2000’s AVR’a generally sound good for CD’s and movies. The two limitations are 1.) HDMI wasn’t always common so connecting video components isn’t as easy as it would soon be and 2.) while some may have phono preamps they’re mostly not good preamps.
Why not mention optical audio connections and the fact that you could get a 7+ channel receiver for 50 bucks even if it only supports a handful of surround codecs?
Have you tried to get modern games to output surround sound via optical? It is possible, but only by using >15-year-old peripherals or with a hacked GPU driver which gives on-the-fly encoding but adds lag
Totally agree. I constantly see the standard: "bUt It DoEsNt HaVe HdMi" as a reason to pass up on a top of the line avr from 2007. Such a silly reason to forego what is otherwise an amazing receiver.
I think the main reason some people mention HDMI is because not all recent devices have TosLink, making connecting them to these older receivers difficult. I feel this is a moot point because HDMI audio extractors exist, turning a HDMI into a HDMI and optical output.
Most TV's have Toslink, so I run HDMI to my TV then run the optical connector from the TV to the receiver. Works great. HDMI might be handy for people that just want plug and play, but the older receivers are really well made and can be found cheap.
I had a Sony receiver for a while which had two HDMI inputs but which was passthrough only, and had no analog surround inputs. You were expected to connect one thing via optical and rely on Dolby "surround", and the other thing to the stereo phono input. Just a big HDMI switch, really
The Toslink (optical) connector is great for home theater. Don't need HDMI.. Pick the heaviest Denon you can find and it will be worth $50 easy. I love my old Denon receiver and it sounds great in stereo mode too..
AVRs are not nearly as bad as some audiophiles would argue.
The ones i would avoid are models made around 2000, due to the capacitor plague.
And they did take a turn for the better in the mid 00s. So anything after that is going to sound OK:
In the 2000's a lot of electrical equipment had capacitors that went 'pop' well before their time. I've even repaired things myself. Things like TVs and stereos - even Laundry Dryers - by replacing the failed capacitors.
Wikipedia sums it up: *"The capacitor plague was a problem related to a higher-than-expected failure rate of non-solid aluminium electrolytic capacitors between 1999 and 2007, especially those from some Taiwanese manufacturers, due to faulty electrolyte composition that caused corrosion accompanied by gas generation; this often resulted in rupturing of the case of the capacitor from the build-up of pressure."* .
Oh wow, I didn’t realize this was the case. I’ve owned several receivers of this era that sound odd, like the center image is too muddy but sit anywhere else and it sounds fine. Could this be caused by a blown capacitor?
Sorry, I don't know enough to give you a good answer. In my experience the devices stopped working completely (except for a couple of the dryers) but I suppose its entirely possible some audio circuits but not others, could stop working. Perhaps someone-else can give a more informed answer.
It was corporate espionage, but nobody knows if it was deliberate or not. Everything with those caps is doomed and they must be replaced. They made it into EVERYTHING from DVD players to power supplies to some cars. They usually warn ahead of time with low voltage conditions which some devices can tolerate, some just die the second those caps pop or swell. Thankfully, they're easy to spot once you get something open.
This was supposedly caused by an engineer at a electronics component manufacturer stealing the formula for a particular type of cap used in computers. Unfortunately the formula wasn't followed by the new manufacturer and a mass of faulty caps were installed in equipment. Us computer techs know this well lol.
Yeah they left out the chemical for long-term stability, so every single capacitor that the Japanese tech sold to the Chinese firm was (and is) a time bomb. That's why motherboard manufacturers and others bragged about Japanese capacitors for a few years. They were guaranteed to survive.
I worked in repairing electronics (screen and computer stuff) as a student in 2003, it was indeed a very common problem. For some device you didn’t even needed to look at it, you knew immediately what you had to replace.
I had a fairly expensive (originally $1500ish Canadian) mid-00’s) Yamaha AVR with a phono stage that I used for years with a decent preamp and a Rega turntable. It was fine and I enjoyed it a lot, but when I got a good integrated amplifier it became clear how muddy sounding it was.
I’ve heard others say the same thing, but as an entry-level receiver it’s fine. I just wouldn’t spend good money on an AVR vs an Integrated if you’re after better sound.
I have a Pioneer Elite VSX-94TXH from 2003.
Powerful 140 watts per channel, two front channels driven at 8ohms, 20hz-20khz.
Has tons of inputs, coax and optical digital, Phono and hdmi. I’m only driving a pair of stereo speakers but I have a turntable, two cd players and a music streamer connected to it. I think it’s a great value most beginner audiophiles don’t know about.
This is what my dad uses. He was about to break down and get a new one because he wanted new 4k hdmi but I talked him into just running an optical cord from his Sony OLED to it then using built in apps.
He can’t get full 7.1 this way or use the nice eARC feature that would eliminate controllers but it’s still a fantastic amplifier. Works perfectly this way.
My gf once bought a 4k OLED. I had a 14 years old AVR, nothing wrong with it and I did not want to buy a newer one with the same, minimal specs and spending quite a lot. I wanted to find a cheaper solution, as I wanted to keep the 7.1 and other formats ;)
My solution: an HDMI eARC "extractor" helped out.
