SX1010 Is it the pinnacle of Pioneers Receiver engineering? Maybe it is!!

No surprise they continued using that front end as long as they did, its a pretty decent building block for a great tuner...
 
Forgive me for being honest, but it's a "No" from me. Those pushbutton source selectors are a "Fail" over the long-term in my book. Same problem eliminates some of the SX-XX80 receivers for me. The 1010 does sound great. For my money the SX- X50/XX50 are the Pinnacle for Pioneer engineering. Sound wise for me the SX-737 and SX-828 and the rare SX-2500 fill out the lower power designs that sound good to me . Ymmv.
 
Forgive me for being honest, but it's a "No" from me. Those pushbutton source selectors are a "Fail" over the long-term in my book. Same problem eliminates some of the SX-XX80 receivers for me. The 1010 does sound great. For my money the SX- X50/XX50 are the Pinnacle for Pioneer engineering. Sound wise for me the SX-737 and SX-828 and the rare SX-2500 fill out the lower power designs that sound good to me . Ymmv.
Well, thats actually a fair comment about the pushbutton switches, they are a definite failure point, and some them are actually sealed so you cant dismantle them for cleaning like you can with the lever switches.
The SX XX50 have those push buttons as well, but not as many.
I have actually drilled holes in the back of some very troublesome pushbutton switches to be able to get contact cleaner into the actual conductor part of the switch.
But it comes with the age of these units and I would think in another 20 years we'll be cursing those pushbutton switches even more!!
 
I've had an SX-1010 since my college days - mid 1970s, when it was brand new. Had it completely overhauled a few years back by a very good tech, who specializes in these units. Never had any problems with the pushbuttons, or any other aspect of this unit. Sounds fabulous and is the one receiver I won't ever be selling (I also have an SX-1250, Yamaha R-1000, Carver 6250 and Carver HR752)... (Playing it even now, with Braun L810s) :music: Great to hear that the OP has discovered this fab receiver...!
 
Good call on that, however sadly in New Zealand, all this stuff is rare, back when the 939/1010 were sold new, our import laws prevented them from coming into our country.
Its all very very rare here.

Yes same here kevzep, l think l have seen one 939 and one 1010 for sale here in about three years and l scored the 939 which is about 9.5/10 condition :).

I believe the SX-939 uses a 2-stage MOSFET front end and a 4-gang unit.

Yes, three filters and a 4 ganger.

It's unfortunate that this bad boy never made it out of Japan.

That is a beautiful looking tuner, reminds me a bit of my Kenwood KT-917.

Forgive me for being honest, but it's a "No" from me. Those pushbutton source selectors are a "Fail" over the long-term in my book.

I'm not sure why many people seem to have problems with these, l cleaned mine once about three years ago and they are still completely trouble free and silent. They are easy to clean with the faceplate off from the front of the switches.
 
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I shoot DeOxit & Faderlube in mine yearly when it gets it's clean and Preventive Maintenance done. Never had a problem with either the 1010 or 939 with regard to the push buttons. But I don't punch them 40-50 times to clean them. 20 is sufficient.
 
Hi Guys, I am found more often over in the Sansui forum, but as I fairly good client base for repairs restoration and servicing, I get to work on a lot of different brands, I still feel I am somewhat a Sansui specialist, but I am catching up on Pioneer!!
I have always respected the Pioneer brand and have owned a few units in the past, a SX626, CT-F950, SX980 are a few, but I always remained fairly loyal to Sansui, I have owned AU999, G7700's, AU9500, two G9000's, a G22000...
Last year I did a major on a SX1980, and I have done servicing and repairs to a bunch of SX-X50's. 750,850, 950, 1050...
During this time I learned a lot about Pioneer, and those X50 series are some pretty dam fine sounding receivers...
However, very recently restored/recapped a very nice and very mint SX1010.
Once I completed it, I used it to listen to music in my lab, and I have to say, for me its the most impressive Pioneer receiver I have ever heard, what a solid sounding amplifier!! Its so lush, just brilliant, you just want to turn it up, the sound pulls you in....its seductive!!
Then, there's the tuner, I live 35 miles away from the stations I listen to, and there are hills involved, and I live down a bit of a valley, there are only two tuners I have come across that can pull stations in from there, both McIntosh, the MR78 and the MR80, but now there's three!! The SX1010 has an extraordinary tuner, its insane, its better sounding and more sensitive than my restored and aligned MR78!!
There you go I said it!!
Well, it went back to the owner, and he loved it, but his situation changed, and I had to opportunity to buy it!!

I am now the owner of this very fine SX1010, this one is a keeper, it will never be leaving, its here to stay!!

A few pics, the wooden veneer is in excellent condition and there is hardly a mark on the face plate...
I love the blue tuner dial and meters, its got a very elegant look in my opinion.

Pioneer knocked it out of the park with the SX1010!!
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Hi Guys, I am found more often over in the Sansui forum, but as I fairly good client base for repairs restoration and servicing, I get to work on a lot of different brands, I still feel I am somewhat a Sansui specialist, but I am catching up on Pioneer!!
I have always respected the Pioneer brand and have owned a few units in the past, a SX626, CT-F950, SX980 are a few, but I always remained fairly loyal to Sansui, I have owned AU999, G7700's, AU9500, two G9000's, a G22000...
Last year I did a major on a SX1980, and I have done servicing and repairs to a bunch of SX-X50's. 750,850, 950, 1050...
During this time I learned a lot about Pioneer, and those X50 series are some pretty dam fine sounding receivers...
However, very recently restored/recapped a very nice and very mint SX1010.
Once I completed it, I used it to listen to music in my lab, and I have to say, for me its the most impressive Pioneer receiver I have ever heard, what a solid sounding amplifier!! Its so lush, just brilliant, you just want to turn it up, the sound pulls you in....its seductive!!
Then, there's the tuner, I live 35 miles away from the stations I listen to, and there are hills involved, and I live down a bit of a valley, there are only two tuners I have come across that can pull stations in from there, both McIntosh, the MR78 and the MR80, but now there's three!! The SX1010 has an extraordinary tuner, its insane, its better sounding and more sensitive than my restored and aligned MR78!!
There you go I said it!!
Well, it went back to the owner, and he loved it, but his situation changed, and I had to opportunity to buy it!!

