Looking for a very simple receiver

[tinpanalley]

My Yamaha HTR-6030 (yes, really) just lost its center channel. Or at least I can't get it to work.
Nevertheless, I wouldn't mind a receiver with HDMI inputs.

We have really simple (and old) needs.

• RCA line in for our preamp for the turntable
• RCA line in for CD player
• Multi channel inputs for the 5.1 multi-channel output on my motherboard (minijack PC to coax receiver)
• anything else would simply need to be about 5 HDMI inputs for other video devices. These are all for nothing higher than 1080p. No UHD. Why only 1080? Our TV can do 4K but rarely if ever are the sources we watch ever higher than 1080p.
• No special audio above 5.1 but I would like to finally be able to play EAC3 and DTS-HD without converting all the time.

So two questions:

• Can someone recommend whether I should get an older used receiver or recommend one that's new but for close to $200 CAD?
• If a used older one is better for me, what brand, specs am I looking for? What should I pay attention to or ask the owner? Age? Condition? Receipt?

Thanks!

 

[WhiteNoise]

I'd buy used with that budget. Pioneer, Yamaha, Onkyo, Denon, Rotel any good brand would be fine.

 

[mindless1]

lol, a very simple receiver is a minimal # of analog inputs, two speaker channels, and a tuner, or else it's just an amp, not a receiver.

There's nothing simple about what you want, rather a full blown, modern digital video receiver, so no point really in trying to only get the bare minimums on the used market because...

You will get something better used with that budget, and features beyond what you've listed, don't typically change the price on the used market as much as the brand and wattage, though whether it's older just depends on what you find, and what you should ask the owner is to have it set up so you can try all the features, or if that isn't possible, set up some kind of escrow so you can take it home and try it before paying.

Receipt? I wouldn't care too much about that unless it's a really shady seller and might be stolen. Age and condition, either it looks good and works or it doesn't, though if it is caked with dust inside, might have ran hot for a while and better avoided.

 

[Lewy]

My Yamaha HTR-6030 (yes, really) just lost its center channel. Or at least I can't get it to work.
Nevertheless, I wouldn't mind a receiver with HDMI inputs.

We have really simple (and old) needs.

• RCA line in for our preamp for the turntable
• RCA line in for CD player
• Multi channel inputs for the 5.1 multi-channel output on my motherboard (minijack PC to coax receiver)
• anything else would simply need to be about 5 HDMI inputs for other video devices. These are all for nothing higher than 1080p. No UHD. Why only 1080? Our TV can do 4K but rarely if ever are the sources we watch ever higher than 1080p.
• No special audio above 5.1 but I would like to finally be able to play EAC3 and DTS-HD without converting all the time.

So two questions:

• Can someone recommend whether I should get an older used receiver or recommend one that's new but for close to $200 CAD?
• If a used older one is better for me, what brand, specs am I looking for? What should I pay attention to or ask the owner? Age? Condition? Receipt?

Thanks!

 

[Lewy]

Look around on your local Craigslist nut Amazon has an

Onkyo TX-SR393 5.2 Channel A/V Receiver for $219 USD right now that should be a revelation for you. The newer receivers are great but read the specs to make sure it has phono etc.and check out the competition too.​

Good Luck.
Lewy

 

[Lewy]

Look around on your local Craigslist nut Amazon has an

Onkyo TX-SR393 5.2 Channel A/V Receiver for $219 USD right now that should be a revelation for you. The newer receivers are great but read the specs to make sure it has phono etc.and check out the competition too.​

Good Luck.
Lewy

By the way: Canadians can buy most products, including consumer electronics. and have them shipped to Canada from US Amazon which has more choices, sale items and better prices overall from what I understand?
Lewy

 

[tinpanalley]

By the way: Canadians can buy most products, including consumer electronics. and have them shipped to Canada from US Amazon which has more choices, sale items and better prices overall from what I understand?
Lewy

Not always true. It's not a Canadian-US exclusive thing. I buy from Amazon.de, .fr, and co.uk all the time, it's just a question of how much you want to pay for shipping. It does happen on occasion that something in England even with shipping is cheaper than what some importer wants to charge me for the same product on Amazon Canada.

 

[tinpanalley]

lol, a very simple receiver is a minimal # of analog inputs, two speaker channels, and a tuner, or else it's just an amp, not a receiver.

There's nothing simple about what you want, rather a full blown, modern digital video receiver, so no point really in trying to only get the bare minimums on the used market because...

You will get something better used with that budget, and features beyond what you've listed, don't typically change the price on the used market as much as the brand and wattage, though whether it's older just depends on what you find, and what you should ask the owner is to have it set up so you can try all the features, or if that isn't possible, set up some kind of escrow so you can take it home and try it before paying.

Receipt? I wouldn't care too much about that unless it's a really shady seller and might be stolen. Age and condition, either it looks good and works or it doesn't, though if it is caked with dust inside, might have ran hot for a while and better avoided.

And honestly caked with dust can be cleaned with the right tools.
What I'm starting to find in the used market is several devices that have 4 HDMI ports and ALSO have component video in, S-Video, component optical audio, RCA A/V, for all my older stuff. That would be ideal so I think I'm looking more at that because newer receivers will be HDMI only, maybe some analog audio and all my other devices will need adapters that are bound to be no-name quality and expensive to buy one by one.

So, I'm guessing brand is sort of irrelevant as long asit was a well reviewed device at the time? Looking at this right now.

 

[tinpanalley]

So it looks like I will probably be getting the Pioneer I mentioned in my last post. But some questions for those who may know...
1. Is there nothing one can use other than the proprietary add-ons for Blutooth and WiFi? I don't need either but just thought it would be interesting if a cheap accessory could be found.
2. I really like is the analog and component video inputs for certain older devices. How does that work, though? Can I get my component video source to go in component and have the receiver send them to my TV via HDMI? Or do those component inputs only work going out via component as well? Because if that's the case I won't be able to use them.