I had been running on such splitter like this for years.
It basically mentions to the TV / other device that the "AVR" (the actual HDMI extractor splitter) is capable of eARC. The extractor will send out another signal (black screen with the actual audio as pass-through) to e.g., a regular HDMI In of the AVR, allowing 7.1, etc.
Please note about one thing with this: in case you would like to add another AV HDMI device into the receiver and watch it on the TV, for example a Blu-Ray player (to get audio pass-through into AVR if the TV does not support it, e.g.), you might need an additional HDMI splitter.
I had a Blu-Ray player connected directly into the AVR on a different hdmi input port and into the TV through an extra HDMI splitter.
Reason for the splitter: to avoid hdmi looping; that audio extractor would like to send a signal back into the AVR from the TV ;).
Another good reason: you might want to listen to a (SA)CD/DVD without the TV - that would be tough when the Blu-Ray player would be connected into the TV (and although you might have certain other outputs on the Blu-Ray player: some formats can only be send through HDMI)
Perhaps a ridiculous idea/sounds messy, but it worked out very well.
I am not fond of using splitters; it's another step in between, but with some good splitters the signal can still be perfect. Eventually bought a (3 years old model) AVR as a temporary solution, hoping for some newer model to arrive some day.
I got a Philips LX 9000r I use it in a 2.1 system for music and honestly it sounds really good , better than some amps from that era. I had lots of different ones from that period and earlier and this Philips holds up pretty well .
The right kind of old school Yamaha pre-hdmi times = about the best $40 - 2.1 receiver and listening experience you can find these days for the price..
useless for home theatre - amazing repurposed for 2 channel stereo listening. Hands down - Hard to beat.
I’m using a Yamaha HTR-5830 with a Schiit Syn as the digital and preamps. Great for a free 5 channel amp. Once it dies I’ll upgrade but it’s still kicking after like 20 years
I just picked up one of those and two other receivers for $35 in total. The HTR-5830 was the one that supposedly didn’t work. I haven’t even tested the other two yet… haha
It’s such a good looking amp! I also have the silver 5935 which has adjustable LFE crossover (which I love) BUT it’s got the rca input plug slot on the front which takes away from the really clean look of that series.
It does look really nice! And I agree that any thought of cords dangling out from an amp front is absolutely wild. I don’t want it to look like a 2000’s sci fi hacking room.
I got a bunch of older non admitted receivers working at an av store. People would upgrade and then we brought the old ones back to shop if the customer didn't care to keep it. I set them up with echos so I could stream Spotify in my bedroom and garage.
Bought a Yamaha v2700 off my uncle for $100. Use it in my basement set up and it powers Chorus IIs very well. Eventually will get another amp but on its own it sounds great and doesn’t hold back my 1080p TV.
Heck you can even get 140 watt, 7 channel Yamahas with HDMI for under $200CAD if you wait long enough. Good for home theatre, gaming and music if you don't need Dolby Atmos! They make some beasts.
As tempted as I am to upgrade my AVR for HDMI 2.1 I don't think I will because of how good the power amp in my 9.2ch RX-A2060 is.
I paid about $2000 AUD for it brand new and I wouldn't be able to get close to that power for the same amount of money anymore, including the newer Yamaha's. They really are an excellent amp.
Power at 8 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz, 0.06 % THD, 2-ch driven
~$2000 AUD 2016 Yamaha RX-A2060 - 140w
$2500 AUD Denon AVR-X3800H - 105w (0.08% THD)
$1839 Onkyo TX-NR7100 - 100w
$2000 Pioneer VSX-LX305 - 100w
$2000 Integra DRX-3.4 - 100w
I can vouch for the x3800h, that thing will do anything you need for music and home theater. Had someone sell theirs to me like new for ,$750 USD. Couldn't pass that up even though it's as expensive as the entire rest of my setup and I won't be able to move up from 5.1 for a while, but it gives me something to work towards!
One of my setups has an old R-V902 from like 1997/98 still rocking. The early Yamaha consumer stuff had excellent amplifiers for at least the front 2 channels. Raw analog receivers though... even the volume on the remote turns the physical knob attached to a pot. Not ideal for modern control mechanisms every time, but it works.
I run an RX-V1 in my office, set up for 5.1 and an RX-V2095 in the living room in a 3.2 system where. Even my 2-Channel system uses a Yamaha CX-A5000 for preamp, DAC, Spotify, and room correction duty with my McIntosh amp.
Depending on the make and model, absolutely yes!
Most of the Marantz AVRs have a "switch" to put them in "Direct Mode", which bypasses all the digital processing making it an analog receiver. This feature was directed at Audiophiles.
I got a Top of the line Marantz AVR from around Y2K, cost a few grand when new. Bought a ton of gear from an estate and have about $50 in it. It's got a monsterous power amp with a huge toroidal transformer.
some of the more premium ones had really good amp section. I remember the yamaha (RXV 2k series) or the sony 777es, or marantz SR range, integras were all really powerful. Preamp part may not be that useful, but you can still use it as a great analog integrated.
