Looking for a cheap receiver for a shop setup

DSkip wrote: »

The Sherwood stereo receivers might fit the bill and retail for around $100.

+1, if you really want a receiver (i.e., a tuner and an amplifier in one box).
Those Sherwoods are... modest... but they're not junk.

If there's no need for an FM tuner, there is a plethora of little, Chinese-made "chip amp" amplifiers of various brand names that are all pretty good sounding. The really cheap ones are low powered -- but high sensitivity loudspeakers can readily make up for that! A 5 watt amplifier driving 100 dB sensitive loudspeakers has the potential to play as loud as a 500 watt amplifier driving 80 dB sensitive loudspeakers
Note that I am speaking strictly quantitatively (dB of sound pressure level out per watt in!); quality of the sound will depend steeply on the specific loudspeakers & amplifiers in question!

Here's a "good" example. Opinions on these hyper-cheap little amplifiers are... mixed, and (in fairness) some of them may exhibit some QC issues (not a big deal if purchased from a reputable seller, just a bit of a hassle to return/replace), but IMO/IME they sound -- good. Not necessarily appropriate for the current situation, but still maybe worth consideration.
https://www.parts-express.com/lepai-lp-2020ti-digital-hi-fi-audio-mini-amplifier-with-power-supply--310-3000
(a beefier power supply might be a good investment for amps like these)

Here are some better ones (FWIW):
https://www.parts-express.com/cat/home-audio-amplifiers/106?N=21771+4294967118+4294962065&Ne=10166&Nrs=collection()/record[endeca:matches(.,"P_PortalID","1")+and+endeca:matches(.,"P_Searchable","1")]&PortalID=1


A final thought -- while the "classic" Japanese (mostly) hifi components of the 1970s have become something of collectors' items (with commensurate prices), the 1980s and 1990s two-channel receivers by and large have much less collectors' cachet. This makes them much, much cheaper on the garage sale/CL circuit -- but they're, by and large, not junk -- and some are very, very good. You might be able to pick up a nice older but not "classic" amp or receiver in good working order for $50 or less (maybe much less).

Admittedly, adding a subwoofer to some of the above suggestions can't necessarily be done "elegantly", but, by and large, it can be done. Alternatively, one could use loudspeakers that don't require a subwoofer

I have an older Pioneer Elite VSX-01 or 03 I forget what it is now but it would fit that bill nicely as you can do 2.1 or go 7.1 and make your garage fill with sound.
I actually considered uing it that way in my garage as one pair of speakers works well but a full 5 or 7 channel stereo would be so much better and fill the room much better. Lower volume more speakers better coverage and better to fight off fan noise , power tools etc.
I'd do $100 plus shipping unless you live close enough you could come get it or I could meet you somewhere.

^^^ It had to happen

mantis wrote: »

I have an older Pioneer Elite VSX-01 or 03 I forget what it is now but it would fit that bill nicely as you can do 2.1 or go 7.1 and make your garage fill with sound.
I actually considered uing it that way in my garage as one pair of speakers works well but a full 5 or 7 channel stereo would be so much better and fill the room much better. Lower volume more speakers better coverage and better to fight off fan noise , power tools etc.
I'd do $100 plus shipping unless you live close enough you could come get it or I could meet you somewhere.

That's a great deal I would take @mantis up on that!

Post your DYI's when done!
(being the noisy sort)

Nice.
I'm going FrankenAltec886a's for the garage rig.
Wonder if the Parts express sale is still on? Still
have the amp in the cart...

Nice! 8" woofs