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Looking for a non-ugly receiver

3077 Views 33 Replies 21 Participants Last post by Dzhokhar, Jul 24, 2009

tariqk

Discussion Starter · Jul 23, 2009

Just got married. My wife is an interior designer. I am a computer geek. I have a Sony 5.1 AV receiver with 80 watts that works great - but she thinks it's ugly and wants it out of the house. So we need a new receiver.

Any thoughts or ideas about which receivers are good value and relatively attractive looking (ie not just a big black box, which offends her sensibilities?) BOSE makes some good looking systems but I hear negative comments about them from audiophiles. Harman/Kardon is a little more attractive than what I have now but still black boxy. Any ideas?

And in case anyone is wondering, my wife and I see eye-to-eye on everything else. But one must compromise in marriage; the victim will be my Sony receiver.

1 - 20 of 34 Posts

ccotenj

· #2 · Jul 23, 2009

you'll have to give us a little help here as to what she might find attractive...

to be honest, this probably falls under the category of "good luck"... avr's by their very nature tend to be "black boxy"...

phantom52

· #3 · Jul 23, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by tariqk /forum/post/16876309

Just got married. My wife is an interior designer. I am a computer geek. I have a Sony 5.1 AV receiver with 80 watts that works great - but she thinks it's ugly and wants it out of the house. So we need a new receiver.

Any thoughts or ideas about which receivers are good value and relatively attractive looking (ie not just a big black box, which offends her sensibilities?) BOSE makes some good looking systems but I hear negative comments about them from audiophiles. Harman/Kardon is a little more attractive than what I have now but still black boxy. Any ideas?

And in case anyone is wondering, my wife and I see eye-to-eye on everything else. But one must compromise in marriage; the victim will be my Sony receiver.

Have you looked at the silver versions from Onkyo? How about the piano black like finish on a Pioneer SC model? If these won't suit your needs and want something more modern like look into Bang & Olefsin all in one solutions. Don't know exactly what they are into these days or how dependable they are now. You can also go for the different finishes that Marantz offers, but be very ready to pay big for them.

MichaelJHuman

· #4 · Jul 23, 2009

If you have somewhat high amounts of money, some European brands might appeal to you. NAD, Quad, Rotel, etc.

Of course there's B&O, and that's even MORE expensive.

PIRSQUARED

· #5 · Jul 23, 2009

I've got to agree with your wife on this one! Sony makes some of the ugliest looking AVRs (I happen to own one!). Their TVs look great, though! What's your budget? Arcam and Rotel make some of the best looking AVRs, but those will set you back several thousand dollars! H/K has much more affordable models in a two-tone design that look pretty good.

Dzhokhar

· #6 · Jul 23, 2009

I think you need to invest in a cabinet with a door on the front (or some sort of custom installation in a closet).

kagolu

· #7 · Jul 23, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dzhokhar /forum/post/16876569

I think you need to invest in a cabinet with a door on the front (or some sort of custom installation in a closet).

This is probably cheaper than some of the receiver options being posted.

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VectorLabs

· #8 · Jul 23, 2009

2

The new Marantz NR1501 slim receiver looks very sexy.

The SR6003 is sexy too

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localnet

· #9 · Jul 23, 2009

I'll throw a vote towards the new Marantz SR6003 http://us.marantz.com/Products/2515.asp

ccotenj

· #10 · Jul 23, 2009

those certainly are attractive... i like the looks of those a lot...

unfortunately, if "black boxy" is out, those are still "black boxy"...

i like the "cabinet" idea...

VectorLabs

· #11 · Jul 23, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by ccotenj /forum/post/16876669

those certainly are attractive... i like the looks of those a lot...

unfortunately, if "black boxy" is out, those are still "black boxy"...

i like the "cabinet" idea...

Maybe she is equating black boxy as bad because of all the visible buttons and dials and crap found on most receivers. With the SRS6003 you just have 2 black knobs and curved front.

