Reddit mentions of Yamaha R-S201BL 2-Channel Stereo Receiver

Have a look over at /r/budgetaudiophile.

What I recently went with was a GHM, chrome cast audio, a set of KEF q100’s and an amp. Sound quality is amaaaaaazing, and it’d come in much cheaper.

Q100: $250
GHM: $50
GHA: $35
Yamaha amp: $150 (https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-Natural-Stereo-Receiver-R-S201BL/dp/B00F0H88SY)

Alright, your TV has RCA outputs and the option of fixed or variable output through there. If you wanted you could just grab two JBL LSR305 and connect them with RCA to TRS cables. Probably $450 total but would sound much better than the miccas. Go into your TV audio settings and select variable audio out. This way you can change volume through your TV remote. Just set the amp on the back of the JBL speakers to 8 or so and never touch them again.

If you want to go the passive speaker route for upgradability then you can grab a stereo receiver like this Yamaha for $200. Just plug your TV in with RCA cables. This allows you to spend an extra $100 on speakers. You'll save even more money if you look through your local listings for a used receiver. If you like the Klipsch sound you can go for these. Otherwise look through your local listing for a good tower speaker that you can afford. I was going to recommend the Pioneer FS52 but a pair of those would go over your budget. You can try pairing them with a cheap SMSL amp, but I would be worried they would distort a tad early.

The best sounding setup out of the box would be the JBL LSR305, but it's also the least upgradeable setup.

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS22-LR-Designed-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers/dp/B008NCD2LG


http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00F0H88SY/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1462226856&sr=8-3&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=yamaha+receiver&dpPl=1&dpID=31LAAKCGZeL&ref=plSrch


That will get you going but I recommend you eventually take out the internal preamp and replace it with a decent external preamp such as http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000AJR482/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?qid=1462226963&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Phono+preamp&dpPl=1&dpID=41VPBILjagL&ref=plSrch

I actually ordered this last night.

This thing looks promising. I'm a fan of Yamaha receivers.

This one also looks like an option. Onkyo is a pretty solid brand.

Something like this amp and these speakers would probably work well.

Having a separate amp/speakers gives you more flexibility down the road with upgrades. Once you start going up the price chain with speakers, powered ones aren't really offered anymore.

If you don't care about having all kinds of extra inputs and speaker channels, a yamaha stereo receiver is probably all you need. But if you want to have more DIGITAL connections for your t.v., home theatre, 5.1 options etc, then step to a higher model from yamaha or denon.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00F0H88SY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1427796903&sr=8-1&keywords=yamaha+stereo+receiver&dpPl=1&dpID=31LAAKCGZeL&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SX200_QL40

Strictly speaking, wattages and THD are a good guide for figuring out quality, but are certainly not a hard-and-fast rule. Knowing your brands and trusted opinions are better, listening to it yourself is best.

The link in the sidebar has some good ones.

I'm actually in exactly the same position as you at the moment, I'm considering this one as it's the cheapest (50w per channel, ~au$80 delivered), but apparently this one is much better even though it's only 30w per channel and is $20 more.

Or then again I could anticipate future upgrades and just go for this yammy amp which is 100w per channel for ~$190.

I really like that Denon one you've posted, though. Decisions, decisions.

This is a nice amplifier at the price point if going new: http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-Natural-Stereo-Receiver-R-S201BL/dp/B00F0H88SY

Vintage would give you more bang for your buck though.

Turntable is fine. Receiver is fine. I would sub the Pioneer BS-22LR for the Micca. Absolutely skip the Lepai.

You could also sub the Sherwood RX-4109 for the Onkyo. Or ART DJ Pre II + Yamaha Natural Sound Stereo Receiver R-S201BL

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS22-LR-Designed-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers/dp/B008NCD2LG

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F0H88SY/

http://www.radioshack.com/sherwood-rx-4109-stereo-receiver/3100100.html

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-R-S201BL-2-Channel-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00F0H88SY/

You said "used", but didn't provide any Craigslist or local links, so can't provide info on used gear, but here's something that ought to keep you happy:

• Elac B6, $279
  
• Yamaha R-S201BL, $129
  
• If you're an Android guy: Chromecast Audio, $35
  
• If you're an Apple guy, Factory Refurbished Airport Express, $49.
  
