Pioneer Amp 1970's bests ALL OTHERS to 2005

jayceem

New Member
I got to thinking just now of all the power-amps that have passed through my hands over the years and marks out of 20 I would give 'em based on sound quality/enjoyability, coupled with that elusive 'float your boat' factor. Here's how they scored in ascending order:
Naim Audio Nap110.................................................8
Audio Innovations 300 valve integrated.....................9
Pioneer A400...........................................................9
Naim Audio NAP140...............................................10
ARC Classic 60 valve..............................................10
Audiolab 8000s integrated...................................... 10
ARC D200 modified................................................11
Albarry M408II monos........................................... 11
EAR 861 valve.......................................................12
Krell KAV300i integrated.........................................12
Bartolomeo 140....................................................12
Audion SilverNight mono valve................................12
Quad 405-2..........................................................13
Quad 606-2..........................................................14
Electrocompaniet AW220...................................... 14
Pioneer SX-636 receiver........................................ 15
Pioneer SA-9100 integrated....................................17

The SA-9100 has been marked down 1 point for that pesky speaker protection cutting-in! But you see it is strikingly so much better than most of the other fare that I have bought a second unit. When I bought the first unit, this year, I checked dc-offset at 43.9/3.4, pretty good. I applied Deoxit to all switches and internal wire-wraps and renewed all fuses(3), with dco readings now 9.4/0.3 . I have refrained from soldering the wire-wraps thinking Pioneer did not do it for good reason! So I am going Pioneer crazy right now and am shortly to take-in 2 x CT-F9191's. I cannot believe, with a little tlc, how good this stuff is after all these years and by some margin. :thmbsp: :thmbsp:
 
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Surprising at first glance how a 70's vintage SS integrated can top all that high-end gear, but knowing the 9100, the surprisedness wears off. Nicely-engineered unit, now you've got me GAS-sing even worse for one, and the matching TX-9100 tuna. In the mid-70's they got the SS recipes right, it's just been reinventing the wheel ever since IMHO.

TP
 
An excellent tuner I bought the TX9100 some years ago but never realised until recently that the matching integrated was so good. It was brought to my attention by the Ebay seller 'wfstudios' who had 5 of these, 3 as backups he was putting for sale as they had proved so reliable. The SA had beaten-off all competition in his opinion for his studio purpose. I could not afford the asking $250+shipping to UK so grabbed one on Ebay(uk) for $124 and near faultless! Just a clean in and out by myself.
Re-inventing indeed, cost engineering took over longer than I thought. From early 80's it all went downhill. Oh well, better learnt several 'upgrades' later than never at all!
 
I am a SA-9100 lover, I have the SA-8100 as well and it sounds just as good.
Could not agree with you more. :thmbsp:
 
You have a Pioneer receiver and integrated rated higher than the Audiolab, the Krell and the 300B Audio Innovations amp?? Perhaps you'd be interested in some swamp land I have available??? :rofl:




Mike
 
I realize this is the Pioneer Forum and Pioneer fanatacism is to be expected but statements like those arbitrary ratings only serve to diminish one's credibility.

Mike
 
Then you take it all with a pinch of salt, that is your entitlement. The ratings serve as my opinion, that's what it's all about, opinions. Nothing to do with diminished credibility.
 
The speakers in current use are Quad 21L floorstanders I have been using for around 2 years. I have also tried the Pioneer units with the lesser Advent mini. Prior to the Quads I had in use for 6 years a pair of QLN Splitfield Signatures from Sweden.
 
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Electrocompaniet AW220........................................12


get real ...the EC is an 17-18 amp in sound quality
 
ProAc_Fan said:
I realize this is the Pioneer Forum and Pioneer fanatacism is to be expected but statements like those arbitrary ratings only serve to diminish one's credibility.

Mike

Hey Mike,
No offense, but this looks likes a statement I could have pulled from the AA board. Like it or not, people are entitled to their opinions. He says he has owned all of these amps, integrateds and receivers, and based his rankings on "what floats HIS boat", not yours. :)


Retro
 
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Retro Stereo said:
You too pudknocker, or I'll tell everyone how much your cables cost! :naughty:


Retro

:lmao:

He's owned all the listed amplifiers, and in his system, with his speakers, with his ears, the 9100 makes him smile the most. There's no right or wrong answers...it's just audio, nobody's getting killed or anything. :thmbsp: I definitely prefer my Luxman separates to any receiver I own, but my SX-838 certainly is no slouch, better than something with a pre, power, and tuna in one box has a right to be.

Give him a set of K-horns, and I bet the amplifier hierarchy readjusts itself. It all depends... :yes:

TP
 
NP ...I didnt say the Pioneer wasnt a sweet amp, it has a lot of quality and not to forget "Spirit" :thmbsp:

The AW220 is a "High End" power amp for the man with a budget, i have heard most of the EC power amps and i have always had very few negative comments to say about them, never for there audible quality...but one detail i have never liked or agree with EC to use in there amps, is use of board connectors betwin the power supply boards and amp boards :naughty:
 
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For sure the SA-9100 is sweet and spirited in gobs. One of the biggest differences between this and most of the other amps that have come my way is that the Pioneer makes them sound 'flat'. It has the combination of sweetness, lifelike presentation, and depth of sound that makes me want to listen to music. Accuracy may not be its forte, character is, but what the hell! Any case I read that none other than one Richard Carpenter won't let go of his, he likes its rendition of vocals so much. Having had sister Karen next his side he ought to know a vocal when he hears one!
Yeah, on reflection I'd give the EC a couple extra points. Sounds more like valves than a valve amp! But doesn't give me the feeling I want to sit and listen for hours on end, doesn't have the same involvement.
 
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