The best of Pioneer SX Receivers?

[JimL1]

what about the SX-4- 9 series. Champagne colored. cheap plastic switches on the front Bezel but seem to last ok.I have restored many SX-6 and a few smaller ones. Pretty well built and sound ok for that era. there are many SX-6's out there that sell very cheap.

 

[Echolane]

I bought a Pioneer SX-1050 new in 1977. It was my first serious audio purchase and set me back around $3000 when adjusted for inflation to today’s dollars. IOW, a lot! In 1985 I made my second major audio purchase when I bought Quad ESL-63 electrostatic speakers and a Quad Amp and Preamp. The Pioneer wound up in my closet where it has lived until 2018 (34 years) when I put it to work in my second best system, the TV room. Last month I decided to have it refurbished and I have to confess it set me back way way more than I expected, but it does sound very good indeed.

But I’m definitely wondering if I made a good investment. And how the Pioneer, especially the SX-1050 compares to present day equivalents.

Has anyone done any comparative listening to electronics in the $3000-$5000 range? How does the Pioneer compare?

Answering that question would go at least some way to answering the question whether the vintage electronics are as good or better than those designed and built for today. And whether I made a good investment.

My TV System
Vizio 60” Ultra HD
Spendor FL-6 floor standing speakers
Arcam SR-250 two-channel AVR used for video only
Pioneer SX-1050 used for audio only
Video sources:
1 - Dish DVR
2 - Oppo UDP-205 DVD
3 - Roku streamer
4 - Pioneer Elite CLD-99 Laser Disc Player
:

 

[tarior]

I think you'll have a hard time matching the build quality of the Pioneer at any cost in today's market. On the outside, you have a beautifully made extruded face panel, wonderfully intricate dial face, solid aluminum knobs, solid wood trim and wood veneer cabinet.
Inside, you have all functions on separate boards with good physical seperation, a huge toroid and filter capacitors. Nice, beefy, reliable amplifier that sounds great. Stepped attenuators for the volume and tone controls. I doubt it could manufactured for $3K a pop these days.
Sonically speaking, if it sounds good and make you happy, then it is good.

 

[Echolane]

It IS making me very happy. It looks great, sounds great and I feel pleased to have it out of the closet after so many years. The fellow who owns the shop where I had it refurbished told me I couldn’t touch it for $5000 in today’s gear. I wish I could believe that, but I thought he was probably just trying to make me feel better because I didn’t hide how stunned I was when I got his bill. And that’s the situation which spoils my pleasure just a bit.

In a perfect world it would fit in my stereo cabinet and have remote control too! But that is very minor.

 

[rcs16]

what do they pay you an hour? tech's do not work for 1977 wages anymore. amortize the length of service over the cost, if it makes you feel any better.
perfect world, make me laugh, remote control, blue tooth, seriously dude, it was designed in 1977 remember. I am content to get off the couch to turn the sx-950 on and off, adjust the volume, I can take a piss break while I am up and get another tea.
I did at one time consider designing a remote on/off, motorized volume control, but thought, I can live with it the way it is, probably would decrease its value, adding all this extra circuitry. I could use the exercise anyways. Enjoy your classic 1050.

 

[Echolane]

Seriously Dude, I did say “it is very minor”. And it is. Usually one listens at the same volume all the time so it almost never needs adjusting.

So long as one listens to the same source! I’ve noticed that the volume can vary considerably with different sources and it can vary two or three notches on the volume knob, but that’s not the Pioneer’s fault. Since I have to switch sources manually anyway, adjusting the volume is just a normal part of that process. No big deal.

If I really wanted to complain about anything it would be the design of the terminals for attaching speaker wire. They are not a good match for modern speaker wire. And I’m not sure they were all that great a design in 1977. I remember very well the wire I used back in 1977. It looked a lot like the old flat cable that was used in TVs before coax came along and you could buy it for pennies by the foot. Laughable in today’s world of speaker cables sometimes costing thousands. Luckily, I have a good audio guy who was able to resolder the ends of my good speaker cables to fit the Pioneer’s primitive system.

Bottom line: I’m in love !!

PS, I’m not a dude ‍

 

[tarior]

I still us lamp cord for speaker wire.

 

[Echolane]

I still us lamp cord for speaker wire.

Different strokes, as they say.....

 

[rickb119]

I am content to get off the couch to turn the sx-950 on and off, adjust the volume

Not me. That's the main reason I bought a preamp, with remote. I still have to manually turn it on, via a power strip. I did consider getting a remote controlled power strip, but thought that might be a little much. Mine's on the bottom shelf of the TV stand and that's just too much bending for this old man's back.

If I really wanted to complain about anything it would be the design of the terminals for attaching speaker wire.

I agree! Aside from that, Pioneer did make some pretty good sounding, looking and well built equipment. (I have 3 SX receivers.) Yours, being rebuilt, should be good for another 40 years.

 

[Echolane]

I think you'll have a hard time matching the build quality of the Pioneer at any cost in today's market. On the outside, you have a beautifully made extruded face panel, wonderfully intricate dial face, solid aluminum knobs, solid wood trim and wood veneer cabinet.
Inside, you have all functions on separate boards with good physical seperation, a huge toroid and filter capacitors. Nice, beefy, reliable amplifier that sounds great. Stepped attenuators for the volume and tone controls. I doubt it could manufactured for $3K a pop these days.
Sonically speaking, if it sounds good and make you happy, then it is good.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And it was all made by hand! At least that’s what I’ve been told. Audio guy who did the restore visited Tokyo some years ago and told me that in the good old days there was a whole block of audio factories with hundreds (thousands?) of employees busy hand soldering and manually filling all the boards with their many parts.

