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Help - major decision to make!!!

Jcricket

Jcricket

not someday, but today
Subscriber
I am going to go over to a guys house this morning, He has two pioneer units for sale. The sx-1250 and the sx-1280. How do I decide which to buy????
I like the specs on the 1280 a little better but....
I have never seen or used either. Any opinion or real live exposure to these units???
Thanks - JCrickett
 
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1. Listen to both.
2. Decide which one sounds better to your ears.
3. Decide which one looks better to you.
4. Determine which one has fewer issues.
5. Buy both.
 
Sounds like your wife knows my wife.

Points 1 through 4 are still valid, though. Specs are certainly useful (who doesn't want 300 wpc at 0.005% THD) but are only a starting point. Ultimately, it's your enjoyment of a receiver that is the spec that really counts.
 
The SX-1280 has parts that are no longer obtainable, "unobtanium". They can be retrofitted, but with a great deal of work. The SX-1250 on the other hand has been described as one of the easier receivers to work on. The difference between the two in specs is negligible. All other things being equal, get the 1250.
 
Very tough call, if you have to choose only one....

but there are those who say the 1250 has a better sound (but as always with sound issues, some --albeit seemingly fewer people-- prefer the other sound!), and as KingBubba said, the 1280 has unobtanium parts issues, so you MIGHT want to get the 1250.

:scratch2: Then again, the 1280 seems to be rarer, and it is a little more powerful, so you MIGHT want to get it.

:scratch2: ...aw, heck, good luck deciding. I'd recommend point 5 on mfhale's list: get both! :D

The only reason I don't have both is that I've yet to find a 1280. :D
 
mfhale said:
1. Listen to both.
2. Decide which one sounds better to your ears.
3. Decide which one looks better to you.
4. Determine which one has fewer issues.
5. Buy both.
Click to expand...

I agree (leaving out number 5, probably not practical)...
HOWEVER, I have both. I listen to the 1280 every day. I listen to the 1250 about once a week.
Just my 2 cents.
 
huh.. I read the title, and thought maybe someone was trying to figure out if they should get married or something big.. :scratch2:
 
ekmanning5 said:
I agree (leaving out number 5, probably not practical)...
HOWEVER, I have both. I listen to the 1280 every day. I listen to the 1250 about once a week.
Just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...

I hope you don't mind my asking, exactly WHY do you listen more often to the 1280?

I'm not being facetious, but wanting to learn. I know sometimes I listen to one unit more than another because it is newer ("novelty" factor), or because of synergy with other gear, or even because it looks better in the rack, etc... and not always because it sounds better.

So does the 1280 actually sound better to you? If so, could you describe the differences, and what makes the 1280's sound more appealing? I only have experience with the 1250, and not with the 1280, but might one day be lucky enough (like you) to have both. Would be nice to know what to look forward to, on such a day!
 
The 1250 because it is heavier, the 50 series was the peak in Pioneer weight, plus the classic looks that IMO also begin to decline after the 50 series. An undisputed classic all the way around.
 
Arkay said:
I hope you don't mind my asking, exactly WHY do you listen more often to the 1280?

I'm not being facetious, but wanting to learn. I know sometimes I listen to one unit more than another because it is newer ("novelty" factor), or because of synergy with other gear, or even because it looks better in the rack, etc... and not always because it sounds better.

So does the 1280 actually sound better to you? If so, could you describe the differences, and what makes the 1280's sound more appealing? I only have experience with the 1250, and not with the 1280, but might one day be lucky enough (like you) to have both. Would be nice to know what to look forward to, on such a day!
Click to expand...

You know, after I posted I began to think a bit about this myself. It's probably wrong for me to just state that I listen to one or the other more. The rooms they are in have a lot to do with it, the 1250 is in the basement, the 1280 in the family room. I'm probably up in the first floor of the house about 75% of the time. And the 25% of the time I'm in the basement I tend to be in my office where I have a Marantz 2252b. Speakers are important too. The 1250 has two sets of HPMs on it, so if I want to get ridiculously loud that's where I'll be. Other pieces of equipment paired with each, matter as well. That being said, I just love the look of the 1280. I think the black meters were an asthetic improvement, but again that's just personal taste. The reasons you post for liking one piece of gear over another apply to me as well. My post was really kind of flippant and I apologize for that.
 
Well everybody, the SX-1250 has a new home- It will be loved and fed on a regular basis. WOW!!!!!!!!!! What a piece.
I decided on the unit after hearing the opinions about the repair feasibility - thanks a bunch for the input.

Now to find suitable drivers. I am a little hard of hearing on the highs(too much love of music). Any recomendations to speakers that match up well?
Thanks again!!!
JCricket
 
Congrats & welcome to AK,
You might want to start a thread in the "Pioneer forum"
with the model number included in the title to get more
responses from those in the know and fans of Pioneer!?!
And if you have a camera, pics are well appreciated~
 
As with all speaker questions, what size room, what volume, what's the Wife Acceptance Factor (WAF) for speaker looks, do they have a chance to free stand or must they be in corners, etc? You have all the power you could want. Now comes the environmental matching. I'm 60 and I ran diesel engines for years so my hearing is a touch gone too, mostly on top. I have some ideas, but need more data?
 
WAF - I got a chuckle from that one.
I am a pretty fair woodworker/cabnet maker. I can spruce up almost anything to beautiful for the wife - so that is not really a factor. Room volume??? I would guess about 2800 cubic feet. I hope that is what your asking. Free standing - no not really. I can send a photo later of the listeneing room . Mostly corners but I do have a little wall space.

Musical taste is varied. Lately I have been into folk/jazz, Krooners(isaacs, buble,), guitarists(stevie ray vaughn, mark knopler), as well as good old rock and roll - stuff like bob seger or john cougar.
 
Geez...since the 1280 now feels rejected, can you PM me with the vendors contact details so I can buy it? I could do with a receiver....
 
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