SX-3x00 Receivers - The Mother Lode

[gadget73]

Usually LEDs don't fail. I know nothing of this particular setup or receiver but generally speaking LEDs are reasonably fail resistant. I'm a bit surprised yours gave out after only a few years.

 

[Greg B.]

Usually LEDs don't fail. I know nothing of this particular setup or receiver but generally speaking LEDs are reasonably fail resistant. I'm a bit surprised yours gave out after only a few years.

I think it had a problem from day one. The first few years I had it, the FM indicator was always a little less bright than the others, and it gradually faded out until it wasn't functional at all.

 

[superdog]

The last of the good pioneers but also the best looking along with the early sx 636,1010 models.The 3900 is on my list of receivers to obtain.Haven't come across any of the series in my travels.

 

[jami w.]

id love to have the 3900

 

[quaddriver]

By popular demand, here's what I found works on the Hope this helps! I'd be interested to hear if the process differs greatly in the 3800 and 3900.

Its just more complicated thats all.

there is a guy on the bay that sells 10-12 of the proper 'pioneer/marantz' bulbs for a few bucks. I keep about 40 or so in the electrical box as you can just about adapt them anywhere.

 

[quaddriver]

Reviving this thread because I've been doing some research thanks to the manuals scan site. My SX-3800 does, it turns out, need a new lamp for the quartz lock indicator. In looking into what was needed before I ordered from dgwojo, I remembered that my SX-3600 that I bought new in 1981 or 82, had its FM indicator quit on me after a couple of years, so I thought I'd order the appropriate replacement from him for that too.

Guess what I found? While the higher end of the line used normal lamps for such things, the 3600 used an array of LEDs according to the manual. There is a 2-gang array for the A/B speaker indicators and a 4-gang array for the AM/FM/Phono/Aux indicators. According to the service manual these were available only as an assembly and not individual LEDs,

Unless someone can advise to the contrary, I'm assuming the only way to repair it is to find a working assembly from a parts unit. Without actually having the thing in front of me I don't know how easy it would be to find the right type of LED and then somehow connect it properly.

Have soldering gun will travel

 

[jgmacv]

I just finished replacing the a-speaker select switch bulb, and the FM function bulb on my SX-3700. I wasn't careful with the tuning capacitor pulley like Markallen advised, and sure enough, I had a mess on my hands. After 2 hours of fruitless effort, I gave up trying to restring it. That night after work, I found an SX-3700 service manual online, and page 16 contains "dial cord stringing" instructions, along with a very helpful diagram. Printed off that page and had her restrung and back together in 5 minutes (whew!). Definitely clamp or tape the string to the pulley to avoid this nightmare! And thank you markallen for the information and directions.

 

[shacky]

Mark,

A long overdue THANK YOU for all your guidance. Lights all working now on my 3700

 

[kermit z]

Hi Guys, I'm sooo excited. Just picked up an SX3700 at GW today for 10.75. It was 50% off today. I've been busy cleaning it up but looks nice and all the lights seem to work....See?

We will see if we can get some sound too:thmbsp:

 

[jgmacv]

Congratulations! Looks awesome and can't beat that price. From looking at the pic, the A & B speaker switch bulbs may be burnt out (they both look like they are engaged?). Also, on the FM tuner side, once you are locked in on a station, the quartz lock light should come on (green), and if the mute switch is in the "stereo" position, a red light should appear. Again--awesome find and enjoy!

 

[kermit z]

Thanks for the heads up. The speakers buttons were not engaged but I hooked it up and they are working along with all the other lights. luck plays a big roll here

 

[saltwater]

does this line have pre out/in? whats non switching amp?

 

[Tucker99]

Great thread! Very topical for me as I just picked up a SX-3800 alsong with a SG-9800 on Saturday.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=147096

Photos near the end of the thread

 

[jgmacv]

The 3800 and 3900 have the pre out/in and the non-switching amp.

 

[Sansui Louie]

To other 3900 owners... hows the tuner section in yours? Mine has, despite my best efforts, remained just 'ok'. My Sansui receivers beat the pants off of it. Other than that, a fine receiver.

 

[Kaffeen]

Fluroscan tuners

To other 3900 owners... hows the tuner section in yours? Mine has, despite my best efforts, remained just 'ok'. My Sansui receivers beat the pants off of it. Other than that, a fine receiver.

I have several Fluroscans and have had a couple of xx50 units. I feel the receiver in a little sx 450 I had for a while was fantastic. It would suck in stereo signals no problem. The sx 3900 in my HT rig is good but not great. However it's in a place to get some interference from my network setup so that may not be a completely fair comparison. I have a 3700 at my desk using a Terk powered antenna. Some stations are so clean they sound like CDs. Overall, in my experience, the xx50 series is better at pulling marginal signals. However if the radio signal is decent, a Fluroscan will lock in and deliver.

Personally I find the 3700 the best looking of the upper group. The proportions and aesthetics are a delight. They'll fit anywhere. There seem to be plenty of them out there that are in good shape cosmetically, and mechanically sound. I recently picked one up off craigs and gave it to my sister as a gift. She replaced her bpc HT receiver with it and loves it.

Someone mentioned that the sx 820 fluroscans are white, not blue. Really? I thought mine was broken or something, lol. Good to know! :thmbsp:

(sx 3700, sx 820, sx 3800, two sx 3900s, sx 850. sx 5590 coming soon!)

 

[saltwater]

could you install pre in/outs on the 37 like the 3800?

 

[jgmacv]

I really like the looks of the 3700 also. Of course, my wife likes the way it looks when the lights are low, and the fluroscan displays are doing they're thing. I'm interested in the sound quality difference between the 3700 and the "non-switching amps" in the 3800 & 3900. In the little time I played my SX-D5000 before it went belly-up, I noticed a considerable difference in sound quality. Is this my imagination or does the non-switching amp make that much of an improvement? Just wondering.

 

[kermit z]

Very nice looking unit (That sounded kinda wrong) and its the ultimate night light. I have to say the 3700 sounds real good and I currently have it hooked up to my Polk RTi4s. Looking for some nice vintage speakers to go with my emerging old school system. Its funny how spoiled you get with preset radio stations on current gear. I will say I am not super impressed with the station pulling of this 3700. Don't get me wrong, it sounds great but it seems hard to get stations tuned in full strength.

 

[Kaffeen]

sx 3700 tuner

I have a 3700 and an sx 820 - essentially identical designs. The tuner in the 820 has been considerably weaker than the 3700. So I pulled the cover and blew out the tuner and the rest of the insides pretty good. Then plugged her in and dialed in a station that it couldn't receive before. It's picking up stations much like my 3700 now. The antenna is definitely crude and different but is picking up stuff better better than before the blowout.

This is the first one of these I've worked on so take it with a grain of salt.