• If you have a bit of free floor space, you'd ideally want the speakers floor standing. Dayton Audio SSMB24 ($52 looks like decent 24-inch option. Fill them with aquarium sand from a pet store (don't use building sand or other sand intended for outdoor use, as it eventually starts stinking).
  
  Total: $495 or $510, depending on whether you're an Android or iPhone guy. Your next purchase after you have a couple of hundred bucks extra would be a DAC (see below).
  
  Since you have no gear currently: Ignore a turntable completely. For an actual pleasing experience, you'd blow through over half of your budget on it.
  
  You're not saying whether you own a usable DAC, or what your TV is, but as long as your PC or TV doesn't sound terribly noisy with headphones today, I'd ignore a DAC for now. If not, you'd get good returns by stretching your budget a bit.
  
  > Found this on groupon
  
  It has seven more channels of pre-amplifcation than you need, and five channels of power amplification you don't need

What you want is a 2ch stereo receiver. Those speakers do NOT use rca connections. They have standard speaker wire terminals and any receiver will support that. The amplifier power is listed as watts per channel so you dont need to double it, but at this point i wouldnt even worry about it. Lots of brands make enty level receivers but something like this would be fine...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00F0H88SY/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1452242679&sr=8-2&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=Sony+STRDH130&dpPl=1&dpID=31LAAKCGZeL&ref=plSrch

Sorry no link, on mobile. If you wanted to play cds you would need a cd player and plug that in the back with an rca cable. Or just plug in an mp3 player with a "3.5mm jack to rca" cable

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00F0H88SY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1421286891&sr=8-1&dpPl=1&dpID=31LAAKCGZeL&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SX200_QL40

I think you are on the right track with a $200 2.0 receiver combo like (assuming you can get this in Canada):

Yamaha R-S201BL : http://amzn.to/1ae98TM
Dayton B652 : http://amzn.to/17K6TIT

And there's this route-

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00F0H88SY/ref=sr_1_4_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1468459018&sr=8-4&keywords=sony+stereo+receiver&condition=used

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00F0H88SY/ref=sr_1_4_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1468459018&sr=8-4&keywords=sony+stereo+receiver&condition=used

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00JZTQIJ4/ref=sr_1_4_olp?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1468459242&sr=1-4&keywords=dayton+audio+subwoofer&condition=new

I'd go with PA speakers up high on tripod stands with the iNuke amp to get the party volume level you'll want and then add a powered sub later when you get your next Pell grant check :)

Can active speakers be used with a receiver? I know all you'd need for a basic turntable setup would be just the turntable and the powered speakers, but I wanted to connect a subwoofer, so for that I figured I'd need a receiver.

What I'm unsure about is whether having an already amplified signal running from this receiver to these active speakers would fry the speakers or anything for that matter.

Non-mobile: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F0H88SY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1427796903&sr=8-1&keywords=yamaha+stereo+receiver&dpPl=1&dpID=31LAAKCGZeL&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SX200_QL40

^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?

If you are only going to have 4 speakers then get two analog amps with zwave outlets. You could also get ANY stereo receiver with digital A/B speaker select and use a harmony hub. This is what I do in my house (with multiple receivers though and I route IR around so I can turn on a specific room from Alexa).

Well, that's the least you could spend. Honestly, you'll be much happier if you take the money you have now, add to it for 6 months or so, and by yourself something like this and these.

Pretty tough pricepoint. I'd probably get the Yamaha r-s201BL https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-R-S201BL-2-Channel-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00F0H88SY and SMSL sanskrit 6th gen https://www.amazon.com/SMSL-Sanskrit-Optical-Coaxial-Decoder/dp/B00SY9RBOM . You could go cheaper on the amp but then you'd lose the remote.

Ideally your amp should have MORE wattage than the speakers. So i would go higher.

Also, i would consider spending a little more money and not to buy the ultra cheap stuff. It will last you longer and you will enjoy it more because it sounds better.

