Vintage Receivers

A receiver is a home audio component integrating an amplifier with a radio, known as a tuner. The first firm to produce a consumer product combining these capabilities was Harmon/Kardon, which shipped its Festival TA230 stereo receiver in 1958. Beginning in the mid-1960s, when stereo LPs began to replace mono vinyl records, the receiver became the powerhouse of the budding audiophile's hi-fi system, which also included a turntable, a pair of speakers, and perhaps a reel-to-reel tape deck. One of the most acclaimed solid-state receivers of the 1960s was the 35-watt Fisher 500-C, introduced in 1964 for a retail price of $369. Marantz, another important manufacturer, released its Model 18 receiver ($595) in 1967.