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Sony ES Pioneer Elite

Ice_Cubit

Ice_Cubit

Super Member
Banned
So I was thinking last night to myself, "Wow, I really like the Pioneer Elite look. Then I realised that they are trying to emulate the look of the original Sony ES series. Then I started thinking.... and my brain hurt, but this is what I came up with:

Pioneer Elite trying to emulate the look of the original Sony ES
Sony ES silver is trying to emulate Pioneer silver faced units

um. cant one brand just keep an identity, like Akai and their cheep plastic look?

does anyone agree? and does anyone have any other brank imaging comparisons?
like the new Denon preamp/poweramp setup? sorta like Macintosh without the blue? maybe or am i just reaching now?
 
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Pioneer Elite came fist in 85 or so. So Pioneer could not emulate Sony. Sony ES came in the 90,s

Darren
 
The original Pioneer Elite gear was call "Pioneer Reference Series" is was black with rosewood side panels. It came out in approx 1987 or so.

Sony ES Gear with the rosewood side panels Came out in 1987 also.
 
Yes they all were black with rosewood side panels I had the Pineer M90 power amp and I have a pioneer vsx99 receiver

Darren
 
Yep, Darren's right: Pioneer came up with that look themselves, first. Not surprising it came out of Japan, because perhaps the most significant aspect of the "urushi" look is the same deep, wet-looking finish you find with traditional lacquer, before it ages and dries too much. The Elite finish is the closest you could probably get in a mass-production finish to multiple hand-rubbed layers of black lacquer, a traditionally popular finish in Japan. At least I've always thought of it that way.

Even the clear layer over the woodgrain ends looks like lacquer.
Sure is a beautiful finish,possibly the "classiest" look ever given to audio gear! :yes: :thmbsp:
 
Web Police said:
The original Pioneer Elite gear was call "Pioneer Reference Series" is was black with rosewood side panels. It came out in approx 1987 or so.

Sony ES Gear with the rosewood side panels Came out in 1987 also.
Click to expand...

I did not know that I thount that Sony ES came later

Darren
 
thanks for the clarifications.

i do respect Macintosh for keeping the same look, albeit a 1950's look. still consistent.

I am partial to the silver look though, see avatar.
 
crazy to think how at that point they were still fighting for respect ni the market and now how they are fighting to get it back.
 
Regardless, I have a bias towards the Pioneer Elite Look. The glossy piano black (almost dark purple) in certain light facias with the sheen on the rosewood really edged out Sony's ES line in my opintion. I know those who like the "flat" look of the Sony ES line better though.
 
For the premium prices they sold for new and now used you would think there would still be a market for them. :scratch2:
 
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