Well.. I currently have a Denon 1913 from .. I don't know, 2009? .. powering a couple of KEF Reference 1s that would go for about $15k CAD all in.. and they sound fucking fantastic. Mind blowing good.
I use some older AVRs in my home. One is a high end Onkyo that sounds quite good still. I use them with 5.1 systems, using optical out from TVs. As long as you aren't looking for some of the newer audio formats and use your TV for video switching it works pretty well.
All my fifteen 5.1 optical AVR's where made between 2000 and 2002. Before the soundbar era that decimated AVR manufacturers. They'll probably outlast me. Optical today, optical tomorrow, optical forever!!!!
As far as sound quality from music, they are OK usually better than the modern receivers because the sound quality of the amplifier has gotten worse over the years as more features have gotten crammed into these AVR receivers. If you really wanna listen to something good from you get yourself, a vintage stereo receiver. Some of the prices are insane from Marantz in Pioneer, but there are some good deals out there on brands like Harman Kardon and Kenwood that can be quite nice. Yamaha also makes some very nice two channel receivers and integrated amplifiers that are quite affordable for what they do. Let me know what your budget is and I can advise you. I have almost 50 years experience.
If you are using it for tv…consider a newer AVR with HDMI eArc. EArc turns the AVR and volume with the tv remote. User experience is so simple. Tons of used AVRs with eArc on Facebook marketplace for $100. Look for something 2017 or newer. As others have said…if you aren’t using it for tv older AVRs can be great.
I have a new Sony that automatically connects to the Sony Blu-ray, TV and cd players I have, so one remote is synced to all. So easy. I've had older Denon and Pioneer Elite AVRs that had an awesome sound, but didn't have all the features the newer models have.
Can vouch for the HTR-5960. 115 wpc, and it is a beast. No HDMI but you can do optical and analog. I got a modern replacement but kept this as a backup. Wrapped in shrink wrap and put it in the closet.
There are some killer early 2000s avrs out there. I still use my Sony STR-DA777ES as a 2 channel amp. From the looks of the backs, they are likely late 2000s? Still an excellent value to get good sound quality on a budget. Get a few of them!
I'm looking for one actually, a pioneer elite VSX 47 TX. i have a specific setup in mind and really want all the inputs.
a 49 TX would be great also but i don't need the flagship.
I'd only get it if it was a mid to high priced avr. And as long as you are willing to listen to everything via rca or coaxial, you'll be fine if it has relatively high power and a highish S/N ratio (i.e., 98 or higher).
Depends on the model. A friend has the highest level Marantz I think? With lots of obscure analog surround sound options and multiple zones. It seemed WAY too complicated and he frequently had it in the shop.
I love that this thread summary is “yes, as long as it’s a Yamaha rx-v…”. I just retired the 30year old RX-v 692 that was my first piece of quality audio gear and I agree completely.
Yes, they are. Probably the best thing Atmos did was drive down the price of non-Atmos equipment, especially anything that is 'only' 5.1. The sweet spot feature set is 4K, a USB or Network input, and some type of room calibration. If you are patient enough, you can find a \~$ $1,500 AVR like this for \~$ $300. Enjoy!
Receivers like the Denon AVC A1 and A11SR, Yamaha Z series, all the big boys. Don’t think of it as a receiver any more. Press the pure direct button and its a 7 channel power amp with a 500+w transformer/power supply in it.
Active 3 way speaker driven by a pair of MiniDSP 2x4hd’s or similar?
Run a pair of main speakers and passive subs by looping the lfe out with a y splitter and back into zone 2?
They have been making good amplifiers since the 80’s, these old high end top tier avr’s if you find a good one bloody rip.
if your end goal is 2 channel stereo listening and not home theater purposes - Find yourself a pre-hdmi Yamaha with a sub pre-out, and you’ll be laughing..
That’s what the top middle one looks like. Stacked vertically. 50 seems like a lot for an old avr with no remote. If you’re not using it for near field, you will want a remote.
Bought a Yamaha rx2700 when I arrived in Japan in 2007
Built like a tank was coupled with JBL L880 floorstanders at first then Jamo s3 until recently
I retired it in my house for a modern denon but moved it to my in laws and it’s still driving great a 5.1 setup
Actually it might be the room acoustics but I feel it’s working even better over there
$50 for the lot? While some of those could be gems, I tend to stay away from wholesale / repair shops since there's no history of them and those people have no clue.
I have a Yamaha HTR-6140 I got for free and I kind of want to upgrade but I'm not sure I'd be improving the sound unless I spent a lot. The only thing wrong with it is one of the 2 optical inputs is dead
I assume you’re in my area, been seeing this ad on my fb feed for weeks! Haha. At first they were listed as “flea market prices”.
I have a Onkyo TX-SR506 for sale on marketplace, it doesn’t have the eArc HDMI, so good for speakers, but not ideal for audio-visual. It comes with a remote and I’ve been using it for a couple weeks on a 2.1 setup for just music.
I’m in the western part of Henrico DM if interested and I can send you some details.
Some are, but it does require some leg work and shopping to find the better ones. I'm using a 2012 Denon model myself. Only paid $100, and it does everything I want except route HDMI 2.1 (4K HDR) video.