I am now the owner of this very fine SX1010, this one is a keeper, it will never be leaving, its here to stay!!

A few pics, the wooden veneer is in excellent condition and there is hardly a mark on the face plate...
I love the blue tuner dial and meters, its got a very elegant look in my opinion.

Pioneer knocked it out of the park with the SX1010!!
View attachment 1184251 View attachment 1184252 View attachment 1184253 View attachment 1184254 View attachment 1184255
I liked them so much that I bought one many years ago, when no one had money in the US due to the crash of the stock market in 2008. Now everyone is poor in the US.
The one purchased in 2012 needed low level transistors.
then two years later needed 2SC1451s.
 
Kev: As much as I liked my 1010, I like my 939 more. I feel it's got a slightly smoother sound, with basically the same EQ, preamp/Tone Control boards, but lower powered amp board (mirrored single board vs dual boards of the 1010.) Rated for 70wpc, I had it benched and run thru the FTC tests. It managed 82WPC RIght and 81wpc at clipping into 8ohms, .09%thd @ max. power 20Hz to 20,000Hz. 1kHz wattage was 86 and 85wpc 1 channel driven. This was after a full rebuild except for the outputs. I don't mind the loss of 30watts per as this is my Highest rated unit of all brands I have. I'm using it with Klipsch Heresy's and at 50% on the Volume rattles the windows thruout the house with the doors closed. I listen to it while I'm on the driveway working on the cars. Mainly Goodman, Miller, Shaw, James, Ellington, Basie, etc. from the 30's and 40's. We had a block party last week and I supplied the tunes with it and the Heresy's. The older folks(70's and 80's) loved it and were dancing on the lawn. Had a grand time with it.
 
Kev: As much as I liked my 1010, I like my 939 more. I feel it's got a slightly smoother sound, with basically the same EQ, preamp/Tone Control boards, but lower powered amp board (mirrored single board vs dual boards of the 1010.) Rated for 70wpc, I had it benched and run thru the FTC tests. It managed 82WPC RIght and 81wpc at clipping into 8ohms, .09%thd @ max. power 20Hz to 20,000Hz. 1kHz wattage was 86 and 85wpc 1 channel driven. This was after a full rebuild except for the outputs. I don't mind the loss of 30watts per as this is my Highest rated unit of all brands I have. I'm using it with Klipsch Heresy's and at 50% on the Volume rattles the windows thruout the house with the doors closed. I listen to it while I'm on the driveway working on the cars. Mainly Goodman, Miller, Shaw, James, Ellington, Basie, etc. from the 30's and 40's. We had a block party last week and I supplied the tunes with it and the Heresy's. The older folks(70's and 80's) loved it and were dancing on the lawn. Had a grand time with it.
Interesting, I have noticed the 1010 can bite hard at high volumes depending on program.
A few people feel the 939 is the sweet spot in the receiver line, always good to hear peoples opinions and findings.....I must do some tests on the 1010 when I have a chance...See how it stacks up.
Thanks for the post, I found it quite interesting and appreciate your views.
 
It's got plenty of power, but it tends to shrillness, and gets a hard edge to it at near clipping. I've noticed the same thing on the 939, but on the 939 it's a bit less.
 
In what regard do you mean bite hard kevzep, do you mean doesn't lack any power?
If you are playing something that might be a little bright, it can but your ears.....Its an interesting amp, good recordings sounds amazing, something a bit crap, sounds really crap.....
 
It's got plenty of power, but it tends to shrillness, and gets a hard edge to it at near clipping. I've noticed the same thing on the 939, but on the 939 it's a bit less.
Yes totally agree with that....
I was using it to play my backing tracks when I was practicing my guitar yesterday, and some of the recordings can bring out that shrillness....as I am probably near clipping it at some times ...
 
I alternate between my sx1010 and my sx1250. The sound from the 1010 seems a bit warmer than the 1250. I am keeping both. I might like the 1010 a little more than the 1250, though.
 
It's got plenty of power, but it tends to shrillness, and gets a hard edge to it at near clipping. I've noticed the same thing on the 939, but on the 939 it's a bit less.

If you are playing something that might be a little bright, it can but your ears.....Its an interesting amp, good recordings sounds amazing, something a bit crap, sounds really crap.....

Thanks for the insight guys, very interesting. I have never noticed this with my 939 although l have never really pushed it hard. I would say it is a very smooth and non fatiguing sounding receiver compared to most. I haven't had to push it because it gets plenty loud with 87-90db speakers in a medium sized room :).
 
Thanks for the insight guys, very interesting. I have never noticed this with my 939 although l have never really pushed it hard. I would say it is a very smooth and non fatiguing sounding receiver compared to most. I haven't had to push it because it gets plenty loud with 87-90db speakers in a medium sized room :).
Yes it seems to be just before clipping they do this.....not actually clipping, but running at almost full power...
Apart from that, smooth as a smooth thing can be........
 
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