Yamaha makes very good sounding amps/receivers for not a lot of money. This receiver for example gives you 100W and you can connect your computer, speakers, subwoofer and more.

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-R-S201BL-2-Channel-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00F0H88SY/ref=sr_1_3?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1457623254&sr=1-3&refinements=p_4%3AYamaha

Buy the used Pioneer towers for $100, Dayton sub for $60 and a simple 2-channel receiver like one of these for $130-200:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F0H88SY/

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EE18O7W/

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/onktx8050/onkyo-tx-8050-80watts-x-2ch-network-stereo-receiver/1.html

The 2 Onkyo's have better connectivity options, especially the 8050. You can easily add a bluetooth adapter to any of these for less than $20 if you want to stream music. Same for adding a USB network adapter if you want to connect wireless to your network.

So less than $500 for the amp and speakers. I'd probably put a phono-pre in line just to open up amplifier possibilities. The cheapest Behringer Pre on something like the Yamaha Stereo Receiver (R-S201BL) is how I would go. After that you are left with a decent budget for speakers. Depending on the size of the room, placement of the speakers (presuming not a desk) I would look at the HTD level 3 Bookshelves. If you are going to go, go all the way.

A sub can be added later if mommy and daddy don't mind it but I doubt it will be an unimpressive setup as a 2.0

For the receiver, should look for something like this $120

If there is space for a large sub: monoprice sub $108
Or dayton sub-1000 for a slightly smaller one.

Speaker options if using sub: elac b5 $229, or polk monitor 40 or 45 ~$150
Otherwise look for tower speakers like pioneer fs52

Yamaha S201 is prob your best bet for a budget receiver that you can keep using after you upgrade that TT.

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-R-S201BL-2-Channel-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00F0H88SY

http://www.amazon.com/Dayton-Audio-SUB-1200-12-Inch-Subwoofer/dp/B00669L3HS

http://www.amazon.com/Micca-MB42X-Bookshelf-Speakers-Tweeter/dp/B00E7H8GG2/

http://www.amazon.com/AudioSource-AMP-100-Stereo-Power-Amplifier/dp/B00026BQJ6/

or

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-Natural-Stereo-Receiver-R-S201BL/dp/B00F0H88SY/

Though the Micca's aren't great, it'll blow away any 2.1 computer speakers you've had.

Do you have any recommendations for receivers in that range? Are there any benefits to having a high end receiver such as sound quality? Woud something like this work? Thanks for the help

Something like the Yamaha R-S201 would work fine.

So the best amp for ~$150? Probably the Yamaha R-S201.

I don't know tons about receivers but one thing that will help people help you is to let them know if you only want new or are willing to go used. If you are willing to go used, post your local craigslist or equivalent. You can find a lot of vintage receivers for around $100 on many craigslists, but they can be hit or miss. Also, do you have preamp? It doesn't sound like it so you will need a dedicated phono input on any receiver unless you buy a separate preamp.

I can't comment on the quality but I've seen one or two people post this Onkyo TX8020 Receiver on here before as a very cheap starter unit with a dedicated phono input. Also, seen people post this Yahama R-201 Receiver as a cheaper intro unit, but you need a preamp.

Don't buy PC speakers. Unless you spend a ton, they're junk.

This is a an absolute STEAL for these: Polk Bookshelf
The rest of your budget on this

Edit: Check thrift stores and second-hand shops as well. You can find some really good deals sometimes. I found a pair of Sony floor standing tower speakers that were in almost perfect condition and sound amazing, $20, at Goodwill (US only?)

As everyone mentioned, buy a used TT. Typically, you can find stuff used, in good working order, and much higher quality than anything new in the price of $75-150. I personally like the Pioneer line of direct-drive turntables from the late 70s and early 80s. Something like the PL-518.

What are you planning to buy for speakers and amplification? Whereas there haven't been advances in turntable technology because there hasn't been a market for 20+ years, there actually have been some great advances in speakers and amplification during that time. So I'd recommend you buy new for these pieces. Be aware, the mass market products are generally crap these days (think HTiB stuff--the mass market just doesn't care anymore).

For ~$100, one could pickup a a pair of Micca MB42s or a pair of DA B652s and power them off something like an Indeed TA2021.

