Imagineering - monster receiver specification wish list.

[oldboats]

Okay - so let's say it is, ummm - 1983. The receiver wars are all but written out for history.
You are the head engineer on a team working for XXX Audiophile Electronics (I made that up - apologies if that resembles the name of any real company).
You are in charge of determining what the design goals are for your TOTL receiver. Any appearance, any specifications, any features.
Let's try to get creative but not ridiculous, so no power ratings like WE HAVE TO MAKE IT 1 KILOWATT AT 8 OHMS INTO SIX CHANNELS!
Would you like to design a very plain face or a very pretty face?
Do you want to make it basic and very fine quality, or totally feature saturated and the best quality you can muster?
Also, any oddball features are okay, so long as they are realistic. Nothing that did not exist at the time, but if you want to say that it should pick up audio from UHF or VHF, that would be okay.
What and how many inputs and outputs?
How crazy do you want it to be?

Also, if this question has ever been asked, please point me to that thread and disregard my reboot.

 

[oldboats]

MODS - If this should be in the DIY section or someplace else, please move it for me.

 

[Blue Shadow]

1983 engineers were working on products for 1985 or later. The 1983 products were designed at the turn of the decade and those fools decided to stop using knobs and use push panels instead. Hate that flat face look. And then there was Luxman, providing a flat face with the unit off and a suckface pulling in the faceplate to allow access to the knobs when the unit was on.

My design would some something of very high quality and it would not sell because by the mid-80s folks were looking for a stack of gear in a vinyl-clad, glass-fronted stereo rack and a pair of speakers of similar size. No wonder the golden years of audio had just about ended.

By this time the CD was starting to become a force, but folks had two turntables from the past era, a cassette deck and might have a rtr they are still using. Add to that TV sound, Laser Disc and such and you have a lot of inputs plus needing a few signal processors. I believe dbx had come and gone on record by then but there were some expanders and eqs. Too much to consider to make a unit with that many knobs switches buttons and dials, especially if we were not allowed to use knobs or switches, just push pacs for everything.

 

[oldboats]

I was never suggesting that it would have to be sympathetic to the (lack of) sensibilities of the mid 1980s stereo buyer. I picked that year simply because the "old greats" were all extant at that point.
Knobs over push buttons, I could see a lot of people agreeing with that.
As for the inputs and outputs, there is no reason why they cannot be on there, so long as it was something that existed. No Bluetooth or USB, you get the idea.

 

[oldboats]

As for TV and LD, would it not be smarter to just offer Video 1/2 and then it works for VHS and Beta as well?

 

[SVI2004A]

Mandatory output stage devices...

 

[oldboats]

Do you mean specifically this pair or just SanKen outputs in general?

 

[SoCal Sam]

Interestingly, the super AVR's from 2000-08 have all the components to make a modern Monster receiver. For example, Denon 4806CI from 2006 is 140 wpc x 7 so it has 14 output devices to go along with a hefty toroidal transformer. Strap all those devices together for an easy and conservative 400 wpc. AVR's will have on board D/A converters and HD tuners. Add in network connectivity. Strip out the sound processors and video switching. Add in MC phono to compliment the existing MM. It's all there.

 

[SVI2004A]

Do you mean specifically this pair or just SanKen outputs in general?

That set if you’re looking for higher power into 8 ohm as they’re 230V... 2SA1494/2SC3858 ire 200V and I use those a lot in amps I rebuild...

There also available in Darlington... and I remember one of them had a ft of 70mhz... not bad for a power transistor....

But if you look at a lot of top of the line amps in the serious bracket, under the bonnet, you’ll find MT200 Sankens - I posted a heap in the classic high end gear thread...

 

[Hak Foo]

Equalizers scream early-80s to me. I think a couple extra aux inputs become interesting, although they'll inevitably be tied up with composite video plugs so they can put a huge AV badge on the unit.

I'm surprised, given the rise of hume computers, that nobody tried putting in a RS-232 or similar interface so you could control it with your computer-- imagine programming a short BASIC program to set inputs, volumes.

