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Pioneer CS-99A & VTA system!

I have bought and sold 2 pair of 99A's in the last year. They do have a great sound, and they are a beautiful looking speaker. I just didn't have any place for them. If this were a few years ago, I would definitely still own them.
 
Even if you don't like them, that was a totally classless comment to drop on this thread.

(Threadcrap was deleted)
 
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I've never heard these, so cant comment much on the sound, though the tube amps I've heard was great :-)

Anyway, those pics are nice, and the way it looks makes me wish I could hear the setup :-)
 
I have a friend who, about 20 years ago, purchased the Bose 901 kit for his stereo. Neil invited me over to listen. I brought the beer.
When he asked me how I liked his new speakers, I patted him on the back and told him how much I enjoyed listening to the records. What I am trying to say here is to hold your tongue and not **** on others.
And what I especially dislike here [and elsewhere] is the way the internet gives people the anonymity that makes them feel that anything can be said without repercussion.
This group of audiophools is very, very dear to me. Please learn how to hold your tongue, although how, I do not know, as you are a self-proclaimed 'thread killer', as stated underneath your non-existant avatar.
 
markdi said:
I had a pair. of cs 99a speakers when I was a teenager
to a young teen they sounded good



at the time and compared to my older friends speakers - total crap sound

they sat at my dads house till I bought this house 2.5. years ago

my dad told me to remove them from his house

I compared them to my speakerlab speakers

still total crap sound

sold them to a cousin of mine

you paid over. 1300 for a pair -wow

sorry about being too honest

wow just wow

running away now
Click to expand...
Post more distasteful crap and running won't help you. Try acting maturely and respect others on this site.
 
markdi said:
I had a pair. of cs 99a speakers when I was a teenager
to a young teen they sounded good



at the time and compared to my older friends speakers - total crap sound

they sat at my dads house till I bought this house 2.5. years ago

my dad told me to remove them from his house

I compared them to my speakerlab speakers

still total crap sound

sold them to a cousin of mine

you paid over. 1300 for a pair -wow

sorry about being too honest

wow just wow

running away now
Click to expand...

And what significant addition to this thread does your post offer, other than threadcrap on another member
 
I have my eyes on a local pair, but due to the fact I have way to many speakers already, I'm kinda hoping someone snags them and relieves me of the temptation. I recently bought and sold a pair of Sansui SP 5500X that I was very impressed with although not a fan of the vinyl cabs. They have a similar look to the CS-99a. How do these Pioneers stand against Sansui speakers of that era?
 
I've been into some CSxx's for friends. They respond very well to a recap. Big poly caps for sure. But adding paper/oil power caps to the bass side really does a nice job on low bass.

First, yours are not sitting on the floor. No 15" woofer in the world wants to be bound by an adjacent flat surface (floor), but that's where 99% of folks put them because they think they are end tables. So they end up being placed for room aesthetic, not good audio. That is the bulk of the failing reported for these speakers ...

Second, you need real power for these speakers. Reserve with plenty of headroom. You may need only a few watts to get them going, but all those drivers can take a surge of instantaneous current to make them move as they should. That means power caps and transformers with real guts. You did well with big cables because that is how you get that instantaneous current to follow the audio signal and reach the speakers. And your mono-blocs can deliver :)

And isn't it funny how folks will gush over a big Pioneer receiver or Integrated Amp or a Tunrtable, and yet they somehow don't think that the same engineers who worked on those projects do not understand how to project audio into a room ... I have NEVER understood that perspective ...
 
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I enjoyed your write up and the pictures very much.

Always enjoyed the few Sansui "Kabuki" speakers that I have had come and go over the years. Agree with BrocLuno that getting them off the floor is key.
Enjoy them big old Pioneers, I would. :music:
 
BrocLuno suggests that these speakers need some power to sound best. I used to have them on a 125 wpc Sansui receiver and the sound was nothing special. My lower-power H.H. Scott is what woke them up. Thirty-six watts RMS/channel.:rflmao:
 
I don't get the idea they sound like crap. As I stated before mine sit in a room because they need work not because they sound bad or something. I made sure I had them off the floor about 8" and was considering more as sitting up higher works for them very well. I know they like good power but surprisingly sound fine with even low power that many speakers don't. I found them to very much be a broadcaster of what you put in to them. Hook them up to quality components and they'll let you know all about it.
 
NoTransistors said:
BrocLuno suggests that these speakers need some power to sound best. I used to have them on a 125 wpc Sansui receiver and the sound was nothing special. My lower-power H.H. Scott is what woke them up. Thirty-six watts RMS/channel.:rflmao:
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That is synergy working for you :)

I just gave away my Sansui G-7700 because it was not happy with my speakers (bland), but on my buddies HH Scott speakers it sounds wonderful :)

The last pair of CS99's I was into did need 100 WPC to get going (Sony STR DE985 in 2-channel mode). I do think they are synergistic. I suspect that the folks who have had less than optimal results did not have the right piece to drive them ...
 
Cool that OP was able to find NOS Pioneer's like these. There's gotta be a story behind that. Hint.

When I was 15 a new friend invited me over to listen to his mom's stereo. She had recently returned from Viet-Nam and had an all Pioneer system. The speakers had that special wood lattice grill and I did (and still do) think that they were beautiful. That was the first time that I had heard a decent system and that day hooked me for life. Damn, 43 years ago now. So I will always have fond memories of and good feelings toward Pioneer gear even if I don't have any. OP, thanks for posting the write-up and pics. Brought back some good memories.

Cheers,
James
 
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