Favorite mid level receivers from the mid-late 70's

saltland

Member
Interested in units in the 40-60 watt range.Also why you like them and pics if possible.This is research for my system build.
Thanks,
Scott
 
Not a receiver, but a Harman/Kardon A-402 integrated amp and matching T-403 tuner. Here are pictures from shortly after purchase, opened up for inspection and to check/adjust idle current and bias.

09_P8271496.JPG 10_P8271489.JPG

I like it because it's well-built, all parts likely to fail are readily available, it's easy to work on, the LED VU meter looks cool, and it sounds good.

Another integrated, my Pioneer SA-608:

IMAG1084.jpg

Sorry, the pic's a bit blurry. I like it because it sounds good and the blue vacuum fluorescent VU meter looks cool.
 
Many, many to choose from. Here are some of my favorites.

Concept 6.5
Sony STR-7065A
Sansui Eight, Eight Deluxe
Pioneer SX-828, SX-939
Marantz 2265 (non-B)
Kenwood KR-7600
Realistic STA-2000, STA-2080
 
why 40=60 watts you will just be looking for a bigger one a month later, you didnt mention where you were. Pioneer SX 850/880 would be my first choice, second a Yamaha CR 840, but hell with that 60 watts just look for Pioneer SX 1050/1080 and be done with it...Roost
 
Pioneer and Sansui if restored. If you have the Coin Marantz and Mcintosh. Remember once you connect a preamp to a separate power amp they have become integrated..
 
Not a receiver, but a Harman/Kardon A-402 integrated amp and matching T-403 tuner. Here are pictures from shortly after purchase, opened up for inspection and to check/adjust idle current and bias.

View attachment 1352821 View attachment 1352822

I like it because it's well-built, all parts likely to fail are readily available, it's easy to work on, the LED VU meter looks cool, and it sounds good.

Another integrated, my Pioneer SA-608:

View attachment 1352824

Sorry, the pic's a bit blurry. I like it because it sounds good and the blue vacuum fluorescent VU meter looks cool.
your 'bench' appears to be the living room floor....perhaps the AK can gofundyou a new desk?
 
Interested in units in the 40-60 watt range.Also why you like them and pics if possible.This is research for my system build.
Thanks,
Scott
my avatar....my sx890. It has the looks, the sound, the power and is easy to work on. I got bigger ones in the house, but my sx3900 aint done yet
 
your 'bench' appears to be the living room floor....perhaps the AK can gofundyou a new desk?
Nice idea. I like it.

But... My desk/workbench is in my office upstairs. The amp and tuner were bought working and intended for a room downstairs. So I brought them into that downstairs room, popped open the amp to check bias and idle current, snapped the pics, closed it up, assembled the -- not shown in the picture -- brand new stereo stand, and placed the amp and tuner on it where they sit to this day.

Why lug the amp upstairs to my office if I don't have to? :)
 
why 40=60 watts you will just be looking for a bigger one a month later, you didnt mention where you were. Pioneer SX 850/880 would be my first choice, second a Yamaha CR 840, but hell with that 60 watts just look for Pioneer SX 1050/1080 and be done with it...Roost

Yeah, NO.

40 to 60 wpc is more than fine. I run a Marantz 1060 driven by a Marantz 250 with 125 wpc. With Marantz Imperial 6s in our smallish living room it is way overkill. I enjoy it but 125wpc is waaaaay more than needed. I have Kenwood KA 3500 (40wpc), Sony TA F3A (50wpc), Pioneer SA 7700 (60wpc) and all of them have PLENTY of power. I also have a 55wpc Sony STR 5800 receiver, and a Fisher RS 2007 with 75wpc.

It all depends on the room size and speakers and type of music one listens to.
 
blue, not disagreeing at all with that, but if you just have one amp i would rather have too much than not enough, headroom is a good thing imo. When i first started collecting i decided to try and obtain the whole SX lineup, 50's and 80's that is, once i got em all i just never use anything below the 8 series. I run Klipsch Heritage period, I have collected that whole lineup as well, and with them being insane efficient 5 watts is about all you can stand, so your point is spot on. I think the Pioneer/Klipsch combination sounds incredible, and I have a complete Mac setup as well, and my sx1280 dont give up much to it
 
All I have after 1975 is Pioneer SX-780 45 watts and Marantz 2226 26 watts. Most everything else is from 71 to 75. And a few from 64 to 70, those are my favorites. But back to the first two. I have them because they represent that mid line period very well. They're the run of the mill dependable receivers you would expect. ...When left in the crowd.

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The crowd.
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In no particular order:
Pioneer SX-750 50wpc
Pioneer SX-838 50wpc
Sansui 881 60wpc
Sansui 771 40wpc

Honorable Mentions:
Pioneer SX-3700 45wpc
Pioneer SX-780 45wpc

These are what I have owned and have experience with. There are undoubtedly others from different manufacturers that qualify. I am a pioneer fanatic, but the best sounding out of all of these to me is the 881. That receiver, while visually different from the Pioneers really sounds great and has the best mix of warmth and sharpness, if that makes sense.
 
Sansui 881 60wpc
Sansui 771 40wpc

I agree with your list except for the above. While the 771/881 sound great like all Sansuis, their build quality is not up to up to the other big brands of the time. The light box design with circuit on the back is really crappy. With age the light boxes warp from years of heat from the lamps.....and it breaks the soldier and the lights short out. I have had 2771s and five 881s and every single one had the warped light box. The knobs also dont have the same heft as Marantz or Pioneer of the time. Small things that dont effect sound for sure, but it takes them out of the running for me. The later Sansuis did not have those problems.
 
I agree with your list except for the above. While the 771/881 sound great like all Sansuis, their build quality is not up to up to the other big brands of the time. The light box design with circuit on the back is really crappy. With age the light boxes warp from years of heat from the lamps.....and it breaks the soldier and the lights short out. I have had 2771s and five 881s and every single one had the warped light box. The knobs also dont have the same heft as Marantz or Pioneer of the time. Small things that dont effect sound for sure, but it takes them out of the running for me. The later Sansuis did not have those problems.
I do agree with your consensus. The Later Pioneers, even the 838 from the same time period are definitely built better. As for the Sansui light box designs, I must be lucky because both of mine look decent, especially the 881. I bought it from a woman whose grandfather bought new and maybe he didn’t use it much?
 
I do agree with your consensus. The Later Pioneers, even the 838 from the same time period are definitely built better. As for the Sansui light box designs, I must be lucky because both of mine look decent, especially the 881. I bought it from a woman whose grandfather bought new and maybe he didn’t use it much?

Probably a good explanation. Compared to Marantz build quality they were not even close, although they sounded pretty close.

Another surprise is Realistic from those years.....built well and sounded the same.
 
Onkyo TX-2500 mk2. I pulled one out of a Salvation army 3 years ago. It was covered in cigarette tar and it hardly worked. I read a few threads here on deoxit and cleaned it up. It's been working great ever since.

I've had more than a few mid level receivers and the Onkyo is impressive in comparison to all of them. It has a clean powerful sound without being harsh in the high end. Every speaker I've hooked up to it has sounded good. They run cool, look cool, and sound good. If I had to choose between the Onkyo, a Pioneer, or Marantz of similar wattage I'd choose the Onkyo because they are every bit as good and considerably cheaper. I'd sell the Pioneer/Marantz and let the other guy pay the tax.

https://classicreceivers.com/onkyo-tx-2500-mki
 
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