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Need help deciding between 4 receivers

T

Tuberadioguy

New Member
I need a little help deciding on a vintage receiver to get. I narrowed it down to 4 receivers, all similar in age,output and price. I am looking at an Onkyo TX 727, Denon DRA 395, JVC R-K22, and Harmon Kardon HK-395i. The Onkyo and Denon are the newer of the four. I also know all 4 companies put out very good models over the years. Out of these brands, I've only had an Onkyo and it was a great receiver, but it was older. If money was not an issue I'd be all over an older Pioneer SX series unit but I don't have hundreds to do so.
 
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If you need video functions then the Onkyo. Stereo only the HK.

That being said, I have some really nice seventies receivers, and I've never paid over $150 inçluding shipping, if any, for anything, including Pioneer SXs and Marantz 22xx series, usually much less. I'd look for a Yamaha CR series or Kenwood. Not as high priced as some other brands and good stuff. Also Realistic and Nikko tend to fly under the radar. That's if your looking for seventies stuff. In other words, I'd keep looking. Maybe where others are not, like out of the way thrift and antique stores. The HK is OK but nothing special, and close to entry level of that vintage. The Onkyo and Denon (if I googled the right ones) are not old enough to be considered vintage.
 
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+1 on hitting thrifts and even pawn shops. I just picked up a clean working Pioneer SX 780 for $13.50 at a Goodwill.
 
The HK would be my first choce of the ones you have listed but beware of the finicky little pushbuttons. They tend to get dirty and can be a real bugger to clean.

As others have said, there are other choices but they will require patience and persistence.
 
Well, I found another JVC model like the one listed for 35.00, I was looking at one for 45.00. I really don't need the video functions, as I am fine with all my video going into my TV. Lots of the Realistics that are in my price range just don't have enough power for me. I like stuff in the 30 watt and up range. Yamaha CR series is way out of my range as are most of the Kenwoods, but it does appear I found a Kenwood KR-930 for 62.00, which is likely better than anything listed.
As for thrift stores and Pawn Shops, this kind of stuff doesn't come in very often and Pawn Shops will not take anything that is more than a few years old unless it's really valuable, at least one of two shops there is. Once in awhile The Habitat for Humanity ReStore gets in older stereo receivers, record players and other audio stuff, but most that comes in do not work. As I work there a few days a month and everything that came in that I checked out, did not work.
 
Another HK fan here. I've had several over the years, and liked them all. The push buttons can get fiddly, but that's what they make Deoxit for.
 
For what actually counts....

The HK-395i has phenomenal frequency response of...5hz-150hkz which translates to more frequencies bouncing off the ear drums. The THD percentage rate of 0.09% is adequate and so is the signal ratio. The other receivers are just for the average music listeners, narrow bandwidth coupled with low wattage and higher amounts of distortion.
 
I used to sell HK and Denon along with many other brands. I would rate either of those above the rest.

The HK gets many votes, I agree it is a good unit but it was entry level along with the 385i which was the same amp with an analog tuner. Being one of the actual units I sold it is around 30 years old. Very good sounding but at less than 14 pounds it is not a monster. The DRA-395 is a newer continuation of the 325/335/etc I sold. Denons tended to be a little less dynamic than HK but were also good sounding, some were stellar. From what I see online the 395 weighs over 21 pounds, 50% more than the HK. It also has a remote which can be handy. Not a bad choice at all.

You won't go wrong with the HK, don't count the Denon out and maybe final choice should come down to condition and price.
 
Actually it's a nice sounding little amp. Past HKs glory days but still decent enough and the champagne finish is much nicer than black. Since from what I see, you are looking for something under (way if possible) $100, Yamaha A500's for example, are usually found dirt cheap and are twice the power. There actually are silver ones but they are rare. Black ones are very common.

But I have no qualms about the HK. It's a nice little amp.
 
Djcoolray said:
For what actually counts....

