Stereo Receiver for Parents

[topspeed]

For raw drivers, go to partsexpress.com

For a receiver, I'd seriously consider buying a vintage unit like a Marantz 2275b or older Pioneer, Sansui, or Fisher. These things are easy to use, built like Mack trucks, and sound better than today's disposable units. You should be able to find one quite easily on e-bay at any given time.

Hope this helps.

[markw]

Modern receiver s are not very user friendly to anyone who is not comfortable with digital tuning and all the new fangled gadgetry that is the norm today. IOW, the days of simply connecting a pair of speakers and a turntable and turning it on are gone.

A vintage analog receiver would be ideal but that "small" thing might be an issue. A lot od old analog receivers were not "small" Dimensions would have helped.

About the only relatively "small" things I can think of would be a Dynaco PAT-5 tuner and a martching PAT-4 or PAT-5 preamp with one of their stereo power amps. An alternative would be a Dynaco SCA-80 integrated amp instead of a separate preamp/power amp. Likewise, Fisher SS receivers from the 60's were relatively small but again, that's relative.

But, locating a decent set might be an issue and the prices might be out of your range.

Speakers probably could be worked around if you offered some internal dimensions to work with were also.

[piece-it pete]

Hello Ronning!

I'm on board with the vintage thing, too, prolly 'cause that what I'm familiar with.

The Marantz 1060 is smaller than average, and is inexpensive, well built, and very easy to use as well.

Regardless, take a look at the components in the old console before tossing them! If it's tubed, the amp/preamp might be wanted, and the drivers *could* be valuable - I found an old Fisher with the Jensen PR10s (P10Rs?) "hot dogs", that alone would pay for a very nice NEW receiver.

Pete

[ronning]

Hello Ronning!

I'm on board with the vintage thing, too, prolly 'cause that what I'm familiar with.

The Marantz 1060 is smaller than average, and is inexpensive, well built, and very easy to use as well.

Regardless, take a look at the components in the old console before tossing them! If it's tubed, the amp/preamp might be wanted, and the drivers *could* be valuable - I found an old Fisher with the Jensen PR10s (P10Rs?) "hot dogs", that alone would pay for a very nice NEW receiver.

Pete

I checked the components. I didn't see any vacuum tubes, it looks all solid state. Apparently the unit is from the early 70's and the cabinet just looks older than it really is (actually, the cabinet looks like it's from the early 1900's and is not made to look anything like a stereo). It's an old Magnavox and the sparse solid-state electronics are just bolted straight into a wood panel in the cabinet. I don't think it's really anything worth saving.

The speakers look pretty lame, too. I'll take a closer look at them when i pull them out.

[piece-it pete]

I ordinarily don't use words like "ubiquitous" but it sure applies to Magnavox consoles!

You are right, the components are pretty much useless, with the possible exception of the tweeters. If they are horns they should be black with a green cap. If so check them out. They are probably Jensens, not terribly valuable ($20?) unless they are RP-109s', in which case you might get $100-150 or more depending.

The 15" woofers are great for decorating your stereo room . No kidding ! Hang'em off the ceiling.

Pete

[ronning]

My biggest limit seems to be the dimensions. However, I think I may be limiting myself unecessarily as that the is space for the "faceplate" of the magnavox receiver. It has a wooden trim all around which make the width and height smaller than the actual interior space of the cabinet. For example, the regular "full-size" (17" wide) 5-disc changer and tape deck fit below in the open area of the cabinet. I can either take out the tape cassette case (which they really don't use anyway) and move the speaker selector box somewhere else and put the receiver in that space.
Maybe I could put the selector box where the current receiver is?
Anyway, I guess I"m just thinking outloud here.

As far as the Marantz 1060 goes, that's very nice.. but it doesn't seem to have a tuner?
It really needs to have an AM/FM tuner.

I'd also rather get something "new" as it is a christmas gift and it just has a little bit more charm if it's NIB.

I'm also toying with the idea of one of these "home theater in a box" ideas. This way i could get small speakers, a receiver, and possibly another set of small speakers to run out to listen to in their library (which my dad was hinting about) all in one package. Quality, i realize, is lessened with this. But budget-wise and bang-for-buck it seems pretty cool. Here's one set:

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTE...eater_HTSeries

Obviously the dolby surround sound options are meaningless in this case. However, if something like this had a 5-channel stereo mode... ??

[markw]

some people are not used to the new generation of digital receivers. Perhaps your folks are more adventerous (sp?) than most but you might want to see how they react to the new technology first.

[ronning]

I stopped by my parents house and measured the cabinet. Here's the specs:

Receiver space: 5-1/4" high x 16-7/16" wide x 11-3/4" deep. It can go deeper by just hanging out the back (the cabinet sits in a corner of the room and has an exposed back).
If I remove a wood facia piece (a bit tricky) I can squeeze another 3/4" on the height.

The speakers are basically wood frames on the sides with fancy cloth grills. They are 2-ways with what looks like an 8" (possibly 10"?) woofer and a 4" tweeter. They are mounted to a board in a free air suspension (the wall facing the back of the cabinet is open). The dimensions of the speaker "cabinets" are:
22" high x 14" wide x 5" deep. (not very deep!)

I could either put raw drivers or possibly in-wall speakers or possibly smaller bookshelf speakers back there. Again, whatever works and is least expensive.

I definitely don't want to get a boombox unit as they are usually horrible quality, extremely complicated to use, and usually very ugly. My parents already have a nice 5-disc cd changer and dual tape deck anyway.

Thanks!