Best stereo recievers of the 1970's?


I remember walking in to my local Hi Fi shop and looking at the line ups of
recievers.Pioneer,,Jvc,Sansui,Kenwood,Luxman.I loved the Sansui 9090 db
but when I heard the Luxman (don't remember the model number) in the late 70's it was the best I've ever heard at the time.
Mike
hiendmmoe
I wanted to Luxman R-1120 or 1120 A, but found a Yamaha instead CR-2040 that should be delivered by UPS early next week. Seems a lot of people are interested in receivers of that era and that is reflected in the prices asked. I found a nice Pioneer 85 wpc locally, but I find the asking price a bit steep.

I do think that Luxman and Yamaha were right up there as a whole package, sound and nice design. Sansui and Marantz were ugly as far as I'm concerned. Pioneer were also nice all around.
I remember learning in the 1970's that you cannot judge the sound of an amp by its power rating. I went to Circuit City or whatever stereo store and the sales guy was pushing a 30 wpc Harmon Kardon receiver over a 75 wpc Pioneer integrated amp. That was the first time I learned that power supplies were critical to sound. The HK receiver walked all over the Pioneer. HK made good equipment back then.
Does anyone remember the Acoustics Research Receiver, a minimalist design that now seems philosophically ahead of its time?

How about the Heathkit AR-15? This was first available in the 1960s but sold into the 1970s. You could buy it as a kit or pay up to have it assembled.

Other receivers I used to covet were the McIntosh MAC 1700 and the MAC 1900, as well as the SAE R-9, one of a line that SAE rolled out in the mid-70s.
I actually owned Pioneer SX-650 (Paid $239) - amazing how things stick in your head. But I lusted after Marantz.....
Albert Porter sold me a wonderful sounding Yamaha receiver in 1977. It was a mid-line model and sounded wonderful. I cannot recall the exact model #. I wish I had kept it. He also sold my Mom a Yamaha receiver which was one step down in price...she still uses it to this day and it sounds wonderful. I'll check the model # and report back.