Pioneer SX-1980/Holy Grail of Vintage Audio?

tankdonovan

tankdonovan

Senior AK Member
As most of you know by now a Pioneer SX-1980 sold for $2850 on eBay a few days ago. Is that not a record for vintage gear of the late 70s early 80s era? The so called "Monster Receivers" era? Would this make the SX-1980 the most wanted receiver of the era? The price has been steadly climbing fast for some time now. Could the Pioneer SX-1980 be the "Holy Grail" of vintage audio? I`m not saying that it is. Only asking a question.

TankDonovan
 
The SX probably enjoys the most widespread lust, hence the demand and high prices. It certainly epitomizes the receiver wars of the late 1970s ... very powerful and quite the receiver to behold. Many purists on the forum will point to other receivers as the "best" ... the big Hitachi, Rotel, Yamaha etc. Any of these big boys will blow away today's plastic contraptions and any of us should feel lucky to have one.
 
I did not see the Marantz 2600 on eBay. But I would not be surprised that the SX-1980 goes past that. It is rising at a very fast rate.
The Rotel RX-1603 is underpowered compaired to the SX-1980. But I do know that raw power is not the hold answer. Many things contribute to a great receiver. It does look good but no better than the 1980.

TankDonovan
 
Someone correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the SX1250 and SX1980 share the same beer can size capacitors ? If so, how is the SX1980 rated with higher output ?
I would love to have one with the power meters and other additional features but from a sonic standpoint, after listening to both and owning a pair of SX1250, I'm hard pressed to hear any difference in these two fine old recievers... Maybe EW could update the power output differences because I have to leave the room when these puppies get wound up.
 
EW will tell you the 1250 was Pioneer's best effort. As far as the SX 1980 being "commonplace," I'd bet a lot of AKers wish that were true. But it certainly is easier to find than the Rotel. I wonder what the production volumes were for both units.
 
The link you posted Vintagestereo shows the Rotel RX-1603 at 180 WPC. A long ways from the 1980. Do you have a Rotel RX-1603? or Pioneer SX-1980? I don`t and don`t plan on it. To me a waste of money. I was just asking a question.

TankDonovan
 
I own a 1980. Love it. Never heard a Rotel but based on the accolades piled on by a lot of long time AKers, I can't see it being a waste of money. Heck ... I bet most folks don't know about Rotel and if you were to find one outside of eBay you'd be able to get it for much less than a 1980.
 
I believe the big caps in the SX-1250/5590 are 22K and 71 volts, those in the SX-1980 are 22K and 100 volts. Hence the added output.
Of all the extreme receivers, the SX-1980 is the most recognizable, hence I would suggest the most wanted receiver.
Give me the Concept 16.5--oh, nevermind, I have one. :banana:
 
I have had the good luck to have owned 2 SX1980s, the first one like new in 1990 was burned up by a lightening strike. I cried about it , the second one is just ho hum in sound & rarely gets played.
 
A G-33000 went awhile back for $3,600...suffice to say, I'll never have one, :sigh: Sansui and Kenwood being my soft spots. At least I've got Kenwood's top kick at the cat (KR-9050). And at $350 (in 2003), I'd call it the dark horse best buy.

Scott
 
I own both of them, the rotel rx-1603 and the pioneer sx-1980. the rotel is measured @ 228 watt rms both channels driven into 8ohm below 0.1%thd etc... only 250 watt into 1 channel ! i have all the paperwork about that. the rotel fuse is 5A (240volt) the pioneer fuse is 6,3A. the pioneer have a 40% bigger power supply, 166% bigger filter caps and 3x200 watt output transistors in stead of 2x150 watt. the rotel is one spaghetti of wires on the inside. the pioneer is perfect in design, and have better specs on everything. but personaly i find the rotel more beautifull and it have more funktions. (rotel rx-1603 receivers are common here in europe)

The most expencive receiver i saw is this one http://hifi4me.de/de/hifi/hifi.php?artId=507&lang=de. a sansui g-33000 for 3000€ (4800$) ???
 
Dean P said:
I have had the good luck to have owned 2 SX1980s, the first one like new in 1990 was burned up by a lightening strike. I cried about it , the second one is just ho hum in sound & rarely gets played.
Click to expand...
:yes:

I would tend to agree with your assessment about the SX-1980's sound, unfortunately.
 
Thanks guys for your input.

I did not realize there were other receivers that was selling for those prices. It is true that the SX-1980s are more common place on eBay. I wonder if the other high priced receivers were more common place on eBay they would still command the high prices?

TankDonovan
 
Believe the record for vintage 'gear' is for a few of the vintage tuners. A Scott (I don't recall the model) just sold for over $4K! Crazy. Same for select vintage Marantz, McIntosh and Sansui tuners. Don't know who is buying them, but I would guess they are headed to Japan or eastern Europe.
 
Holy grail of vintage audio, I think not. Maybe for the power wars receive crowd. For me, If it were sitting next to a pair of Marantz 9 or McIntosh MC3500, MC2300, MC2500 or MC2600 amps, ARC D150, Marantz 500, Mattes SP100 or 200, Sherwood Micro 100, Sequerra Day tuner, Marntz SLT-12U, Crown SX824, or quite a few other items I could think of a I could only remove 1 (or pair if mono), the Pioneer would still be available after I left. Simply b/c someone pays a price far in excess of value does not place it on a pedestal, except to owners who bought it cheap and now can profit.
 
I'd take a SX-1250 or SX-1980 over those any day. As a matter of fact, my SX-1980 replaced a 1966 MC275 tube amp. I don't miss it at all....

As for the so called "power wars receiver crowd".... :scratch2: Please stand up and be counted!



Brian said:
Holy grail of vintage audio, I think not. Maybe for the power wars receive crowd. For me, If it were sitting next to a pair of Marantz 9 or McIntosh MC3500, MC2300, MC2500 or MC2600 amps, ARC D150, Marantz 500, Mattes SP100 or 200, Sherwood Micro 100, Sequerra Day tuner, Marntz SLT-12U, Crown SX824, or quite a few other items I could think of a I could only remove 1 (or pair if mono), the Pioneer would still be available after I left. Simply b/c someone pays a price far in excess of value does not place it on a pedestal, except to owners who bought it cheap and now can profit.
Click to expand...
 
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Perhaps this thread should have been titled "Pioneer SX-1980/Holy Grail of Vintage Solid State Audio" not to upset the classic tube enthusiasts that somehow keep reading this forum (strange isn't it?). Maybe they'll switch back to transistors like I did. Who knows....

On those ocassions when I post in the tube or McIntosh forums I try not to slam their holy grails... :D
 
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I did list it under "Solid State".
But maybe I did word it wrong.
Sorry guys. I did not mean to step on anyone`s toes.

TankDonovan
 
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