evw2k
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Receiver for Vandersteen 2C or 2Ce's
commsysman
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The Outlaw RR2150 receiver has had rave reviews from both Stereophile and The Absolute Sound magazines.

I suggest that you read the review (available here).

It costs $699 and has a lot of features for the money also.

It is only sold online from the Outlaw Audio website.

I had the Vandersteen 2 speakers for about 6 years, and loved them; I upgraded to the Model 3 when it came out about 20 years ago, and still use them; I think they are hard to beat at any price (and good value to boot...lol).

jackfish
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A refurbished Harman Kardon HK 3485-Z is only $230 from harmanaudio.com and is surprisingly good receiver for the price. It has plenty of power, a phono preamp at least as good as what you already have, a decent FM tuner, preamp outputs and connection for an iPod. If you are not satisfied with it you can return it within 30-days for a full purchase price refund.

I would forget 5.1 if you will be strictly or even mostly listening to music. Movies are just fine in two-channel and you won't need a sub with those speakers. I also don't think you will be disappointed with the Vandersteen 2Cs. If you get a chance go to Performance Audio in SF or Tailored Technology in Santa Clara and listen to the Vandersteen 2Ce Signature IIs to get an idea of what you are in for.

evw2k
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Well, that Outlaw certainly does seem awesome, I will definitely check it out and do more research on it.

Jackfish, the harman kardon looks good as well. The only thing that worries me is the video and digital features. I like that it has it, but I will honestly not be using them. I feel like my money would go to better use with just audio components. My computer has a speaker out, side speaker out, rear speaker out and sub out that I can just hook up to the receiver's aux in.

Both of these products are new however. I may be mistaken, but I always liked to think of stereo equipment with this analogy: with $30,000 you could buy a brand new Volvo, or a twenty year old Ferrari . Would this not be the same here? Couldn't I get a far nicer system if I bought a used older one? Or would an older system be more like a $30,000 twenty year old Jaguar ?

jackfish
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Have you thought about getting a used integrated amplifier? You would open up moer possibilities going that route. If you need FM you could buy a vintage tuner in good condition, which probably would have a better tuner than what would be in a newer receiver. I got an AKAI AT-2600 in mint condition for $125 that works like a charm.

http://www.fmtunerinfo.com/

evw2k
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Oh, absolutely I have considered it. I really have no purpose for a receiver; I cannot even think of the last time I actually listened to the radio. I'm sorry. When I wrote my first post, I completely forgot that receiver meant radio tuner built in . I just need something to drive my speakers, preferably with 2-3 different audio inputs (TT, computer, extra).

And when I get back to the bay over summer I will definitely go and listen to the Vandersteens. I can't wait.

jazzfan
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As a long time Vandersteen owner I only have good things to say about all their products. The fact that in the Bay area there are so many used Vandersteens on the market only makes picking a pair up a no-brainer. As far as integrated amps go, there are quite lot of really good ones out there which can be had on the used market for under $500. Here's the rub: the Vandersteen 2Cs are so good that you should really try to avoid getting an inferior amp. I have an Audio Refinement integrated amp that can be found for around $500 and is just great. Plenty of power and a very clean sound. Of course there are plenty of other amps out there so listen to as many of them as you possibly can before spending any money.

Another thing to remember is that this audio hobby is filled with fickle people who are constantly chasing the flavor of the month so many really good products which sound great but have fallen out of favor (like the Audio Refinement) can be had on the used market for relatively little money. Keep your eyes and ears open and be ready to jump on a good deal when you see it and you should do okay.

commsysman
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I suggest that you go to the Audio Advisor website and look at their list of affordable Cambridge and NAD integrated amplifiers, in the $300-$600 price range. Almost any of those will give you a good start.

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