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Which Sony to buy next?

Whitehall

Whitehall

Super Member
Banned
Although I've got my STR-6060FW back in service (longer report tomorrow), I'm still interested in another FM tuner/receiver and I'm going to stick with Sony.

So here's the way I see it now. My main choices are the ST-5000FW (back on eBay for at least the third time!) vs the ST-S730ES. These two are available on something like a regular basis (two of the ES models on offer now).

The STR-6120/6200F seems almost perfect - tuner section almost as good as the ST-5000FW plus it is a one box solution. However, they come available once in a blue moon. Even rarer is the STC-7000 tuner/preamp (another one box solution since this rig will drive headphones for the foreseeable future.)

One great tuner would be the ST-A6B but, again, very seldom do we see one offered.

The big advantage of the ST-S730ES is the extremely low S/N ration (90 dB in stereo!) plus for a digital tuner, it has a complete set of manual controls and overrides and very good ergonomics. No quibbling about a wood cabinet - they always have wood sides.

The ST-5130 and ST-5150 are good machines but not as good as the 5000FW or A6B or S370ES. Cheaper though.

Oh, AudioKarma Wise Ones, please offer guidance to this befuddled one!
 
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One of the great bargains of the world is the ST-4950 Tuner....fabulous tuner, very overlooked. I got one for $47 on eBay. Its far better than my TU-717, picks up many more stations. Not quite the tuner the A6B is, but they go for $200+.

You are correct in sticking with Sony, they tend to have outstanding tuner sections. Even the one in my STR 7065 receiver is better than my TU-717 or Pioneer TX-9100 though a hair shy of the ST-4950.

Good luck, 4950s come up fairly often on the bay.
 
Of all those tuners, I'd say yes.... I'd like a 5000 myself. I own it's little brother the 5100, RadioX tuned it up for me and I have spent a lot of time listening to it lately.
 
Whitehall

The ST-A6B comes up more than you think. Several months ago two of them were for sale with a ST-A7B all at the same time! Right now there is a real nice looking 5000 FW and a ST-5150.
 
He has a problem with using and abusing this site for the betterment of his lame ass work. His name will not be used on this site to promote that prick. That answer your question ?

Those who insist upon promoting him will find themselves on the outside looking in...
 
You got the bug! You caught the bug! Told ya you would! Next the tuner, then the preamp, then the amp, then another amp and then another tuner, then a matching preamp, then the period turntable, then the reel to reel, then the cassette, then another reel to reel, and another cassette, then a few Sony CD players.

All of the choices are good ones. Have you narrowed down where you want to go with the collecting i.e. a complete series of early Sony, a representative of each generation, etc. or just buy them all keep them from us. Depending on your current collection and budget would help define the direction also. If I had a few less items stacked all over, I think I'd start to seriously look for the 5000/2000/3200 in matching trim and the TTS3000 tt or sub the 2000/3200 for a TA1130 in garb to match the version of the 5000 and then build the next step which would be to move from the integrated to the preamp and amp. However, I am more interested in these early generation Sonys. The later are very interesting but I tend to look for the lesser focused on product that is simply not as much on the radar of most (does not mean it goes for cheap though). As for the STC-7000, well, they come up as often as hens' teeth and I seem to remember the last went for about the price of a good condition+ "Z" series McIntosh. Shall we say, it ain't for the budget minded. I would love to open 1 and compare it to the separates and receivers of the period but, suspect it is not going to happen unless the little audio fairy godperson whom always ignores me decides it is time to make up for years of not hearing me.
 
Brian,

No one has the Sony collecting bug as bad as you!

I just want a great tuner or receiver to use at my desk at the office and maybe one for the den to augment the Marantz receiver. OK, an integrated amp to drive headphones might work if I don't get a receiver.

I've got a bid in on the 5000FW - this is at least the third time this seller has listed that same machine - he uses the same photos. If it goes for <$200 I'll probably get it. Otherwise, the ST-S730ES come up regularly for less than that.

The 5000FW is analog and will have great sound while the S730ES is very low noise and has a panoply of controls to play with.

If the A6B comes up I'll give it serious consideration and might be the preferred option given its internals.

The 5150 is looking real cheap for now - always a virtue! Still, why not pay a little more and TOTL?
 
The success story of the STR-6060FW repair is under the other tread - "Need a part..." Even have a clip of the schematic to show what we did.

It works!

BTW, what is the best Sony integrated amp that would match the ST-5000FW? The TA-1130/1150 or the TA-2000F? TVK made some comment about "dry" sounding which is not where I'm at.

A little education would be appreciated.
 
So obvious from your thread in hindsight. I see that there is a .047mfd cap on the primary side of each primary. Are they on the board or in the can? If in the can, this may be the problem with the coil. Sherwood tuners have this and if anythign ever goes wrong with the coil, 99.999% of the time it is the cap. Fix is to open the can and replace the cap. Thanks for the heads up on this and I'll add it to the units for the tech when I decide to move forward.

