Receiver recommendation...vintage look, modern guts?

AEC831

New Member
My Sansui G-5500 just lost a phono channel and for close to the price of the repair I probably get a decent new entry level receiver ($300 max). However, I really don't like the all black look of just about every piece of new AV equipment out there. Is there anything in the price range that is a little more aesthetically interesting while sounding at least as good as the G5500? I would even consider the Pyle look but their reviews are mediocre.
Thanks for any suggestions.
 
Two clarifying questions before responses start rolling in.

You say "AV equipment". Are you looking for stereo of a true multi-channel AV receiver? Is a phono input mandatory?

And, sound is relative. Not everyone has heard a G5500, and that includes me

Oh, you might want to face the fact that odds are very good whatever you find will be black.
 
Two clarifying questions before responses start rolling in.

You say "AV equipment". Are you looking for stereo of a true multi-channel AV receiver? Is a phono input mandatory?

And, sound is relative. Not everyone has heard a G5500, and that includes me

Oh, you might want to face the fact that odds are very good whatever you find will be black.
Sorry, I should have clarified that I really want a basic 2 channel system, don't care about video inputs at all. and yes, mainly for vinyl.
 
The closest thing to "vintage looks" in modern 2-channel receivers is probably the Yamaha line.
https://www1.crutchfield.com/g_356350/Stereo-Receivers.html#&nvpair=FFBrand|Yamaha

e.g.,

g022RS500-F.jpeg


Their integrated amplifiers are even more evocative of the (dare I say) classic, vintage Yamaha aesthetic.
https://www1.crutchfield.com/g_344650/Integrated-Amplifiers.html#&nvpair=FFBrand|Yamaha

e.g.,
g022AS801S-f-1.jpg

Reputed to be pretty good stuff, as well.
 
+100 :) I run a modern Yamaha and its fantastic. Solid, clean sound with tons of inputs and built like a tank.

Mine is black, but that's just because I found it in a pawn shop for a stupid price so can't be choosy :) Rest of my gear is black anyway.
 
The new Pioneer Elite receiver is pretty nice. SX-N30 I believe. I think it only comes in black but it's got a pretty classic aesthetic, knobs for bass, treble, balance, source select and volume on the front. Pretty symmetrical looking design.

Otherwise, keep your eye on auction sites for a used Yamaha A-S301, although the silver version seems increasingly hard to find these days.
 
+100 :) I run a modern Yamaha and its fantastic. Solid, clean sound with tons of inputs and built like a tank.

Mine is black, but that's just because I found it in a pawn shop for a stupid price so can't be choosy :) Rest of my gear is black anyway.

Mine's black because silver was nearly twice the price. Everywhere but North America you can get silver at a nominal upcharge, if any.
Still waiting for that enlightenment to come our way...
 
Meanwhile, if you care to think 'outside the box', I heartily recommend this:

s-l1600.jpg


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Douk-Audio-...s-A-Single-Ended-Amp-Handcrafted/263086446487

I'm now the proud owner of four (count 'em four) cheap Chinese tube amps and this one is my favorite.
Granted I don't have hundreds of hours on any of them, but they're so cheap how can you go wrong?

The sound is amazing considering that they're essentially novelty items imho.
I know it's not a receiver but you can hook up any input you like, except phono (needs preamp for that).

Can't deny it has 'vintage look' and brand new guts ...
 
Meanwhile, if you care to think 'outside the box', I heartily recommend this:

s-l1600.jpg


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Douk-Audio-...s-A-Single-Ended-Amp-Handcrafted/263086446487

I'm now the proud owner of four (count 'em four) cheap Chinese tube amps and this one is my favorite.
Granted I don't have hundreds of hours on any of them, but they're so cheap how can you go wrong?

The sound is amazing considering that they're essentially novelty items imho.
I know it's not a receiver but you can hook up any input you like, except phono (needs preamp for that).

Can't deny it has 'vintage look' and brand new guts ...


And it also "adopts hand welding to ensure the true reality of the sound quality." Why solder, we need to start welding people !!
 
I've always wondered about those Chinese tube amps. Are they copies of proven designs? Or just "cheap as they could make 'em's"? And since I know hardly anything about tube amps. How is a seven watt amp going to satisfy someone with a reference listening level of 72 to 80 Db? I've always wondered about this. Lower listening levels that are of such high quality that I wouldn't miss the volume? Or do you just live with all the distortion as the amp clips itself to death at around 70 Db? Or am I missing something? I know that most never really listen at more than about 10 watts of sound RMS, but isn't that "headroom" where we get all the great sound staging and separation? Do you simply trade all of those adjectives for new one's like "Liquid" and "Subteranean"?
As one who's never owned a tube amp except for "Mesa Boogie" and "Marshall" my enquiring mind wants to know!
And yeah I was looking at a $400 dollar tube preamp the other day and almost clicked "buy". but got cold feet at the last second.
Shipping something BACK to china would be iffy, even if it was crapola.
 
I know that most never really listen at more than about 10 watts of sound RMS, but isn't that "headroom" where we get all the great sound staging and separation?

Nearly all of my listening happens well below one watt p.c. and I listen as loud as I like.
Someone may jump in to say otherwise but separation & staging are not related to headroom per se.

Yeah I noticed the 'welding' thing! Lost in translation I daresay.
 
Listening to my silver faced Yamaha A-S801 now and it sounds lovely. I bought a used Scott tuner to listen to FM, and it sounds very nice (to my mid-fi ears) through the Yamaha and some refurbished EPI M100 speakers. Yamaha is making some nice stuff for 2.1 audio.
 
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