Your favorite "little" receiver ever?
- Thread starter thedelihaus
- Start date
Bruno Primas
Super Member
Oh yeah. I have a Two-Thirty that has that smooth, warm sound as well. 10 watts per channel. Quite unique, too. I replaced the FM side with L.E.D. lamps so it looks blue to differentiate between the two.
charles 1973
Super Member
Sometimes it seems vintage low powered receivers when kept out of clipping can produce very satisfying results. I also love the clean simple styling of the lower end units from many manufacturers back in the day.
I still use a Realistic STA 7 10 wpc receiver like this one from 1979 for my bedroom system with a Bluetooth receiver and the matching Minimus 7 speakers.
When the 70 wpc AVR in my living room malfunctioned I used this little gem for a few months and was surprised at much detail it could retrieve. Both the FM tuner and its phono preamp are also up to the task.
When I was young, back in the late 70's it was those Radio Shack catalogs that peaked my interest stereo systems. They made a whole bunch of great looking low power receivers then. The thing with the Realistic brand is they had the freedom to offer many different designs, no main theme for an entire line of receivers like most brand name manufacturers did.
I still use a Realistic STA 7 10 wpc receiver like this one from 1979 for my bedroom system with a Bluetooth receiver and the matching Minimus 7 speakers.
When the 70 wpc AVR in my living room malfunctioned I used this little gem for a few months and was surprised at much detail it could retrieve. Both the FM tuner and its phono preamp are also up to the task.
When I was young, back in the late 70's it was those Radio Shack catalogs that peaked my interest stereo systems. They made a whole bunch of great looking low power receivers then. The thing with the Realistic brand is they had the freedom to offer many different designs, no main theme for an entire line of receivers like most brand name manufacturers did.
Last edited:
radio shack, dak and crutchfield catalogs all did it for me in the early 80s.
i miss the days of sitting down with a catalog in hand.
442_Tom
Well-Known Member
Great thread, haven’t read in its entirety, so not sure if Standard Radio has been mentioned, but I’ve got two little SRs (pre Marantz as many like to say) that both sound awesome.
The first is 2/3 as deep as an album, and barely wider, introducing SR model A205SU. Curious if power output is five (from 205) WPC, but total consumption is 30 watts so I’m guessing maybe 8 or 10, but it punches way above its weight and size.
Second is the more robust, but still quite small SR 500. No data on actual output, but consuming 60 watts, guessing perhaps 12 or maybe 15. This thing really sounds like a baby marantz, and needs to be not in my closet.
The first is 2/3 as deep as an album, and barely wider, introducing SR model A205SU. Curious if power output is five (from 205) WPC, but total consumption is 30 watts so I’m guessing maybe 8 or 10, but it punches way above its weight and size.
Second is the more robust, but still quite small SR 500. No data on actual output, but consuming 60 watts, guessing perhaps 12 or maybe 15. This thing really sounds like a baby marantz, and needs to be not in my closet.
‘Agree. Got hooked on low powered Marantz with a 1030 amp I got cheap before prices went tbought the roof. A customer talked me out of it. Next came a Marantz 4415 four channel at 15 watts times 4. Always like four channnel receivers. FM was not working. Found a perfect 4415. Sounds good in my work room. Had a rebuilt 2270 five years that got replaced with a minty 2220B. Actually like better than the 2270. Less stuff to break. My crown jewel is a 2010 replacing a 4270. Really use it a lot in the living room. After 15 years of trying different receivers in the livingroom and not using them the 2010 is great.
My neighbbor had one of these back in the 80s
Quadman2
Lunatic Member
YES! Indeed, that's it! That's the SONY!
Spent quite some time trying to find it in the past.
My life's complete...now!
But those speakers... seem to have enlarged in time. Funny how time affects our recollection.
Thank you for that share, jw!
Q
I have a nice little realistic sta64 in a wood case this little 16 wpc can rock !
Attachments
Macaroonie
Super Member
I was about to reply to this tread and two posts in bullseye. I sold them as a dealer a long time ago. . I never saw a broken one and they sounded great. It's big brother was no slouch either.
they are quite a little jewel
AudioGMan
Well-Known Member
I’ve owned about 14 vintage receivers over 38 years mostly silver faced Pioneer but the only one that I’ve kept to this day is a Sansui G-3500. It is the most reliable model receiver I’ve ever owned and I gave it to my son. Although it’s only 25wpc it sounds so good and I plan on rebuilding it myself
ive got 15 kenwoods and a sanyo 3300, something ive found out is i dont need gobs of power. ive got a kr 7400 and a 7200 if i ever go totally deaf, i usually listen to a kr 4400 but i think my favorite is the 5200
Last edited: