Most Beautiful Receiver / Integrated - Ever was... ?
Time for what I hope is another fun thread. Please include links if you can.
I'm curious to everyone what you think the hottest/sexiest most interesting integrated or receiver ever was. For me, brands like these would probably be in the running:
Carver
Kyocera
Tandberg
Revox (old)
It didn't have to work, or sound good. Just had to do it for you in the looks department.
I owned a Yamaha CR620 receiver for 35 years, purchased circa 1977. It was a pretty nice receiver for modest $$. (It's still making music BTW.) Back in the 60s and 70s, what I truly I coveted was an upper end Marantz or Luxman receiver - much prettier and better sounding, but they were out of my reach. I do now finally have a Marantz integrated, the PM8004, and enjoy its clean, slightly retro look. The pic is shows a PM8005 in silver, which I think is sexier than the black: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxXctIk3zh4
My vote will have to go to the Technics SE-A5 and its later siblings the SE-A1000, SE-A5000 etc. This 35-year old design is just about as fresh today as it was when tit came out in the early 80’s.
So much great looking audio gear and everyone has their favorite. Since my first receiver was a HK 330C, I tend to really like that series like the
430 & 730
with the dual transformers. The Yamahas were also beautiful receivers too. Nothing against Pioneer, Sansui, Marantz, or Tandberg, etc they all look great! If I had won the big PA lottery (like 550 million), I'd buy a bunch of gear and a building and make an audio equipment museum. One room just for receivers.
From the early 80's the Harmon Kardon stack. Featuring the spage age looking 775, "Ultra High Dynamic Range" mono blocks with the "I believe" first ever digital metering and shot beaded stainless finish. Even the tuner had a digital display that all ahh'd and ooh'd over. All components the exact same size. With the tiny "compared to ANY other" amp's back in the day. They were truly ahead of their time. Alas, I finally sold mine a few months ago. And maybe it's a stretch but I think the Onkyo M-508 Grand Integra with it's separate channel volume pots should qualify as an receiver/integrated amp. Sitting in the dark, listening.....and watching those gargantuan green ghost meters. Those were the day's that still are for me!
I always cared more about sound than looks, and my systems tend to be ugly, bare tubes, rusty transformer covers and wires all over the place. But appearances are important, especially where user interfacing occurs or if there's a wife or girlfriend involved.
So I'll have to vote for the Marantz integrateds, like the 1030, or the Hong-Kong built Tandberg 3030 receiver, if you like lots of knobs and switches. I have one of these in my bedroom. These are much nicer than the more popular models with the blue lights.
However, if you're willing to expand the OP and include separates, nothing but nothing beats a Pye Mozart set.
My Sansui 9090db gets more open jaw looks than anything I've ever owned. Its pretty no doubt. I always loved the look of the Pioneer SX 1150/1250 receivers. Had both for a while. The build quality was stellar! And yes... Marrantz 2270 is killer... But really weren't all the receivers from this period? I can't really think of any that were bone ugly.
@whitecap - Not sure I would call the SX1980 the most beautiful receiver ever, but it is certainly one of the most impressive looking receivers. From the time when "Nothing Exceeds like Excess". Would love to have one, but the price has gotten WAY out of hand.....
Got the JBLs stateside originally came home with Sansui speakers and now have Magico go figure. Its a great hobby however i still love live music Just saw David Allen Coe last night he is still great at 78 yrs old.Be well brother Schubert.
On looks (build quality is also amazing, feature set is complete and sonic abilities are great) this unit does it me, and is my current integrated. I consider myself a lucky guy. Just beautiful, and symbolizes for me the meaning of "back to having fun with music and audio gear’’, with a retro twist. After 30+ years of boutique, one-knob amps, preamps and integrateds (most pretty high quality, ss and tubes), this integrated is part Wurlitzer jukebox and part Jaguar E-Type rolled into one to get your heart racing. And the return of true quality tone controls is heaven-sent.
I lusted after Mac and many of the Samsun and Marantz stuff for years. But for real beauty, I had an Olsen tuner and an amp. This was all my parents would let me spend. They did have the thinnest wood cabinetry I have ever seen. Had to use them until I built a Dynaco SCA80Q at college, and then moved up. No money then but all the time, all the money now but no time.
This thread makes me realize what really tremendous equipment has been built over the years. How did we all decide which to use....a question probably at the heart of any audiophile disagreements, i.e. Why did you chose a component, and, be honest, how much did the look and not the sound influence your choice.
In the early 70s I owned the Kenwood stack. Many a night were spent with friends gazing at the KC-6060's scope show with the Grateful Dead and Fever Tree. I found a set here: http://davidguilbault.typepad.com/AudioKarmaPhotos/KS2.jpg but the photo doesn't do it justice. The brass was much more Marantz 22 series tone. I'd buy that tuner again!
Eric and other interested parties, I don’t think it really uses Hypex modules. If I understand Primare uses (or claims to use) proprietary UFPD modules that the reviewer feels sound more similar to Hypex than ICE.
I will leave that to a turntable person, which I am not. :) I don't think you have to be well known to start a fun thread, just do it in the spirit of engaging rather than criticizing and I think you'll succeed.
Find a key aspect about them you love like say, 1980's turntables, or P-mounted or something and others will join in.
Eric, RE: the Primare, I think this review says it best and relates it to some peers. I picked it over the Belles Aria, though it was almost a tie, and a Creek Classic 5350SE.
Hello all, What an enjoyable thread! I bought a restored Sansui 9090 and a pair of Wharfdale Dentons for our new bar that we installed in our cafe/restaurant last year. The sound is great, especially for a commercial environment, but it's a great conversation piece too. So many guys (just an observation, women rarely comment on it) wax poetic about their fabled systems of old. Being the advocate that I am, I'm always seeking to spread the enjoyment of our hobby to others. I had no complaints about the punchy sound of my Calyx Audio integrated, but when an Acuphase E-470 came up for sale here I had to have it. Beautiful design, perfect in construction, sublime sound. ~Oran, KD8ZGS
Milty1966, thanks for your comment, with which I agree (although the distinction between a contraction and a portmanteau can sometimes be a bit blurry). And in fact I was thinking about that very question when I submitted my post, but I chose to use the term contraction because it is more widely recognizable.
I'll mention also that one reason I made that comment was to emphasize that the name is spelled differently than the word "spartan," which was the spelling that had been used in some of the other posts.
The proper term to describe Sparton = Sparks Withington is not contraction but portmanteau, the most recognizable of which is the term spork, for spoon/fork. Sorry. Can’t help myself.
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