"Joaquin Tall" wrote in
message
Hello All,
As you can well imagine, I have no idea as to what is
available to replace this unit. I've gone to several of
the "big box" stores but there is so much to choose from.
I haven't shopped for audio equipment for over 20 years!
The price-performance of audio gear has continued to improve. The
configuration of mainstream equipment has changed. One of the big
configuration changes is that it harder to find reasonably priced things
with only 2 channels, and built-in phono preamps are like hen's teeth.
I have over 2,000 vinyl albums and will hook up my Dual
turntable to the new unit.
You can buy yourself some flexibility by obtaining an outboard phono preamp.
Equipment with built-in phono preamps is only going to get harder to find.
Here's the biggest selection of phono preamps in one place that I know of:
http://www.kabusa.com/phonpre.htm
If the new unit has AM & FM, all the better!
The bad news is that AM and FM as you knew it are already being obsolesced.
If you expect to be able to listen to everything that is being broadcast,
you need to consider that HD AM & FM are probably the future. In low-cost
receivers, that means more outboard equipment like this:
http://www.radios4you.com/sangean-HDR-1.html
That's about all I need. Looking for a
unit around $150-$250. Is that realistic?
The cheapest receiver that is worth hooking to speakers runs around $80.
But, if you add what it takes to meet reasonable needs, you end up in the
$350 range. OTOH, I don't know if there are any all-in-one solutions.
Just seeking good sound and reliability. Something around
100-150 watts RMS.
IME, 100 wpc is plenty for the typical 2 channel system.
I just hosted a hi-fi club meeting with about 30 attendees. The main system
in the 15 x 25 x 9 meeting room was composed of a $80 100 wpc Sherwood
receiver, and a pair of suffit-mounted Boston Acoustics CR-9 speakers. This
system ran for most of the meeting - several hours, playing a variety of
digital transcriptions of classic 50s and 60s jazz organ LPs. Everybody,
even the most critical listeners with far more elaborate systems at home,
seemed to be pleased. Several people noticed the subwoofer in the room, and
commented favorably about the quality of the bass. They reacted with
surprise when I pointed out that it was not hooked up. ;-)
I shouldn't have been surprised how nicely about 30 adult humans work as
sound absorbers in the normally excessively-live room. But, I was.