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$57,000 Pioneer system!

Spectrum77

Spectrum77

Super Member
G'day. New member- great site. I'm an Aussie living in Japan. I just bought a Pioneer system for $57,000- but it had an old farm house with it for free!
While exploring my new real-estate, an archeological dig unearthed a system in original rack with the following Japanese model numbers:
M-79 Power amp, C-73 pre-amp (SPEC 3), XL-A700S turntable, F-1500 tuner, CT-4 cassette deck and PP-215A timer. Speakers are CS-F99.
I have totally no electronics experience. Ironically, my late father was a service technician for Pioneer in the '70s in Australia, and the manager director of Pioneer Australia (Les Black) was a family friend.
May I ask for advice? I want to know what to do to ensure safe, optimal operation of this system.
What I can tell you- the exterior of the components have very slight rust from moisture condensation, all switches and functions on the pre-amp and power amp work crisply and smoothly. I removed (gasp) the top cover of the power amp just to see what was in store for me and there was some very slight oxidisation on some electronics, but a total absence of grunge, corrosion or even dust. The RCA jacks are slightly oxidised but new where they have been connected. I can safely say this system has never been out of the rack nor disassembled since conception. It gives the 'impression' of having had littel use. I powered up the pre-amp and amp independently and lights were working. I did not send any signal through them. The turntable start switch seems jammed on, when powered up, the motor started with an audible operation. Speakers speak for themselves (pun intended).
What I can't tell you- is whether I should clean RCA jacks and connect amp and pre-amp to my 2004 Sony turntable with the CS-F99s and gradually add signal to test the functioning, OR as I have researched here, do no such thing and try to locate a competent technician to fully check and service the components...
Sorry for the long post, Ant.
 

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Welcome to AK!

I cannot advise you properly on the steps you need to take to get that wonderful equipment operational, but I can say it will be worth it!
 
Hello, & welcome to AK! :wave: The smart thing to do is have someone service and check everything, for a nice system like that. It wants at least new capacitors, & maybe more. Nice score! :thmbsp:
 
Looks mostly like a Project X9 setup

Spectrum77 said:
While exploring my new real-estate, an archeological dig unearthed a system in original rack with the following Japanese model numbers:
M-79 Power amp, C-73 pre-amp (SPEC 3), XL-A700S turntable, F-1500 tuner, CT-4 cassette deck and PP-215A timer. Speakers are CS-F99.
Click to expand...

Congratulations! It looks like you have most of the components of the "Project X9" stereo system. I've attached a photo of it from a 1977 brochure. The C-73 is, to the best of my knowledge, the same as the Spec 3 control amp, and the M-73 is one step down from the SPEC 4, I think. Clearly, the two were designed with each other in mind, which is a good thing. The Project X9 also came with a F-73 tuner, but the F-1500 tuner you have is (at least in the 1977 brochure) for the next step down, the Project X7 component system (C-1500 control amp, M-1500 power amp, and F-1500 tuner).

My first Pioneer purchase was the same basic set: C-73, M-73, and F-1500. I'm sure you'll be happy with it.

By the way, the list of components in the scan reads like this:

Stereo Power amp M-73: 75,000 yen
Stereo Preamp C-73: 50,000 yen
Stereo Tuner F-73: 52,000 yen (the F-15,000 went for 28,500 yen)
Stereo Player XL-A700S: 79,000 yen
Speaker System CS-F99 (set of 2): 100,000 yen
Stereo Rack CB-V77 (optional): 35,000 yen
Stereo Open Deck RT-701S (optional) (this is the reel-to-reel): 109,800 yen
Stereo Headphone (optional) SE-11: 11,000 yen
Digital Timer PP-215A: 7,700 yen

Japanese retailers routinely reduce MSRP by 15 to 20 percent. And, if you are historically minded, the exchange rate to the US dollar in 1977 was 240 yen to the dollar. So, take the total of 356,800 yen minus 20 percent gives us 285,440 yen divided by 240 equals 1180 dollars US. Considering that the year was 1977, that was not chump change. Heck, it isn't today.

