Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo 2-Channel vs. AV Receiver for Stereo

I have a brand new pair of M60s and am looking to upgrade my existing stereo receiver, a Radio Shack Optimus STA-2170, to a Harman-Kardon HK3480. This system is for stereo music only since I already have an Onkyo based HT upstairs. One thing this forum thread has made me wonder, however, is how much better the newer HK receiver will sound vs. the "vintage" RS one. The RS is 100w/ch (full info at http://support.radioshack.com/support_audio/26927.htm) and has performed well over the years, though I can't help but feel that a modern receiver like the HK should outclass it fairly easily. If I decide to go for it, I'll try to remember to report what I hear here.

I can't say much about the radio shack receiver that you currently have, but I've had the HK3480 for a year or two now paired with M60's and I've been very impressed. No matter what volume I choose it always sounds great. In fact, I occasionally use it as a 2.0 home theater system and it sounds wonderful there too!

One question though. Why do you feel the need to upgrade your receiver? Do you feel that there's something lacking in your current setup?

Well I went ahead and got the HK. I'm ashamed to say it but part of my reasoning to make the purchase was because of laziness. The old RS unit has no remote. The HK not only has a remote, but has an IR port that permits me to sync volume and power to my Squeezebox through its IR blaster function. That's cool. With respect to the sound, the differences are subtle but noticeable. I'm still experimenting, but the HK seems to deliver a more impressive sense of space (soundstage). I could also be convinced that it has better clarity and cleaner bass, but since I don't have an A-B setup and don't fully trust my memory, I can't be one-hundred percent on this one. The VMAx (2-channel surround) feature is an interesting special-effect that's fun to play with, but largely unusable for any serious listening as it makes the music muddy and makes the sound so non-directional that it feels like it's in your head. I guess I can at least say that the RS unit was no slouch, but the HK is a worthwhile step up. Now I just have to figure out what to do with the old unit.