What was your first receiver?

[PoppaSteve]

I had a Columbia Masterworks receiver that my folks bought me when I was in high school. Used that for a long time.

While in college, I bought a used Marantz 2215 at the Schaak Electronics in Dinkytown near the University of Minnesota. Still have it, and it works great, although it could use a few new bulbs.

 

[billy307]

Sherwood S7100A

I bought a Sherwood S7100A in the summer after sophomore year of high school (1973), from International Hi Fi, had it shipped UPS ( I just read that the retail price in 1974 was $219.95) I just had the receiver at first, so I stayed up late listening to FM (WXRT in Chicago) late at night with my brothers Koss Pro 4AA headphones, the sound was wonderful! I later bought KLH 17 speakers and a Dual 1215S turntable with Shure M91E cartridge, and Sennheiser open air headphones to complete the system. I just bought another S7100A on ebay, which looks great, and worked for about five minutes, then quit. I think the power switch is bad, it doesn't "click" on like it did when I first powered it on, oh well. My second receiver was a Yamaha R900 that I bought from United Audio in 1982, with Infinity speakers, and a Mitsubishi LT-20 Linear tracking turntable(gave to a friend, now have a Denon DP 25-F) I traded in the Yamaha for a Denon DRA 55V receiver in the mid eighties, and traded the Infinity speakers for Dahlquist DQM 5's (just re foamed the surrounds!), I still have the Denon and Dahlquist to this day, they both work great!

 

[sfox52]

The first one I bought was a KLH 52 in '74 or so. I think it was rated at 30 wpc. I used first it with the open backed cabinets from my parent's Zenith stereo, vintage 1960 or there about. A bit later I bought some Janszen e-stat bookshelf speakers & a Technics SL-23 table. I wish I could hear that rig again.

 

[John in MA]

I had some kind of incredibly cheap '60s Panasonic when I was a kid. Didn't have speakers so I plugged headphones into it. I think my second one was a GE from the '70s with a black plastic face.

My first one with any pedigree was a Yamaha R-90 with a bad tuning section.

 

[bergun]

My first receiver was a Yamaha RX-1100U, which I had since 1987... Prior to that, some kenwood units including the KA-9X from 1983.

 

[Gang-Twanger]

I think my very-first one was a Lloyd's. Combo unit. State-of-the-armpit.

 

[Tinman]

Wow... my first receiver was a ROTEL RX-200A. I was 14 at the time.

Long time ago...

Marc

 

[johnnyboy70]

I believe mine was a fisher radio/combo turntable. my first real receiver was a harman kardon 330c

 

[cnolanh]

First receiver I spent time using was my family's Harman/Kardon SR-600 which we had through all of my growing up. Despite its early-solid-state sonic limtations it would be fun to have, but it's long gone.

The first receiver I owned was a Fisher 205 handed down by my uncle my first year of college (1985). Before long my roommate bought a little Proton integrated amp that replaced the Fisher.

I wish I had both the H/K and the Fisher, if only for nostalgic reasons.

 

[cnolanh]

Oh, actually my first receiver (in my room during high school) was a nifty Pioneer KP500 underdash cassette/Supertuner unit, with a 12-volt power supply. Also from my uncle. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Wish I had THAT now too!

 

[tube-a-lou]

Superscope by Marantz, gave it to my Aunt, she still using it with a small pair of
Wilson Burhoe speakers

Tube

 

[larryderouin]

SX-434 I bought new in '75 @ Pacific Stereo, South San Fran. Marantz 4G's and a Dual 1219. I wish to hell I had kept the 4G's but the foam rotted out about 1986. didn't know about re-foaming them. Anyway the 434 got put in storage about 1990 when the boys were about 8. Kept in storage until I got the word I was gonna be a Grandpa, and broke it out, overhauled it and hooked it up to a pair of Minimus 25's for my Grand Daughter who is now 2 months old. She won't get it until she's 5 years old. It's in the bedroom now, doing headphone duty just to keep it peaked.

Larry

 

[daviddeep]

The first receiver I bought myself was a Technics SA-919 in about 1986. I think it was about 35 watts per channel and was their cheapest, most entry level model at the time. I loved the pseudo-VCR styling at the time which seemed very chic in the mid-80s.

It was not technically "BPC" because it was painted that dark brown metallic color that Technics was using at the time. It worked well enough but the horizontal slider volume and tone controls picked up dust and dirt very easily and got scratchy at the drop of a hat. Had I known about Caig's Fader Lube at the time, it probably would have saved me a lot of wasted cans of Rat Shack tuner cleaner.

Replaced it with a much nicer Nikko NR-750 about two years later which started me on the dreaded "upgrade path." I just got the Nikko back from the friend I sold it to 20 years ago and it's still working like new.

Photo below borrowed from the Internet:

 

[usedto]

I've had my Sansui separates for over 30 years, but I picked up an 8080DB awhile back for $60 that is doing duty in my warehouse office.

 

[Rex Aeterna]

Some vintage Craig H500 component receiver. have no idea on power output but it served me well and i still use it in my other room. very lovely sounding receiver and it was free from my uncle.

 

[62caddy]

Mine was a Fisher 800B given by my grandfather who bought it new in '62. Sold it very foolishly. Will probably never be able to find one like that again.

 

[Puddintane]

A little over a year ago I came across this picture while scanning a bunch of my old photos. I couldn't remember for sure the make/model, so I posted the pics here as "Mystery Receiver," and it was ID'd in no time.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=299579

It was a Kenwood TK-66 that I bought from a friend (in my very young and stupid days) who, as I recall, had acquired it in an illegitimate manner :nono:. But the Philips was purchased new from a local stereo store with my own hard-earned dishwashing income. I can't remember the speakers though. I think they were from the cheapo receiver/8-track combo that had been our family stereo for the previous several years. The Kenwood is long gone (as is also, sadly, the Gibson SG leaning on the desk next to the dresser :tears. But I still have the Philips TT, the Discwasher that's sitting atop the Kenwood in the pic, and probably a bunch of the LPs.

Here's someone else's thread with better pics of the same unit.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=178745

 

[TonyBigs]

JVC R-S33. Still have it. It's been overhauled and works like the day it was bought new. I now have the R-S77 as well. Both are very good sounding receivers.

 

[Tubeage]

First "real" receiver? Parasound DR-65.

 

[Highwaystar]

Realistic STA-95. Bought new and still have it.
Karl