The Death of the Stereo Receiver

[musichal]

Okay, maybe dearth would be a more accurate descriptor.

If you want a good stereo receiver these days, your choices are limited. Seven grand for the current McIntosh is out of reach for most of us, and higher than many folks who can afford it want to actually spend. The Magnum Dynalab costs even more, at almost nine. The Outlaw is an appealing choice at $850, and there are the networking models from Marantz and Yamaha at and below that. I like the small Cambridge Audio receiver in my MIL's bedroom, but don't get to hear it anymore because I don't go in there since she arrived about three years ago.

The receiver world has largely fallen to multi-channel theater type components that simply don't sound as good as a quality stereo model - in my opinion, to my ears.

Fortunately, there are some excellent integrated stereo amps available at around half a kilobuck. Like the used Yamaha AS-500 I recently acquired for reasonable coin.

Obviously, the changes in FM programming over the years are another factor leading to the decline of the stereo receiver, which was a product that seemed timeless once upon a time. No local 24/7 jazz stations in OKC area until I hit the lottery.

For me, simple stereo is still the best-sounding and most practical way to listen to music in the average home. I'm listening to George Benson sing This Masquerade as I type, and I regret not at all the upgrades I have made for my two-channel path to audio nirvana.

My receiver today consists of an integrated with a separate tuner. One does not have to go separates to get great sound unless the goal is very high indeed. But that's a whole different argument, and is not my focus here.

Probably most of us started with stereo receivers, and many remain there. That isn't a criticism. It is easy to understand why vintage stereo receivers are so popular among enthusiasts here when you consider all the forces in play. Practicality, including space and budget. The desire for a good tuner section and discrete-component phono inputs for you vinyl spinners. And you can add to this yourself, but with the masses wanting a combo one-unit theater/music solution, it's easy to understand the dearth of the humble receiver.

Someone play taps now.

 

[ultumax]

Maybe movies so popular it killed They them off , or just they don’t sell well anymore vs soundbars and garbage htib systems .
I mean old stereo amps often have the best sound , not that I own any of them yet due to budget constraints.
Dolby true hd , dts x , 7 channel surround . It’s sad stereo systems died alone with amplifiers.
Remember when quaility mini systems were popular , Phillips magnovox was amazing .
Tho none compared to real stereo amps.
7-9 grand is insane for a amp, I could not dream of that.
Big market for sound is in tiny cute speakers that women want to look at not big speakers with big sound . Hence the satellite speaker .

 

[slow_jazz]

Sad luckily I have several for a rainy day.

 

[blhagstrom]

Viva vintage.

 

[RTally]

I've been trying to think of the last time I listened to FM, anywhere. I think it was in my car about 7 years ago when my music player broke. I quickly replaced the player because I cannot stand modern FM.

 

[RTally]

I would listen to FM if there were some vintage FM stations around. but every station around here except for NPR is owned by some monster corp that only plays canned crap. With no vintage FM stations, who needs a receiver. The most I need is an integrated amp.

 

[hjames]

Bingo - in the DC area, I listen to FM for NPR news and talk - the kind of thing AM radio used to be used for ... So, during commute time, since this week is NPR fundraising week,
I listen to NPR Fresh Air podcasts from my phone, or the music playlist (also on my phone) ...

At home I rarely kisten to radio - occasionally "Thistle and Shamrock" (public radio again),
or a distant radio Station via the Internet (WTMD, Towson, MD) Saturday noon-3 (!) to hear a once local DJ doing his schtick (Weasel, formerly of WHFS) ...

So, although I do have a tuner in the stereo system, just in case ...

The airwave are dead to me now!

 

[Grenadeslio]

"Big market for sound is in tiny cute speakers that women want to look at not big speakerswith big sound . Hence the satellite speaker ."


The music industry is like all the rest, they understand women play a huge role in what's purchased and brought into the household, it starts early and why so much music is aimed at 13yr old girls. Can we say Pop lol? It's no wonder so much music isn't to my taste, it was never meant to be, I'm not the demographic so many music producers try to pigeon hole their clients into. Sadly many due to the allure of the mighty dollar play along and their music turns to schlock.

