kenratboy Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 I am looking to upgrade an old Sony receiver with something new. My budget is around $1000 (± a few hundred, or more) and I need a pre-amp, power amp, and tuner. Does anyone have any advice as to what I should get? I will probably get a pair of the Reference models, still deciding which ones and I also have a Sony 300 CD changer as my main source. I dont need something that will make my ears bleed, just something that sounds good. Much appreciate the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacKlipsch Posted June 20, 2001 Share Posted June 20, 2001 I'd look on E-bay and score a Mcintosh MX113 for about $350, and a MC2105 for about $650....The MX113 is a tuner/preamp combo.....That should do it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bensilb Posted June 20, 2001 Share Posted June 20, 2001 In that price range, I would recommend purchasing a receiver. If you were to go with separates you would probably have to spend about $1000 for each piece. This is also good for HT and music. There are many pros and cons for using E-bay. Youll get a good deal but it may be difficult to make the actual swap. Also most manufacturers warrantees only cover the original purchaser. So by buying on E-bay, you are buying products that does NOT have a warrantee. I prefer buying new. If I were buying used I would want to see the product and listen to the quality of sound before handing over the money. You really should go to a local dealer to listen and explore the possibilities. Its all about sound preference. MacKlipsch recommended a Mcintosh model. I dont know that much about Mcintosh but just as an exampleyou may not like the sound of that model. If you buy from ebay, you are stuck with it. A wasted grand is pretty traumatic!! ------------------ Sony Trinitron 27" TV Yamaha RX-V1000 JVC HR-S3800 Super VHS VCR Sony DVP-S530D DVD Player Sony Tape Sony CDP-CE345 Cd player RF-3 Main Monster m1.4 Biwire Cables RC-3 Center SS-1 Rear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowooo Posted June 20, 2001 Share Posted June 20, 2001 Kenratboy.....I would have to agree with bensilb here. In that price range you'd be best off going with a nice receiver with all the functions you need. A nice receiver, which for a grand you'll be able to get a real nice one, will most certainly be able to drive any reference speakers to ear bleeding levels if needed. Good Luck........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Adams Posted June 20, 2001 Share Posted June 20, 2001 kenratboy - Something that might also aid us in offering you our suggestions would be what you intend your new electronics for - i.e. are you interested in home theater or are you looking for quality 2ch sound. Personally, a Denon 3801 reciever or it's Onkyo or Yamaha or Marantz equivalent would do just fine. Let your ears decide. On the separates side, NAD would be a nice choice. As for eBay - I'd have to agree that it might not be the wisest choice for a first time plunge into the world of high-end separates unless you really know your equipment. The good part is that you get to do all this shopping and comparing! I mean, how nice is that?? Tom Adams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenratboy Posted June 20, 2001 Author Share Posted June 20, 2001 I wrote the original message (So you know) I think a receiver would be the best choice, what brands are the best. Yamaha has been taking a lot of flak, so whats good? Marantz, Harmon Kardon, Onkyo. Yes, I do need to hear em to decide, but there are probably 50 receivers in my price range and a little direction always helps. Thanks for the help everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discorules Posted June 20, 2001 Share Posted June 20, 2001 quote: Originally posted by kenratboy: I wrote the original message (So you know) I think a receiver would be the best choice, what brands are the best. Yamaha has been taking a lot of flak, so whats good? Marantz, Harmon Kardon, Onkyo. Yes, I do need to hear em to decide, but there are probably 50 receivers in my price range and a little direction always helps. Thanks for the help everyone. Well my personal favorite has been Harman/Kardon. I have liked them for as long as I liked K-Horns, over 20 years. They sound very musical across the entire band without the grain and are generally conservatively rated. Most HK owners, myself included, will often say how the amps play a lot louder and cleaner than others with higher power ratings. On the technical side, they've been a long proponent of things that are currently trendy in high end audio. Wide bandwidth, high current amps with low negative feedback. Their amps also have unsurpased transient response. The tuner sections in their receivers are generally average and their receivers tend emphasize functionallity over bells and whistles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olaf Posted June 20, 2001 Share Posted June 20, 2001 kenratboy From personnal experience....don't buy a low end Yamaha. I have a RX596($400) and it sound absolutely awlful with my 2 week old RF-3's. I switched to my 21 year old Onkyo TX 3000 and the difference is astounding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipschguy Posted June 20, 2001 Share Posted June 20, 2001 I had the opposite experience with the Yamaha RX-596 as Olaf did. My really sounds sweet (I've had a lot a listening experience with good equipment, including tubes). Let your own ears decide. Do a search on this site for Denon, Yamaha, and others to gather more opinions before you decide. Klipsch speakers are easy to drive, so you do not need something real esoteric to get exceptional sound. Klipschguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted June 20, 2001 Share Posted June 20, 2001 Yeah I was going to advise that you do pay a premium for separates. So a receiver is a reasonable choice. You have my sympathy about the crowded marketplace. Every major manufacturer seems to cover ever $100 increment of price point starting at $300. I know Sony doesn't get may fab reviews here, but I think it is a good a product overall. You might consider one of the Sony units if it has the fancy remote with touch screen. That might make it easier to fool with the CD player and receiver. Also, see if your dealer could bundle a DVD player as part of the $1,000 limit. That might give more enjoyment than a single purchase. Of course that is tricky issue. Progressive output DVD players are coming on line so they might be a good investment if you go to HDTV. On the other hand, if you go HDTV in a year, a progressive scan DVD player is gonna be a lot cheaper by then. And if I may stand on my soapbox, don't spend a lot for cables. I now reliquish my soapbox for the loyal opposition. Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bensilb Posted June 20, 2001 Share Posted June 20, 2001 Let me stand on that soapbox now. I purchased bi-wire speaker cable for $275 and I am very happy with the difference in the quality of sound. Again, go with what you budget can afford and what your ears like. Also, I had my Rf-3s for many months before I began to show interest in expensive cables. I recommend the Yamaha RX-V1000 for $999.98. The unit is very easy to use and it produces a great sound. There are many features and it certainly allows for future expansion, especially having 6th channel capability. ------------------ Sony Trinitron 27" TV Yamaha RX-V1000 JVC HR-S3800 Super VHS VCR Sony DVP-S530D DVD Player Sony Tape Sony CDP-CE345 Cd player RF-3 Main Monster m1.4 Biwire Cables RC-3 Center SS-1 Rear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olaf Posted June 22, 2001 Share Posted June 22, 2001 Klipschguy I don't know what the problem is with my Yamaha. It could be a few things... Maybe the speaker cable I'm using, even though it worked fine with my old speakers. Perhaps the room acoustics. I have my equiptment in a very 'live' setting. But I really think the problem is that I have a 'lemon.' I had it only a few weeks and I had problems with it and that's a very rare occurrence with Yamaha. The Yamaha sounds extremely harsh and muddy with terrible non-existent mids. I've heard a few boom boxes that actually sound more balanced. The Onkyo is smooth and punchy with pleasant sounding crisp highs with very good detail and soundstage. Just the opposite of the Yamaha. I'm going to wait a few months and I'm going replace the speaker cable and try using it again since there seems to be a 'break in' period for RF-3s which I am skeptical about. If there is no improvement,I will be buying a new reciever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipschguy Posted June 22, 2001 Share Posted June 22, 2001 Olaf, Quality control is quite good with Yamaha, but like anything else you can end up with a lemon. I bet you have a leaking cap or something causing your harshness. What you're describing sounds like my old Carver (which I gave away). Man, it was harsh with NO bass. It was marginally okay with my Cornwalls, but unlistenable with my Heresys - the treble would singe the hairs on your head. I really think the problem with the Carver was its output capacitors were probably leaking a little DC voltage after years of use - resulting in terrible sound. But I don't think the problem was/is intrinsic to Carver equipment. What I'm trying to say is it could happen with any brand and cause them to get a bad rap. I know your receiver is not old, but there could still be a problem. I would call Yamaha and demand/request a replacement. I would be reluctant for them to "fix it". Give them the "loyal customer for years routine." I have been into Audio for over 25 years and heard a lot of good equipment and I must say the Yamaha RX-596 has been quite sweet and exceeded my expectations - which is quite rare in this exacting, detail oriented person. Keep us posted. Klipschguy This message has been edited by Klipschguy on 06-22-2001 at 11:10 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olaf Posted June 29, 2001 Share Posted June 29, 2001 Klipschguy My curiosity got the best of me and I hooked the Yamaha back up with new cables to see if there was an improvement. I tried it for a few days but I couldn't take it. That thing has more problems than I thought. The tuner won't even bring the FM stations in stereo. I did try something different,I noticed that by adjusting the loudness control it took some of the harshness out. But the difference wasn't enough to cure the problem. I guess I really got a lemon and it's out of warranty. Last night I hooked my old Onkyo back up and it sounds great. That thing is 21 years old and it's starting to talk about it's age. There are a few lights out and I have a bad input I can't use. This afternoon I'm going to look at new recivers but it could take me months until I make up my mind which one I want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipschguy Posted June 29, 2001 Share Posted June 29, 2001 Olaf, Make sure you audition any potential purchases with your RF-3 speakers for compatibility's sake. I know how you feel when a piece of equipment fails to meet your expectations. Probably the best thing to do is buy something else and get rid of the offending piece. That way you don't have to think about it anymore. In my case - what Carver!? KG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cornell Posted June 29, 2001 Share Posted June 29, 2001 Hey buddy I have a Mcintosh 2120 amp and C-26 pre amp here doing nothing! Email me for pictures if your interested! Im in no hurry to get rid of these, but if the price is right ill do it! Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olaf Posted June 29, 2001 Share Posted June 29, 2001 I spent all afternoon auditioning recievers. I listened to Marantz,Kenwood and of course Onkyo. I wanted to hear a Denon but all the local dealers went out of buisness. I liked the onkyo 8511 the best,but there's a problem with it. The stinkin' speaker terminals are the push type where you snap and lock the wires in. That will be a major problem for bi-wiring. The holes are so small,I wouldn't know how to put 2 ,12 gauge cables into the tiny terminal hole. Help!!!! Anybody have any ideas???? Suggestions please!!! Jim I know McIntosh are asskickers,but I haven't heard one in 23 years. I forget what they sound like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olaf Posted June 29, 2001 Share Posted June 29, 2001 kenratboy Check out Jim's McIntosh amps. I think his post was meant for you anyway. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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