Pioneer SX-1000 TD or SX-737?

[SX-1000_Fan]

Hello everyone, I'm trying to decide which rig to use in my stereo system setup and which one to sell.

I have an SX-1000 TD and an SX-737 that I just recently fixed up, (you guys may have seen or followed that repair thread in here about a month and a half ago).

one thing I like about the SX-737 is that it doesn't have the special speaker jacks that are hard to find and expensive as heck like the SX-1000 TD has, and the other thing I like about the SX-737 is that it has a more interesting looking tuning dial (blue lights as opposed to the regular white lights like the SX-1000 TD has).

But I do like how the SX-1000 TD has great sensitivity and Selectivity on both the AM and FM bands.

I just hooked up the SX-737 to my stereo setup so I can give it a listen to to see how it compares to the SX-1000 TD that I've had for several years now.

I would love to hear what your guys opinion is regarding which stereo receiver you think is best.

Thanks.

 

[jojo0416]

Never heard an SX-737, but I grew up with an SX-1000 which I regret giving away.
Do you really need to sell one, can't keep both? You can rotate between the two, it will be twice the fun.

 

[SX-1000_Fan]

Never heard an SX-737, but I grew up with an SX-1000 which I regret giving away.
Do you really need to sell one, can't keep both? You can rotate between the two, it will be twice the fun.

I would like to keep both but my family is limiting me to only a few pieces of vintage equipment which I already have several old tube radios and then these 2 stereo receivers and the tape deck, CD Changer and the turntable which they count all of that as part of my collection so they won't let me have more than one receiver unfortunately, as much as I would like to.

 

[jojo0416]

I know what you mean, been there too luckily my wife now tolerates this hobby. My vote goes to ths SX-1000, I miss mine. Someday I will get one for sentimental reasons.

 

[SX-1000_Fan]

I know what you mean, been there too luckily my wife now tolerates this hobby. My vote goes to ths SX-1000, I miss mine. Someday I will get one for sentimental reasons.

I'm just curious but I've noticed that on my SX-1000 the AM band gets really good reception (I like to do AM DX'ing at night) and the AM Band on my SX-1000 came in with very little background noise/hiss/static just using the built in AM Loopstick Antenna, but the AM Band on my SX-737 barely comes in with the built-in AM Loopstick Antenna, and in order to get anything in AM DX'ing wise in on the SX-737 I would have to hookup a longwire antenna to the external AM Antenna jack in addition to the Built-in Loopstick Antenna and even then there's still tons of static/hiss/background noise and even AM Sideband activity that makes makes the AM Band barely listenable.

Do you know why this would be happening?

Is it just the difference between how the Front End is built on these two receivers and also difference in components used to make the front end on these units?

 

[jojo0416]

[QUOTE="
Do you know why this would be happening?
Is it just the difference between how the Front End is built on these two receivers and also difference in components used to make the front end on these units?[/QUOTE]

I am not well versed with circuitry but both came from a different era so technology can come into play and parts used. I do remember I just use a small piece of wire for AM and FM antenna and I was good to go.

There is a repair/refurb thread on this that can help if you, the person is well versed with SX 1000, he might be able to help if I can find his link.

 

[SX-1000_Fan]

[QUOTE="
Do you know why this would be happening?
Is it just the difference between how the Front End is built on these two receivers and also difference in components used to make the front end on these units?

I am not well versed with circuitry but both came from a different era so technology can come into play and parts used. I do remember I just use a small piece of wire for AM and FM antenna and I was good to go.

There is a repair/refurb thread on this that can help if you, the person is well versed with SX 1000, he might be able to help if I can find his link.[/QUOTE]

Well The SX-1000 isn't the one that I'm having the issues with its the SX-737 that I'm having the issues with, the FM Band is fine on the SX-737, its the AM Band I'm having issues with on the SX-737, which is kind of weird.

 

[MadeMine]

keep 'em both

 

[blhagstrom]

Keep the 1000

The 737 will fetch better money due to looks and cult knowledge.

Although both sound good, the 1000 is slightly more mellow. Older tech.

I find the older tuners to be really nice and since you actually use that, there you go.

Speaker plugs for the 1000 can be made from cinch plugs and others. Search AK for Pioneer speaker plugs.

 

[SX-1000_Fan]

keep 'em both View attachment 1852173 View attachment 1852175

Interestingly enough my SX-737 has Binding post style speaker hookups that are original to the unit, and not the old style proprietary speaker plugs like the SX-1000 has, which is kind of interesting because most people on here that talk about having an SX-737 mention it having the older proprietary speaker hookups. ..

 

[blhagstrom]

The SX-727 has the plug type.

Most people online may not know what they are talking about.

 

[SX-1000_Fan]

Keep the 1000

The 737 will fetch better money due to looks and cult knowledge.

Although both sound good, the 1000 is slightly more mellow. Older tech.

I find the older tuners to be really nice and since you actually use that, there you go.

Speaker plugs for the 1000 can be made from cinch plugs and others. Search AK for Pioneer speaker plugs.