BTW, did he do an alignment and have you had a chance to listen to it and any feedback?
 
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The caps are separate components, not inside the coil shields.

He did an alignment but I'm reserving judgment on it for now. It does pick up lots of stations from my rooftop antenna but it is a little squirrelly about. The center tuning meter is also not very stable - he told me he did some adjustments on the circuits that feed this.

It might have to go back for more adjustments or recapping - my tech certainly burned through the $100 we agreed to on the job so I can't fault him. I'll probably wait to see how the ST-5000F bidding goes.
 
The meter on my 6060 is sensitive and notsure if it is a meter problem vs drift on the tuner since I can shut off the tuner after running and when I turn it on it is still on station while the meter is out. After about 30 minutes the meter is dead center every time and the ture has not gone off station. As for "squirrelly", not sure what you mean but other than the above issue it is sensitive and better than the tuners in all of my other receivers maybe save the Philips 797 that may better it save the sound. Sounds like you are getting there though.
 
Whitehall said:
The success story of the STR-6060FW repair is under the other tread - "Need a part..." Even have a clip of the schematic to show what we did.

It works!

BTW, what is the best Sony integrated amp that would match the ST-5000FW? The TA-1130/1150 or the TA-2000F? TVK made some comment about "dry" sounding which is not where I'm at.

A little education would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
I don't know if you realized this but the TA-2000F is a preamp. I'd like to get one with a TA 3200F amplifier to go with the Sony tuner I have.
 
As Phil indicated, the 2000F is a preamp. I haven't broad experience with a lot of different units but I don't consider the 2000F/3200F combination dry at all, at least when matched with all Sony gear. My experience is that it is a warm, full sound that is characteristic of the Sony's, and that is through very neutral monitor style speakers.

A month or so back there was a TA-1120 that went through a series of reduced buy-it-nows until it finally sold for about $70. I regret not having taken that unit as I suspect it would have been fairly nice at 80wpc. Pre-FET though, and Sony's first serious SS integrated amp I think.

Thanks for the info on the 6060. I haven't done anything to mine yet except test it with the rooftop antenna hookup, I'm still waiting on the Service Manual so I can ID the front panel indicator bulbs I need to replace. I have also found the dial lights that have burned out so can replace them too.
 
A pre-amp with a headphone jack and a good little amp behind it would be OK since I'm doing mostly headphone listening these days. A solid integrated is probably the best buy for me since it keeps options open. A V-FET integrated seems to be the hot ticket. Maybe I should save my pennies?

The 6060's meter is just very sensitive to tuning and will jump around a bit AFTER I stop turning the tuning knob. I'lll check for drift with temperature.

"Warm and full" is my taste in electronics and in women. So far, the vintage Sony gear has the warmth of Marantz with more control and authority - I like that.

Sony's nomenclature is a big ambiguous, is it not?

So the TA-1120. TA-1130, TA-1150 are matching integrated amps?
 
Axel has a page on the 1120 at TVK.

Here is another page that will link you to info on the 1120, 1130, 1140, 1150, 2000, 3200, 7055, 7065 and various others. It should come up as the translated version of Japanese pages, a bit difficult to follow, but listing specs on each. Sorry about the unmanageable link length:

http://translate.google.com/transla...rev=/search?q=ta+1150&start=10&hl=en&lr=&sa=N

I'd agree with your description of the Sony sound, the 100wpc 2000F/3200F combo definitely falls in that category. Vfet would be a nice experiment, but a little pricey. Byrdwings and JonS can fill you in better on them.

Tuning meter is very stable on my 6060, no movement after the station is set. Mind you, I haven't run it for an extended period yet.
 
I don't know what your Sansui TU-717 sounds like Bordeno, but it must be completely out of alignment...that's all I can figure by your comments.

The 730es has MANY unit to unit differences, I've had three and two of them absolutely SUCKED...the other one was very nice...is it worth buying if you get a bad one?

I've had both a 5100 and 5130. The 5130 had a very nice sound, but doesn't compare to the 5150. I've held on to the 5100 thinking it could be a good modified tuner...but now that I've accumulated way to many, that project will never occur...but I believe Holst had his modded by Mike Williams, he would be a good reference on this tuner.

L'wood
 
Ok, so now I've got separate eBay bids in on TWO Sony ST-5000FWs. One belongs to the gent from Toronto (not Brian) who has tried at least three times to sell his - I've been following it.

The other just popped up and is a bit sick. Even if I win the Toronto unit, I'm willing to see if we can make the sicko unit work if the price is cheap enough. I would estimate that it will take at least $100 of shop money since a good alignment for a "near mint" vintage unit could cost $50 - sometimes more. The shipping is really cheap for this one since it is just upcoast in Oregon.

As to L'wood, are you saying that you prefer the 5150 to the 5130? Haven't been able to find anything on the 5100 yet - can you elaborate? Can you compare all three? Howabout a photo of the 5100?
 
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