Finally found the Salvation Army store (thanks gonzothegreat!) and went in...passed on the same SX-780 he passed on, not paying a marked $39.99 for any 780, much less one missing a bat-handle (though I have those) and sporting an incorrect knob (got those too hehe).

Found an SX-838 sitting there on a shelf, treble control shaft broken off. It lit up and sang though, albeit crackling in spots due to dirt. I asked for a price, showed the manager the broken shaft and explained the bad contacts, and she said "$9.99". Score!

Got her here, 11mV on right and 14mV left DC offset readings, shot the function switches with DeOxit and hooked her to my Heresies and the TT and CDP.

Oh. my.

Still needs to clear her throat a leeeeeetle bit more :D and she'll be singing like nobody's business.

Anybody have at least the proper treble pot? I think one of the Alps detent pots from the 780 carcass will fit her unless the value's different. Shaft looks the same.

TP

BTW - yes the case is all there, just had it off. Case is in nice shape, just cleaned it up.

Since the purchase of my SX-1010 and my SA-9100 integrated amp I have a new found respect for this series. They are getting much harder to find as are the xx50s and xx80s. . . One of my wifes favorites if not her all time favorite was a SX-434. . . Same series as the 838 but farther down the line. Still it had that warm pleasant sound these guys are noted for. I imagine a 838 could be a great receiver; enough power to light a small town and the sound to die for. . . GREAT SCORE!!! I have started looking for these guys to replace the 850s I have been selling. . .

Yeah - that was good one for $10. I like the X3X series - the 838,939,1010 even the little less respected 636,737 sound sweet. My favorites - hands down - are the next series SX850-1250. Kam might have an 838 bass knob in the parts section?

Yeah, she's rated at 50 a side...plenty o' juice. I'm about to take the face off her and really clean her up nicely. I'll post pics when I'm done. All she'll need is a new treble pot otherwise.

I grew up with an SX-535 that my dad had. 20wpc, but it drove even Maggie SMG's to decent levels. It cranked through Dad's old Audio 2 10" 2-way bookshelf speaks. I remember one time when a cousin was visiting, his folks and my folks went out for dinner leaving the two of us alone at home. He had just bought "Cat Scratch Fever" by Ted Nugent...we cranked it. :D I remember cranking the Doobies and Kiss on that rig...dang!

Oh the memories. The first vinyl my new 838 cranked on was a minty vinyl copy of the first Ted Nugent album, the one with Stranglehold.

Yeah baby! RAWK! :D

Oh heck...where's Larry? I'm gettin into *his* territory now...wait 'til I find a 1010 :D :D :D :D :D Hee hee hee!

TP, reassuring his 780 that he's not getting rid of her

I cant wait untill I get my 1010 back from Echowars. . . I used it long enough to know I like it very much. It had a little pop when you would engage or disengage the master tone control. . . Other than that it sounded and looked almost MINT. . . Some would call it mint, the seller (a very nice AK member) did call it mint. It seems that my yearly bonus was to arrive this year at this time and this year it is mine to do with as I please. . . So off to EW for a complete restoration 22,000uF caps as well as everything he is going to do to the raffle unit. I got a special stand for it, brand new JBL S312IIs and I am having a brand new case built (the original is great) using 11 ply baltic birch and will be covered with black walnut veneer. I will finish it with a high gloss two componet polyurethane. the stand will be full gloss black like ELITE componets with a nice Pioneer logo right under the receiver. Man am I wound too tight or what. . . Normally I would not consider doing this but you only live once and I intend to integrate this guy into my big system where it will stay. I do not sell from my big system, all keepers. I will certainly show her off and melt some ear wax with it hooked to the new JBLs. . They say you cant go back but I am headed that way. . .:cool:

Tip: watch out for the dial pointer on these things. I broke mine off. :( I glued it back on, but of course it will never glow as well as it did before I pulled a klutzo move. ARRRGH!!! :dammit:

TP

Personally, from having a 1010 and an 838, and listening to the 939 and 737, I think that series of Pioneer receivers are the best-sounding of the bunch. There's a dynamic "effortlessness" about them, that none of the others seem to quite match. Also, they're ruler-flat in tonal balance... also something not many of the other models do as well, IMHO.

It will be interesting to see what the performance level, of the tweaked SX1010 that Echowars is doing, will be after all is said and done. Like I said somewhere, I'm betting it'll encroach on SERIOUS high-end sonic territory!!

Regards,
Gordon.

Since I've been exposed to the 1010 I will be finding mint lower line models from the same series. I am curious how the 2nd and 3rd models in the line up do. As I said the 434 I had was a giant killer in its own right. I drove my JBL L-112s for a time with the 434. At the time my 434 was without lights of any kind and it served backup duty. I threw everything I had at that little guy. . . As long as you were sane with the volume level it presented itself very nicely. Then I fixed the lights, sold it for about 25 bucks and have missed it ever since.

B3, congratulations on your score, I am hoping to find a 838 to go with the others in my collection.