Of course you'd still need a phono pre-amp (look at the Art DJ Pre II) and bear in mind, you won't have any input switching with that setup. If want to switch in different inputs, Yamaha has an affordable line of stereo receivers. The R-S201 for $150 will still need a phono pre-amp.

You post contains an amazon referral link which was automatically removed. Use https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F0H88SY instead and I can approve the post.

The problem with the system you've proposed is that it's a 2 channel receiver and 5 channels of speakers. You would need to use a 5.1 receiver like this $160 Yamaha RX-V377.

I do want to do this hobby right though. Would getting this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F0H88SY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER or getting a vintage turntable on Craigslist be better?

Hey! I'd like to purchase a receiver, new or used, for under $200. There are two highly rated models on Amazon:

Yamaha Natural Sound Stereo Receiver R-S201

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00F0H88SY?pc_redir=1411312586&robot_redir=1



Onkyo TX-8020 Stereo Receiver

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EE18O7W?pc_redir=1411220328&robot_redir=1



So far I just have a set of Pioneer Andrew Jones bookshelf speakers. I'd like to purchase this receiver in order to play FLAC files from my laptop. In the future I'd like to add a turntable to the setup. I'm okay with not having surround sound.

Also, I'd be comfortable buying vintage if you feel that's a better option. Here's my local Craigslist:

http://newyork.craigslist.org/search/ela?query=receiver




Thanks for your help!

Hi everyone,
I am planning on setting up a 2.0 or 2.1 system for my new apartment. My budget will around $550 dollars and am primarily thinking of floorstanding speakers. I will primarily be using this by myself for listening music but also needs to double as a home theater for when people are over. As of now, I'm thinking about this setup-
Yamaha r-s201 - $150
Pioneer SP-FS52-LR $100 ea.
So in all, I'm looking to see what you guys think of my set up. I have significant room in this budget and am very open to any suggestions. If you think a more expensive set up is worth it then please let me know! I appreciate any suggestions or critiques.

Fellow Panasonic plasma owner here.


You're gonna need a DAC (digital-to-analog converter) to change the digital signal from the TV (over the Toslink cable) into an analog audio signal over red and white RCA cables. The way I see it you have 2 options.




Powered Speaker Option - $428

• Fiio D3 DAC - $28
  
  Digital conversion is a pretty mature technology. You don't need to spend any more than this on a DAC.
  
  
  
• Audioengine A5+ $400
  
  
  If you don't want a receiver, these are the #1 most recommended and well-reviewed powered speaker pair around.
  
  
  Passive Speaker Option - $268
  
  
  
• Fiio D3 DAC - $28
  
  
  See above.
  
  
  
• Yamaha stereo receiver - $150
  
  
  Not a home theater receiver just two nice big amplifiers and some basic switching capability. You can control the volume with your cable box remote or buy a cheap Harmony universal remote they're really fantastic.
  
  
  
• Pioneer bookshelf speakers - $90
  
  
  One of the most highly recommended bookshelf speaker pairs to come around in a long time.

These speakers which are $40 shipped from amazon and this reciever which is $110 but can be bought from the amazon warehouse for 20 bucks cheaper. The nice thing is you can buy a real subwoofer (10 inch starting around 100) and also additional speakers later for a 5.1 or 7.1 setup and add to the receiver later. Just buy some speaker cable and you're all good to go for around 150. If you don't want a receiver you can buy a low power speaker amp for around 20

How's $110 for a new receiver sound?

>Would this receiver work with my speakers?

It should work but it's power ratings are fudged a bit according to this review. Now your driving different speakers than he was but the overall advice given in this review is correct ( I still believe you have a receiver issue and not a power one but that's just an educated guess on my part:)

This review is for the R-S201, in order to avoid any confusion owing to the fact that all amps from this line are reviewed in the same place. PLEASE NOTE that specs on this particular model are fairly deceiving, which I hope will spare some prospective customers some trouble.

