Rxonmymind Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 Paired to my Bells. Prior to having it sent off the receiver exhibited fading left to right and just lack of overall Sonic's from top to bottom. Just got it back after over a year wait. Allow me to give a shout out to Randy Buckner with Out west vintage audio. An engineer by trade and perhaps a 1%'er when it comes to the quality of work he performs. My wife, daughter and I got to meet him in AZ when I had my Marantz 2500 recapped and his his wonderful wife offered their place to stay the night at their home instead of a hotel. Don't meet people like that too often. Anyway, packing was outstanding without any issues. Plugged it in and for the last several days I've playing this non stop to compare it to my Marantz. Approximately 70 caps were changed out with new soft start power and power filter caps. It's definitely a hard hitting receiver. It has authority and grip on all spectrum of sound in the music. While it lacks the smoothness and refinement of the Marantz as it leans a tad more towards it being a party/work out receiver I've had no ear fatigue after hours of listening. It has a tad more touch in the bass than the Marantz and I'd characterize that as "faster" while the strings on the guitar are plucked with a little more force. Again, the comparison are hardly noticeable unless you are sitting here and comparing going back and forth between the two with the same music. My wife and kids didn't notice a difference while my wife really likes.it. You can count me in that group. The best part of all this? Having a wife supportive of this hobby and a daughter singing while we are playing Otrio tic tac toe on the living room floor listening to the Bells. About as best life can get. Cheers 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 Very nice story... congrats 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rxonmymind Posted January 19, 2019 Author Share Posted January 19, 2019 Just did an extensive A& B test with this receiver against the Marantz 2500 which Randy also recapped. Had several hours to myself on Thursday nursing a bummed knee that swelled up which was my first experience with such an "injury". Odd to say the least. Anyway the test as imperfect as can be, is easily summed up as a near tie as far as my ears are concerned. Keeping both volume as near identical as I could and using a Cheeky CD on the Yamaha CD-1. Grading in detail & bloom, attack & decay, soundstage and grip on the music. In all these both were virtually tied with the Marantz on some tracks offering a bit more soundstage. Take a shaker for example on some jazz tracks and they went wide beyond the speakers on either right or left side where the Realistic stayed in the speakers. But the the virtual vice grip the Realistic had on bass was welcomed while in some guitar strings had more tangible "echo" this revealing a tad bit more detail. Stopping some of the music every 20 seconds and dissecting it while flipping back and forth offered insight to both receivers. Then I let the song flow to get a feel for it's entire length and honestly I can be happy with either in rotation. But just to show how far technology has come neither were able to detail a chair being knocked over in the background on Rebecca Pigeon Spanish Rose solo as it did on the Wharfdale Denton. On the other hand the Denton's don't come close to letting her breath as natural as the Klipsch. With the Klipsch she is HERE as if standing in front of me. Anyway, glad to have another outstanding back up. If you do want a monster receiver I'd highly recommend a Realistic 2100 and no need to get a Marantz 2500. Cheers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YK Thom Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 They did make some pretty good equipment back in the day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshnich Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 Randy refreashed a Marantz 2270 for me. He truly is in the top 1% on the quality scale for sure. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rxonmymind Posted January 20, 2019 Author Share Posted January 20, 2019 Just had an "extensive" listen to the Sony str 7055 vs the Realistic 2100 today. To say it was a TKO would have been an understatement. After a listen to the Sony I switched to the Realistic and immediately started to laugh a little. It was no contest. Ever have one of those face offs? The Realistic just knocked it out in every category while the biggest area was the shear authority it commanded in the bass department and overall control of the music. But again it's 55 watt vs 120 watt yet, it's more than watts at play here. My wife even commented it sounded much better than the Sony going further, said it's better than the Marantz 2500! Well, crap. I think she's right. Anywho, the Sony in this second round match got the boot from the bedroom. Didn't think it was possible. Thanks for the read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted January 20, 2019 Share Posted January 20, 2019 Sony has been kind of famous for being crappy in the sound department. My brother in law went through a few and I heard them all, and that confirmed what others have said here---sony audio is horrible. Someone here might know who manufactured the realistic, I don't. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glens Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 The only Sony products I ever thought were great were their Trinitron picture tubes. It seems their products have a short lifespan as well. How'd they get to be such a big player? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MookieStl Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 I have a 2080 that I got from @Woofers and Tweeters, he keeps saying he wants it back. I like the sound a performance very much but don't use it enough. Might have to put it into the rotation again for fun. Plus it is useful during the winter months to help heat the room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofers and Tweeters Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 1 hour ago, oldtimer said: Someone here might know who manufactured the realistic The STA 2100D and STA2300 were Fostex 49 minutes ago, MookieStl said: Plus it is useful during the winter months to help heat the room. The 2080 can double as a popcorn popper. On 1/19/2019 at 12:09 AM, Rxonmymind said: Just did an extensive A& B test with this receiver against Doing that is the only way I can find a keeper. Glad you like yours. They are bass heavy and that's something the Belle can use. I had the Rat Shack STA78, STA2080, STA2300 receivers and the SA2001 amp and matching tuner...Now I have seller's remorse. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rxonmymind Posted January 21, 2019 Author Share Posted January 21, 2019 6 hours ago, oldtimer said: Sony has been kind of famous for being crappy in the sound department. My brother in law went through a few and I heard them all, and that confirmed what others have said here---sony audio is horrible. Someone here might know who manufactured the realistic, I don't. Well, it's not that it's crap just something was better. Having been fully restored it's actually an excellent receiver. It's able to reveal little details like a chair being knocked over WAY in the background in Rebecca Pigeon Spanish Harlem that's very difficult with say some others I've had. Some songs that use a fluttering sound from one speaker to another one is able to follow it distinctly from left to right. So it's strength is being really smooth non offensive. Where the Realistic is forward, more powerful in it's presentation. That has it's cons sometimes in long listening session and may be the case six months from now. It's definitely has a wow factor right now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rxonmymind Posted January 21, 2019 Author Share Posted January 21, 2019 4 hours ago, Woofers and Tweeters said: The STA 2100D and STA2300 were Fostex The 2080 can double as a popcorn popper. Doing that is the only way I can find a keeper. Glad you like yours. They are bass heavy and that's something the Belle can use. I had the Rat Shack STA78, STA2080, STA2300 receivers and the SA2001 amp and matching tuner...Now I have seller's remorse. You are spot on. It's bass is definitely a tad heavy. Had to knock down the bass knob to neutral. Otherwise, very um, " I'm here!" Type of receiver. Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofers and Tweeters Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 Page 10 of this old ad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rxonmymind Posted January 21, 2019 Author Share Posted January 21, 2019 Not seeing anything. Any way to download the ad to Klipsch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEH Synergy Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 21 hours ago, oldtimer said: Sony has been kind of famous for being crappy in the sound department. My brother in law went through a few and I heard them all, and that confirmed what others have said here---sony audio is horrible. Someone here might know who manufactured the realistic, I don't. Sony ES in the mids to late 2000s was decent..... Overpriced? Sure. But Def decent. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 Right, that line was considered an exception. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEH Synergy Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 Oh well, what do I know anyway, just stating what I have heard... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEH Synergy Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 What I can say? Sony ES of the time Plus full RF7 system of the time? AWESOME! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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