They both show a common heritage sonically. Through the aux input: On the same speakers and at the same subjectve listening levels the amp on the 6065 delivers a somewhat more noticable bass impression but seems to have less control and detail. Midrange up on the 6065 has less detail and more smear when listening to massed strings. The 6060 does not separate them to so each violin can be heard as a distinctive instrument but comes closer to real life balance of something like a row F at Avery. The phono preamp through the amp did not change either in any significant fashion. I used the phono preamps through the tape outs into the C28 and MC2105 and Symphonys and their respective colorations were the same. The 6060s phono preamp did have a higher noise level but the receiver is older and has not been checked out by a tech so it may be inherent or could be reduced when I have it gone through.
The overall differences make the 6060 good enough that I could use is as a dedicated amp whereas the 6065 does not rise to that same level. 1 of the 6060s with the bad demultiplex, I did have gone through and the sound of it in a brief test between it and the running 6060 makes me believe the 6060 running can use some TLC. I did not compare it to the 6065 since without going through the 6065 first would be a bit unfair.
It is in the tuner that there is a bigger different. For this I ran both into again inot the Mc system and let both run for an hour before listening since the 6060 has that drift issue. The 6065 tuner came closer to the sound of its amp while the 6060 came close to the sound of the MR77. The 6065 has a good tuner and it is IMHO opinion better than say the Marantz 2270 but the 6060 walked all over it for delivering that fine detail (really decent on the 6065 but far behind the 6060), resonances from the sound boxes of the cello (there on the 6065 but muddier), the triangle on the 6060 was not as real as the 77 but on the 6065 sounded more lile someone had a finger on the metal. Piano on both is very good but the 6060 presented a more life sized instrument. On orchestra music, the 6060 tuner keeps the placement more exact and does the entire receiver when compared to the 6065. Soundstage goes to the 6065 on the horizontal but to the 6060 on the depth.
Like the amp, the tuner is so good that if you could find a 6060 with the tuner working and the amp not, it is worth getting just for the tuner. However, the demultiplexer seems to have the reliability issue after so many decade so finding 1 seems unrealistic. So far I am only aware of 1 other that the demultiplexer is working besides mine. This should not be a probelm to fix since the board is not buried and it is all discrete components. Just here in Toronto there seems to be a scarcity of good tuner techs.
The 6065 has always been very satisfying and 1 reason why I've owned it for so long. When I got it, I has a 2270 in-house and it was a pleasant unit but did not tickle my toes. The 6065 showed the weaknesses of the 2270 and the 2270 went to a friend shortly thereafter. The 6065 will not be leaving since my son has fanatically taken possession of it. As good as it is, the 6060 is simply that much better. I could not live the 6065 as my main source but it is a strong second system contender. The 6060 could be a main system unit.
To qualify myself. I used both units with the Bozak Symphonys, the original Advents that have masonite ringed woofers and Klipsch Heresy IIs. Also, used for the critical listening the Koss ESP9b full range electrostatic headphones that feed from the speaker terminals. Turntables were Thorens TD125 with ADC XLM MKII Super and Empire 598II with Pickering 4500. Hi-level source was a Philips CD player and the Philips 4506 reel to reel. Music preference is classical and jazz with opera thrown in occaisionally. Rock is not my thing and other than Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon was not used in the tests. Instruments that make or break a system for me usually are: violin (solely and massed), cello, flute, triangle, harp and kettle drum.
Neither receiver has seen a doctor since I've owned them and hence if each were given a complete go over by the same tech, the differences could be such that my observations may be irrelevant. My intention is over the next year is to 1st, get the 6120 after EW and Punker/X do their thing and see how it stacks up to the 6060. Depending on the outcome I may have 1 of the 6060s gone through by EW and Punker/X but at this time the 6060 that is operational save the drift I'm leaving alone. When the 6060, if done, comes back and there is a noticable difference I am thinking of having the 6065 gone through as a gift to junior unless he decides on the 6060. Due to the looks of the 6060, I suspect he will want to keep the 6065.
I know this is a bit long but hope it gives some insight. 1 last thing, the 42 vs 58 watts is not that significant, at least at my normal listening levels. Each BTW, I suspect have pretty decent low power level figures since I have noticed that when listening to them vs other receivers I have, I do not tend to listen at as high level on the average. Usually, with SS amps, there is a tendancy to listen at an average level (without a knowing attempt to reach a threshold) that is a point on the amp's power curve where the noise and distortion levels are at the bottom of the slopes.
for not much money) the build quality of the earlier Sony's was spectacular. They do suffer from the fact that they are 30+ years of age and generally need to be gone through and cleaned/refurbished/updated, but they are great pieces and were designed to 'beat' the competition and not merely match it in the marketplace.
. YB@, it is interesting to see Audio Lab still exists. I used to empty their used equipment room almost every Thursday night for a couple of years. Those were the days, walk in and pick up a half dozen or so Marantz 10b tuners, some Marantz 9s, a 7c or so, a few SLT-12Us new in box, Scotts in 1 corner, Fishers in another, knee deep in Thorens TD124s. Ferrograhs, Magnacords, new Jensen tri-axials in boxes, sigh. And persons thought I had a van for Saturday night activities - HA!