I bought this amp a while back because I was trying to create "the perfect budget HiFi" for under $250 using the famous Pioneer SB-BS22-LR speakers. These are pretty power-hungry, which is why I ran into problems with this amp. The specs according to Yamaha are "Maximum Power(8 ohms, 1 kHz, 10% THD): 100W + 100W". This might sound like adequate power, but the "100W" rating is only possible (again, according to Yamaha's own site) under the condition of allowing for 10% Total Harmonic Distortion. Typical receivers usually like to give ratings at 0.10% THD or less, which is a more accurate picture of power. But basically, the higher the THD quoted, the less "usable" power an amp has. I can tell you the R-S201 does not have 100W of power. I would say it likely has less than half of that, because it couldn't drive the Pioneer's to any reasonable volume without distorting. And by reasonable, I mean loud enough to hear when classical music is playing.

*Summing up, if your budget demands you spend no more than what this amp costs, make sure you find speakers that:

1. Have high sensitivity (preferably over 88dB). This is essentially a measure of how loud a speaker will play at a given level of power, higher being louder. Klipsch and Polk Audio come to mind. Micca's (no matter how well reviewed) are not sensitive, so I doubt they'd be any better of a match than the Pioneers.
   
2. Have an 8ohm nominal impedance rating. This is basically a measure of how easy a speaker is for the amp to drive, lower ratings being more difficult. Again, Klipsch and Polk Audio would probably be better fits.
   
   I don't want this review to look like a hater wrote it. I'm sure it's a perfectly good amp under the right conditions. If you have, or can find, speakers that fit these recommendations, you might have better luck with this amp than I did. But if you're set on, or already have, low sensitivity and/or low impedance speakers, you should consider a more robust amp/receiver - one that hasn't so badly inflated its specs.*

Would this receiver work with my speakers? Btw, thanks so much for your responses, really appreciate all the input and advice.

I got my first TT about a year ago. It's an AT-LP-120. After a year of loving it I'm ready to upgrade my sound. I am planning on removing the built in pre-amp, and getting new speakers.

I've picked out the Polk Audio RTI A1's for my new speakers but now I need help finding an amp and a pre-amp to go with it. I have seen people recommend receivers and amps but I don't know what I should go for. I was looking at the Yamaha RS-201 for a receiver. I don't really know where to start for pre-amps, as I've seen tons of different things recommended.

I want to keep my amp+pre-amp solution around the $200 mark, but if you think that's not possible then let me know. If you guys have any suggestions on how to proceed that would be great.

If you can live with a 2 channel setup for now, these Polk Audio speakers and this Yamaha receiver will likely sound far better than the sound bar. Then if you decide you want to add a subwoofer in the future, you can get some decent ones around $100.

I don't know a better thread. I was just making an assumption. Not a big deal. Well then you just need two amplifiers. You could do something as simple as a set of these, but you won't get independent volume in the kitchen.
https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-R-S202BL-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B01EMQI2CU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1478114109&sr=8-3&keywords=stereo+amplifier

If you want something with independent volume in the kitchen you could get one of those and two of last years model. https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-R-S201BL-2-Channel-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00F0H88SY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1478117124&sr=8-5&keywords=stereo%2Bamplifier%2Bwith%2Bremote&th=1

Thats the cheapest/easiest way I can think to do it under $500.

Speakers: $100/pair

Subwoofer: $130

Receiver: $150

Plus a few bucks for speaker wire and a cable to connect your device.

Congrats on the turntable! I got a 120 for Christmas, too; I'm really enjoying it!

I like your setup. You may find that people have very passionate feelings about Bose speakers, or pretty much anything in the audio chain, really, but ultimately what matters is how you feel when you're sitting there listening to them.

That receiver would be a good match. Here's an alternative for $50 more, with what I think are nicer aesthetics. I've had good luck with Yamaha amps in the past.

Or am I better off getting this...http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-R-S201BL-2-Channel-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00F0H88SY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453771289&sr=8-1&keywords=Yamaha+R-S201BL+2-Channel+Stereo+Receiver or http://www.amazon.com/Sony-STRDH130-Channel-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B006U1VH2S/ref=pd_sim_23_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=41YSwYSkIjL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1RAGD6MM77XX0AREKDSV

Or am I good with what i"m getting? Of course I have the pre amp ready.