The HK-395i has phenomenal frequency response of...5hz-150hkz which translates to more frequencies bouncing off the ear drums. The THD percentage rate of 0.09% is adequate and so is the signal ratio. The other receivers are just for the average music listeners, narrow bandwidth coupled with low wattage and higher amounts of distortion.
Click to expand...

Since perfect hearing is 20-20,000 hz, what difference does that make? Also without a variable, like +/- 1db, its a useless number. Im not saying it cant do it, but what difference does it make? Some specs are very important, like s/n ratio. Some are useless or just dont matter.

Unless I checked the wrong sets, the HK has the lowest wpc, although probably measured the most truthfully. Again still the best choice of that bunch though.

Raynald, like myself, used to sell this stuff although I've never sold HK or Denon. I would hold his advice in high regard.
 
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I'm perfectly fine with 30WPC as long as it can drive my Fisher 12's and/or my Warfedale 60's when I decide to hook them up again.
 
All depends on your listening habits and your definition of loud. Also the efficiency of your speakers. The Warfies are mid pack, iirc, not sure on the Fishers.

For example, a set of speakers that are 87db efficient, at one watt at one meter, will need twice as much power to play at the same volume as a set that is 90 db efficient, at one watt at one meter. A very important spec.
 
Most of the time it's usually for TV or a Movie, but once in awhile I do crank it up and shake the walls, but at the first sign of clipping/distortion I reduce the bass or volume. For extra bass I have a SUB on a car amp I can put on a tape out channel, that way I don't have to push the main speakers so hard during a movie. Right now any receiver would be better than my current set up, which is a Jensen 480W(85Wx2 in 4 ohm[2 sets of 8 ohm speakers paralled]) amp in full range mode on a power supply, and my TV is basically acting as a Pre-amp for my cable box, VCR and DVD player.
 
ggregg said:
Since perfect hearing is 20-20,000 hz, what difference does that make? Also without a variable, like +/- 1db, its a useless number. Im not saying it cant do it, but what difference does it make? Some specs are very important, like s/n ratio. Some are useless or just dont matter.

Unless I checked the wrong sets, the HK has the lowest wpc, although probably measured the most truthfully. Again still the best choice of that bunch though.

Raynald, like myself, used to sell this stuff although I've never sold HK or Denon. I would hold his advice in high regard.
Click to expand...

On the basis that we are all the same and all manufactured policies are the same and all receivers sound the same ? 20hkz and above is thought to be sonic and perceived by only a few. So then, why does sound on certain receivers sound that much fuller than others and it's not the intended (pretended) difference in design ?
 
I don't disagree but that spec has nothing to do with it. There is little, musically, over 15 khz, that means anything, and nothing over 18 khz or so. On the other side, the only thing below 25 hz or so, is turntable rumble or feedback. Just because one piece has a better frequency response than another, has nothing to do with it sounding better, as long as both can cover the range of the human ear. Differences in circuitry and quality of parts, which may or may not effect frequency response, are what makes one piece sound better than another and it, many times, will never show up on paper. Most tube amps have terrible specs, on paper, compared to solid state. Yet they sure don't sound terrible.
 
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Well guys, I will be the new owner of an HK 395i in a few days. I got it for a total of 44.73, which is 10.00 less than he was asking. I made an offer this morning and honsetly thought he would counter but he didn't. He originally wanted 45.00 OBO plus 9.73 shipping, I got it for 35.00 plus shipping.
 
A good choice. I had a 385i (as noted, the only difference was the analog tuner) for 30 years and was very happy with it.
 
Got it today. I'm currently playing a MP3 CD with my DVD player through the tape input using my Fisher STV-76's. It's not a bad little receiver for 30wpc. It has a fair amount of bass and decent treble. It's enough to vibrate the floors. I'm eventually going to find a decent 7-10 band EQ or mobile crossover to give me a boost in sound quality. I still miss my Yamaha RX1100 but I like this and will keep it until I can get something a bit more powerful.
 
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