Along with my 1010, I have a 939 the next model down from the 1010. These are even a better bargain than the 1010's usually are and IMO sound equally as good. Bought it in mint condition for $35.

The 939 was my first real nice stereo some 30 years ago until it broke and I didn't have the money to fix it (raising a family). I was delighted to find this one and will not part with it.

Jon:)

The SX-838 was introduced in 1974 and manufactured through 1975, the last year for the blackout tuning dial on the 800 series. It was basically a subtle restyling of the 828 and a reshuffling of the receiver's features. It was rated at 50 watts per channel RMS. It listed for $499.95. and tipped the scales at nearly 36 pounds. Anyone who had removed the walnut enclosure to a receiver like this was amazed at the amount of heavy stamped steel was used in the construction of the chassis. It is one reason why so many survive today, still providing music to their owners.

FROM the "Silver Pioneer Site" We will see if the pic took.

Welp, the serial on this bad girl is UI3913751M, U= 1975 and I= September, so she's a September 1975 baby. Let's see, I was 4 when this thing was built.

Gonna pull the 780 out of the main system and plop her in for awhile, give her some airtime and see if any issues pop up. I hope my 780 doesn't get too jealous...but now that I'm gonna be starting a new job next week I may need something for my office to play 93.1 The Lake all day, so I think my lovely 780 is up to that task. She's the first receiver I ever restored so I can't get rid of her. That and she just sounds so darn lovely....

The pointer still lights a little...

TP

see next, hit send too soon

...system, that is. :D

Currently serenading me with "History: America's Greatest Hits". The sound can only be described as effortless. Treble's set flat (as always) , so the broken shaft isn't harming function, just looks like poo.

This thing sounds amazing. And my SX-780 is no slouch, either. The tuner is the best I've ever used, pulls in stations whether they want to be pulled in or not! :)

Yeah, I'm starting to agree that this series was the best Pioneer ever built. I definitely want an SX-1010 now. :D

TP

broke it off? that's why u have to be gentle with these beauties.



Originally posted by B3Nut
Tip: watch out for the dial pointer on these things. I broke mine off. :( I glued it back on, but of course it will never glow as well as it did before I pulled a klutzo move. ARRRGH!!! :dammit:

TP

Originally posted by Voltage
broke it off? that's why u have to be gentle with these beauties.

I usually am. But I had a cranial methane moment, and paid for it. :(

TP, apologizing to the poor receiver

You mean a brain fart. . . . I had a ceribial rectal inversion myself. . . Head up my ass!!

Yeah, that too! Craniorectal Impaction is my usual term for that...

Dang. I don't want to go to work...I want to stay and listen to this 838...and I want the ogre across the hall to disappear so I can open 'er up. :D

TP

Greetings,

Nice score on the SX-838! Last week one of the guys wanted a bass pot-- older SX-727. I have a Quad QX-949 parts unit that was built at the same time the 727 was. The part matched!! Both these units are one model older than your 838. They controls are notched or click when turned Don't know if the treble will fit but if you think it will you are welcome to it--Email me.

Regards,

Eric

Also noted you need a knob. I also parted out a PIoneer QX 8000a and their knobs are very close as memory serves..ET

Todd
my man!!! this is a great find ...I am now looking for a minty 939
but as to now no luck..... but my man that is a really nice looking and sounding unit..As you and other know I prefer these a lot better than the later more over refined in my opinion units..this to me is raw Pioneer at there best time peroid.......

Nice one Todd congrat's on the find mate....

If stereofisher's Treble pot won't do I have an SX-550 with a 10 step pot, and knob you can have!

Greg

Thanks guys! I've PM'd Kam already since he's parting an 838 out...I also have a 780 carcass that has a couple 100K stepped tone pots, shafts look the same, so I might be able to shove one in if need be.

Also if anyone needs 780 bits, let me know, I've been slowly stripping a 780 chassis. I have one good STK-0050 if someone needs one.

This 838 is really singing, haven't had a chance to really open her up yet but I know she's got it in her. I do notice a pop when changing treble turnover, only the first time you move the switch. Keep moving it and it goes away. Sounds like a burst of DC, which I'll bet dollars to donuts is a leaky coupling cap in the tone circuit. No matter, once I get the rest of her sorted a complete re-cap is in order, it's almost 30 years old so it'd be silly to leave most of the original 'lytics in it, though the main power supply caps seem to be fine, no bulging and no hum in the audio.

Sturdy beastie, this girl.

TP

real good find
hope you have her sorted soon Todd

Nice score Todd!!I pulled off a score friday morning at a yard sale.I scored an SX-737 and a pair of pioneer CS-63DX speakers for $30.00.The sound is GREAT!!I found out the speaks sold for $850.00 in 1975 and had to be special ordered.I`m a happy camper!!:D

As I have been saying for some time now
this series was a hell of a line up...the 1010 is the king of the tripe
we all know this.Even if only purely historically..but the 1010 is more than that a lot more...this one of mine wipes the floor with anything pioneer that I own with ease and with a smile...

yes I am now looking for the whole series as well as the very underated QX series..these are the the ones that the world don't like eh!! more fool them!!!....it's all power,more power, 160 wpc,180wpc,270wpc, crap...the best are these little girls belive me as I said over a year ago this was going to happen..and it is..
for me you can keep the over powered units and give me a sx 1010 any day...just my thoughts on this but you all know this sh!t
already.....So I'll shut up now with a smile.....told ya!!

