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My new - old toy!


BigBusa

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I think I've found the ultimate receiver to feed my cornwalls and heresys!

This pioneer sx1280 is 185wpc! Talk about oooomph! cwm20.gif It weighs 68lbs! They don't make em like this anymore. cwm24.gif To bad it's not 5.1 ...I can't have everything though!cwm25.gif

Excuse the bits of masking tape on the glass. I need to scrape that ASAP.

This message has been edited by BigBusa on 01-27-2002 at 03:05 PM

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Jesus...that thing has more knobs and gadgets than an F-16 cockpit! Lordy. Supposed to have decent tuner as well. Sure is a beast. I had a 70s Pioneer receiver for awhile and loved the big, bold sound of the day. OF course, it was missing a lot of refinement and was surely not as transparent as other offerings. But pretty good considering the era. Also had a Yamaha CR-800 which was another nice sounding unit. Tube will expose what they dont have ...but still, BEASTS of the daY!

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Phono Linn LP-12 Vahalla / Linn Basic Plus / Sumiko Blue Point

CD Player Rega Planet

Preamp Cary Audio SLP-70 w/Phono Modified

Amplifier Welborne Labs 2A3 Moondog Monoblocks

Cable DIYCable Superlative / Twisted Cross Connect

Speaker 1977 Klipsch Cornwall I w/Alnico & Type B Crossover

system one online / alternate components / Asylum Listing f>s>

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It's incredible with the cornwalls! Now I see what you guys mean about the 1st watt being the most important. The meters are very precise on this receiver. From zero watts to 1 watt it's broken down like this ..0.01 / .1 / 1

Most of my listening is within the first watt.

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Indeed.... Most of the listening IS within that first watt...which is why the SET amp is the ultimate. Rest assured, the 1st watt of a 2A3 or 45 amp is like liquid... Solid state not the best at the fist few watts.

kh

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Phono Linn LP-12 Vahalla / Linn Basic Plus / Sumiko Blue Point

CD Player Rega Planet

Preamp Cary Audio SLP-70 w/Phono Modified

Amplifier Welborne Labs 2A3 Moondog Monoblocks

Cable DIYCable Superlative / Twisted Cross Connect

Speaker 1977 Klipsch Cornwall I w/Alnico & Type B Crossover

system one online / alternate components / Asylum Listing f>s>

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The old Pioneer SX series has a great AM/FM tuner, pulls in stations much better than a lot of expensive modern equipment. If you get the pots and switches cleaned its a nice sounding, fairly quiet unit with a lot of balls. If you look inside you'll see that the caps look like Coke cans, the toroidal power supply is friggin huge, and the circuit boards are individually shielded by aluminum covers. It may be old but the build quality is outstanding, plus considering that the components are discreet (no IC's) and very repairable it will most likely still be working when the grandkids are ready for music. Too bad Pioneer hasn't made anything like it in years because there was a lot of engineering and aesthetic pride put into the late 70's flagship SX's. Your SX-1280 was made from 1979-81 and had an original retail price of $950.00 (in 70's dollars).

I sure like mine, I've got two mint Pioneer SX-1250's and I even have a mint Sansui G-8000 like Mike Lindsey mentioned. I may not listen to them every day but they're all hooked up and fully functional. There's just something about a massive receiver with more aluminum than most Harleys and real wood trim, it looks like its ready to knock the pictures off the walls just sitting there. Enjoy it with your Cornwalls but don't turn it up too loud, the combined power of the SX plus the efficiency of the Cornwalls equals a visit from the cops if you're not careful (don't ask me how I know)!

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This vintage thing is really catching on. See my posts about a recent vintage tuner find ("warm and fuzzy update" and "Attn. Tuner People"). The only problem now will be all the eBay'ers trying to make a living driving up prices on this stuff...bummer

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HT

Klipsch KG2.5 (front & rear)

Klipsch KV2 (center)

Klipsch SW12 (sub)

Marantz SR700 receiver

Toshiba DTS DVD

JVC SVHS VCR

Sony Hi8 VCR

2 channel

Klipsch Cornwalls (1978)

Cary CAD 300SEI amp

Arcam Alpha MCD cd player

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AudioHolic it sounds like you know your vinatge pioneers! Thanks for the run down. It sounds like you have a nice collection.

This one was found in the dump outside about a month ago by my brother ...believe it or not. He happened to be dropping some items off and saw it. He remembered me telling him that the older stereos could be worth money so he grabbed it. He had no idea what it was except that it was heavy! He called me and told me he found a big heavy older pioneer at the dump. I asked if it was an SX something and he said yeah, a 1280! I about fell out of my chair! The glass is cracked, the mute switch doesn't mute and the fm + stereo lights are out but everything else works perfectly.

