# Help me choose a new stereo receiver **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 15, 2019, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-new-stereo-receiver/831195 "2019-03-15T21:01:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-new-stereo-receiver/831195/1 "2019-03-15T21:01:19Z")
My stereo receiver suddenly stopped working. I just barely touched the volume control and it went dead. Looking online for a stereo receiver I found plenty of sites that would sell me one, but not a single one that would give me specs. I don’t mean sound quality, though that would be nice, but I am not real demanding. I mean one that I can plug a CD player into, maybe even an audiotape player. And the space it has to fit into, which the old one did, is only about 5 3/4" high. None of the stores so eager to sell me one would deign to even say whether there is a slot of auxiliary devices, although for some of them it seemed obvious from the photo that the controls were too simple for that. And they certainly won’t tell me the height. Amazon is especially bad for this. Can any knowledgeable Doper make a suggestion? ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-new-stereo-receiver/831195/2 "2019-03-15T21:05:06Z")
> **[Crutchfield: Car Stereo and Audio, Speakers, Home Theater, Pro Audio, TVs](https://www.crutchfield.com/S-yE3PDhTuPla/)** > > Since 1974 we've provided Legendary Service to consumer electronics shoppers. Get FREE 2-day shipping, one-on-one advice, along with free lifetime tech support. Don’t buy from them! They are a pretty good research tool though. All that overpricing does provide pretty good customer service. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-new-stereo-receiver/831195/3 "2019-03-15T21:15:20Z")
The space is only 5.75" high? Yikes! That’s short. Is the shelf adjustable? Can you squeeze out more space? Virtually every manufacturer has spec sheets available on their websites providing the physical dimensions. The hard part is getting to the point where you have an idea of which manufacturer and series of receiver you might be interested in. I’m partial to Yamaha, but there are lots of good receivers out there (Denon, Pioneer, Sony, etc.). Each manufacturer usually has three or four series of products. For example, the base series might be for typical home theater applications, while the more expensive series is pitched to audiophiles. For Yamaha, the RX-V series is the basic home theater series. Yamaha DOES have an RX-S series that is much shorter/slimmer, so the RX-S602 (at 4.375" height) might be worth a look. OTOH, it is much more expensive than the RX-V series with similar features. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2019, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-new-stereo-receiver/831195/4 "2019-03-16T01:06:07Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > And they certainly won’t tell me the height. Amazon is especially bad for this. Amazon always lists the dimensions of their A/V equipment. You used to be able to search by height, but no longer. But it’s the first thing listed on the “Product information” section, so I’m not sure what you’re seeing on your end. For example: [amazon.com/Pioneer-Surround-Sound-Receiver-VSX-532/dp/B06XVN8R5Y/ref=lp\_14269301\_1\_13?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1552698051&sr=1-13](http://amazon.com/Pioneer-Surround-Sound-Receiver-VSX-532/dp/B06XVN8R5Y/ref=lp_14269301_1_13?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1552698051&sr=1-13) There’s a section that compares the selected item with similar models - and dimensions are on there as well. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2019, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-new-stereo-receiver/831195/5 "2019-03-16T04:07:53Z")
Be careful with tight spaces and cooling. Almost all units prefer an inch or two of air space above the unit. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2019, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-new-stereo-receiver/831195/6 "2019-03-16T15:51:24Z")
What receiver did you have before, and what did you have connected to it? Just about any receiver from a major manufacturer will have inputs for a CD player, tape deck, and turntable. Models just above the very basic start adding Bluetooth, WiFi and wired networking, digital inputs, and access to streaming services and playing music from your phone or a computer on your network. Do you need just a stereo receiver, or a home theater unit? If you need just the stereo unit, you might want to consider if you want to add a subwoofer, some stereo units have a subwoofer connection. Not an issue if you have nice big speakers, but good to have if you have smaller speakers. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2019, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-new-stereo-receiver/831195/7 "2019-03-16T21:02:17Z")
I had a Yamaha. But just looking at the front panels in the Amazon site shows there are enough controls for alternate inputs on many of them. And yes the space is tight and I would prefer there were more, but there isn’t. And my Amazon.ca does not show size or really any specs. Just photos of the front panels. I have pretty much settled on a Sony. From Yamaha’s own site the model I had looked at is just a hair under 6". ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2019, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-new-stereo-receiver/831195/8 "2019-03-16T22:17:47Z")
I’'m fairly sure my low end Harmon Kardon is better quality than a Sony! Specs are 4-3/4” x 17-5/16” x 11-13/16” which gives a lot of air to cool things in your prescribed space. I keep mine in a closed freestanding cupboard with a large amount of free airflow at the back (my wife is not a fan of modern electronic aesthetics, so I had to find a model that could fit in a very confined space). It handles it well. And Harmon Kardon are a decent brand. Not nearly audiophile level but good enough for me… until I buy those gold speaker cables… ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2019, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-new-stereo-receiver/831195/9 "2019-03-17T00:13:07Z")
How about looking at [Cambridge Audio](https://www.crutchfield.ca/p_779SR10V2/Cambridge-Audio-Topaz-SR10.html)? Links from Crutchfield’s Canadian site.