RCA STAV-3970 good or bad? (1 Viewer)

[BrianHo]

I am looking for a good reciever for about $200. Anybody heard this one or know of a good one for that price? I have an older Technics and want to upgrade to one that has 5.1. Mine only has Dolby pro logic.

Thanks
Brian

 

[Dan Hitchman]

Brian,

I also replied in your other posting, so look there too.

From a personal standpoint, I would avoid RCA for my electronics needs. The quality just "ain't" there anymore.

If you want a slightly more advanced receiver you could try a Panasonic receiver with DTS-ES and Dolby Digital EX decoding.

If your budget is small and you just can't increase it much ($200 won't get you a whole lot of anything in receivers), there was a sale at Best Buy on a Pioneer receiver for just under $300 that included DTS-ES and Dolby Digital EX decoding. I can't comment on the quality, though.

Denon and Pioneer Elite make better quality receivers in comparison, but you will need to save up a little bit more, but they're worth it.

Dan

 

[BrianHo]

What about this one? http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?&b...1983&scat=2003

 

[Danny Tse]

Hey Brian,

I am currently using a Technics Pro-Logic receiver as well, and like you, I am looking for an inexpensive receiver.

The STAV-3970 from Radio Shack, if I remember correctly, is actually manufactured by Pioneer for Radio Shack, which signed a pact with Thomson Electronics to sell only RCA-branded electronics. The 3970, is you can get one new-in-the-box for about $150.00, should be quite a good buy. Circuit City is currently clearing out its inventory of Pioneer VSX-D711 at $180.00 new-in-box. Also, I've seen Yamaha's HTR-5540 for $170.00 plus shipping at J&R. If you want to go below $150.00, keep your eyes on the Sherwood 6108 at Circuit City; it regularly goes on sale for $130.00. The Sherwood has been well received here at HTF as an inexpensive home theater receiver, and even at that low price, it has 96kHz/24-bit capable DACs.

Granted, all the above-mentioned receivers are "only" 5.1 surround receivers. If you can go another $100.00, you can get receivers with 6.1 decoding capabilities. Some even have pre-outs like the new Pioneer 912, which can be had on the internet for about $225.00.

If you don't mind "remanufactured" receivers, go check out Harman Kardon and Onkyo at their respective websites.

 

[GinaOrt]

Hello, I see it's been a very long time since this was posted, But are you still looking for RCA STAV-3970.

Let me know if you are I have one and it works great.

Gina

 

[ogart2012]

i am interested in your rca stav-3970 receiver. please email me back with all info on this unit. btw, does it include manual and remote? thanks, mike porcello

 

[Dave Moritz]

I wold say anything from RCA is bad! Especially RCA audio!

 

[mberndt]

I have an Optimus (RadioShack) STAV-3790 that just got upgraded (AKA Pioneer VSX-D508). I've used it for about 12 years (I think...), and it's always been and still is a good A/V Receiver. Only reason I replaced it was because it was too old to support the new Blu-Ray audio codecs, and I'd just purchased a new TV and Blu-Ray player. If you don't visualize Blu-Ray in your immediate future, it is a great legacy Receiver. Has 2 Optical / 1 D-Coax, Sub pre-out, and supports Dolby Digital 5.1. It DOES NOT do DTS though, but that wasn't too much of a proplem for me when I bought it. If you want to spec it out, just Google Optimus STAV-3790. I do have the manual & remote, and found a PDF version of the repair manual for the D508 which was downloaded more for insurance it I ever needed it repaired (which I haven't had to do). Again, let me stress this is NOT an RCA product (RCA seems to be a 4-letter word here!). The Receiver is very obviously OEM'd by Pioneer. Michael