Pioneer TX-9800

[charminator777]

Hi
I have one of these tx 9800 tuners -never use it much cause i just dont listen to the radio nowadays-hate commercials
--cant even remember when i got this tuner but i did see another one exactly like it in a thrift store here last year for 20 bucks -should have got it
i do remember payin 40 for this one at a yard sale --works very well when i do use it
i am just tryin to find out what you pioneer people think about this model>>>

do tell the charminator your thoughts
c

 

[mrGrosvenor]

HI,

20 bucks...

Im in Europe. last autumn I payed 152 Euro = 196US Dollar for my TX-9800 and it wasnt even mint but I dont regret it, its the best tuner I have owned and used so far... it was a great improvement from my previous Pioneer TX-608.

I think the midrange and channel(stereo) separation on the TX-9800 is awesome, and its a silver Pioneer... just wonderful to look at and rest your eyes on :thmbsp:

regards/Grosvenor

 

[agger]

$20 is a real good deal. Think this was the best tuner pioneer built. I have a TX-7800. It has also very good performance, also the selection on the very crowded FM in europe is very good.

 

[foetusized]

They've been selling for good money on eBay, particularly ones with the wood case. There's currently one on eBay sitting on the $200 minimum -- http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=39789&item=5762849432 -- and they might get that based on what I've seen the past few months.

My TX-9800 has the metal case, matching my SA-9800. My favorite tuner. I bought a user's manual off eBay for a TX-9800, and it turned out to be for the wood case "KU" version. Electronically, the difference between what's in the manual and my metal case version, is that mine was made for international use, with voltage selection, and a 3-position FM de-emphasis switch with 50 microseconds as an added option. From the manual I learned how to use the multipath outputs, and have been following its advise to use a ground wire between the tuner and amp on all of my tuner/amp pairs.

Look for non-profit stations at the "left of the dial" if you don't like commercials :thmbsp: -- Foe (a former college radio DJ)

 

[charminator777]

i knew i should have grabbed it -it was in wood and so is mine and mine is inmint condition-i had thought abuot givin it to my boy but he is young and crazy and i will just hang on to it
i am goin to be watchin the flea markets this year real big time \

thanx guys
and gals
c

 

[mg196]

Here is what the Tuner Info Center says:

The TX-9800 has 5 gangs and 5 filters, one for the wide IF bandwidth mode and 4 for narrow, and is solidly built. The TX-9800 has exactly the same RF front end as the TX-9100 and TX-9500/TX-9500II, with differences only in the IF and audio circuit areas. From a technical standpoint, however, the TX-9800’s complex crystal referenced oscillator sets it apart from those other Pioneers. According to our panelist David “A,” although it has excellent bass, “the TX-9800 shows that it was cost-reduced compared to the TX-9500II. The shields for each section that are present on all TX-9100s, all TX-9500s and most TX-9500IIs (ones that I have seen, anyway) are gone in the TX-9800, and the TX-9800's parts quality is worse overall.” Chuck Rippel of Audio Video Service Labs describes the TX-9800's circuit that operates the two indicators 'TUNE' and 'LOCKED': “What that circuit is looking for is a null in the discriminator offset. In all tuners, that null should also be coincident with the point of lowest distortion (established, in part, by the adjustment of the discriminator secondary). In this tuner, that circuit works correctly and it's clearly audible. Slowly tune through the station, the red 'TUNE' indicator will illuminate and the 'LOCKED' indicator will illuminate when you release the tuning control. The tuner is then at the point of least distortion. The AFC will maintain lock at that point.” The TX-9800 has a 3-gang AM section with wide and narrow bandwidth settings, so it may be a good choice for those who listen to AM radio. Pioneer's published specs for AM show selectivity of 50 dB in Narrow mode vs. 20 dB in Wide mode. On eBay, the TX-9800 can sell for anywhere from $100-300+, depending on condition, fluctuations in demand and whether it has a wooden cabinet, but $150-225 seems to be the most common range. Several mint TX-9800s have sold for $350-400, the same price range for those with the rare rack-mount tray (although one rack-mount TX-9800 went for just $270 in 8/04).

And here is the "Shootout" (Kenwood L-02T vs. the TX-9800):

This is one of the few attractive tuners built during the transition from the beauty of analog to the black box sameness that haunts us to this day. Sorry, but I feel better for having said that - JMO. The TX-9800's sound was a pleasant surprise. The bass was full and rich, and I enjoyed the difference compared to most other tuners in the survey. The bass had a full, slower but extended sound compared to the tight punch but deep sound of the L-02T. The imaging was somewhere between the L-02T and the TU-X1. The highs had a slightly forward sound that somewhat took away from the total package. The overall soundstage was forward of the speakers with good front-to-rear apparent depth. I was more impressed than I expected to be and give it a high rating. It doesn't compare with the more natural-sounding L-02T or the TU-X1, but I would definitely prefer the TX-9800 to the Revox B260 if those were my two choices. DXing was OK and on occasion, I noticed a quieter signal than on the L-02T. When pointed East to 88.7, 130 miles away, it was swamped by 88.5 South and 88.9 Northeast. The L-02T was able to get through to 88.7 but with constant fading on this day.

And the Review of the Shootout reviewer :

My own personal pecking order of Pioneer tuners is: #1: F-26, #2: F-28, #3: TX-9500II, #4: TX-9100, #5: TX-9500, #6: TX-9800 (but only in another market - the lack of shielding makes it unusable here), and then the rest.

I read Jim's shootout of the TX-9500II and find it interesting that it did better in RF terms than the TX-9800 (which has the same front end without the shield). I believe this supports a point that I have been making about the importance of shielding. It is interesting how well the both the TX-9500II and the TX-9800 did in Jim's RF tests compared to the superb L-02T, which has the best RF performance that I have ever seen in a production tuner.

 

[grumpy]

If you dont want it I do I never pass on deals for tunas

 

[charminator777]

Boy I dont want to have a war!! but thanx for alll the info sir--boy -- i should have grabbed that one-i had the money but i was lookin for impact drivers that day -oh well live and learn

charmaine

 

[siamac]

Look at this, I think it will reach a very high price:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5763662333&fromMakeTrack=true

 

[foetusized]

Thanks for that link. That wood case TX-9800 has the same three-position de-emphasis and international power as my metal case one. That means that there both variations were available with the wood case -- Foe