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ccotenj

· #12 · Jul 23, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by VectorLabs /forum/post/16876722

Maybe she is equating black boxy as bad because of all the visible buttons and dials and crap found on most receivers. With the SRS6003 you just have 2 black knobs and curved front.

yea true... which is why my first question to the op was essentially "tell us what she likes to look at"... maybe he'll pop back in and answer...

those marantz units sure are purty though...

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VectorLabs

· #13 · Jul 23, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by ccotenj /forum/post/16876747

yea true... which is why my first question to the op was essentially "tell us what she likes to look at"... maybe he'll pop back in and answer...

those marantz units sure are purty though...

Yeah the SR6003 is the best looking receiver I have seen to date. Sucks that it's a grand though.

ccotenj

· #14 · Jul 23, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by VectorLabs /forum/post/16876767

Yeah the SR6003 is the best looking receiver I have seen to date. Sucks that it's a grand though.

give it some time... like everything else electronic, they'll have to clear them out eventually...

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TPnBobcats

· #15 · Jul 23, 2009

I used to like the looks of the Pioneer elites, but the current gen is blah to ugly. I'm not sure I've seen any recent mass market AVRs that I liked the looks of.

You are probably looking at over a grand for anything that actually looks nice, more likely considerably more.

Parasound's Halo line is really nice looking, but horribly ($3.5k + $2.5k for matching amp) expensive

http://www.parasound.com/halo/

Rotel looks pretty good, but still quite expensive (about $2.2k)

http://www.rotel.com/NA/products/Pro...ils.htm?Id=474

Emotiva makes the least expensive units that I think looks nice, but even there you are talking $1,500 (UMC-1 + UPA-7).

http://emotiva.com/umc1.shtm

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tariqk

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jul 23, 2009

You guys have been extraordinarily helpful. Thanks!

To answer the "what does she like to look at" question (insert joke here), she does prefer something that is not black - something silver or white would be much more acceptable given the design theme of our apartment.

Smaller is better and the non-black rule could be avoided if the unit is small enough. That Marantz unit is pretty cool for sure.

Dzhokhar

· #17 · Jul 23, 2009

Do you have a particular budget in mind? That would help people narrow down their suggestions.

As a start, I think pretty much all of Onkyo's receiver lineup is available in silver.

Knucklehead90

· #18 · Jul 23, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by tariqk /forum/post/16876833

You guys have been extraordinarily helpful. Thanks!

To answer the "what does she like to look at" question (insert joke here), she does prefer something that is not black - something silver or white would be much more acceptable given the design theme of our apartment.

Smaller is better and the non-black rule could be avoided if the unit is small enough. That Marantz unit is pretty cool for sure.

I think you'll find they are all something like 17" wide - some are taller than others. The Harman Kardon line gets high marks for their looks - the Onkyo line has some smaller ones - and some silver ones - not my taste but thats just me.

SteveinDanville

· #19 · Jul 23, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by tariqk /forum/post/16876309

Just got married. My wife is an interior designer. I am a computer geek. I have a Sony 5.1 AV receiver with 80 watts that works great - but she thinks it's ugly and wants it out of the house. So we need a new receiver.

Not for nothing, but having been married for 29 years, you need to get something straight while you're still in honeymoon mode: If you have to get rid of a receiver because "it's ugly", you are just seeing the tip of the iceburg, my friend. Next your friends have to go, the Lexus isn't good enough since she's seen the new Mercedes, ad nauseum. You need to nip this in the bud right now, and stop a precedent-setting event before it takes root. Good luck, man up, and tell her "I like it!".

Knucklehead90

· #20 · Jul 23, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveinDanville /forum/post/16877681

Not for nothing, but having been married for 29 years, you need to get something straight while you're still in honeymoon mode: If you have to get rid of a receiver because "it's ugly", you are just seeing the tip of the iceburg, my friend. Next your friends have to go, the Lexus isn't good enough since she's seen the new Mercedes, ad nauseum. You need to nip this in the bud right now, and stop a precedent-setting event before it takes root. Good luck, man up, and tell her "I like it!".

I get asked all the time what my Harley cost.

I always say "about as much as a woman would".

I never get a "what does that mean"?

1 - 20 of 34 Posts

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