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Stereo Receiver
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May 22, 2017 18:38:04   #
handgunner Loc: Windsor Locks, Connecticut
 
I am looking for a new receiver. The one I have is an old Optimus (Radio Shack). I believe it was made by Pioneer? It still works well. I have 4-18" corner woofers and 2-12" rears of the same make and a brand new Polk center that I just replaced.
Here is my issue ... My CD changer has a 100 CD rack and is skipping. It is old like me. I would like to replace the changer as well as the receiver. It seems that they don't make 100 CD changers anymore, only 300 plus. No big deal.
My receiver is rated at 150 watts. It has old RCA hook ups and no HDMI connections. I am looking at a Yamaha receiver and a Sony CD changer .... feed back?

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May 22, 2017 19:16:22   #
tbpmusic Loc: LaPorte, Indiana
 
You can run 4-18" and 2-12" plus a "center" on only 150 watts??
My EV 18" take 350 watts (RMS) each !!

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May 22, 2017 19:46:57   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
tbpmusic wrote:
You can run 4-18" and 2-12" plus a "center" on only 150 watts??
My EV 18" take 350 watts (RMS) each !!


You do know that the power rating of speakers is their maximum limit, not what you have to send to them.

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May 22, 2017 20:03:12   #
lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA
 
handgunner wrote:
I am looking for a new receiver. The one I have is an old Optimus (Radio Shack). I believe it was made by Pioneer? It still works well. I have 4-18" corner woofers and 2-12" rears of the same make and a brand new Polk center that I just replaced.
Here is my issue ... My CD changer has a 100 CD rack and is skipping. It is old like me. I would like to replace the changer as well as the receiver. It seems that they don't make 100 CD changers anymore, only 300 plus. No big deal.
My receiver is rated at 150 watts. It has old RCA hook ups and no HDMI connections. I am looking at a Yamaha receiver and a Sony CD changer .... feed back?
I am looking for a new receiver. The one I have i... (show quote)


Oh boy, I have a similar issue but with newer type technology. We still don't have a Blu-ray player. I have a number of Blu-ray movie that we have to watch with the included DVD. From what I read, all the cheaper current Blu-ray / DVD / CD players are crap. Only the high end ones are rated high. Say a $350 Pioneer Blu-ray! Most bands and models are $80 - $130 and not great. Currently I have a few DVD players. The one connected to our main entertainment system is a Samsung DVD/CD single play unit. It is slowing dying for playing DVDs, it gets about 90 minutes into a movie and then starts to freeze! I've heard of others with the same issue. So I'm considering swapping it for one of my older ones that still functions properly. Not sure if the old ones play odd formats though, like mp3 disks, DVD Audio, or 5.1 Sound DVDs. But no real problem there as I would rarely play such a disk.

It looks like you have a higher end system and may need or want all newer technology. 100 or 300 disk changer. OMG! Personally I am a bit retro and prefer the old 1970-80 vintage Stereo only silver faced Pioneer Receiver I have in storage. All analog. Though the analog radio tuning sucks. At the moment I am using an older all Stereo Yamaha (from the early 5.1 days, but I chose the Stereo only model). I guess you could call it 2.1, two channels plus a sub-woofer. It tunes great but I find the all black face and tiny lights annoying. Even has MX if I had it. Sounds good, I believe it is rated at 100 RMS Watts. from my experiences Yamaha and Pioneer are good brand choices.

I've had mix luck with Sony. Their hand-held and portable audio seems fine. But I also have a third receiver, used Sony 5.1 system I got from a friend. We have it in the bedroom but the room is far too small for 5 speakers! I really don't like its features. We also have a rather pricey Sony three motor Cassette Deck but we got very little use out of it. It was still rather new when the direct drive got out of synch and the tape piles up out of the cassette in the area of the heads, rollers, and spindles. Kinda like an 8-track going nuts. I've yet to have any one look at it. Instead I found a Sony belt drive Cassette Deck at a yard sale and bought it for next to nothing. Replaced the two broken belts and it works like new. I guess I'm more into music audio software than hardware. My Stereo gear is all rather old, 20 to 30 years old (but the Sony Receiver) I have close to 5,000 CDs, LPs, CSs.

