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Your favorite "little" receiver ever?

The 221 is the best sounding and best receiving little Receiver I've ever had. No other unit in this "class" was able to compare- At least I had eight or nine of them over the decades...
 
thedelihaus said:
I dig the posts on the big-gun gear like the Pioneer SX-1980s and Technics SA-1000s very much. But what about the little units in your collection, or past?

I posted on the vintage Juliette brand a bit ago and got some nice stories back. I'd like to hear of similiar tales, whether it was your first "real" receiver, or one you cut your hi-fi ears on back when knee-high, or a piece you have now, that keeps you hooked.

I've got a 1979 Technics SA-80, only 15wpc, and few features, but it's been with me over a decade, and though it gets minimal use, every time I plug it in and use it, and that warm dial light glows, I dim the house lights and I always enjoy it.
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I’ve had:
Fisher RS-1022
Kenwood KR-3400
They are both stk amps and sounded sweet. I used to pooh-pooh small stk amps, but these changed my mind.

I currently run through a Sony STR-4800 which is discrete 35wpc, and also sounds sweet.

The only thing I wish these smaller receivers had was more inputs.
 
This was my favorite mini-setup. Got it when I was in 5th grade. To pay for it I mowed lawns, raked leaves, you name it... even begged Santa. Got the amp, then the tuner. Found my parents old Garrard record player, I think the stylus was an old finishing nail. Found a pair of junky unmatched car speakers that I built a box for, and I was set. I lived in rural Montana. At night it would bring me KJET out of Seattle. Radio from the big city! I sold it for something bigger... Wish I hadn't.


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curtisw99 said:
I’ve had:
Fisher RS-1022
Kenwood KR-3400
They are both stk amps and sounded sweet. I used to pooh-pooh small stk amps, but these changed my mind.

I currently run through a Sony STR-4800 which is discrete 35wpc, and also sounds sweet.

The only thing I wish these smaller receivers had was more inputs.
Click to expand...
I owned three KR-3400. None of them had STK's. Hmm?
 
This...

IMG_4372.jpeg

... would really like to lay my hands on a FAM-12 to go with the 40iC, but they are extremely rare here in the UK (or non existant), I've yet to see one come up for sale over here working or not... shipping one from the states is a no-no it'costs a small fortune to ship anything over the water at the moment.

IMG_4373.jpeg

... just put some frosted dark green LEDs in the FAM-300.
 
Guess it would be a Pioneer SX-636 purchased new circa 1976 and my first solid state restoration project back around 2010. Still works great.
 
I had a new Onkyo TX-20 back around 1985, was a very cool little slimline receiver. It ended up staying with a girlfriend after we broke up. Damn I miss that receiver! Hah!
 
I have learned that TO-3 is a simple type of physical metal transistor case/package, while STK belongs to a family of hybrid integrated circuits (ICs). Much more complex than TO-3 and finally completely different. And TO-3 is not the same technology than STK. And beside Sanken there have been many other manufacturer. E.g. Motorola (today on-semi), Toshiba, NEC etc.
And all my KR-3400 (different production years) have had TO-3's in the amp section. Also the 4 KR-2400 I had. But none of them has been branded with trio.

But - now - I remember that the only KA-3300 i ever owned, had those KA-40W. It took me 4 years to find a pair. Finally NOS from Japan.
 
sregor said:
STKs were made by SANYO. The Kenwood modules were made by SANKEN. Same technologies.
(Also, the Sansui 221 modules were complete amps, the SANKEN modules and many of the large STKs are just output stages)
My 2 cents.
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I use "STK" like i use "Kleenex"

Basically any non-discrete amplifier module
 
Sansui 881, bought new in 1975. Love dem green lights! The only reason I let it go was because I bought the Yamaha B-2, T-2, and C-2 three years later.
 
Love this thread and good sounding low wattage receivers. For me it's a toss up between a harman kardon 330b that I no longer have and a pioneer sx 770 (15 wpc) that I still have and listen to regularly. Picture doesn't really do it justice, sounds and looks amazing.
 

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