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newbie here needs help

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broddie

New Member
Trying to decide whether to replace or repair a vintage receiver

My current receiver is a Pioneer SX-9000 driving a pair of AR3a speakers along with a groovy linear tracking B&O turntable, all of which I inherited from my father.

The Pioneer unit has developed a very noisy left channel (the AM tuner stage has never worked as well, although the FM is very nice). Today someone gave me a supposedly clean Sanyo 2033. I wonder if it would be easier simply to replace the Pioneer rather than pay for an overhaul.


I think the Pioneer is about 50W/channel based on what I've read about it.
I can't find any information about the Sanyo.
 
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not looking for a manual, but tech specs for Sanyo receivers...

to determine whether or not it will adequately drive my Ar3a speakers. I'm going to try it anyway, because I don't think it could hurt the speakers...and maybe open up the old Pioneer and see if a good cleaning would fix it. I seriously doubt it, however.

I know Pioneer is more of a big-name brand, but didn't Sanyo produce some fairly good stuff in the 70s?

I thought maybe someone knew of a database for Sanyo products. I believe my receiver was made in 1979 (based on the date on the chassis).

Sorry forgot the introduction: I am an IT person by day who writes, records and produces music by night and weekend and has a fondness for retro gear, like movie cameras (super-8 and 16mm) as well as classic solid state and tube audio gear. My tube gear is limited to guitar amps, as I can't find any tube hi-fi audio that's not either broken or massively expensive.

I live in the Kansas City area...
 
well, first see what is wrong with the pioneer. it kinda sounds like cleaning the controls with deoxidant may cure the trouble. with it working, you can then compare it to the sanyo, and keep which ever sounds better to you. send the other to me, of course!
 
broddie said:
My tube gear is limited to guitar amps, as I can't find any tube hi-fi audio that's not either broken or massively expensive.
Click to expand...

If you want to get into tube gear buy something broken and fix it.

Technically vintage tube gear is about the simplest gear to troubleshoot and repair on the planet. It consists of tubes, transformers, chokes, resistors, and capacitors. That's it. No PCB's, no IC's, no logic circuits, no surface-mount micro-components. One caveat is that output transformers are not cheap... make sure they're not fried before picking up a vintage piece.

The only difficult part is often physical access to the parts you need to test and/or repair. Many integrateds and especially receivers are a real rat's nest of wiring. There were no circuit boards way back when, so everything is point to point wired.
 
While tube gear is somewhat simpler, let's not forget the safety aspect...voltages tend to be higher in tube circuits so repair techs need to be more careful..fried components could be the least of your worries!!!

Still, you should exercise safe practices when working inside either solid state or vacuum tube gear.

Mitch
 
The SX9000 is a pretty nice receiver. I used to have one, 'til it was stolen. :tears:
That SX9000 is from '71 so it's probably way overdue for a good contact cleaning. I'm always amazed at what can be 'fixed' with just a good contact cleaner. :yes:

Not familiar with the Sanyo, but looking at it, I'd expect the Pioneer to be the better of the two in terms of input and outputs, but you have it so hook it up and try it. There's every possibility that it has similar problems... or not.
 
broddie said:
Trying to decide whether to replace or repair a vintage receiver

My current receiver is a Pioneer SX-9000 driving a pair of AR3a speakers along with a groovy linear tracking B&O turntable, all of which I inherited from my father.

The Pioneer unit has developed a very noisy left channel (the AM tuner stage has never worked as well, although the FM is very nice). Today someone gave me a supposedly clean Sanyo 2033. I wonder if it would be easier simply to replace the Pioneer rather than pay for an overhaul.


I think the Pioneer is about 50W/channel based on what I've read about it.
I can't find any information about the Sanyo.
Click to expand...

Here is a link that might interest you:

http://www.classicaudio.com/value/pio/SX9000.html

The unfortunate reality is that much vintage equipment isn't financially worth fixing, beyond cleaning controls or something else that one is competent to do for oneself, with no more test equipment than one already has. If cleaning your receiver doesn't fix it, it probably isn't going to be cost effective to have it fixed. However, if you do decide that you no longer want it, do NOT simply throw it away. I am sure you will be able to find someone here (or in your local area via Craig's List or some other such resource) who would be happy to take it off your hands. Of course, since you inherited it, you might have sentimental value for it, and then you should have it fixed. I am doing that with my father's stereo that I inherited; I am having a receiver repaired, and it will undoubtedly cost more than the receiver is worth. It, however, is the one that was my father's pride and joy, and I remember it from my youth. (I already had his old JBL L36 speakers refoamed, though they are worth more than the cost of that.) So think about what matters to you, and act accordingly. Just don't throw it away.
 
Okay, I replaced the Pioneer with the Sanyo, and guess what? It sounds like absolute ASS! The sound is ugly, shrill and colored in a nasty way. . I put on Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" and the bass line for "So What" is GONE. It's like it wasn't even recorded. I have to crank this thing up to about 3 O'Clock to get the same level as I got with the Pioneer at 7 O'Clock. And cranking it up doesn't help. It's a lousy sounding piece of gear. I sort of suspected it wouldn't be as good, and I was right...:)

I talked to the guy who repairs my tube guitar amps. He also does hi-fi audio. The Pioneer is probably going to cost about $80-150 to fix, and I don't think I could get anything as good new for that price. So I'm taking it in.
 
I'd buy myself some DeOxit first and see if that care of it...it just might. Spray into all of the control pots and work them back and forth.
 
Chazb11 said:
I'd buy myself some DeOxit first and see if that care of it...it just might. Spray into all of the control pots and work them back and forth.
Click to expand...

+1

i've fixed i don't know how many scores of units this way. it's fairly easy to do. there are tons of threads here on AK to guide you through the job. and there are plenty of experts in the pioneer forum who would love to help.
 
+2 on De-oxit. Easy and straightforward on most any unit. Spray in hole, cycle multiple times and move on to next control. When done close it up and enjoy.

Some equipment was made to satisfy the bottom line....Green$$$$$.

Larry
 
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