Pioneer SX 50 vs SX 80 Series
- Thread starter IBSO52
- Start date
kevzep
Its all about the Music
The obsolete output transistors are not even close to being an issue, there are excellent TO3P packaged transistors available, yes there is some engineering involved to physically fit them, but that sort of thing doesn't bother me...
The only thing that does bother me is how many XX80 receivers have ended up as land-fill because owners were told they couldn't be repaired....
I like they styling and sound of both the 50 and the 80....
I want both!!
The only thing that does bother me is how many XX80 receivers have ended up as land-fill because owners were told they couldn't be repaired....
I like they styling and sound of both the 50 and the 80....
I want both!!
I have a Sansui G-7500 for my VU/power meter receiver. I did modify it however, as it smoked its transformer, so to save it, I put in a sx-1050 power supply, new MOSFET PA's too
Best of both worlds.
I agree I wonder how many gems are trashed because people do not want to pay nor know how to have them fixed.
Best of both worlds.I agree I wonder how many gems are trashed because people do not want to pay nor know how to have them fixed.
kevzep
Its all about the Music
Yeah agreed, I am pretty sure that, plus a bit of ignorance and the old "haven't got time to get this fixed" etc etc comes into play, I just heard of someone here in NZ throwing a SX1250 into the landfill, its still working apparently but the pots were scratchy and some of the lamps were dead, the owner thought its was done, and nobody would want to work on it so threw it out....
This stuff was worthless not too long ago. Just like the '60s and '70s muscle-cars that went to the crusher. I'm pretty sure they made at least 50,000 (probably many more) SX-1250s, probably 100,000 or more each of less expensive models of the SX-x80 and SX-x50 and they're for sale every day on evilbay, ... thousands of them are still in attics, garages, basements. I love owning and restoring them, even more I love looking at and listening to them but lets face it, they're not Faberge' eggs or the Hope Diamond, ... people don't know we're out there looking for them.
More recently those of us who want to lovingly restore the and re-live the glory-days are creating a demand, which has increased the prices from nothing to ridiculous.
Not everyone knows that there is a collector presence out there or wants to be bothered to sell it.
I had to throw away a one-of-a-kind custom made by Kelvinator circa: 1920 refrigerator when my Father sold his lake house several years back, some vintage outboard motors, other stuff. When the new owners are taking possession soon and you need to get his stuff out (of 11,500 square feet) you eventually give up on finding a place for this stuff and throw it in a dumpster. My Father's old stereo went to my son though, ... that part was easy! Sansui, Teac, Pioneer, ... This was 2000, it was his summer house that sold for $2.5mm, he wasn't that concerned about whether he could spend a couple of days in his golden years finding a home for something he had in his attic for a decade or more.
The same happened when my Grandparents passed: my Parents and their siblings moved most of what furnished the house to a pile in the garage to be picked up by Salvation Army, other things trashed, only the really nice things with significant value became "inherited". I don't know where the stereo went but they weren't worth anything in 1988.
More recently those of us who want to lovingly restore the and re-live the glory-days are creating a demand, which has increased the prices from nothing to ridiculous.
Not everyone knows that there is a collector presence out there or wants to be bothered to sell it.
I had to throw away a one-of-a-kind custom made by Kelvinator circa: 1920 refrigerator when my Father sold his lake house several years back, some vintage outboard motors, other stuff. When the new owners are taking possession soon and you need to get his stuff out (of 11,500 square feet) you eventually give up on finding a place for this stuff and throw it in a dumpster. My Father's old stereo went to my son though, ... that part was easy! Sansui, Teac, Pioneer, ... This was 2000, it was his summer house that sold for $2.5mm, he wasn't that concerned about whether he could spend a couple of days in his golden years finding a home for something he had in his attic for a decade or more.
The same happened when my Grandparents passed: my Parents and their siblings moved most of what furnished the house to a pile in the garage to be picked up by Salvation Army, other things trashed, only the really nice things with significant value became "inherited". I don't know where the stereo went but they weren't worth anything in 1988.
Last edited:
kevzep
Its all about the Music
Good post man!! Sadly so true, and I have done the same thing with some things, we just don't have the time to deal with a lot of stuff in those situations and it has to go somewhere....
The only thing I dont like about my 680 is the crappy vinyl wrapped case.......other than that, I love it. But those cases just suck. One thing that Realistic did even on their cheaper receivers was to put walnut veneer cases on them. Many Japanese brands went the crappy case route by the late 70s, even on their better units. My Kenwood KR 4600 and my Sony STR 5800 came with vinyl cases (the Sony got a real walnut side panel upgrade courtesy of a fellow AKer)......handsome faceplates, crappy cases.
Agree with this. One of the things Pioneer did to reduce costs. I had a 780, but recently traded it off for an SX-990 and a pair of Advent 3 speakers. I hated that vinyl cover. It was always peeling at the edges, and I could feel it every time I touched the case. The 990 has a really nice Walnut veneer case.
Earlier this year I scored a one owner SX-880 at a garage sale for $10. Beautiful condition it's worked flawlessly since I got it and sounds great! I had read somewhere here that there was a design flaw with this model, a screwy IC chip or something. I met the original owner one week after I bought it and I mentioned this to him finding no evidence of burning in the spot one would normally find such evidence. He knew what I was talking about informing me that this was repaired shortly after he bought it via a service bulletin from Pioneer.
most parts are common to the SX-x80 series, wonder what part your talking about a PAxxxx parts?
Awesomeaudio
Super Member
Did you offer the seller more than a measly 10 bucks ?
I'm guessing he's never heard of ebay..
For something I don't know anything about from a total stranger? um, no. Now on the other hand not too long ago I drove from NY to Maine to help an old lady move firewood and payed for the gas , tolls and car rental myself. She's a friend of a friend that needed help, I always wanted to see Maine so I went and took care of what needed to be done. I see things like the $10 Pioneer as a reward for such deeds.
I have now owned 2 sx-980, 2 sx-1080, 1 sx-1280, 1 sx-850 and a sx-1050. Bought them to try and did a shootout. Sx -980 is the sweet spot for me. I love the size and has the nicer wood vs veneer of the 880 and 750 and lower model units. I love the vu meters and the bright sound. I did not like the 850 as the output seemed weak to me compared to the 980. The 850 reminded me of the marantz 2275 I bought which I didn’t care for that sound either. The 850 and 2275 were big on bass, low on power and less highs or brightness than I like. (This is personal preference not fact). I didn’t feel the price difference to the 1080 or 1280 was justified for my use. I would recommend getting a 980 and a 950 and compare. They are relatively reasonably priced around $500ea give or take. I Plan to get a 1250 as that is the unit most keeping saying you should own.
Have fun, I have only been playing with these for about a year and I have had a blast.
Have fun, I have only been playing with these for about a year and I have had a blast.