Is there any difference between a $20 amplifier (https://www.amazon.com/Lepai-LP-A68-Digital-Amplifier-Remote/dp/B00721Z1AE/ref=pd_sim_e_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=1JJQJHQCMD3VVDMQCKZP) or a $100~ amplifier (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F0H88SY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2L77EE7U53NWQ) ?

Thanks for this guide /u/ZeosPantera !

I do have a question however since I am having a hard time finding the answer. I am looking for a receiver that can handle 4k HDR passthrough as well as ARC with 5.1 channels. Is there anything you would reccomend from Sony? I am open to other brands, but am not trying to spend more than 300$ I have a xbr800d and a ps4 pro.

For speakers I have these pioneer bookshelf speakers and a polkaudio psw10 powered by this yamaha s201 receiver.

For the center channel, I was looking at this klipsch KC-25 . Currently my set up is in my bedroom which isnt too big, maybe a 10x15 foot room. I'll probably end up picking the surround speakers sometime later.

Will this receiver be able to drive the Micca Mb242x?https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-R-S201BL-2-Channel-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00F0H88SY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481566471&sr=8-1&keywords=yamaha+rs201

Also does anyone have a good preamp to go with that receiver?

Alright, I think I will keep my smsl as my desktop headphone driver. So then if I already have my preamp, all I need is a receiver [like this] (https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-R-S201BL-2-Channel-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00F0H88SY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1454217798&sr=8-1&keywords=yamaha+201&linkCode=sl1&tag=zeos-20&linkId=81aba6bb0a3f5c36bc4962ce412133de) and a pair of passive speakers? I figure that way I'll having a living room setup that can also power my headphones. Sorry for my inexperience and confusion.

What exactly do you have and what exactly do you need?

If I'm not mistaken, the CJ has a few line level and one phono preamp. It also has tape outs which you may or may not need.

Do you already have an amp? If not, you can generally find more low price yet high quality integrated amps and receivers than just preamps. I would guess that it's an economies of scale issue. There's also nothing wrong with using an AV receiver. They're quite capable musically and the low margins+high competition means you can get something quite good for about $300.

Some of these also have pre-outs and can be used only for their preamp function.

Some examples include Denon, Yamaha and Onkyo AVRs (any model - buy based on feautres), and these 3 options:
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-STRDH130-Channel-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B006U1VH2S/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1450951908&sr=1-2&keywords=stereo+receiver

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-R-S201BL-2-Channel-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00F0H88SY/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1450951908&sr=1-3&keywords=stereo+receiver

http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX8020-TX-8020-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00EE18O7W/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1450951908&sr=1-6&keywords=stereo+receiver

What's the budget for this upgrade?

I sounds like you're using just a 3.5mm plug from either a computer or tablet for you source so it sounds like you're only going to need analog inputs. This means you're pretty open to whatever flavor of amp you want. The question is what do you want/what is in the budget. They do make 2.1 stereo receivers but they are normally more expensive than an entry level AVR. The AVR will give you the most control over the speakers from what I have experienced. The mini amps can provide up to a 2.1 but usually cost most than a stereo receiver.

Here are examples of each that I would consider.

AVR - Denon S510BT $230 this will give you everything you need at a decent price as it's on sale.

Stereo receiver - Yamaha R-S201 $110 or the bluetooth version for $40 more. BestBuy also has an Insignia receiver with bluetooth for $100.

2.1 Mini amp - SMSL Q5 Pro $140 or an Orb Booster $135.

Wondering this as well. Ive been eyeing this Yamaha line- http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-Natural-Stereo-Receiver-R-S201BL/dp/B00F0H88SY

If you don't plan on ever going full 5.1, then just get a stereo reveiver, like this

If you do want to go to full surround, there are litterally hundreds of options. Look at brands like Pioneer, Yahmaha, Denon, Onkyo or Marantz and you should find something quality in a host of price ranges.

Quick answer?

[This is a nice, cheaper, audio amp with a few inputs.](
http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-Natural-Stereo-Receiver-R-S201BL/dp/B00F0H88SY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1419943845&sr=8-2&keywords=yamaha+amplifier)

This Yamaha receiver will trounce the Lepai in every way. You'll still need the phono pre though.