I Agree I definitely like the sound stage of my SX-1000 better than the SX-737 now that I've had a chance to listen to the SX-737 a little bit, also my SX-1000 has a really nice tuner on it that is nice and sensitive and has a very low noise floor on both the AM and FM bands when it comes to stations that are further away (late night DX'ing on the AM Band or just listening to more distant FM Stations during the day and night in general).

Also it has switchable AFC which comes in handy for more distant stations whereas the SX-737 doesn't have a switchable AFC, its just always on with the 737 unit, which is annoying because sometimes a station doesn't always lock in like it should and with switchable AFC, you can lock in stations easier by switching off the AFC, tune in the station so its properly centered, and then lock in the signal by turning on the AFC switch so that whenever you tune in that station its always locked in at that center of the signal.

 

[SX-1000_Fan]

The SX-727 has the plug type.

Most people online may not know what they are talking about.

Deleted, I misread your post.

 

[Super Noob]

The SX-727 has the plug type.

Most people online may not know what they are talking about.

The 727 I had actually had both...

 

[larryderouin]

Digging up this thread. My take on the AM differences noted above.
The late 60's were in flux with regard to AM & FM. FM Stereo was in it's infancy, while AM had been around from the start of broadcast radio. When the SX-1000 TA, TD, & TX models came out FM was making strides toward kicking AM off the top of the Hill. By mid 70's when the SX-737 came out AM was waning (except for DX'er's who knew what they needed in an AM Radio to do so) and the AM section was becoming minimized compared to just a few years before.

Take the late 50's AM-FM simulcast stereo. You had a radio (or receiver) with separate AM and FM tuners (examples: Fisher TA-600, TA-800, 800B or H-K TA-260 and others of the era). AM HAD TO BE absolutely top notch to get close to or equal FM so the sound quality between channels wasn't affected. When Multiplex Stereo (FM ONLY) came out in 1961, over the next ten years or so, AM started to be relegated to Talk radio and evangelists. Receivers were made with an AM section with fewer and fewer gangs, selectivity and sensitivity. FM became more and more the Big Stick in broadcast radio during the mid/late 70's. There are AM stations that are still out there that are bouncing signals across the country at night, but are becoming fewer. Local stations in most cases are low power with ranges of less than 20 miles in the Baltimore /Washington area. (some simulcast by streaming but not many do.)

I have an Allied 395 (SX-1000TD or TX) and a SX-737. I can DX pretty well with the 1000 and a 50ft long wire or pick up most AM local stations. The 737 needs a 50 foot minimum long wire just to pick up the local stations. I might listen to either during a ball game but I prefer the Allied 395 for this. Pull out my Fisher TA-600 and I don't need a longwire. Go figure...................

 

[rhodus]

Digging up this thread. My take on the AM differences noted above.
The late 60's were in flux with regard to AM & FM. FM Stereo was in it's infancy, while AM had been around from the start of broadcast radio. When the SX-1000 TA, TD, & TX models came out FM was making strides toward kicking AM off the top of the Hill. By mid 70's when the SX-737 came out AM was waning (except for DX'er's who knew what they needed in an AM Radio to do so) and the AM section was becoming minimized compared to just a few years before.

Take the late 50's AM-FM simulcast stereo. You had a radio (or receiver) with separate AM and FM tuners (examples: Fisher TA-600, TA-800, 800B or H-K TA-260 and others of the era). AM HAD TO BE absolutely top notch to get close to or equal FM so the sound quality between channels wasn't affected. When Multiplex Stereo (FM ONLY) came out in 1961, over the next ten years or so, AM started to be relegated to Talk radio and evangelists. Receivers were made with an AM section with fewer and fewer gangs, selectivity and sensitivity. FM became more and more the Big Stick in broadcast radio during the mid/late 70's. There are AM stations that are still out there that are bouncing signals across the country at night, but are becoming fewer. Local stations in most cases are low power with ranges of less than 20 miles in the Baltimore /Washington area. (some simulcast by streaming but not many do.)

I have an Allied 395 (SX-1000TD or TX) and a SX-737. I can DX pretty well with the 1000 and a 50ft long wire or pick up most AM local stations. The 737 needs a 50 foot minimum long wire just to pick up the local stations. I might listen to either during a ball game but I prefer the Allied 395 for this. Pull out my Fisher TA-600 and I don't need a longwire. Go figure...................

Probably a dumb question but what is a DXer?

 

[larryderouin]

Long distance AM. For example, listening to a station in Nashville (IIRC 760khz), from Baltimore. I can also pick up stations in Cleveland, NYC, & Chicago, depending on weather (clear is better for ionosphere bounce reception.) and time of day or night( night is always better). similar to shortwave reception. Back in the day( 30's to 60's) there was a station just over the border in Mexico that could be received at night just about anywhere in US east of Nebraska. Rumor had it was about 500,000w transmitting power.

FM signal is Line of sight. Limited by curvature of earth. AM Signal can bounce off ionosphere, traveling great distances, dependent on transmitter strength, weather, distance.