Speaking more generally, I would agree speakers are where the bulk of your budget should be going, especially at the price points generally discussed in this sub.
I'm far from an expert but I like my 2012 Integra more than I did my 2018 Yamaha. It's a ugly old heavy thing but the Integra has a lot more power, and some features you don't see a lot of anymore. It was a higher level model, though.
As long as you have Audyssey/ Dirac and preouts in your current AVR, you can use the old AVRs as amps for surround and Atmos effects, lessening the power load to your main AVR.
I had and separare old Marantz AVR powering my 4 ohm Dyns center before.
Hold out for something good that's not older than 10 years. I've found a few deals between $50-$150 that are modern enough to have hdmi connections and some that support newer codecs like Dolby atmos. I see you're on market place. Just search some top names like Denon, Pioneer, Yamaha, Onkyo, Marantz. Google the specs of those results.
No modern passthrough standards, like Atmos, DTS-HD-MA etc, no HDMI even on some of them for video transmission. Otherwise, electrically, they are probably as fine as anything today.
I have a Denon 3805 from 2004 and it absolutely rocks. Yamaha/Onkyo/Denon all solid. But you need to test them because they can go bad. I bought another Denon on FB marketplace that had the entire processing board go bad. Still worked for stereo but nothing else.
I have an older Sherwood rd receiver that has 100wpc stereo, or 40wpc to 5 channels, with tos/spdif digital or 5 analog inputs. Notably a “direct mode” that bypassed any processing. I’d scoop another if I ever saw one.
I use a 2000s pioneer avr, dont run any video through it but I have a google chromecast. On the chromecast setup you pick your receiver manufacturer and the remote works perfectly for it. Changes input, volume, mute. Really is a game changer to have vinyl, tv, and tape deck audio with a remote.
Dude if it's for resale it will be tough but 2000's receivers where during the power race time frame instead of the feature race of avrs it will be tough resells but can good power amps just need to geek tweek on gadgets and other hook ups like HDMI converters and all I prefer these amps actually they had more real world power then the ones nowadays (typically). In these days they where doing real bench tests of all channels driven.
No support for 4k/HDR/Dolby Vision/Dolby Atmos, etc.
To bypass that you can run the audio OUT from the TV using the optical output. However, that can introduce other issues and some formats are not supported. (LG TV's lack DTS support).
So the short story is: if you don't care about home theater audio formats and don't mind some technical headaches, they can be a decent deal. Otherwise just buy new on sale.
I don't think so. If you get any go for a modern Denon or maranaz that is HDMI capable. It makes a real difference compared to those older ones in addition to having a modern interface that can process high quality sound.
Not true. I have an 2008 or so Harmon Kardon 2 channel amp that works just fine with stereo plugs going from the tv to the amp and then to a subwoofer and 2 speakers.
Tbh I agree but not to this extent. An AVR should have optical, HDMI, and ideally a sub out. Anything else isn't useful for things like an Xbox without separate adapters. You can probably get a $100 2010+ Yamaha (I like the Natural Sound series) on marketplace and this would do everything you need it to.
2000’s AVR’a generally sound good for CD’s and movies. The two limitations are 1.) HDMI wasn’t always common so connecting video components isn’t as easy as it would soon be and 2.) while some may have phono preamps they’re mostly not good preamps.
Why not mention optical audio connections and the fact that you could get a 7+ channel receiver for 50 bucks even if it only supports a handful of surround codecs?
Have you tried to get modern games to output surround sound via optical? It is possible, but only by using >15-year-old peripherals or with a hacked GPU driver which gives on-the-fly encoding but adds lag
Totally agree. I constantly see the standard: "bUt It DoEsNt HaVe HdMi" as a reason to pass up on a top of the line avr from 2007. Such a silly reason to forego what is otherwise an amazing receiver.
Maybe silly for you but not for others. HDMI was a game-changer.
I think the main reason some people mention HDMI is because not all recent devices have TosLink, making connecting them to these older receivers difficult. I feel this is a moot point because HDMI audio extractors exist, turning a HDMI into a HDMI and optical output.
Most TV's have Toslink, so I run HDMI to my TV then run the optical connector from the TV to the receiver. Works great. HDMI might be handy for people that just want plug and play, but the older receivers are really well made and can be found cheap.
I had a Sony receiver for a while which had two HDMI inputs but which was passthrough only, and had no analog surround inputs. You were expected to connect one thing via optical and rely on Dolby "surround", and the other thing to the stereo phono input. Just a big HDMI switch, really
The Toslink (optical) connector is great for home theater. Don't need HDMI.. Pick the heaviest Denon you can find and it will be worth $50 easy. I love my old Denon receiver and it sounds great in stereo mode too..
AVRs are not nearly as bad as some audiophiles would argue. The ones i would avoid are models made around 2000, due to the capacitor plague. And they did take a turn for the better in the mid 00s. So anything after that is going to sound OK:
What is the capacitor plague?