These two would be fine on a budget of $220:

[Yamaha R-S201BL 2-Channel Stereo Receiver] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F0H88SY/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_It43xb6A4626W).

[ART Pro Audio DJPRE II Phono Turntable Preamplifier] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AJR482/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_av43xbHE3X876)

That's only $160. For speakers and that budget, I'd go for the Micca MB42s (Mine were cheaper than this).

All this and you're barely above your budget at $229.43.

I could suggest the extreme budget stuff that I bought (Pyle, Lepai), but there's no point when you have the credit. You'll also need speaker wire and a pair of RCAs. You'll probably end up around $240 or $245.

Ninja edit: Or, you could go vintage, but then you wouldn't be able to use your Amazon credit.

I wouldn't spend any money until you've verified that your TV has an analog audio output and verified whether the TV remote controls the volume of this output (they often don't).

But if both of those things are true, there are some cheap amplifiers listed under the "AMPLIFIERS" section here.

Alternatively, you could just buy a receiver. An entry-level one is under $150. It doesn't have any digital inputs, so depending on your TV, you might or might not also need a digital-to-analog converter (or a different receiver that does have a digital input).

1. What is your budget?
   $500
   
   
2. What are you looking for?
   Looking for a pair of bookshelf speakers, a 2-channel stereo receiver that can be used as a home theater setup with my speakers, playstation, and tv.
   
   
3. How will you typically be using the gear?
   I will use the gear for music (indie rock, hiphop - no EDM), gaming, and sound for my TV (sports, movies, shows)
   
   
4. What gear do you own?
   The only gear I own are my TV (60" Samsung LED 1080p Smart TV), and my playstation 4. I could probably figure out some stands for the speakers too. Other than that, I have nothing.
   
   
5. What do you intend on using for a source?
   Right now, I want to play music off my phone and/or laptop. Sound also playing through my TV/playstation. Down the road, I want to get a turntable and start collecting records.
   
   
6. What material will you be using your gear for?
   Gaming, music, movies, sports, shows. Music - indie rock, hip-hop, ambient, punk rock, post-rock, etc. No EDM business here.
   
   
7. Are you willing to buy used?
   Would rather not.
   
   Someone kindly gave me a few suggestions before, but I'm afraid the stereo receiver isn't what I need. I'm a bit of a newb to hi-fi audio - but would the receiver suggested below satisfy my needs? I feel that the stereo receiver would need some HDMI inputs for the playstation and an output to the TV? Hopefully someone can help me with this. Here were the suggestions that were given by a previous individual (which, thanks for the previous suggestion! Just want to make sure I am getting everything I need before making a $500 purchase.)
   
   Bookshelf Speakers - Elac B6, $279
   
   Stereo Receiver - Yamaha R-S201BL, $129
   
   Wifi Addition - Airport Express, $49
   
   Thanks!

It isn't hate for Razer, it is hate for all the low quality brands that gamers love to buy their audio from.

Try looking into bookshelf speakers, and /r/audiophile has a purchase advice thread to post and search through.

Here is something I threw together in a few seconds, speakers, amp and dac, you might need some cabling too (I have no idea if this is a good setup). Hopefully someone else who knows speaker can help.

I'll tell you a kick ass 2.0 setup, but I don't know if you want to swap everything.

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-R-S201BL-2-Channel-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00F0H88SY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464647244&sr=8-1&keywords=yamaha+rs201

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS22-LR-Designed-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers/dp/B008NCD2LG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464647524&sr=8-1&keywords=andrew+jones+pioneer+speakers

For less than 200 dollars (buy everything used), this setup kicks ASS.