 

[don philipe]

I like my vintage receivers ,when I listen to fm it's mostly public radio, they still have some good programing.Check out "Hearts of Space" and some of the jazz offerings.

 

[savatage1973]

Receivers are gone, because radio is dead. Other than in my car, I never listen to radio anymore, and even then, half the time I have my phone plugged in and streaming. All of the major stations in my area (of all genres of music) have been bought out by Clear Channel Communism (Communications), and play the same 10 songs every hour, on the hour. With our main "classic rock" FM station, you can basically set you watch by when the next LZ, PF or Skynyrd song comes on.

When was the last time you saw someone of the younger generation with an actual radio--never--it is a phone or tablet and a set of earbuds.

 

[JoeESP9]

The dearth of two channel receivers has had no effect on me. Unlike most here there has never been a receiver in my main system. I went from a Fisher integrated (KX-90) bought in 1967 to Dynaco separates (PAS-3/FM3/MKIII's) in 1970. Since then it's been nothing but separates.

There are college radio stations in Phila. that IMO are worth listening to. They make me keep a tuner connected. If there are college stations within range give them a listen. They're usually at the far left of the tuning scale. Whatever they're playing, it will not be the same crap the conglomerates play.

Around these parts the iPhone set has started carrying Bluetooth speakers with the volume turned full up. Damn it's like boom boxes are back. They're just smaller and easier to carry now. I wish earbuds were still the only thing. I didn't have to listen to them.

 

[Grenadeslio]

The dearth of two channel receivers has had not effect on me. Unlike most here there has never been a receiver in my main system. I went from a Fisher integrated (KX-90) bought in 1967 to Dynaco separates (PAS-3/FM3/MKIII's) in 1970. Since then it's been nothing but separates.

There are college radio stations in Phila. that IMO are worth listening to. They make me keep a tuner connected. If there are college stations within range give them a listen. They're usually at the far left of the tuning scale. Whatever they're playing, it will not be the same crap the conglomerates play.

Around these parts the iPhone set has started carrying Bluetooth speakers with the volume turned full up. Damn it's like boom boxes are back. They're just smaller and easier to carry now. I wish earbuds were still the only thing. I didn't have to listen to them.

The one and only thing I miss about living in Ca, S Fl is an FM wasteland, sad because we used to have great stations like WSHE.

 

[zebra03]

I guess I am lucky . I have a local college station that programs their own music . They play stuff you do not hear anywhere else . They play new and old music by new and old artists .

 

[mhardy6647]

The easy solution, I'd say, is buy a nice integrated amplifier at whatever price points meets one's budget and worldview in terms of value, and add a hundred dolla tuner (new or used), or just use a 3.5 mm stereo plug to stereo RCA plug cable and use the output of some old radio sitting around. Many (many) portable radios of the late 20th century have good FM performance and stereo audio available from a headphone jack -- heck, some of them even have line level outputs.

Here's a not entirely random example (I have one of these that I found at the good ol' Harvard, MA town dump -- nice little radio). This radio has a stereo headphone jack and a pair of RCA line level audio output jacks.

As far as I can see, there is really no up side (other than space-saving) to forcing the circuitry of a radio tuner to share a chassis and power supply with an amplifier and preamp.

EDIT: Come to think of it, when I first invested real money in hifi, in 1978, I had thought long and hard about the best way to spend the meager amount of money I could shake loose. I was, and remain convinced, that dollar for for dollar an integrated amplifier is the single best value component investment. Still have the amp I bought in 1978, and still see it as a good looking, good sounding, and high value component.

 

[john111/LZ]

Luckily here in the UK,the BBC still puts out a pristine FM signal and i live quite high up consequently able to recieve lush and powerful sound on FM,usually BBC Radio 3.Theres a strong lobby here resisting digital takeover,hoping to hang on to analogue.....
I have an ancient Trio and its wonderful.

 

[4-2-7]

I have tons of stations here but I have no need for a receiver in my main home system. I have a tuner that I bought thinking it might be nice but it's been puled because it's not needed. I listen to the radio in the car and shop because it's background noise and information.

If your posting on this site you already have the best receiver but you may not be using it. Plug your computer into your stereo and you can listen to radio all over the world. Most radio stations now a days broadcast on the internet so there is no reason not to be able to find a formate you like.