I have a second SX-1050 in my closet. Wondering what I should do with it.....

 

[tarior]

They were assembled mostly by hand. There was some wave soldering, but that's about the only automated process that comes to mind prior to the '80s.

 

[rickb119]

I have a second SX-1050 in my closet. Wondering what I should do with it.....

If you become a subscribing member (upper right corner of the home page), for $25.00 per year you get access to Barter Town. BT is a forum where members buy, sell and trade stuff. Mostly Audio equipment, but there are other sections for other stuff. It's worth the cost of admission and helps keep AK going.

 

[Echolane]

Not me. That's the main reason I bought a preamp, with remote. I still have to manually turn it on, via a power strip. I did consider getting a remote controlled power strip, but thought that might be a little much. Mine's on the bottom shelf of the TV stand and that's just too much bending for this old man's back.

Glad you said that! .

I didn’t really want to confess that I’m an antique and suffering with the pain of failed back surgery. At least I don’t have to bend down to switch sources and change volume (lol). And honestly, it’s probably good for me to get up and down once in a while.

 

[MaxxVolume]

I`ve had an SX-1250 for 20-some years now, had it completely rebuilt by a fellow AKer a couple years back. It`s everything I could ask for (minus that remote, of course in a receiver. Back in the days of The Stereo Wars, there was serious competition afoot, and all the major players were offering up some damn fine equipment, especially at the TOTL level.

 

[rickb119]

suffering with the pain of failed back surgery

Have you tried acupuncture? I've had 2 lower back surgeries (20 & 30 years ago). When mine does act up, acupuncture is the only thing that makes it better. You do have to find a good one though.

 

[Echolane]

Have you tried acupuncture? I've had 2 lower back surgeries (20 & 30 years ago). When mine does act up, acupuncture is the only thing that makes it better. You do have to find a good one though.

Acupuncture works for about 5 minutes. If that. The better question is what haven’t I tried! Currently looking into something new to me, a Spinal Cord Stimulator, (which scares me a lot).

I’ve found Distraction to be my best medicine. Which means I spend a LOT of time on my iPad. I listen to a lot of music via my Naim app to my main audio system, and a lot of Youtube podcasts. I’m especially into my audio systems and streaming these days. It has taken me awhile to get familiar with the bazillion acronyms and gadgets that seem to be part of the digital world. Finally (!), I am very close to getting Roon set up on all four of my audio systems.

 

[Echolane]

I`ve had an SX-1250 for 20-some years now, had it completely rebuilt by a fellow AKer a couple years back. It`s everything I could ask for (minus that remote, of course in a receiver. Back in the days of The Stereo Wars, there was serious competition afoot, and all the major players were offering up some damn fine equipment, especially at the TOTL level.

Lucky you to own a rebuilt SX-1250!

I’ve sometimes wished my brother had recommended the SX-1250 instead of the SX-1050, but his philosophy at the time, and which, incidentally, persists to the present, was to reach for the second best. I took his advice and we both bought 1050s. I’ve read somewhere that a few actually prefer the 1050, but a little part of me still wishes I had the 1250. I console myself that I don’t have to worry about how I am going to tote around the SX-1250’s 73 pounds instead of the SX-1050’s 50 pounds!! I weigh about 97 pounds now

What are “The Stereo Wars” and TOTL?

 

[MaxxVolume]

Lucky you to own a rebuilt SX-1250!

I’ve sometimes wished my brother had recommended the SX-1250 instead of the SX-1050, but his philosophy at the time, and which, incidentally, persists to the present, was to reach for the second best. I took his advice and we both bought 1050s. I’ve read somewhere that a few actually prefer the 1050, but a little part of me still wishes I had the 1250. I console myself that I don’t have to worry about how I am going to tote around the SX-1250’s 73 pounds instead of the SX-1050’s 50 pounds!! I weigh about 97 pounds now

What are “The Stereo Wars” and TOTL?

"The Stereo Wars": A period in time (basically 1975 to 1980) where ALL the major manufacturers were striving to offer the biggest, baddest, most powerful, and tricked-out components, particularly in the "Monster Receiver" category.

"TOTL": Top Of The Line, i.e., The Best Of The Best from a given manufacturer. This WAS all-out war, and makers spared no expense in their efforts. Most of the equipment from that age will NEVER be equaled again, which is why such emphasis is put on preserving all such units.

And, have no fear, that SX-1010 is worthy of maximum respect ! It represents probably 95% of the 1250`s performance, at a significantly lower price. I would be proud to list one of those as part of my vintage system !

 

[rickb119]

Currently looking into something new to me, a Spinal Cord Stimulator, (which scares me a lot).

I"m constantly amazed at the advancements in medical technology. I hope it works for you.

 

[Echolane]

Just figured out how to post a photo so I thought I’d share my beauty here. The one on top right is the Pioneer SX-1050 (obviously). When I asked my husband to build the stereo console I wasn’t counting on housing anything so large, so it won’t fit below which is a bit of a shame because it slightly blocks the TV picture. I don’t even notice that. What is a problem is my cats! They are drawn to the warmth on top the Pioneer and cat hair and sensitive internal electronics are not a good combination. If you look closely you’ll see something on top of the Pioneer. Those are metal hangars which I put in a jumble to keep the cats from sleeping there. It looks terrible but it seems to work.