I guess if you want it all clean and simple, you need units with the same connectors. As you have asked about. My Audio and Computer technology is all mixed, looks a bit crazy behind the tables and shelves. RCA, Phono, Mini-phono, HDMI, USB2, USB3, Coaxial, Ethernet, Speakers with lamp or extension cord like wire, and shielded cables, adapters every where. I even have a receiver cabled from a turntable to a PC for duping audio. PCs are WiFi'd though. I'm a bit more up to date with computers, 4 core i7 (8 thread), 32GB RAM, Windows 10 Home; and 4 core i5 (4 thread), 8GB RAM, Windows 10 Pro.

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May 22, 2017 20:06:24   #
handgunner Loc: Windsor Locks, Connecticut
 
tbpmusic wrote:
You can run 4-18" and 2-12" plus a "center" on only 150 watts??
My EV 18" take 350 watts (RMS) each !!


Sorry ... 640 Total

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May 22, 2017 21:16:17   #
tbpmusic Loc: LaPorte, Indiana
 
Admittedly, my EV system is not home stereo type stuff, it was designed for/with me by EV in Buchanan, MI, as a PA system for rock bands - but it sounds pretty damned good in my house too!!!
Stereo, 4-way, 3,000 watts total RMS.
With a lower crossover cutoff of 60 hz, the 4-18's will suck up 350 watts each, no problem. They use more watts than the rest of the system combined. The two twin-12" boxes roll off at 250 hz, the mids (horns) at about 1200, tweeters carry everything above that.
4-way crossovers allow balancing of all the components, with brick-wall limiters.

Now, the "newer" linear array systems achieve comparable spl's with less wattage - but for me there's nothing quite like an 18" speaker........
I'm serious about sound quality..........

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May 23, 2017 09:41:20   #
foathog Loc: Greensboro, NC
 
buy the Yamaha.




handgunner wrote:
I am looking for a new receiver. The one I have is an old Optimus (Radio Shack). I believe it was made by Pioneer? It still works well. I have 4-18" corner woofers and 2-12" rears of the same make and a brand new Polk center that I just replaced.
Here is my issue ... My CD changer has a 100 CD rack and is skipping. It is old like me. I would like to replace the changer as well as the receiver. It seems that they don't make 100 CD changers anymore, only 300 plus. No big deal.
My receiver is rated at 150 watts. It has old RCA hook ups and no HDMI connections. I am looking at a Yamaha receiver and a Sony CD changer .... feed back?
I am looking for a new receiver. The one I have i... (show quote)

Reply
 
 
May 23, 2017 10:15:55   #
ggttc Loc: TN
 
Like anything, there are myriad choices out there.

Look at Onkyo, Marantz and Yamaha.

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May 23, 2017 15:45:14   #
bnsf
 
Sony has a receiver which you can use as a surround sound 5.1 4 speaker plus center tv speaker, has cd player hook up to it, dvd playef, tv , and radio. Everything you need . You can put up a new y disk cd changer, blue ray dvd player, flat screen tv and speaker aĺl from B&H.com free shipping and no sales tax if u do not live,in New York. I have Yamaha book shelf Speakers sounds great 3 way Speakers sub mid twitter under 150 per pair. They handle 150 watts per channel.

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May 23, 2017 17:23:23   #
Violameister Loc: michigan
 
Is the goal economy or performance? That will decide the outcome. In general, the economy approach can sound pretty good, if not spectacular or flexible.

My system is performance oriented: OPPO source: It is a blu-ray player/ internet capable preamplifier with 7.1 outputs. These outputs go to 14 channels of equalization using 2 Crown 8 in 10 out equalizers. The outputs of the crowns go to the main speakers which are triamplified (using the Crowns as crossovers). The outputs also go to the center channel, and 4 surround channel speakers driven by Behringer amplifiers. I have found that speakers in different parts of the room may sound different even when they sound the same when sitting together. By having the capability to eq all speakers, I can make them all sound the same. There are 3 subwoofers located in strategic locations in the (large) room for smoothest response from 10 to 50Hz in the main listening area. These each consist of 2 18" long excursion drivers in a sealed box, each driven by a 2000 watt Crown amplifier and slightly equalized for best response in the main listening area. Of course, all this has its own fusebox.

