Best Looking Receiver of all Time

[Brian]

Can not imagine no one has mentioned the Scott 399 and 340A. Truly the most beautiful receivers ever designed and produced. No vested interest as I own neither. From the simplicity school, the winner would be the AR receiver. The Mc 1500 is truly timeless and actually has aged less than the 1700 or other Mc receivers.

 

[shelby1420]

Sansui G 9000.

 

[BrocLuno]

Blue Flouroscan and Analog from the transition days. Pioneer, Scott, etc. Just before the bad Darth Vader plastic started creeping in

 

[Twenty20Man]

The Yamaha CR series, I am also growing fond of the looks of my Concepts. simple classy and geez they have balls.

 

[bully]

Hey, I was just gonna say my Concept looks great, clean and simple design, and a monster at 67 lbs.

 

[fiddlefye]

I'm really partial to the look of my Marantz 4300, love the symmetry of the knobs and the blue glow is nice to bask in at night. I also add my vote for the Advent receiver, though I don't have one (yet!). Lots of nice looking pieces to be seen, though. The 80's certainly didn't bring any improvement in my opinion!

 

[chillwolf]

How about the classic 60s look of this Kenwood TK-88?
My 1st vintage receiver acquisition.

 

[dubwicht]

Luxman and Tandberg and Yamaha

It is hard to beat the looks of a Tandberg TR series although the Luxman R series and Yamaha CR's are a close second and third. I also like the looks of my Realistic STA-2100. My two bits!

Cheers,

Doug

 

[Bunny]

That Sony looks nice

But this one is my baby:

Lots of those previously posted (like the marantz) has too much junk on it, and those blue lights make it look like a Christmas-tree to me

 

[piece-it pete]

I'm gonna throw my Pioneer QX-949A quad receiver into the mix. The dark dialglass speaks of a slightly earlier era but the whole package has a kind of brawny elegance which I liked from the moment I saw it.

Out of the receivers I've owned that's my vote. Hulking huge, 5 million switches/knobs, gorgeous.

Pete

 

[Bunny]

Pics make it a lot nicer

 

[Duffinator]

NN has already posted pictures of my two favorites. Nothing grabs your attention like a Big G Sansui lit up at night. Then for understated elegance you go with the Pioneer SX-1250. But nobody has mentioned one of the biggest and baddest receivers of all time, the 92 pound Denon 5805.

 

[bigstereo]

I'm pretty fond of this one. I think the big Sansui G's are nice too look at also.

 

[dnewma04]

Setton RS-660

Marantz 2600

Rotel RT-1024

Call me crazy, but the SX-1010 is one my faves

Fisher 500 mono receiver

 

[quatsino]

Pioneer SX-xx80's

That minty SX-1250 - now that's what I'm talking about. At the risk of repeating myself that is my holy grail - in Pioneer anyway.

Interesting to me that the Pioneer SX-xx80 series has not been mentioned by anyone. Subtle visual differences include the 4 black meter faces and fruit-flavored indicators. Also the 4 little black plastic station sliders at the bottom of the dialglass.

Enough of a difference so that the 50 series is rated more pleasing to the eye than the 80 series perhaps?

 

[DSChamber]

That minty SX-1250 - now that's what I'm talking about. At the risk of repeating myself that is my holy grail - in Pioneer anyway.

Interesting to me that the Pioneer SX-xx80 series has not been mentioned by anyone. Subtle visual differences include the 4 black meter faces and fruit-flavored indicators. Also the 4 little black plastic station sliders at the bottom of the dialglass.

Enough of a difference so that the 50 series is rated more pleasing to the eye than the 80 series perhaps?

I personally like the look of the Pioneer 80 series more than the look of the 50series... I like the contrast of the black meters on the silver face... and I like the different "fruit flavored" indicators more than the orange ones....

So if I were just going to get one and have it as just a show piece then it would be a SX-1280.... but if I were going to get one for the performance I would go with a 1250 (seems the 50 series were better designed receivers)

Tough call... put it this way.. If I was lucky enough to trip over either of these monsters at a Thrift I wouldn't think twice about grabbing it

 

[LBPete]

Nothing like a big Sansui.

- Pete

 

[Brian]

The Fisher 500 is really beautiful. Out of curiousty for the Fisher and H-K folks; H-K claimes to have developed/made the first receiver. What was the model and production dates and what were the production dates of the Fisher 500. Had nt thought to ask the question until just now.

 

[Njord Noatun]

Nothing like a big Sansui.

Very nice photography, Pete! I am guessing they are taken indoors, with artificial lights and manual setting of white balance?

 

[LBPete]

Thanks. The pictures were taken in the garage with a combination of daylight through the skylights and interior lights. White balance? I'm not that sophisticated.

- Pete