Harman Kardon vs Technics

[Sansui 6500]

Hi everyone, i am new here.
I am looking to buy a secondary receiver to always have an option and i found these two models. HK385i vs Technics SA R277 ..Any idea why HK is the best option ? its a 45$ difference in price. Is it that worthy ? I keep hearing sooo many good things about these. and how warm it is. its done around mid 80’s and black colour. Ita beautiful. but i just wanted to understand why its so respected. or maybe is not ?
I currently Toshiba SA 20Y .

 

[Bodyblue]

It's all about condition, period. Get the one that it is in the best shape.

 

[wmgwizard]

The xxxi series HK receivers are notorious for dirty switches/contacts causing issues. Not uncommon to require 2 - 3 or more rounds of cleaning to get things cleared up.

That being said, I have owned several xxxi series over the years and always thought they looked nice and tended to punch above their class,in this case 30wpc

The Technics unit you mentioned was not one of their finer pieces. The beginning of BPC, cramming every gimmick and doo-dad in a single chassis is just asking for trouble down the line. Even though it's rated at 100wpc, I'm not sure that's really impressive as I have always found the Technics sound harsh / grainy, but that's just me.

IMHO, if they were the last two receivers in the world the HK would by my choice. But, they are not the last two and there are numerous better options available given a little patience and maybe a few more dollars.

 

[twiiii]

Technics built and developed great DD turntables. harmon Citation tube stuff was top notch. Its a shame everything else they built was less so.

 

[bhunter]

I'd get the HK. I have a PMA645 integrated and it sounds good. That said, the switches do indeed get dirty.

 

[coonmanx]

The HK is a decent unit. Not a crazy powerhouse but it has more power than your current Toshiba and will drive a 4 ohm load. Just make sure it is in decent condition.

 

[RobRoy]

I have a long memory. I bought an HK Festival system back around the turn of the century. I trusted the name because I used to sell HK back in the 70's. '

It was a piece of crap that failed after two years. I'll never buy HK again. Fool me once...

 

[coonmanx]

The Technics unit is probably not one of their best and is only rated at 60 WPC. Probably has speakers wired in series and can not handle a 4 ohm load at all. Decent enough if only using one set of 8 ohm speakers, but not a crazy powerhouse either.

 

[Bone Yard]

You'll find a lot more Technics out there than HK, that might explain the price difference but even with that, they both seem too high priced to me. It was just a few short years ago that the thrifts had stacks of these 80's finds, priced to go but nobody was buying. I was gifted several and made sure they were moved on to some excited youngster for their first stereo.

I do have a handful of 80's Technics around here including a SA-GX500 (with it's $9.99 price tag still attached) that I do use, how can you not love the display? They did have more entry-level models in the 80's, HK seemed to be positioned more at high mid-level, I don't think they did entry-level back then.

I'd hold out for garage sale season starting soon, last year I could have bought a full stack including a Technics TT and Nakamichi 80's Reciever for under a hundred. I asked, they system wasn't for sale but the owner had it in his house and wanted to get rid of it.