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Topic: Good Stereo Channel Receiver? (150Watt Per Chnl) (Read 8739 times) previous topic - next topic
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Good Stereo Channel Receiver? (150Watt Per Chnl)

Hello, I am looking for a Stereo channel receiver that is 150Watt Per Channel.  It does not have to be anything fancy...  As a Final note I want to use bare wire to connect my speakers since I already have the wire in.

These are the speaker specs I will be using with this receiver (or at least this is the closest I could find.  Mine look just like the ones I found except they are white.  I won't post the page because it is someone trying to sell them, but this is the info that they posted.) "I got them from my uncle so I don't know much about them."

frequency driver
Power Handling: 150 watts
Sensitivity: 89dB spl (2.83V, 1m)
Frequency Response: 70Hz - 20Hz ( - 3dB)
Crossover Frequency: 3.5kHz
Impedance: Normal 8^

-Thanks

Good Stereo Channel Receiver? (150Watt Per Chnl)

Reply #1 –
If you're just looking for a simple stereo receiver, I don't know that there's any particularly special advice you need.  Just look around, see what your options are, and decide which suits you best as far as features (power, looks, internet connectivity, etc.).

To help you along a little, here's what Crutchfield offers in stereo receivers. 

Good Stereo Channel Receiver? (150Watt Per Chnl)

Reply #2 –
Quote from: gib on
If you're just looking for a simple stereo receiver, I don't know that there's any particularly special advice you need.  Just look around, see what your options are, and decide which suits you best as far as features (power, looks, internet connectivity, etc.).

To help you along a little, here's what Crutchfield offers in stereo receivers.



Well I am looking for something cheap.  All I need is volume.  I just want to power the speakers.

Good Stereo Channel Receiver? (150Watt Per Chnl)

Reply #3 –
Then get the cheapest one in that link. 

Of course, you may not live in the US, I don't know.  If you don't, that would presumably complicate ordering from Crutchfield, but that was just one website I quickly looked at.  I'm sure you have a local website/store that offers similar products.  Of course, there's also the option of looking for used gear, if you want to keep it really cheap.

Good Stereo Channel Receiver? (150Watt Per Chnl)

Reply #4 –
You probably don't need that much power.  There has always been a big mess about power indicators in that regard, (and that is without even entering in the territory of PC speakers or 5.1 active speakers, where I saw 100W on a 3'' plastic speaker and 2000W on a relatively small 5.1 speaker system...).


I have two 50 cm tall 3-way (8'' bass) speakers that were rated as 125W. They have more than 20 years, although the bass driver was changed 15 years ago.
They are driven by an integrated amplifier that is rated 2x10W (yes.. 10, not 100). It was the small brother of another rated 2x20 and another 4x20, which we bought 15 years ago.

I have only played this above 3/4th of its volume at a party, and I rarely use it at more than 1/4th of its volume.

Good Stereo Channel Receiver? (150Watt Per Chnl)

Reply #5 –
Quote from: [JAZ] on

You probably don't need that much power.  There has always been a big mess about power indicators in that regard, (and that is without even entering in the territory of PC speakers or 5.1 active speakers, where I saw 100W on a 3'' plastic speaker and 2000W on a relatively small 5.1 speaker system...).


I have two 50 cm tall 3-way (8'' bass) speakers that were rated as 125W. They have more than 20 years, although the bass driver was changed 15 years ago.
They are driven by an integrated amplifier that is rated 2x10W (yes.. 10, not 100). It was the small brother of another rated 2x20 and another 4x20, which we bought 15 years ago.

I have only played this above 3/4th of its volume at a party, and I rarely use it at more than 1/4th of its volume.



So how do you tell?  I don't know much about Audio.

Good Stereo Channel Receiver? (150Watt Per Chnl)

Reply #6 –
Right, so I was trying to guide you without getting into much in the way of detail.  That's because, truthfully, if you're just looking for something cheap to get the job done, anything new will be more than sufficient for your needs, so you don't need to worry about the details. 

Anyway, what JAZ is saying is that even though 10 watts sounds puny, it's actually pretty good.  Your speakers are rated at 89dB at 2.83 volts at 1 meter distance.  2.83 volts into an 8 Ohm speaker is basically 1 watt, which is the standard way of measuring sensitivity.  So with a mere 1 watt input, you could expect about 89dB out of your speakers at a 1 meter distance, which is pretty loud.  The rule of thumb with power and sound level is that 10 times the power increases output by 10 dB.  So at 10 watts (1x10) input, you could expect 99dB at 1 meter from your speakers.  Very loud. 

