80's Realistic receiver owners: your opinion needed

[Eywadude]

Purchased new in 1992 a STA-2700, for a quick system in bedroom after my Mac dealer offered me a set of floor model XRT-18`s for a very attractive price.
Went into the Receiver disconnected the power amp section input, also disconnected the phono input jacks from internal phono stage, so the jacks could be wired up to the receiver`s preamp/tuner`s output for better external amplifier connection(2 mono`d Crown DC 300`s).
And used it in that modified configuration until my Mac dealer called me up and offered to sell me a abandoned & partially paid for layaway Mac preamp & tuner from one of his customers, which were more modern than my existing Mac pre/tuner being used in my main living room`s system.
So I swapped out the new Mac for the old and installed the old in bedroom.

Now I had the RS STA-2700 with no home, but realized that I could return the receiver back to normal internal configuration(less the phono reconnection) and use it in my spare bedroom for my all day music.
That receiver has not needed any repairs(or even spraying the 4 analog controls) ,or any internal adjustments since it`s purchase.
It runs 24/7, and has not been powered down for close to 20 years driving 2 Minimus 7`s and a RS passive 12" subwoofer and is playing as I type this, as it does every day, all day at around 80db SPL since installation and sounds quite good.
It runs warm, but not hot.
It is the second receiver that I`ve ever owned in my life, since I chose to go the separate`s route, in 1977.

I don`t know, or really care who made it for RS, but I have no complaints about it`s quality & the included remote is very handy for muting to take a phone call.

FWIW folks.

Take care, and enjoy the music.
Kind regards, OKB

@Lazarus Long

 

[BDylanThomas]

FWIW used a gifted 2280 for a couple of years in a guest bedroom system and never noticed any heat issues. It was never played for hours on end, however, and it seemed to develop a very slight intermittent distortion problem. So it was given to someone seeking a receiver for their cabin. It was not 100 wpc but never had any difficulty driving several sets of speakers in that room.

 

[Eywadude]

FWIW used a gifted 2280 for a couple of years in a guest bedroom system and never noticed any heat issues. It was never played for hours on end, however, and it seemed to develop a very slight intermittent distortion problem. So it was given to someone seeking a receiver for their cabin. It was not 100 wpc but never had any difficulty driving several sets of speakers in that room.

I believe that model in particular was known for cold solder joints, so could have been that. Silly question, but did you try cleaning the controls/contacts with Deoxit?

 

[BDylanThomas]

I believe that model in particular was known for cold solder joints, so could have been that. Silly question, but did you try cleaning the controls/contacts with Deoxit?

Never bothered as there was a surplus of receivers in the house, that one was the low one on the totem pole, and I knew it was leaving fairly soon. The distortion also was unrelated to changes in the volume, bass, and treble controls--it just appeared for short periods of time (10-30 seconds) e.g. a half hour after being powered on and then would not occur again at any set interval. I saw one listed somewhere recently for >$100US and was astounded.

 

[Lossless]

I own a Realistic STA-2500 and have to say it was one of my best sounding thrift store finds. I thought something was wrong with it because it played so loud at the 2oclock position. I still have it and will give it a play hear and there. 100 wpc and TOTL RadioShack receiver 1985.

 

[mdewberry]

I have a 2600 that I love for a couple reasons. One is that I remember seeing this same model on full display (being TOTL) when I was a kid in '87 and never forgot it. I also like that you can almost see the eras switching over by looking at it. Walnut veneered sides, silver and charcoal face, etc. The 2600 looks similar to the 2500 but has some pretty cool graphics on it's source buttons that I like. And of course, it sounds great and is well-made.

I have not had any heat issues with it. Seems to run about as warm as any other receiver I've had. And I've never run out of power. Seems to be packing a full 100 wpc.

I agree with Rex81. I have a 2600 that i picked up at the GW still in the box for like $18. It currently sits in office are with a pair of KLH Model 17's and a pair of Baby Advents all connected to Apple Mac Pro. Love the look and was presently surprised how well it sounds. Not sure who made it for RS, but it it has a little Technics feel to it, in my opinion. Would I buy another, you bet!

 

[Ed240]

Hitachi built the higher power receivers pre 1975, like the STA-120. Kenwood made some, like the rebadged KR-8140/QTA-790 and STA-150. Most were made by Foster Electric during that time, including the 45B and 46. The STA-47 was made by Tandy Electronics. From 75-89, most Realistic receivers were made by Tandy, with a few from Foster. The end. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...Hc7I0mEpfSqb8O0bREcGWk10oiM/edit?usp=drivesdk

Back when I was selling them (1969-1974), it was rumoured that the Realistic receivers, with a couple of exceptions, were made by Hitachi. Pretty sure there was a thread here a month or so ago
from an engineer that worked for Tandy during that time period and he named the maker...not Hitachi. Not germain to this discussion, but the STA-45B, 46 and 47 were likely Sherwood,
and there was one Fisher (might have been 4-channel) in the line back then.

