sx-535 purchase?

[tchandler]

hi all, i’m new here and just getting into this world of vintage hi-fi. i don’t know that i have the skill set or capacity for a lot of diy work, mostly i’m just interested in a putting together a small system for my home that sounds nice, looks nice, and reminds me of what my parents had in our home when i was a kid. i’m fine to deox pots etc, but i’m not the guy who is going to crack open the unit and break out the soldering iron.

i’ve been scouring for a receiver for a while, listening (at some overpriced shops), etc, and i’m currently considering a pioneer sx-535 for sale on craigslist. the owner says it’s “mint” and that he’s had a trusted technician replace all lamps and output transistors. he’s asking around $180. i’ll have a chance to test it out before buying. thoughts?

also, as i’m posting this i realize that i may be posting in the wrong place with this kind of question. apologies in adavance if that’s the case.

thanks for being such a great resource!

tc

 

[Shark Bait]

I have an SX-636 as well as an SX-434. Those receivers would be one step larger and one step smaller than the one that you are looking at. I love the way they look and sound. I am sure the 535 would be just as wonderful. You may want to consider becoming a subscriber to this forum which would give you access to Bartertown. You could also find what you are looking for there.

 

[EastPoint]

The 535 is wonderful. For longevity I would replace all the sky-blue Sanyo caps and like half the transistors. You may be in for issues down the road if those aren’t done yet. Not sure why the outputs would have been replaced unless someone blew it up real bad, or they meant the drivers instead.

 

[ivandezande]

Value questions shouldn't be posted anywhere except dollars and sense, but $180 is way too much for a 535 unserviced. I barely sold a mint restored 626 for 160.

 

[sfox52]

If you are set on this receiver, see if you can get the service records from his tech. It would be unusual to have all of the output transistors replaced unless it had a complete rebuild, including the capacitors and the driver transistors also. It would cost more than what he is asking for all of that work. I sold a working, original SX-535 for under 1/3 of this price this Spring.

 

[tchandler]

Thanks all. Spoke with the seller and they said they paid $160 to replace all lamps with LED's, and to "replace the left and right output transistors because they were noisy." I think they meant the drivers. Anyway, sounds like consensus is that unless it's been completely recapped (in which case it would cost more than they are asking), that $180 is too much for a cosmetically mint sx535 with newly replaced drivers (?) and lamps, yes?

 

[tonyk]

Yep.

 

[432HzBob]

Hold out for the SX-828.
Take a 626 if you can.
They're both the previous 1972-74 line of Pioneers and do sound amazing.
Take the 535 if it's all they have. She's no slouch at 20 wpc.
Talk em down to under 100.
Explain to seller you gotta put at least another 100 into it, plus your time.
Slip him a Benjamin, and ask if he has a pair of HPM 40's in the backroom he wants to make a package deal on.
........everybody walks away happy.

 

[tonyk]

Or consider a subscription here at AK and get access to Bartertown, there's some fantastic deals going on right now for the type of gear your looking for.

 

[432HzBob]

Thanks all. Spoke with the seller and they said they paid $160 to replace all lamps with LED's, and to "replace the left and right output transistors because they were noisy." I think they meant the drivers. Anyway, sounds like consensus is that unless it's been completely recapped (in which case it would cost more than they are asking), that $180 is too much for a cosmetically mint sx535 with newly replaced drivers (?) and lamps, yes?

I replaced the "blue Sanyo" caps on my 828 preamp board because everyone says they fail.
Now I have a crackling whenever I use an otherwise great working receiver.
I must have soldered something wrong i think but I wish I would have never touched it.
Worked fine until I tried "preventative maintenance"..
I think it had the best sound of a receiver I;ve owned other than a Luxman
and certainly ha a better sound than the SX-950 at anything under 20-30 watts when the 950 big block muscle took over.
The later 70's Pioneers (bigger, wider, more silver, more power) had more of a trebly edge to the sound and tighter and probably deeper bass to them.
Definitely more muscular sounding than the early models. But unnecessary unless you really crank it.
Early 70's Pioneer receivers had a sound similar to the "laid back" Sansui and Marantz thing.
This is my experience anyway owning half a dozen Pioneer receivers from the 70's.

And the SX-424.... great sounding too. Despite its modest/robust 18 wpc, great build,
2 tape monitors and silver and black wood case esthetics, ended up on the curb "free to a caring home"
when it's 1972 design tried valiantly but ultimately failed to drive 4 Ohm Infinities.
One thing I learned...
As good as just about every old Pioneer receiver sounds, they just don;t drive 4 Ohm high current speaker for very long no matter how good they sound trying to do it.

 

[432HzBob]

Or consider a subscription here at AK and get access to Bartertown, there's some fantastic deals going on right now for the type of gear your looking for.

Agree
But you better hustle fast on BT.
The M-80 Yamaha amp for 250 a few years ago was gone in less than 5 minutes.

 

[tchandler]

Thanks all. I did subscribe to get access to Bartertown. I've been looking through the listings and haven't found anything quite right, but I'll keep digging!

 

[Blue Shadow]

Thanks all. I did subscribe to get access to Bartertown. I've been looking through the listings and haven't found anything quite right, but I'll keep digging!

Post a wanted and get flooded with units you want at a price that is fair (a couple, maybe) and a bunch too high, too big, not a receiver and all sorts of gear someone will sell for yor stated budget.

 

[Blue Shadow]

@tchandler if you fixed it great.

What you want will show up on BT after you post a wtd ad

 

[teal'c]

see if it's reasonable.

Don't worry, if it's not at the least you won't get any offers, more than likely you'll get plenty of people telling you why it isn't.

 

[eiraved]

There are a few reputable AKers who have bundles of the receivers you're looking for. You should be hearing from a few soon on your WTB ad.