The link I gave you has receivers rated at 40, 80, even 100 watts.  Since 10 watts is enough to get about 100dB in your case, it's easy to see how a 100 watt receiver isn't really necessary sometimes, or even a lot of the time.  That's something you should consider, especially if, as I suggested, seeking out a used receiver might be a better/cheaper option for you.  There is one caution, however.  Any amp if cranked up sufficiently beyond it's specs will clip, which is a type of distortion.  Aside from sounding unpleasant, it is a good way to cook the tweeters in your speakers.  If you're the type of person who wants your neighbors to hear exactly what you're listening to, a little wattage headroom wouldn't hurt. 

Lastly, since we're getting into details now, it's worth noting that even though your speakers are rated to 150 watts (RMS?), that does not mean they need 150 watts to work, or you need a 150 watt amp to match them.  It just means the speakers can handle up to that much wattage without blowing out.  They're perfectly happy with .5 watts input.  The main thing you need to be aware of with speakers is their impedance.  8 Ohms is very typical for home speakers.  Any amp/receiver will do for that.  Some speakers are rated at 4 Ohms.  Lower impedance actually stresses an amp more, so some amps may not like a 4 Ohm load.  But since your speakers are 8 Ohms, you have nothing to worry about.

Good Stereo Channel Receiver? (150Watt Per Chnl)

Reply #7 –
Quote from: ARKaMAN on
Hello, I am looking for a Stereo channel receiver that is 150Watt Per Channel.  It does not have to be anything fancy...  As a Final note I want to use bare wire to connect my speakers since I already have the wire in.
<snip>


You seem to think that you need 150 Watts because the speakers can take 150 Watts. That is not the case and depends HEAVILY on how loud you want to listen. The vast majority of the time you won't want or need anything near 150 Watts. I would bet you'd be totally happy with a 50 Watt / channel amp.

Tell me about 'bare wire'. In general it's a BAD idea to ever short the amplifier outputs because protection systems don't always work as predicted. Insulation should cover all but the very end of the wire where the connections are made.

G²

Good Stereo Channel Receiver? (150Watt Per Chnl)

Reply #8 –
the power required depends on:
sensitivity
directivity (power response)
volume of the room
reverberation time
listening distance
required level

for example

87 db / w
0.5 [2 Pi rad]
100 M ³
0.7 sec
3 m
108 db spl

require an amplifier of 52 W

Music is my first love.

Good Stereo Channel Receiver? (150Watt Per Chnl)

Reply #9 –
Quote from: [JAZ] on

You probably don't need that much power. There has always been a big mess about power indicators in that regard, (and that is without even entering in the territory of PC speakers or 5.1 active speakers, where I saw 100W on a 3'' plastic speaker and 2000W on a relatively small 5.1 speaker system...).


I have two 50 cm tall 3-way (8'' bass) speakers that were rated as 125W. They have more than 20 years, although the bass driver was changed 15 years ago.
They are driven by an integrated amplifier that is rated 2x10W (yes.. 10, not 100). It was the small brother of another rated 2x20 and another 4x20, which we bought 15 years ago.

I have only played this above 3/4th of its volume at a party, and I rarely use it at more than 1/4th of its volume.


Similarly, I'm using a set of medium-large floorstanding speakers with a rated power handling of 150W. They're perfectly happy with a 50W per channel amplifier and I've yet to go above 1/2 on the volume dial. In fact, I would rather not be in the room should the dial ever be turned up that far.

ARKaMAN: If you don't have any particular requirements other than it needs to work and play relatively loud, just go scour Craigslist or your local equivalent for used stereo amps. People are constantly upgrading to surround sound and are practically giving away stereo amplifiers in good condition. Mine's a 2003 NAD C320BEE that I picked up for ~$75. It's got a single small scratch on it, apart from that it's like new.

So go looking for a nice deal on a used amp around the 50W per channel level (or more, if it happens to be cheaper). NAD, Pioneer, Cambridge, Sony, Rotel and all of the other usual brands all make good solid hardware (from a physical, can-stand-up-to-abuse standpoint) if you go for the hifi separate components and not the all-in-one plastic boxes. If you can live without a remote control, the market is even bigger, with amplifiers from even the 80s and 70s being perfectly good options, if they're in good physical condition. You could probably find a good amplifier for your needs for less than $25 in that case. Goodwill and similar stores usually have a section with old (or "vintage") stereo equipment, just look for metal cabinets with wood siding and lots of knobs.

Heck, if you stay around college dorms around the start or end of a semester, you could be lucky enough to find various electronics and furniture being given away or just sitting on the curb, because of students who are too lazy to lug them back home.