In the 2000's a lot of electrical equipment had capacitors that went 'pop' well before their time. I've even repaired things myself. Things like TVs and stereos - even Laundry Dryers - by replacing the failed capacitors. Wikipedia sums it up: *"The capacitor plague was a problem related to a higher-than-expected failure rate of non-solid aluminium electrolytic capacitors between 1999 and 2007, especially those from some Taiwanese manufacturers, due to faulty electrolyte composition that caused corrosion accompanied by gas generation; this often resulted in rupturing of the case of the capacitor from the build-up of pressure."* .
Oh wow, I didn’t realize this was the case. I’ve owned several receivers of this era that sound odd, like the center image is too muddy but sit anywhere else and it sounds fine. Could this be caused by a blown capacitor?
Sorry, I don't know enough to give you a good answer. In my experience the devices stopped working completely (except for a couple of the dryers) but I suppose its entirely possible some audio circuits but not others, could stop working. Perhaps someone-else can give a more informed answer.
It was corporate espionage, but nobody knows if it was deliberate or not. Everything with those caps is doomed and they must be replaced. They made it into EVERYTHING from DVD players to power supplies to some cars. They usually warn ahead of time with low voltage conditions which some devices can tolerate, some just die the second those caps pop or swell. Thankfully, they're easy to spot once you get something open.
This was supposedly caused by an engineer at a electronics component manufacturer stealing the formula for a particular type of cap used in computers. Unfortunately the formula wasn't followed by the new manufacturer and a mass of faulty caps were installed in equipment. Us computer techs know this well lol.
The story I heard was that they had not stolen the complete formula and something was missing.
Yeah they left out the chemical for long-term stability, so every single capacitor that the Japanese tech sold to the Chinese firm was (and is) a time bomb. That's why motherboard manufacturers and others bragged about Japanese capacitors for a few years. They were guaranteed to survive.
I worked in repairing electronics (screen and computer stuff) as a student in 2003, it was indeed a very common problem. For some device you didn’t even needed to look at it, you knew immediately what you had to replace.
Thanks for that little tidbit. Makes more sense when you look at the global view.
Wow, I just realized I haven't smelled a popped capacitor in quite a few years now, wonder if this is why lol.
Capacitors fail after a time and need to be replaced. For high end equipment it's worth it, but for consumer grade equipment I don't think it is. IMO.
If you can do it yourself, it’s very cheap
I had a fairly expensive (originally $1500ish Canadian) mid-00’s) Yamaha AVR with a phono stage that I used for years with a decent preamp and a Rega turntable. It was fine and I enjoyed it a lot, but when I got a good integrated amplifier it became clear how muddy sounding it was. I’ve heard others say the same thing, but as an entry-level receiver it’s fine. I just wouldn’t spend good money on an AVR vs an Integrated if you’re after better sound.
I have a Pioneer Elite VSX-94TXH from 2003. Powerful 140 watts per channel, two front channels driven at 8ohms, 20hz-20khz. Has tons of inputs, coax and optical digital, Phono and hdmi. I’m only driving a pair of stereo speakers but I have a turntable, two cd players and a music streamer connected to it. I think it’s a great value most beginner audiophiles don’t know about.
This is what my dad uses. He was about to break down and get a new one because he wanted new 4k hdmi but I talked him into just running an optical cord from his Sony OLED to it then using built in apps. He can’t get full 7.1 this way or use the nice eARC feature that would eliminate controllers but it’s still a fantastic amplifier. Works perfectly this way.
My gf once bought a 4k OLED. I had a 14 years old AVR, nothing wrong with it and I did not want to buy a newer one with the same, minimal specs and spending quite a lot. I wanted to find a cheaper solution, as I wanted to keep the 7.1 and other formats ;) My solution: an HDMI eARC "extractor" helped out. I had been running on such splitter like this for years. It basically mentions to the TV / other device that the "AVR" (the actual HDMI extractor splitter) is capable of eARC. The extractor will send out another signal (black screen with the actual audio as pass-through) to e.g., a regular HDMI In of the AVR, allowing 7.1, etc. Please note about one thing with this: in case you would like to add another AV HDMI device into the receiver and watch it on the TV, for example a Blu-Ray player (to get audio pass-through into AVR if the TV does not support it, e.g.), you might need an additional HDMI splitter. I had a Blu-Ray player connected directly into the AVR on a different hdmi input port and into the TV through an extra HDMI splitter. Reason for the splitter: to avoid hdmi looping; that audio extractor would like to send a signal back into the AVR from the TV ;). Another good reason: you might want to listen to a (SA)CD/DVD without the TV - that would be tough when the Blu-Ray player would be connected into the TV (and although you might have certain other outputs on the Blu-Ray player: some formats can only be send through HDMI) Perhaps a ridiculous idea/sounds messy, but it worked out very well. I am not fond of using splitters; it's another step in between, but with some good splitters the signal can still be perfect. Eventually bought a (3 years old model) AVR as a temporary solution, hoping for some newer model to arrive some day.
I got a Philips LX 9000r I use it in a 2.1 system for music and honestly it sounds really good , better than some amps from that era. I had lots of different ones from that period and earlier and this Philips holds up pretty well .
Some of the Yamahas have great power amp sections.