Hal, you might like this station here, it's a very small independent, and I can only pick it up closes to work over the airwaves. However we can listen to them at home with the help of a computer.

KPOO 98.5, FM
http://www.kpoo.com/

This is a inner city station that mostly carters to the old school black culture. Old R&B, JAZZ, Blues, Soul, Reggae, Gospel and no new rap or anything like that. They even spin 45s and records and will play stuff thats lost and forgotten.

 

[E-Stat]

Okay, maybe dearth would be a more accurate descriptor.

I would say evolution. The motivation and execution is still available today, but in different form.

Obviously, the changes in FM programming over the years are another factor leading to the decline of the stereo receiver, which was a product that seemed timeless once upon a time. No local 24/7 jazz stations in OKC area until I hit the lottery.

And yet, with internet streaming of radio stations you are able to find more content than ever before - and not limited to any one geographic area. Years ago, I had a Pioneer tuner which could access local stations, but I am just far enough away from "the big city" that I couldn't access my favorite classical station. I now listen to it daily.

Can't find jazz stations? Here's a few of the 25+ examples I find via my LMS player:

 

[quaddriver]

The easy solution, I'd say, is buy a nice integrated amplifier at whatever price points meets one's budget and worldview in terms of value, and add a hundred dolla tuner (new or used), or just use a 3.5 mm stereo plug to stereo RCA plug cable and use the output of some old radio sitting around. Many (many) portable radios of the late 20th century have good FM performance and stereo audio available from a headphone jack -- heck, some of them even have line level outputs.

Here's a not entirely random example (I have one of these that I found at the good ol' Harvard, MA town dump -- nice little radio). This radio has a stereo headphone jack and a pair of RCA line level audio output jacks.

As far as I can see, there is really no up side (other than space-saving) to forcing the circuitry of a radio tuner to share a chassis and power supply with an amplifier and preamp.

EDIT: Come to think of it, when I first invested real money in hifi, in 1978, I had thought long and hard about the best way to spend the meager amount of money I could shake loose. I was, and remain convinced, that dollar for for dollar an integrated amplifier is the single best value component investment. Still have the amp I bought in 1978, and still see it as a good looking, good sounding, and high value component.

heckfire, I have that same little unit. I recently fixed a panny rf2200 which they say is better but it has no MPX decoder.

fm stereo has always had a 15khz limitation, which for most ears is fine but they are no longer broadcasting tapes or records - its all mp3 off a laptop (good friend DJ I know takes her laptop and an internet conenction with her over a verizon myfi when she does remote broadcasts) so quality of the source material has dropped.

but question, dont most if not all the av machines sold today - even at walmart - have a 2ch or direct path to cut out the decoding crap?

 

[mgosdin]

When was the last time you saw someone of the younger generation with an actual radio--never--it is a phone or tablet and a set of earbuds.

My three sons, the oldest and second oldest both have FM radios. The second oldest actively collects portable radios from Garage Sales & Thrifts. Yes they use their PC's, Game Pads, etc. for music. Again second oldest has some nice headphones that he uses, none of them use earbuds. The youngest is a stream-it-on-the-PC guy, but he's the one that wants the car radio on as soon as he gets in.

When I started rebuilding my stereo setup I found a nice little Onkyo receiver for sub $200, it works with no complaints. Good things can be found.

Mark Gosdin

 

[savatage1973]

My three sons, the oldest and second oldest both have FM radios. The second oldest actively collects portable radios from Garage Sales & Thrifts. Yes they use their PC's, Game Pads, etc. for music. Again second oldest has some nice headphones that he uses, none of them use earbuds. The youngest is a stream-it-on-the-PC guy, but he's the one that wants the car radio on as soon as he gets in.

When I started rebuilding my stereo setup I found a nice little Onkyo receiver for sub $200, it works with no complaints. Good things can be found.

Mark Gosdin

Your kids are the exception, not the rule, and congratulations for at least getting two of the three into the hobby. I have a couple of the "monster receivers" from the 70's and some very high quality separates tuners, but I just don't use them because with the exception of NPR and a couple college stations--radio content just sucks. Not knocking receivers in any way, even though I own tuners and receivers, I just don't listen to radio.