FWIW, The CT-4 cassette player was part of a few different non-rackmounted component sets, the Project 700 system and the Project 7 system, which were built around the SA-6800II amplifier. Solid stuff all around.


Cheers,
expatguy

P.S. If I ask REALLY nicely, will you give me the rack?
 

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Here's another scan showing the setup better for you, Spectrum77. I just noticed that you are in Fukuoka. If you were in SHIzuoka, maybe I could drop by and help you clean up those speakers. I'd like to hear what they sound like.:music:

Cheers,
expatguy
 

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From your speaker photo I can tell your system has a bad case of mildew. I hope the stereo was in the basement!. Cleanup will take chlorine bleach soultion and a lot of elbow grease. All connectors and switch controls will need cleaning with Deoxit. 100 % Deoxit will remove corroded metal, so it will help to clean up the light rust. Does any AKer have advice on cleaning the woofer paper?
 
Nakdoc said:
From your speaker photo I can tell your system has a bad case of mildew. I hope the stereo was in the basement!. Cleanup will take chlorine bleach soultion and a lot of elbow grease. All connectors and switch controls will need cleaning with Deoxit. 100 % Deoxit will remove corroded metal, so it will help to clean up the light rust. Does any AKer have advice on cleaning the woofer paper?
Click to expand...

Be VERY CAREFUL with chlorine bleach solution on electronic gear. It is the correct thing to use to kill mildew spores, but it can also corrode/damage some components and finishes. As for woofer paper, if it has mildew growth on it, it will need expert handling and may or may not be restorable, depending on the extent to which the mildew has eaten/grown into/through the paper. If it is just minor surface discoloration, it can be very carefully blotted/wiped with a dampened (but NOT wet - wrung almost dry) cloth. Be very careful not to actually "wet" the paper. Best to leave this to an expert. Those pics don't look so bad; I think it will all be fine without much ado. The best way to find paper-restoration experts is to ask at museums and libraries.

Anyway, CONGRATULATIONS on an excellent purchase. Nice that they threw in the property, too!
 
Hi Spectrum77,

Welcome to AK. Very nice dig find! And congratulations on the farm house. I didn't think you could find real estate for that price anywhere in Japan. Fukuoka is a beautiful city. I love the waterfront and the historical sites.

Good luck with your Pioneers, it will be well worth it to get them up and running.

Cheers
 
NO CHLORINE ON ALUMINUM NONE IT WILL BE CATASTROPHIC IN THE DAMAGE IT CAN CAUSE

I would suggest you seek out a local tech and have the whole system gone through before use. Yes it will cost some money but in the end you will be so far ahead of the game. If you clean it up and start using it without proper testing and refreshening first you will never hear what it should sound like and two when it does go smoke it might damage something not so easy to replace or repair costing more in the long run
 
Thankyou for your advice gents. No mildew on the speakers, just dust from being stored in a working Japanese farm shed (rice husk debris). I'll endeavour to clean and polish (thanks to the info on this site) and will show the finished result. We get a wet season here which would account for the corrosion on the exterior of the system- as I wrote, no corrosion has made its way internally. If anyone is interested, I can post some pics of the house and surrounds- very scenic. I have a largish space which I can build as a devoted sound room- looking forward to learning about that! Great to have so much soul in a house and music system.
 
Welcome to AK, pal ! GREAT score ! Yeah, have a good tech check all yr new goodies out for you-Might be kinda expensive, but it'll be more than worth it in the long run...
 
Spectrum77 said:
If anyone is interested, I can post some pics of the house and surrounds- very scenic. I have a largish space which I can build as a devoted sound room- looking forward to learning about that! Great to have so much soul in a house and music system.
Click to expand...

I for one would enjoy seeing pictures of area that you and your lovely stereo are located. Have you found any music stored away yet?
 
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