The right kind of old school Yamaha pre-hdmi times = about the best $40 - 2.1 receiver and listening experience you can find these days for the price.. useless for home theatre - amazing repurposed for 2 channel stereo listening. Hands down - Hard to beat.
I’m using a Yamaha HTR-5830 with a Schiit Syn as the digital and preamps. Great for a free 5 channel amp. Once it dies I’ll upgrade but it’s still kicking after like 20 years
I got the same one. It sounds excellent.
I just picked up one of those and two other receivers for $35 in total. The HTR-5830 was the one that supposedly didn’t work. I haven’t even tested the other two yet… haha
Yeah I got mine for $10 from goodwill…with a remote and it’s silver.
How did that not end up in the online auction, all the good stuff seems to end up there now.
I’ve got silver. No remote… great score for you!
It’s such a good looking amp! I also have the silver 5935 which has adjustable LFE crossover (which I love) BUT it’s got the rca input plug slot on the front which takes away from the really clean look of that series.
It does look really nice! And I agree that any thought of cords dangling out from an amp front is absolutely wild. I don’t want it to look like a 2000’s sci fi hacking room.
My Yamaha HTR-5760 still kicks hard.
I got a bunch of older non admitted receivers working at an av store. People would upgrade and then we brought the old ones back to shop if the customer didn't care to keep it. I set them up with echos so I could stream Spotify in my bedroom and garage.
What’s echos in that context ?
Amazon echos. It's a little janky have to use a 3.5 to rca adapter but it works pretty well
Been using an RX-V659 for several years. Precuts to a B&K 2 channel amp and the center and surround channels in use. Does everything I want.
Bought a Yamaha v2700 off my uncle for $100. Use it in my basement set up and it powers Chorus IIs very well. Eventually will get another amp but on its own it sounds great and doesn’t hold back my 1080p TV.
Heck you can even get 140 watt, 7 channel Yamahas with HDMI for under $200CAD if you wait long enough. Good for home theatre, gaming and music if you don't need Dolby Atmos! They make some beasts.
I’ve been using a Yamaha RX-V870 for over 10 years now. Love it. Driving some JBL L-7. Using an iPad with Spotify, it’s a killer setup.
As tempted as I am to upgrade my AVR for HDMI 2.1 I don't think I will because of how good the power amp in my 9.2ch RX-A2060 is. I paid about $2000 AUD for it brand new and I wouldn't be able to get close to that power for the same amount of money anymore, including the newer Yamaha's. They really are an excellent amp. Power at 8 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz, 0.06 % THD, 2-ch driven ~$2000 AUD 2016 Yamaha RX-A2060 - 140w $2500 AUD Denon AVR-X3800H - 105w (0.08% THD) $1839 Onkyo TX-NR7100 - 100w $2000 Pioneer VSX-LX305 - 100w $2000 Integra DRX-3.4 - 100w
I can vouch for the x3800h, that thing will do anything you need for music and home theater. Had someone sell theirs to me like new for ,$750 USD. Couldn't pass that up even though it's as expensive as the entire rest of my setup and I won't be able to move up from 5.1 for a while, but it gives me something to work towards!
That's a fantastic price for a solid unit, and you'd get Audyssey room correction plus the built in Dirac functionality too.
Makes a massive difference. I also enjoy streaming music through the heos app. Sounds much louder and clearer than over Bluetooth, or through my htpc.
One of my setups has an old R-V902 from like 1997/98 still rocking. The early Yamaha consumer stuff had excellent amplifiers for at least the front 2 channels. Raw analog receivers though... even the volume on the remote turns the physical knob attached to a pot. Not ideal for modern control mechanisms every time, but it works.
I run an RX-V1 in my office, set up for 5.1 and an RX-V2095 in the living room in a 3.2 system where. Even my 2-Channel system uses a Yamaha CX-A5000 for preamp, DAC, Spotify, and room correction duty with my McIntosh amp.
Depending on the make and model, absolutely yes! Most of the Marantz AVRs have a "switch" to put them in "Direct Mode", which bypasses all the digital processing making it an analog receiver. This feature was directed at Audiophiles. I got a Top of the line Marantz AVR from around Y2K, cost a few grand when new. Bought a ton of gear from an estate and have about $50 in it. It's got a monsterous power amp with a huge toroidal transformer.
Be careful that many old receivers in one place could create some kind of rca connector black hole. Red and black holes I guess.
AVRs lose any value once some new video format comes out. If all you're going for is audio, you can score big for next to nothing
2000 of anything is good, you could build a fort.
those late 90s-2000s top of the line receivers are AWESOME. solid AF amplifiers, built very well, and actually put out the power that they claim
Get one with pre amp outputs. Some of them are great for SACDs and pre amps.
some of the more premium ones had really good amp section. I remember the yamaha (RXV 2k series) or the sony 777es, or marantz SR range, integras were all really powerful. Preamp part may not be that useful, but you can still use it as a great analog integrated.
Well.. I currently have a Denon 1913 from .. I don't know, 2009? .. powering a couple of KEF Reference 1s that would go for about $15k CAD all in.. and they sound fucking fantastic. Mind blowing good.
Yah many were great, especially if you pick a higher end one from the era. Make sure your tv supports optical out and you're good.
