Any quality modest 2.1 Receivers left in this world?

A used Music Hall Maven (or Mambo integrated amp) might could eventually be found for around $500.

Maybe these will work.

NAD C720BEE

http://nadelectronics.com/products/h...tereo-Receiver

Integra DTM-5.3

http://www.integrahometheater.com/mo...s=Receiver&p=i

Outlaw RR2150

http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/rr2150.html

The integra looks nice but i dont think the Nad720 has the optical inputs he is looking for, does integra have any authorised online dealers?? You can also check out the Rotel rx-1052 no optical either. But none of these new fits you budget so if you can find them used maybe.

2 I posted fit into his budget except the Outlaw.

Why? What you are asking for is a 2-channel receiver with a DAC, but why, exactly? Do you want a filtered subwoofer output? Do you foresee your player's DAC being so crappy that you need to use a receiver's DAC? Do you want digital bass management? ................What?

None of those has an onboard DAC, which is what I presume he wants in asking for an optical input. I asked him above to clarify this for us.

I think the Outlaw's bass management is analog.

Why are you fixed on a 2.1-only receiver?

Any AVR will do 2.1 if you configure the speakers as such.

You can also try adding an external DAC (to convert the optical to analog RCA) to your receiver of choice. I do not know if HT receivers perform bass management / crossover duties in digital or analog format, but you may still hear and improvement going with an external DAC and 2-channel unit vs. multi-channel with internal DAC.

Well take a look at the nad 720 with the external dac, the mavern has a dac but its 800+ bucks

I would look at the Outlaw or the NAD.

The Outlaw has analog bass management. Very impressive...

How about a Panasonic SA-XR55 digital AV receiver at only $179.00?

In 2-channel mode, with a bi-wirable/bi-ampable speaker, it will use 3 of its amplifiers per speaker. If your speaker is not bi-wireable/bi-ampable, it will still use 2 of its amplifiers per speaker. When using its digital inputs, it keeps everything in the digital domain until the final conversion to analog, which is built into the technology of the digital amplifiers; there is not really a DAC.


SA-XR55 brochure

Or.........................

What is your maximum budget, jeffro? Would you consider an integrated amp or a pre-amp/amp combo if the price was reasonable?

Another way of looking at it is that the whole thing IS one big DAC as long as you are using the digital inputs. Once you go into the analog inputs then you have ADCs in the mix too.

It is identical except that it has an HDMI input/output. Since you are not looking for that feature, there is no reason to consider the XR57 over the XR55.

You might as well try it, because it's about as good an option as you are going to find to meet your requirement.

If nothing else, shipping is negligible because of the light weight and the price is low enough that you don't stand to lose much if you decide to return it or sell it.

Yeah, definitely get back to us. Read the manual carefully and make certain you set the receiver up properly for 2-channel use.

HERE is a link to the manual so you can get a head-start.

Congrats. Great receiver for little bucks. The Harmon Kardon 3385@JR for less than 2 bills and the Yamaha HTR-5940@Radio Shack for less than 160 is another winner for us cheapskates. The lowly Pioneer A-35 is nice, too.

I picked up a SA-XR57K a couple weeks ago after reading this thread. I've been using it in my main 2 channel music setup with PMC OB1s, AppleTV for music and an Oppo 980H for SACD and DVD-A. I think I'm going to keep it, I've been really impressed with how quiet the amp is, how clean it sounds and how much power it puts out for so little money.

I've also plugged it into a watt-hour meter and it draws less than half what the NAD C352 I had on loan. Of course it's not stable into 2 ohms like the NAD either. My speakers are 6 ohms and the Panasonic has no problem with them even at high volumes.

My real wish would be for Panasonic to make a 2 channel version with all the video and multichannel circuitry removed and maybe an upgraded ADC. It should also have a phono stage that adds the RIAA equalization in the digital domain. They could even have fun with it and make tube amp DSPs that emulate classic equipment like the Fisher 500 with tone controls and loudness. Give the thing an aluminum faceplate and I'm sure it'd be a hit.

My Denon stereo receiver (something-37) does not have bass management, but it does have a mono pre-out for a sub. It sounds great (especially for only $300.)

I believe that's the DRA-37. Good stereo receiver for those on a budget.

Your wish was realized by Onkyo with its 2 channel stereo A-9555 integrated amp. Yes, digital amplification with phono input. BTW, it just received a rave review in the October 2007 issue of Stereophile magazine. Street price....about $500.00. Onkyo actually has a series of these integrated amps marketed overseas, but the A-9555 is the only one available in the US.

Pioneer is readying a similar high-end 2 channel receiver in its Elite line. It was just introduced at the recent 2007 CEDIA expo (pictured with matching 2 channel stereo CD/SACD player)

A digital amp with no digital inputs? No thanks.

It doesn't matter! Not to worry! I've tested, and tested, and tested the analog RCA and Digital inputs on many of my digital amps and "THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE". I even put them on my highly revealing Klipschorn's to try and here the slightest difference, and there isn't any to be heard. They know this and analog RCA inputs are the mostly widely used and the audio purest go that route. If you just like having the digital inputs because you just prefer hooking thing up that way, that's a different situation.

Don't bother worrying about the analog inputs vs. the digital inputs, it's a waste of time. Out of 85 people listening while we tested, no one could hear a difference, no one knew which was which, and we all just use the RCA analogs now.

Does anyone know when these will be available in the US?