 

[Jimbo40]

Well I guess It would be the same as the Concept 16.5 with a prettier face.

 

[Robisme]

Sansui did it for me. Okay, so this may have been 1987.

Rob

 

[OMGCat!]

That set if you’re looking for higher power into 8 ohm as they’re 230V... 2SA1494/2SC3858 ire 200V and I use those a lot in amps I rebuild...

There also available in Darlington... and I remember one of them had a ft of 70mhz... not bad for a power transistor....

But if you look at a lot of top of the line amps in the serious bracket, under the bonnet, you’ll find MT200 Sankens - I posted a heap in the classic high end gear thread...

I'm a huge fan of the MT200. Most of my gear has them in it though they are Toshiba 1333/3370 pairs. Still pretty quick at 30mhz.

I am honestly pretty happy about what was designed in the 80's aside from the prolific bad solder joints and somewhat lighter construction.
I prefer the sound of my A-1000 integrated over most 70's gear I've heard thus far. It also has no problem driving my B&Ws which dip down into the mid 3ohm range. It's actually well constructed though subsequent models were definitely 'bean countered' more heavily.
As far as looks, even more than sound they are completely subjective. I much prefer the black monolithic construction with inlaid buttons and a few glowing LEDs over the silver face/wood knobs and switches galore. I also grew up during the 80's and that was the stuff I got to stare at in the hi-fi stores.

 

[SVI2004A]

Gryphon Audio in Denmark have the same principles as I for serious amplifier builds... always SanKen MT200 outputs... hefty xfmr, rectifier and serious resivoir capacitance... (you’ll notice often their sets rated with 2 ohm capability.... and 1/4 ohm in one case) They took on a case of there is no limits... use the best of every possible component.... (try pricing Mephisto Solo amps)

which really only leaves aesthetics and input/front end features to be nutted out...

I do wonder of the Darlington pair that had high ft and a hFE Of 5000 or so... your have to watch for oscillation.

Sansui did it for me. Okay, so this may have been 1987.

Rob

Nice rig... it’s neat in layout - I think in that year (or 3) Sansui had 2 really top shelf amps that had that look... (one in dazzling champagne)



Oh... for a powerball win...

 

[oldboats]

Well, this went places I was not expecting - but it has been good so far. Definitely kicking me into other reading, so that I can catch up to everything I need to know.
Anyone else or anything more?

 

[SoCal Sam]

Well, this went places I was not expecting - but it has been good so far. Definitely kicking me into other reading, so that I can catch up to everything I need to know.
Anyone else or anything more?

The top receivers from the middle Eighties were in no particular order:

Luxman R-117
Sony STR-GX10ES
NAD 7600

Honorable mention:

Carver MX130, MX150
Onkyo TX-85
Yamaha R-9
Sansui - See above photo post
Marantz ST170AV

 

[KentTeffeteller]

How about getting rid of Black finishes. Add some knobs and switches which don't feel cost cut. Add some conservative engineering, sound quality being a priority, and while we're at it, how about wood cabinetry. NO IC chips or microprocessors, nothing which does not contribute to the reproduction of music. Not cheap to do, but actually build something worth spending money on. And maybe emulate NAD's control layout approach with better build quality and better parts and conservative engineering. But use a nice silver metal faceplate or maybe gold finish. Make something we'd be proud to have in our living rooms, which we can enjoy for many years to come. Honest quality and engineering for a change.

 

[rcs16]

Put a Yamaha T-85 tuner design in it yes it needs a mcu to run it. Oh if you do not like a mcu to control your tuner then put a TU-X1 in it then.
Your fictitious example has a problem, the marketing department usually hamstrings the EE dept and gives you a cost target to meet.

always SanKen MT200 outputs.

iirc, from another thread, sanken MT-200 package is going the way of the dinosaurs. use a TO-264 instead.

 

[SVI2004A]

Like hell

MT200 or bust...