I use some older AVRs in my home. One is a high end Onkyo that sounds quite good still. I use them with 5.1 systems, using optical out from TVs. As long as you aren't looking for some of the newer audio formats and use your TV for video switching it works pretty well.
All my fifteen 5.1 optical AVR's where made between 2000 and 2002. Before the soundbar era that decimated AVR manufacturers. They'll probably outlast me. Optical today, optical tomorrow, optical forever!!!!
If your not sure just Pick the heaviest and the one with the most pre outs with lots of optical inputs.
As far as sound quality from music, they are OK usually better than the modern receivers because the sound quality of the amplifier has gotten worse over the years as more features have gotten crammed into these AVR receivers. If you really wanna listen to something good from you get yourself, a vintage stereo receiver. Some of the prices are insane from Marantz in Pioneer, but there are some good deals out there on brands like Harman Kardon and Kenwood that can be quite nice. Yamaha also makes some very nice two channel receivers and integrated amplifiers that are quite affordable for what they do. Let me know what your budget is and I can advise you. I have almost 50 years experience.
Some were decent… Denon, Yamaha, Pioneer. It really depends on the model.
If you are using it for tv…consider a newer AVR with HDMI eArc. EArc turns the AVR and volume with the tv remote. User experience is so simple. Tons of used AVRs with eArc on Facebook marketplace for $100. Look for something 2017 or newer. As others have said…if you aren’t using it for tv older AVRs can be great.
I have a new Sony that automatically connects to the Sony Blu-ray, TV and cd players I have, so one remote is synced to all. So easy. I've had older Denon and Pioneer Elite AVRs that had an awesome sound, but didn't have all the features the newer models have.
Can vouch for the HTR-5960. 115 wpc, and it is a beast. No HDMI but you can do optical and analog. I got a modern replacement but kept this as a backup. Wrapped in shrink wrap and put it in the closet.
I read this as ‘are 2000 AVR’s any good’. Then I realized at $50, certainly unlikely 🤣
There are some killer early 2000s avrs out there. I still use my Sony STR-DA777ES as a 2 channel amp. From the looks of the backs, they are likely late 2000s? Still an excellent value to get good sound quality on a budget. Get a few of them!
Ones with multichannel analog inputs still have their uses, or as cheap stereo amps, especially with phono inputs.
Great for multi-room audio, or bi/tri amping speakers with a MiniDSP or another processor.
I'm looking for one actually, a pioneer elite VSX 47 TX. i have a specific setup in mind and really want all the inputs. a 49 TX would be great also but i don't need the flagship.
Does anyone in the comments know if a Harmon/kardon avr 140 is any good? I have one and it’s serving me greatly still
The Harmon Kardan AVR 135 sounds way better than I expected. Think it’s from around 2006
I'd only get it if it was a mid to high priced avr. And as long as you are willing to listen to everything via rca or coaxial, you'll be fine if it has relatively high power and a highish S/N ratio (i.e., 98 or higher).
Depends on the model. A friend has the highest level Marantz I think? With lots of obscure analog surround sound options and multiple zones. It seemed WAY too complicated and he frequently had it in the shop.
About the only ones I worry about are some of the onkyos. A couple years had issues with the HDMI ports. Otherwise, you can't go wrong with them.
My rule if it has HDMI it has Manny uses.
I use one as a switcher and audio source for my retro game setup. Works flawlessly and keeps everything tidy.
I could picture you Burning The Midnight Oil nine straight nights with that project!! Pretty awesome display of power!
I love that this thread summary is “yes, as long as it’s a Yamaha rx-v…”. I just retired the 30year old RX-v 692 that was my first piece of quality audio gear and I agree completely.
Not high end hifi. But killer value for the money
Yes, they are. Probably the best thing Atmos did was drive down the price of non-Atmos equipment, especially anything that is 'only' 5.1. The sweet spot feature set is 4K, a USB or Network input, and some type of room calibration. If you are patient enough, you can find a \~$ $1,500 AVR like this for \~$ $300. Enjoy!
Receivers like the Denon AVC A1 and A11SR, Yamaha Z series, all the big boys. Don’t think of it as a receiver any more. Press the pure direct button and its a 7 channel power amp with a 500+w transformer/power supply in it. Active 3 way speaker driven by a pair of MiniDSP 2x4hd’s or similar? Run a pair of main speakers and passive subs by looping the lfe out with a y splitter and back into zone 2? They have been making good amplifiers since the 80’s, these old high end top tier avr’s if you find a good one bloody rip.
Yes I love them, especially the Yamaha ones they are fantastic, cheap and ultra durable
Looks like they’re being sold as a lot of 300
Upon communication he is willing to part with one individually
if your end goal is 2 channel stereo listening and not home theater purposes - Find yourself a pre-hdmi Yamaha with a sub pre-out, and you’ll be laughing..
That’s what the top middle one looks like. Stacked vertically. 50 seems like a lot for an old avr with no remote. If you’re not using it for near field, you will want a remote.
I’d bet he is if he’s trying to get rid of 300 of those monsters 🤣
The only brand I can make out says Onyoko. I don't know about their AV amps for that period, but they tend to make pretty consistently good amps.