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Source-AMP100VS-Channel-Amplifier/dp/B00ZSEFU94/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?ie=UTF8&ref_=dp_ob_neva_mobile

Or possibly

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-R-S201BL-2-Channel-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00F0H88SY/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?ie=UTF8&refRID=0YAH6D3Q4EF5VPNHETFB&ref_=pd_aw_vtph_23_bs_1

Get a pair of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Monitor-65T-Three-Way-Floorstanding/dp/B009WVN85C/ref=sr_1_7?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1463362173&sr=1-7&keywords=polk+audio

one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-R-S201BL-2-Channel-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00F0H88SY/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1463362279&sr=1-1&keywords=stereo+reciever

...and one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Audioengine-D1-24-bit-Digital-to-Analog-Converter/dp/B006IPH5H2/ref=sr_1_16?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1463362488&sr=1-16&keywords=usb+dac

Bitchin' system for roughly a grand.

I decided to buy some speakers off of an old friend. Less than a hundred hours of use, the Infinity Primus P363 towers pair, and an Infinity Primus PC351 center for a grand total of 270 bucks. Pretty sweet deal IMO.

Anyways, I live in an apartment, room size is probably 12' by 14'. I'll be playing music probably thirty percent of the time, and the other seventy percent will consist of a pretty even split of gaming and movies. Going to connect my Polk audio 10 sub (I think, still debating) to the system. All connected to a Yamaha stereo. Will be using a projector for my TV, and that will complete my home theater.

Either jbl 305's or this:

Yamaha rs201 $130

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-R-S201BL-2-Channel-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00F0H88SY/ref=sr_1_3?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1469294833&sr=1-3&refinements=p_36%3A1253506011

jbl studio 130's refurb on sale $90 a pair

http://www.harmanaudio.com/jbl/STUDIO+130.html?dwvar_STUDIO%20130_color=Black-Z#prefn1=brand&prefn2=isRefurbished&prefv3=false&prefv1=JBL&prefv2=true&prefn3=isSupport&start=1


Both options will sound far better than the Miccas.

• Yamaha Natural Sound Stereo Receiver
  
  
• Bic America FH-65B
  
  Don't know Canadian prices but that's what I'd suggest. The receiver is only stereo so if you wanted a sub or 5.1 you'd have to get a new one.
  

This is just over your budget:

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-Natural-Stereo-Receiver-R-S201BL/dp/B00F0H88SY/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1410892531&sr=1-1&keywords=yamaha+stereo+receiver

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS21-LR-80-Watts-2-Way-Speakers/dp/B004MEWZE4/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1410892551&sr=8-8&keywords=pioneer+andrew+jones+speakers

About $219.

I could probably tie into my DAC coming out of the PC with a splitter of some kind, but that'd have zero amplification at all if I understand correctly. I think the onboard sound is disabled for the DAC.

This is the receiver.

Generally speaking the more fancy expensive ones are bigger and heavier. If you shop around on any decent site it will have dimensions listed.

The $150 stereo Yamaha R-S201 is 17.2 x 12.6 x 5.5 inches ; 8 pounds

while the $2,000 9.2 RX-A3030 is 18.4 x 17.1 x 7.5 inches ; 40.1 pounds

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-R-S201BL-2-Channel-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00F0H88SY

Also here a link to my current amp

How are you feeding signal to your Sa50? Computer phono out?

You would have to try to split the signal from the source, somehow. They make RCA Y cables to do this, but any time you split a cable, you run the risk of making it sound like crap. (IMO)

Of course, you could use something like this to give you additional RCA outs, of which you could send one pair to the amp, and another to the sub. https://amzn.com/B0044779H2

Or, the best solution would be something along these lines: https://amzn.com/B00F0H88SY

I actually just bought this setup.

Turntable

Speakers

Receiver

Sounds good. I would try finding your TT first as they are likely going to be the culprit of additional expenses (cartridge, possibly setup or repairs) and go from there.

These are the speakers that I have. Looks like they have a set for $113 with damaged packaging. They do a great job of creating clean and clear sound, but may be a bit lacking on the low end. Also, sound stage is what I would expect from bookshelf speakers.

This is a few levels down from the receiver that I have but 50w/channel should be plenty to drive those speakers, or most anything else you will find that isn't massively inefficient.

Then whatever you can find for a used TT locally and a new cartridge should keep you under $500.

Now, my setup is a bit against the conventional wisdom of spending more on speakers than a receiver, but that receiver leaves some room to upgrade your speakers later on when you decide to spend some more cash.