The next day it snowed 3 inches of heavy wet snow. If he had not found and rescued it when he did the snow would have most likely ruined it.

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Audioholic - I'm curious about the SX-1250. Do you know where there are any specs on this unit, or do you have any? Also, what are they going for? I don't own one, but I know someone who might be willing to part with it...and you seem to like the two you have. It gets a mind to thinking, ya know???

Doug

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My System

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In the past few months, I've found some similar vintage Sansui receivers: An 8080 DB @ the thrift store for $60, and a MINT (w/all paperwork including sales receipt) 4000 for $10 @ the flea market. These beasts make my walkman seem positively light! This can all be quite fun, if you're willing to "mess around" a bit!

snowed in, fini

This message has been edited by fini on 01-28-2002 at 03:41 PM

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DD:

I sold my almost mint SX-1250 in December on Ebay for

$380. It was really clean, and had been gone through at my local repair shop, with $125 in replacement parts. Still not a bad deal, as I only paid $100 for it.

The buyer used the Buy it Now and it sold after 2 days online. He was local, so we just met halfway.

I also sold my Sansui 9090db, a Pioneer Sx980 and Sx1010.

Now I have my AWESOME Kenwood KR-9600 and my Fisher 500C.

Next purchase is a mid-price CD player for the 2 channel system.

I have to use my K-horns as fronts for my HT system, but also my 2 channel. I have them hooked up to an Audio Authority Speaker Selector and Amp Selector. I don't really like this set up, as to much wire is involved, degrading the signals, but I do not know how else to run all this stuff without it. Any ideas?

Mike

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Oh yea - BigBusa:

Awesome find on the 1280. If I had the 1280 instead of the 1250, I would not have sold it.

I still am holding out for a SX-1980, sitting unused in its original box in a closet for the past 20 years.

(and get it for only $200)

yea - right

Mike

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Doug, here's the Pioneer SX-1250 specs you wanted:

AMPLIFIER SECTION:

RMS Power Per Channel: 160 into 8 ohms, 200 into 4 ohms, 20 Hz to 20 KHz

Damping Factor @ Load Impedance: 30, 20 Hz to 20 KHz into 8 ohms

Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): 0.1% at full rated power into 8 or 4 ohms, no more than 0.05% at 80 watts/channel

Frequency Response: 5 Hz to 100 KHz, + 0 dB, - 1 dB

Hum and Noise 100 dB

Intermodulation Distortion (IM): No more than 0.1% at full rated power, no more than 0.05% at 80 watts/channel

FM TUNER SECTION:

RF Sensitivity: 1.5 uV (8.7 dBF)

50 dB quieting sensitivity, Stereo: 35 uV, 36 dBF

50 dB quieting sensitivity, Mono: 2.1 uV, 11.5 dBF

THD, Mono: 0.1%

THD, Stereo: 0.2%

Signal to Noise Ratio, Mono: 80 dB at 65 dBF

Signal to Noise Ratio, Stereo: 74 dB at 65 dBF

Frequency Response: 30 Hz to 15 KHz, + 0.3 dB, -1 dB

Capture Ratio: 1.0 dB

IF Image Rejection: 110 dB

IF Rejection: 120 dB

Stereo Subcarrier Rejection: 74 dB

SCA Suppression: 74 dB

Alternate Channel Selectivity: 83 dB

Spurious Rejection: 110 dB

AM Carrier Rejection: 60 dB

Stereo Separation at 1 kHz: 50 dB

Mono Switch: Yes

Signal Strength Meter: Yes

Center Tuning Meter: Yes

Multipath Listen: Yes

Muting Switch: 2.5 uV (13 dBF) fixed

AM TUNER SECTION:

RF Sensitivity: 300 uV/meter or 15 uV with external antenna

Alternate Channel Selectivity: 40 dB

IF Rejection: 85 dB

Image Rejection: 65 dB

Signal to Noise Ratio: 55 dB

PREAMPLIFIER:

