really mounted too low to be optimal but since they dont do much work and the Polk center is tilted up, it sounds amazingly good. The back surrounds are Minimus 7Ws and next to the couch under my computer desk is a Sony sub. The Marantz AVR has 80 watt discrete amps and MRAC room correction and sounds really pretty good.......way better than it has a right too with such a funky front setup. Since we live in a condo and really cant get the massive sound levels that some run their AVRs, it works just fine for us. In the morning (we get up at 0430 for the wife to be at work at 0600) we just use the TV speakers since we need to keep it quiet. When watching TV shows worth it, we turn on the AVR and enjoy the surround sound......I also use it when using the Playstation and it is amazing.

We watched an old DVD the other day of Michael Buble' and was surprised at how good the Polk center channel was producing music and his voice. So I guess I mean to say there is not one solution for every show or movie. But modern TV/DVD/BluRay simply sounds better with at least 3.1........on the type of shows that have high production values. And if you have the room, rear surround speakers make movies really fun. I had the 7.1 setup for a while and it did not make enough of a difference to overcome how it looked in our living room so I went back to the 5.1 and am completely happy.

 

[bigx5murf]

Well, a lot of the stuff in movies is anchored in the center because that's where a lot of the focus and action is.

IMO, most people do use a center that is of lesser overall capability than their mains. But, that's not a fault of surround sound that's a compromise decision of the owner. There is nothing but you stopping you from using the same speaker for center as for front left and right (or all the way around for that matter).

Point is letting front mains create a phantom center still works perfectly fine, and IMO sounds better when you're sitting in the sweet spot. I do own 3 klipsch KG4. But my wife won't let me use those as my front 3 lol. Instead I've got a pair of kef towers with a small "matched" kef center. I wouldn't call it a compromise decision of the owner alone. Fact is every packaged 5 speaker surround set has a center that's lesser quality than the mains in the set.

 

[whoaru99]

...Fact is every packaged 5 speaker surround set has a center that's lesser quality than the mains in the set.

Agreed, but it's still the decision of the purchaser/owner to have gone that way regardless of the reason.

I use a center that is not the same as the mains because, like for most, it's just not practical to plant a 4ft high by 12in wide tower speaker right in front of the TV. But, I've tried phantom and I still prefer the dedicated center despite the compromise of size and form factor. It is a rather large center, but nowhere near as large as the Studio 100 mains.

 

[bigx5murf]

I think the point is that for dialog, frequency response is not as critical. If you are watching a concert, sure I can see that freq response would be more important but almost everything else clear dialog is more important. I have a decent Polk center channel that actually sounds pretty good but before I had it, I had a cheapie and it did the job pretty good for normal volume TV watching etc.

Here is a pic of what our living room setup looks like. We have a small front room and I love both two channel vintage stuff AND modern HT sound. So I have a Marantz 2220B with Marantz TT driving two Marantz Imperial 6s. On the left is an older Marantz SR 4002 AVR and under that is a Marantz DVD/SACD that outputs HDMI to the AVR for DVDs and analog outs to the 2220 for CDs. I have a Playstation 4 under those for BluRay playback. The Imperials are at seated ear level in front of the couch. The front mains are mounted low in the TV stand and are Realistic Minimus 1s. They are really mounted too low to be optimal but since they dont do much work and the Polk center is tilted up, it sounds amazingly good. The back surrounds are Minimus 7Ws and next to the couch under my computer desk is a Sony sub. The Marantz AVR has 80 watt discrete amps and MRAC room correction and sounds really pretty good.......way better than it has a right too with such a funky front setup. Since we live in a condo and really cant get the massive sound levels that some run their AVRs, it works just fine for us. In the morning (we get up at 0430 for the wife to be at work at 0600) we just use the TV speakers since we need to keep it quiet. When watching TV shows worth it, we turn on the AVR and enjoy the surround sound......I also use it when using the Playstation and it is amazing.

We watched an old DVD the other day of Michael Buble' and was surprised at how good the Polk center channel was producing music and his voice. So I guess I mean to say there is not one solution for every show or movie. But modern TV/DVD/BluRay simply sounds better with at least 3.1........on the type of shows that have high production values. And if you have the room, rear surround speakers make movies really fun. I had the 7.1 setup for a while and it did not make enough of a difference to overcome how it looked in our living room so I went back to the 5.1 and am completely happy.

Problem is its not just dialog that comes out of your center. Try watching something with all speakers disconnected except your center. The center is for all intents a mono channel of everything. In other words, it's a step backwards in some ways. What it brings to the table is superior panning of effects using the remaining channels,a dedicated LFE channel, and a wide sweet spot. But in my own experience, if you can sit in the narrow sweet spot alone. Having the mains provide a phantom center is superior, while retaining all the effects panning, and LFE.

 

[charles 1973]

I had my sights set on a new Yamaha R-S700 stereo receiver for upstairs until I brought my old Onkyo AVR and sub upstairs while doing some work in the rec room. While I was at it I thought why not use my old PSB center channel speaker too. I found a vast improvement in overall SQ with 3.1 channels for all programs and movies with the dialog being much clearer, controllable, and at the screen where it is supposed to be. Then I added an old pair of smal Minimus 7 speakers I had laying around for rear surround speakers. This takes it the next step. For some movies, It is also a big improvement, other programs not so much. So I kept the Onkyo AVR upstairs and bought a New Yamaha Aventage Dolby Atmos AVR for the rec room.

The Onkyo AVR has some matrix SS effects that also greatly improve my enjoyment of music as well. With small SS speakers, a hidden sub, and the center channel speaker on the TV stand, The visible footprint is almost the same as a stereo system.

Since the center channel speaker handles nearly all dialog and other sounds too, I highly recommend a high quality model. One that goes below the 80 Hz where a sub can take over. Ideally it should match the front speakers as well. It is often the same quality with the same drivers as the main fronts, Just a smaller cabinet making less Bass, Which when used with a sub or decent front speakers is a low priority.