In the old days, I built my own amplifiers from scratch using tubes, then transistors; it was possible to build a better amplifier for less money than it was to buy one. The opposite is true today, and there are many powerful good sounding amplifiers on the market that are affordable.

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May 23, 2017 18:54:16   #
texasdan78070 Loc: Texas Hill Country
 
Years ago I had a Pioneer head, a pair of ESS Hiel speakers (instead of tweeters, they had 'air motion transformers). The Pioneer had 35 watts per channel. A friend had to send his Marantz to be fixed and loaned me his Bose 901's. The Pioneer had no trouble driving all 4 speakers. Also had a B&O turntable. I worked in a music store.

Dan

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May 23, 2017 20:16:21   #
HertzSone Loc: West of the Cascades
 
handgunner wrote:
I am looking for a new receiver. The one I have is an old Optimus (Radio Shack). I believe it was made by Pioneer? It still works well. I have 4-18" corner woofers and 2-12" rears of the same make and a brand new Polk center that I just replaced.
Here is my issue ... My CD changer has a 100 CD rack and is skipping. It is old like me. I would like to replace the changer as well as the receiver. It seems that they don't make 100 CD changers anymore, only 300 plus. No big deal.
My receiver is rated at 150 watts. It has old RCA hook ups and no HDMI connections. I am looking at a Yamaha receiver and a Sony CD changer .... feed back?
I am looking for a new receiver. The one I have i... (show quote)


My history with Yamaha (A/V receiver and integrated amp-tuner) has been very good. I also have had good luck with mid range priced Sony ES series CD players. Get a receiver with comparable wattage you now have and a 5 disc turntable CD player. Should take care of you for years. Enjoy whatever you get. The improved sound of new electronics will give you GAS, and next you will need new speakers!

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May 24, 2017 01:28:52   #
Allen D S
 
tbpmusic wrote:
You can run 4-18" and 2-12" plus a "center" on only 150 watts??
My EV 18" take 350 watts (RMS) each !!


I have a pair of Electrovoice Eliminator II's, with subs, in my office. Kilowatt crown amp. My neighbors listen to good music. And I live in the country!!

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May 24, 2017 05:02:42   #
jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ
 
handgunner wrote:
I am looking for a new receiver. The one I have is an old Optimus (Radio Shack). I believe it was made by Pioneer? It still works well. I have 4-18" corner woofers and 2-12" rears of the same make and a brand new Polk center that I just replaced.
Here is my issue ... My CD changer has a 100 CD rack and is skipping. It is old like me. I would like to replace the changer as well as the receiver. It seems that they don't make 100 CD changers anymore, only 300 plus. No big deal.
My receiver is rated at 150 watts. It has old RCA hook ups and no HDMI connections. I am looking at a Yamaha receiver and a Sony CD changer .... feed back?
I am looking for a new receiver. The one I have i... (show quote)


I upgraded mine a couple years ago to a Sony with a bunch of HDMI inputs so that I would only need one HDMI output to the TV. It works fine. As far as the CD changer goes, why don't you digitize them into MP3's so you can put them on your phone, car stereo, and home stereo and computer? I did that with all my CDs because they are so bulky. I plan to digitize my sisters CD's soon.

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May 24, 2017 11:05:20   #
Violameister Loc: michigan
 
jeep_daddy wrote:
I upgraded mine a couple years ago to a Sony with a bunch of HDMI inputs so that I would only need one HDMI output to the TV. It works fine. As far as the CD changer goes, why don't you digitize them into MP3's so you can put them on your phone, car stereo, and home stereo and computer? I did that with all my CDs because they are so bulky. I plan to digitize my sisters CD's soon.


If you listen on your phone, or car stereo going with MP3s is the way to go as you will not notice the loss of quality. OTOH, if you have invested heavily in quality speakers, etc for your home system, and listen at realistic levels, you will definitely notice the loss of information that conversion to MP3 entails when going from CDs.

Of course, it is possible that even if you notice the loss of quality, you might not be disturbed by that because of the increase in convenience.

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