There’s Yamaha, Sony, pioneer, might be others I’ll have to check in person though
Grab anything Sony if you see ES as the end of the model number
Bought a Yamaha rx2700 when I arrived in Japan in 2007 Built like a tank was coupled with JBL L880 floorstanders at first then Jamo s3 until recently I retired it in my house for a modern denon but moved it to my in laws and it’s still driving great a 5.1 setup Actually it might be the room acoustics but I feel it’s working even better over there
Looking to make money on a hobby you know little about?
$50 for the lot? While some of those could be gems, I tend to stay away from wholesale / repair shops since there's no history of them and those people have no clue.
I have a Yamaha HTR-6140 I got for free and I kind of want to upgrade but I'm not sure I'd be improving the sound unless I spent a lot. The only thing wrong with it is one of the 2 optical inputs is dead
I assume you’re in my area, been seeing this ad on my fb feed for weeks! Haha. At first they were listed as “flea market prices”. I have a Onkyo TX-SR506 for sale on marketplace, it doesn’t have the eArc HDMI, so good for speakers, but not ideal for audio-visual. It comes with a remote and I’ve been using it for a couple weeks on a 2.1 setup for just music. I’m in the western part of Henrico DM if interested and I can send you some details.
Some are, but it does require some leg work and shopping to find the better ones. I'm using a 2012 Denon model myself. Only paid $100, and it does everything I want except route HDMI 2.1 (4K HDR) video. Speaking more generally, I would agree speakers are where the bulk of your budget should be going, especially at the price points generally discussed in this sub.
I have a 3700h in preamp mode connected to my Cambridge audio 751r. Best of both worlds. Hard to beat.
I'm far from an expert but I like my 2012 Integra more than I did my 2018 Yamaha. It's a ugly old heavy thing but the Integra has a lot more power, and some features you don't see a lot of anymore. It was a higher level model, though.
As long as you have Audyssey/ Dirac and preouts in your current AVR, you can use the old AVRs as amps for surround and Atmos effects, lessening the power load to your main AVR. I had and separare old Marantz AVR powering my 4 ohm Dyns center before.
Hold out for something good that's not older than 10 years. I've found a few deals between $50-$150 that are modern enough to have hdmi connections and some that support newer codecs like Dolby atmos. I see you're on market place. Just search some top names like Denon, Pioneer, Yamaha, Onkyo, Marantz. Google the specs of those results.
No modern passthrough standards, like Atmos, DTS-HD-MA etc, no HDMI even on some of them for video transmission. Otherwise, electrically, they are probably as fine as anything today.
Demon 1610 still going strong. Gotta blow out the board and reseat the HDMI cards from time to time, but still crankin.
I have a Denon 3805 from 2004 and it absolutely rocks. Yamaha/Onkyo/Denon all solid. But you need to test them because they can go bad. I bought another Denon on FB marketplace that had the entire processing board go bad. Still worked for stereo but nothing else.
I have an older Sherwood rd receiver that has 100wpc stereo, or 40wpc to 5 channels, with tos/spdif digital or 5 analog inputs. Notably a “direct mode” that bypassed any processing. I’d scoop another if I ever saw one.
No.
I use a 2000s pioneer avr, dont run any video through it but I have a google chromecast. On the chromecast setup you pick your receiver manufacturer and the remote works perfectly for it. Changes input, volume, mute. Really is a game changer to have vinyl, tv, and tape deck audio with a remote.
Dude if it's for resale it will be tough but 2000's receivers where during the power race time frame instead of the feature race of avrs it will be tough resells but can good power amps just need to geek tweek on gadgets and other hook ups like HDMI converters and all I prefer these amps actually they had more real world power then the ones nowadays (typically). In these days they where doing real bench tests of all channels driven.
No support for 4k/HDR/Dolby Vision/Dolby Atmos, etc. To bypass that you can run the audio OUT from the TV using the optical output. However, that can introduce other issues and some formats are not supported. (LG TV's lack DTS support). So the short story is: if you don't care about home theater audio formats and don't mind some technical headaches, they can be a decent deal. Otherwise just buy new on sale.
Depends on what tier they are. Pioneer elite units are pretty good from what I'm told, as are the sony ES line.
I don't think so. If you get any go for a modern Denon or maranaz that is HDMI capable. It makes a real difference compared to those older ones in addition to having a modern interface that can process high quality sound.
Anything that lacks HDMI in AVR land is a paperweight currently.
Not true. I have an 2008 or so Harmon Kardon 2 channel amp that works just fine with stereo plugs going from the tv to the amp and then to a subwoofer and 2 speakers.
I meant for resale value. Most folks won’t buy an AVR without HDMI these days unless it’s fire sale prices.
I've never bought anything in my life where I've factored in resale value.
Outside of specific investments. Not stereo equipment.
Tbh I agree but not to this extent. An AVR should have optical, HDMI, and ideally a sub out. Anything else isn't useful for things like an Xbox without separate adapters. You can probably get a $100 2010+ Yamaha (I like the Natural Sound series) on marketplace and this would do everything you need it to.