Larry,
I agree with you. . . In my mind optimum for a receiver is 100 watts. Bigger should be seperates. Too heavy for one, too big for another. Besides where I use a receiver is in smaller rooms. I use a sub with the under 50-60 watters anyway. . . I wont be using a sub with my SX-1010 though the big JBLs are good down into the high 20s. . . Flat to 32 or so. . . Besides I dont need that big bass except for HT. . . And I use a sub there too. SVS-2039 driven by an Adcom GFA-565. . . It will rattle the neighbors windows. . .

Originally posted by B3Nut
Thanks guys! I've PM'd Kam already since he's parting an 838 out...I also have a 780 carcass that has a couple 100K stepped tone pots, shafts look the same, so I might be able to shove one in if need be.

Also if anyone needs 780 bits, let me know, I've been slowly stripping a 780 chassis. I have one good STK-0050 if someone needs one.

This 838 is really singing, haven't had a chance to really open her up yet but I know she's got it in her. I do notice a pop when changing treble turnover, only the first time you move the switch. Keep moving it and it goes away. Sounds like a burst of DC, which I'll bet dollars to donuts is a leaky coupling cap in the tone circuit. No matter, once I get the rest of her sorted a complete re-cap is in order, it's almost 30 years old so it'd be silly to leave most of the original 'lytics in it, though the main power supply caps seem to be fine, no bulging and no hum in the audio.

Sturdy beastie, this girl.

TP

I'm sending you the whole tone board with switches, I just yanked it as a unit. Should make the replacement that much easier :)

This place (AK) is great! Far out.

it's the best audio forum on the net by far...thanx Kam,bully & co
for such a great place to have the crack and learn about all our
beloved vintage and dear I say it modern gear....

thanx again guy's

fondest regards larry (((UK)))

Kam, you RAWK! Thanks man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:guitar: :guitar: :yippy: :beerchug: :beer: :banana:

Like I said, if anyone needs SX-780 bits.... :)

TP

Originally posted by Good Vibrations
Nice score Todd!!I pulled off a score friday morning at a yard sale.I scored an SX-737 and a pair of pioneer CS-63DX speakers for $30.00.The sound is GREAT!!I found out the speaks sold for $850.00 in 1975 and had to be special ordered.I`m a happy camper!!:D

O wow! Post pics of that score...killer! You can't beat any vintage Pioneer, but these x3x/1010 units are simply stunning. The build of these is simply incredible. I'll shoot better nudies when the tone board arrives, as I'll have to do a lot of dismantling....dang things are built like battleships.

TP

Pioneer Rules stereofisher gave me the Bass Pot Thanks again Stereofisher. Correction on the Bass Pot Stereofisher thought it was for a SX-727 of mine it was not it was for my SX-980 I have the pots from my sx727 they would not work for my SX980.
So the Pot stereofisher gave me will fit a SX-980 but will not work on a SX-727. I hope this clears up a misunderstanding.

AK RULES

Hoo-ee, I'm looking at the 838 tone control board right now ... right next to the board on which the volume pot I gotta replace is. It isn't obvious at all how to get at these things.

Oh wait, here are some screws. I am thinking, pull the knobs and the faceplate and then go from there? Hope it goes well with your tone control board - looking forward to the pics.

Here's how to get at the tone board:

1. Remove the 4 Phillips screws holding the cover on.

2. Remove the knobs on the unit, there will be two nuts on two of the controls, use needlenose or standard pliers.

3. Remove the switch lever covers, and the tuning knob (tuning knob is a 1.5 mm Allen).

4. Remove the screws on the top side of the face that are hidden under the top cover.

5. Pull the faceplate off

6. Remove the screws that hold the control panel on the front (three on each side), and then remove the screws that hold the controls on (8-10).

7. Remove the nuts holding the 1/4" jacks on the front panel

8. Remove the control panel bracket.

On the tone board, I believe there are 8 or so wires there. Swap them over and you're done! Just make sure you have 2 or 3 trays ready to accept different size screws :)

And watch out for that dial pointer, or it'll end up looking like mine. :(

It still glows, just not as brightly as it did before I klutzified it.

Working on these is actually easier once you get to the boards since they're all modular. Getting to the front boards is a pain at first though.

TP

Thanks all! I'll mind my dial pointers :)

Originally posted by B3Nut
And watch out for that dial pointer, or it'll end up looking like mine. :(

It still glows, just not as brightly as it did before I klutzified it.

Working on these is actually easier once you get to the boards since they're all modular. Getting to the front boards is a pain at first though.

TP

Do you need a working dial pointer? I think I have one....

Oh man....that would be way cool if ya do...

Tnx! :D

TP, chilling to some 838-powered tunes...