Bass Adjustments: +/- 10 dB at 100 Hz, and +/- 5 dB at 50 Hz

Treble Adjustments: +/- 10 dB at 10 KHz, and +/- 5 dB at 20 KHz

Tone Control Defeat: Yes

High Filter: 8 KHz, 12 dB/octave

Low Filter: 30 Hz, 12 dB/octave

Gain Control: Calibrated detent knob

Loudness Contour: + 6 dB at 100 Hz, + 3 dB at 10 KHz

Mono: Yes

Muting: -20 dB

Balance: Yes

Tape Monitors: 2

Tape to Tape Dubbing Yes

Auxillary Inputs: 1

Phono Inputs: 2

Phono Overload: 500 mV

DIMENSIONS:

Width: 21 7/8

Height: 7 3/8

Depth: 18 3/4

Weight: 64 lbs 4 oz

If you can get a clean one for less than $300.00 I would jump all over it, they go over $300.00 on Ebay all the time. I was lucky enough to get mine with the manual, brochure, and the original box with matching serial number. There's still some service manuals available too if you check around on the net.

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Here are some shots of my old Sansui G-8000...

http://www.retroaudio.ru/sansui/receiver/G-8000.htm

Here's another shot...

http://www.oaktreeent.com/web_photos/hi-fi/Sansui_G-8000_web.jpg

I loved this beast! It was built like a tank and had no problem driving my Infinity Column II's. I can't believe I sold it to get my Yamaha separates...

Mike

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My Music Systems

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Mike,wanted to thank you for the links you provided.My Dad and I have been talking recently about his vintage equipment and I have looked for links such as these familiarizing myself with what he has.Thanks.

The old man has a Sansui 8080DB and an old Sony behemith that I don't remember the model of.He also has turntable,cassette deck,reel-to reel,Sony and AR speakers,and who knows what else.Enough wood to build a bedroom suite! All covered and pampered.He said last week he was about to donate to charity three pairs of speakers he doesn't use anymore that are just in his way!Keith to the rescue!

Anyway thanks,

Keith

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No problem, Keith! Oaktree is a good place to find some classic Japanese receivers from the 60's and 70's. I think thry have a pretty good reputation on restoring a lot of the stuff that they sell. Retroaudio is a good resource for getting information on some of these old pieces...

Mike

------------------

My Music Systems

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I bought a 48 pound solid-state (SS) monster, the Class A Pioneer M-22 reference amp, for $250 about 15 years ago because I couldnt stand the scratchy sound of my rusty Dynaco ST70s with their EL-84 EL-34?) tubes.

The closest modern day Pioneer equivalent is the Elite series M-10x, which it looks more like their current receivers than it looks like my amp. My black beauty looks like the Theshold amps shown at the 2000 CES show: http://www.enjoythemusic.com/ces2001/monday/. (The new Threshold Pro company is going to release this amplifier shortly along the lines of the old Threshold T300 amplifier and priced at approximately $8,000.)

The top of the M-22 is exposed. It has two hefty black transformers, square and 4 high with two black 33,000 uF capacitors the size of Foster lager cans, are surrounded by a fortress of black cooling fins. The four computer grade storage capacitors reduce power supply ripple to about 1/10 volt. The SS Pioneer is 30 watts per side, dual mono amp with dual transistor differentials built onto one chassis. It is 2-stage differential push-pull Darlington connection, direct coupled OCL. It has plentiful negative feedback in the 1st stage. I bought it cheap, new and in the box.

Frequency response is from 2 Hz to 150 kHz within 1 dB. Like any solid state amplifier, the Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) is a U shaped curve. It is .005% at 1 watt into 8 ohms at one end, dips below .001% at 15 watts, curving back up to .01% at 30 watts at the other. In other words, ultra clean response. Below 10 watts, the M-22 has better THD spec than the Krell FBP 350mc at $17,000 per pair!

Technically the amp can put out more than 30 watts, but the THD climbs like a rocket once output is higher than 22 watts. Hence the M-22 designation. Below one watt, the THD curve is just as high as it is above 30 watts! I plan to use this to power by woofers someday soon ...

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Colin's Music System Cornwall 1s & Klipsch subs; lights out & tubes glowing!

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OOPS! The Sansui receiver is a 9090DB!

Dad,can you write the model numbers down and call me back? No,don't care anything about those old albums.Give them to Goodwill.

Keith

This message has been edited by talktoKeith on 01-29-2002 at 01:15 PM

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Guys,

Speaking of classic receivers...

I went to go look at "older" Yamaha system,late'70s.What I was really going to look at was the Yamaha NS1000M speakers for a friends system but what caught my eye was the 1979 vintage Yamaha 2040Cr receiver-a 120 watt beast with that classic '70s look,brushed aluminum and glass faceplate,wood side panels all still owned by the original owner in very good condition.

I wish I had a bigger house!

Jeff

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