I'm interested in upgrading my stereo receiver, but everything I find is contaminated with video features. I really need 6+ audio only inputs, but even products labeled as "Stereo Receivers" seem to have 3 audio and 3 video and the like. Price under $500 or so. Where I can find just audio in my stereo and lots of input options?

Thanks.

Well, you could just use the video inputs as audio instead of following the labels. Yes, you'll have spare video jacks you're not using, but that shouldn't really be a problem.

I don't know how many audio inputs it has, but the HK 3480 seems to be very highly regarded as a "pure" stereo receiver with lots of clean power.

I was going to suggest the 3480 also but it does include some video inputs. If it were me I wouldn't let that stop me from getting one, a friend of mine and my brother in law has one and for the money it would be hard to beat.

NAD C720BEE Stereo Receiver

Not a single video connection to be found. But it does have a sub out jack!

Also, these two receivers from Yamaha seem to fit the bill. Although, I couldn't confirm the absence of video connections.

I beg to differ, it does indeed have a video input.

Contaminated?

I'm assuming that was a chuckling bit of hyperbole.

Bren R.

Thanks for all the responses! Here's the background and what I'm looking for in lotsa details:

I need to upgrade my Yamaha RX-550, which I've had for almost 15 years. The selector knob is starting to short out in one channel. I was hoping for something at bare minimum comparable to what I have now, and I was expecting to find much better quality and more audio features available now. My early investigations make me feel as if I'm in a time warp; stereo receivers (apart from the home theater aspect) don't seem to have improved much in 15 years, and in some ways, lost ground.

My RX-500 has the following: 60W x 2, RMS, **0.015% THD**, 20-20k Hz, 4 audio inputs + phone + tuner = 6 total.

My current audio setup:
1. I have a turntable which I don't use much, but I couldn't bear not having any way to play it.
2. My primary music source is pretty much my computer, which is connected through my stereo as Tape 1. I can play/record into/from my PC as I would a tape deck. This is a critical function.
3. I have a cassette deck which is connected to Tape 2, which I play from and record to.
4. Music Choice (Comcast digital music) cable box and my CD player share the CD input. [It would be nice to have these on different inputs.]
5. I play my TV sound through my Aux. input. (I have speakers in the TV room.)
6. I have one set of speakers (A) which play in my study where my stereo is located and the other set (B) go to a switch box nearby, and split into a set of speakers in the living room and another set in my bedroom. Thus, I have 3 sets of speakers attached to my receiver. I seem to have the power to do what I need, but Yamahas were known for delivering more power than advertised.

Here's what I was hoping for in my new receiver:
1. >= 60Watts of power
2. Comparable THD? (Astonishingly, none of the receivers I've found seem to come close to my old receiver. Most are around 0.080%, which is over 5x worse than I have from 15 years ago. Technology is moving forward, right? What's up with that?!)
3. At least 5 audio selections, preferably 6 or more. Part of this hinges on how "video" components can be used in an audio sense. For example, can I play my CD player through a "video 1" or "DVD input"?? I'd really like to have my CD player and Music Choice Digital TV box on different inputs. I'm hearing from you all that I can.
4. Phono input.
5. 3 sets of speakers. As I explained, I've used a switch box to create 3 set from my 2 connections now, and that works okay. But, nothing I've found so far offers three sets of speakers, but it's a wish.
6. Remote control for everything. I have a universal remote that accesses my receiver and PC, allowing me to control my music from any room. I would like to be able to control bass, treble, balance, and speakers the same way, which I cannot now do. I'm not seeing that the technology in 15 years has made any progress here! Am I right?
7. Bass, treble, and maybe midrange tone controls. Loudness/pure direct unimportant.
8. Rec Out: My current receiver allows you to select what your taping source is so that you can tape from one source while listening to another; is this available anywhere?
9. Price around $500 or less.

I'm not opposed to Dolby surround sound features, etc. But, I need to know what they'll do for me in my situation

Again, my key questions besides the above base requirements (which seem pretty unlikely, all in one receiver) are:
1. What audio uses can a video input/output be?
Explain: Video 1, Video 2, Satellite (?), DVD (= CD?). Can a DVD input be used for a CD or as a (once-named) auxiliary input?
2. What difference will this big increase in THD make to my sound quality?
3. Advantages of a modest home theater or surround sound features for a solely stereo purpose.
4. Explain other specialized functions (XM Satellite ready, e.g.)
5. The Onkyo TX-8522 looks like a top contender.
What do you all think?
a. What's direct tuning?
b. Is the XM input compatible with Sirius?
c. What does the remote control control?

Thanks again!

One thing we should probably make clear is that we're not talking about actually using the video inputs themselves for audio -- it's just that every video input also has a corresponding set of audio inputs (so the sound matches the picture).

There was a period where the trend was to design amplifiers with ultra-low THD even if that meant higher intermodulation distortion (IMD), since nobody was measuring IMD at the time. Once some scary IMD numbers were published, I get the feeling the design focus changed so THD went up a bit but IMD numbers went down. I doubt you will hear any difference, in fact the overall result should probably be better.

Stereo receivers have not seen a lot of progress because most of the people buying receivers are now buying AV receivers, and most of the people buying stereo are buying high end separatees. Manufactures keep their stereo offerings real simple; I don't think they sell a huge number of them and doubt they would sell more even if they had every new bell and whistle under the sun.

I run an HK3270 which is the predecessor of the model below the 3480 and am very happy with it although on occasion I do wish I had a bit more power. For me, the 3480 seems like the way to go -- it's available at a good price and seems to have all the features you want except 3 speakers, midrange tone control, and I haven't checked the tape monitor details.

Just to amplify the video/audio input thing: Every source (with the notable exception of phono) uses the same type of analog audio. So the receiver doesn't care if you've got a tape deck hooked up to your DVD in, or a TV hooked up to your CD in. If you have an external phono preamp, the same applies there. If you don't, you need a receiver that has a phono preamp and you must hook the record player to the phono inputs.

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60Watts of power

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You have that covered with the Onkyo or the HK.

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Most are around 0.080%, which is over 5x worse than I have from 15 years ago. Technology is moving forward, right? What's up with that?!)

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You need not worry about the thd numbers, with them as low as they are they are inaudible.

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At least 5 audio selections, preferably 6 or more. Part of this hinges on how "video" components can be used in an audio sense. For example, can I play my CD player through a "video 1" or "DVD input"?? I'd really like to have my CD player and Music Choice Digital TV box on different inputs. I'm hearing from you all that I can.

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You can connect any audio source ( except a turntable ) to any of the audio inputs, it doesn't matter the tiltle of the input.

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4. Phono input.

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Both receivers, the HK and Onk, have this covered.

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3 sets of speakers. As I explained, I've used a switch box to create 3 set from my 2 connections now, and that works okay. But, nothing I've found so far offers three sets of speakers, but it's a wish.

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You will have to use the speaker switch box no matter what receiver you buy, I don't think one is made that has this ability.

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Remote control for everything. I have a universal remote that accesses my receiver and PC, allowing me to control my music from any room. I would like to be able to control bass, treble, balance, and speakers the same way, which I cannot now do. I'm not seeing that the technology in 15 years has made any progress here! Am I right?

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There is always a universal remote from the likes of Harmony you could look into.

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Bass, treble, and maybe midrange tone controls. Loudness/pure direct unimportant.

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Bass and treble, yes, I've never seen a midrange tone control.

I take that back, my old Fisher has this control.

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Rec Out: My current receiver allows you to select what your taping source is so that you can tape from one source while listening to another; is this available anywhere?

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A little more research is needed.

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Price around $500 or less.

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9) Both in spades.