 

[taineasy]

Hey guys,

I recently bought an STA-2290 that I've been pleasantly surprised by. I was quite surprised by its midrange clarity, tonality, and soundstaging, as well as its midrange presence, yet by doing so without being harsh or fatiguing to listen to. I have to admit, I wasn't sure what to expect from this receiver, but it's aquitted itself very well indeed. It's certainly one of the best receivers I have owned.

However, I have not been impressed with its power (or lack thereof), and also with the fact that it tends to run hot. Despite that, the sound of this receiver has made me want to try other 100 watt Realistic receivers from the 1980's, as I have read good things about some of the models from this era. I have been looking at (and comparing) the following models:

STA-2290
STA-2500
STA-2600
STA-2700

However, my questions are:

1. Of those four models, which one(s) is known to have the best sound quality. Overall, this is the most important consideration.

2. Are any of them more powerful (and I don't just mean what's on paper) than the STA-2290?

3. And do the other models run cooler than the STA-2290, or do they all run relatively hot?

Any experience or sage advice you have to lend would be greatly appreciated. Cheers.

I have the STA-2700 and a Pioneer sx-1050 and it would be tough for me to decide which one sounds better. I know a nice 1050 sells for $1000+ and the 2700 sells for less than $200 but with my eyes closed its a hard choice. The 2700 has a cleaner more detailed sound but overall sounds pretty darn good to me.

 

[Bill Ferris]

The 2700 has a cleaner more detailed sound but overall sounds pretty darn good to me.

I`m also very impressed with my 1992 purchased new STA-2700, especially since installing it in my spare bedroom.
That RS receiver has 10s of thousands of operating hours on it, remaining powered up 24/7/365 playing my all day WAV. ripped computer music.
With only a crusty speaker selector switch needing a on/off cycling to clear a left channel drop out last yr.

That spare bedroom is a total RS brand stereo system using a pair of metal Minimus 7 book shelf speaker that is fed via a ~ 1995 purchased RS brand Optimus 12" dual VC floor firing subwoofer that I recapped the cross over almost 10 yrs. ago while the rotting foam surround was being replaced at my local speaker repair shop. Even the analog bass/mid/treble controls have never even given me any crusty tonal issues.

 

[Eywadude]

I have the STA-2700 and a Pioneer sx-1050 and it would be tough for me to decide which one sounds better. I know a nice 1050 sells for $1000+ and the 2700 sells for less than $200 but with my eyes closed its a hard choice. The 2700 has a cleaner more detailed sound but overall sounds pretty darn good to me.

Whoops! I forgot to reply to this...

While I still have not owned an STA-2500, STA-2600 or STA-2700, I have been very impressed with the STA-2290. After more tests, I found a pair of speakers that have an utterly insane synergy thing going on with it, which produces the largest soundstage (width, depth and height) I have ever heard from any audio component or any audio system. Including separates I have owned and listened to in the past.

Coincidentally, I also owned an SX-1050, and while that receiver has a bigger, bolder overall sound compared to the STA-2290, as you said, the Realistic, at least to me in my own system, sounded by far the cleaner, more detailed, more open and refined of the two. At all volume levels, too. I no longer have the SX-1050, but the STA-2290 stays.

Sadly, I haven't used it for almost 10 years now (since sometime shortly after my original post). Mostly because of the heat issues I mentioned, but also because a couple of the spring-loaded terminals at the back failed.

However, as far as the heat issue is concerned, the STA-2290 is known to have been shipped from the factory with an improperly biased power amp section, but once it is properly biased, it runs cool, and some owners have said it sounded even better once properly biased. If it somehow manages to sound even better, or if the ridiculously large soundstage it produces somehow gets bigger, I may lose my mind. In its current state, it's not a perfect receiver, but it is one of the best I have ever heard, and it actually is the best I have ever heard from any audio component in regards to a couple metrics (soundstage and imaging). Go figure. Just goes to show how important synergy is.

But there's no way I'm letting go of it until I get it serviced. Unfortunately, I put it on the back burner for a long time, then certain other life priorities got in the way, and it's sat all that time. Eventually, though. I need to know what it sounds like once properly biased. I'd also like to have the crappy spring-loaded terminals on the back replaced with proper, good quality ones as well. In time.

Enjoy your STA-2700, though. The earlier 2500 and 2600 versions of that receiver seem to be quite well-regarded by people who own them.

Cheers.