Best Vintage Receiver!! Pioneer vs Sansui! Who is the King of the Monster Receivers?

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@cheapaudioman 8 ай бұрын

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@johnstump2433 8 ай бұрын

I have owned the Pioneers SX-1980 since I purchased it new back in 1979. It was on sale at the time and I picked it up for $699 and it is my every day receiver to this day. I paired it up with Klipsch Cornwall’s back when I first purchased it and I still have those as well. I still have the original box and the receipt and all the original paperwork.

@marks.2909 8 ай бұрын

I have the SX-5590 the thought of owning a vintage 1970s receiver never entered my mind until I saw it in a estate sale ,..It was in remarkably good condition purchased from the widow of the original owner . I had it checked out and refurbished after listening to it driving my TeKton Lore speakers ,…Wow it sure lit those speakers up I find the sound quality excellent so much so I sold my Accuphase E-280 integrate I purchased new this year .

@mikejames-drummerreginacan1386 8 ай бұрын

I sold these receivers in the late 70's in Canada. The PIONEER SX 1250 was the leader. It sounded MASSIVE, clear, powerful and clean. The SANSUI was good but the Pioneer SX-1250 outsold ALL the other "big" receivers during that time. Great memories Randy....thanks !

@stevied4334 8 ай бұрын

My first stereo receiver was the Pioneer SX-1010, at the time the most powerful at 100w per side, and credited for being the catalyst for the industry's ensuing "Receiver Wars". It was a beautiful piece of gear.

@danwheetman6914 8 ай бұрын

I have the SX1250 and a Marantz 2325 (125wpc). Both receivers put out depth and width for their sound stage. I agree, the 1250 is punchier but for me the midrange is quite warm and full. I’m running it through ADS 1250 floor mounts and they are quite warm so the combo delights me. I run the Marantz through ADS 1050’s, sweet. My friend runs his SX1050 through HPM 200’s, the epitome of West Coast sound. So like all things audio it is the combination of the gear that determines the final outcome and switching things around can bring Nirvana or frustration.

@danwheetman6914 8 ай бұрын

ADS1290 and 1090…

@texasbassranger 8 ай бұрын

My first receiver system was the sX 1050 And I loved it.

@texasbassranger 8 ай бұрын

Having spent 3 tours in Germany over a 19-year period, I eventually pieced together my dream system. A full Phase Linear rack system with a Teac A150 tape deck and a Pioneer P3A turntable. My first love affair with components stared with the Pioneer SX=1050 and it matched perfectly with my 4 HPM speakers. However, I did end up selling that receiver to make room for my phase linear amp, preamp and tuner. I did keep the P3A turntable and then bought the DBX noise reduction unit to slay the tape hiss dragon. I kept that entire system until 1994 when a client offered me an obscene amount of money for it. Since is was way past time to recap all those components, I gladly took his money but man, I still miss that pioneer receiver, With no other lights on in the room, the light it put off was almost magical. Oh and btw.....all those components I bought in Germany? They sold for about 1/3 (if not less than) The amount of what they would have cost back in the states. IIRC, that beautiful Pioneer receiver cost me 155.00 out the door.

@thomasetesta5641 8 ай бұрын

I have one of the Pioneer1250's little brother SX-850; plenty of power driving Vintage Large Advents and bass galore... rich & punch is how I describe it. Same as my little SX-780, that also has plenty of bass & punch at "only" 45 watts per channel

@davidbartochowski7832 8 ай бұрын

Thanks for the vintage stuff for us old guys. Sansui was the killer in terms of specs and sound. Keep up the great reviews

@craigm.9070 8 ай бұрын

Pioneer SX-1050 original owner here; just couldn't spring that kind of cash down for one of the top of the line units back then. I had mine completely restored in Nov. 2020 after a couple decade slumber in the closet; sounds amazing, I use it almost daily now. When properly aligned, these units had amazing tuners, add just a simple dipole antenna and they can really pull in stations. Thanks for your time and the trip in the way-back machine!

@RandySmith-iz1ml 8 ай бұрын

How much did you spend on the restoration? I think the 1050 is actually the sweet spot of the line.

@jlampe64 7 ай бұрын

I have a black version of SX-1050, the SX-5580. Used it every day, really great receiver. But very hard for repairing/service. I mean, I almost broke my kitchen tried to move it 😅.

@RogerBergqvist 8 ай бұрын

I sometimes wish more modern amps and receivers could look like these. Yamaha has a few models, but more could hook up. VU meters and other cute things and many buttons.

@ufarkingicehole 8 ай бұрын

It would cost a fortune To build to the same spec as some of these

@Steven-cs5cw 7 ай бұрын

I wish they could sound like them!

Ай бұрын

@@ufarkingicehole servet öderiz biz

@mikecampbell5856 8 ай бұрын

In 1978 my ship was in Japan. Guys were buying a huge number of these monster receivers. I was more conservative. I bought a beautiful Kenwood KA-7100 and with the money I saved I was able to buy a matching tuner and some Pioneer speakers that weren't sold in America.

@scottieray 8 ай бұрын

My Mom and Dad's best friends had a full Pioneer SX1250 setup. Massive Pioneer tower speakers too. This was in the early 80s and the husband worked at NORANDA in SEMO. These guys were making real money in the early 80s and could afford this level of audio equipment. Queen's Another One Bites the Dust was popular at the time and that bass was amazing.

@MrJanfensten 8 ай бұрын

I have had a few Sansui’s. Sansui Eigth Deluxe, Sansui AU911DG, Sansui AU505, Sansui QR3500, AU2200. And have kept Sansui G7000 and Sansui AU9900A. The Au9900A is something special and very sweet sounding. I do have a Fisher x100 and a Leak Stereo 20, too. Both vintage tube amps. Both wonderful sounding. I love vintage and do not understand why I should buy new, when one can get something so wonderfully sounding on Craigslist or similar. Thank you for a nice channel and good reviews 👍😊

@thedude3132 8 ай бұрын

Love this review, thank you for taking on these big guns. I have a Pioneer SX-450, Yamaha R-700 and 900, Fisher RS-2007, and a Marantz 2220. Even the smaller vintage receivers have ample power for most users. Recapped, and repaired, these sound very good to excellent, depending on synergy with speakers and source material. I add Bluetooth with an Audioengine B1 to any of the above and the sound will surprise you. Vinyl is also a beautiful thing on old receivers.

@wooddragon576 8 ай бұрын

Dont have any monster receivers as I have neither the cash nor the need, smaller ones suit me just fine. I have a sx-434 , 737, 838, 550, 650 ,580, 680 and 3 amps the SA 6500, 5800 and 6800. So im definitely a pioneer guy, also have Marantz 2215b, 2220b and 2235b, and yamaha cr-820 and cr-440, I have one solitary Sansui the G-5700, of all those wonderful pieces it is the G5700 that is my main receiver, IT looks fantastic and the sound is gorgeous. Marantz's have a beautiful bass, Pioneers are the power party machines, and to me the sansui is a slightly bassier pioneer. not as warm and delicious as the marantz bass and not the clear punchiness of Pioneer, but it does mids fantastically and is my clear choice as the best all rounder.

@Simon_Hawkshaw 8 ай бұрын

Talk about transporting me back to my youth and these monsters were out if my price range as I was just starting my typewriter/computer career. The sight of them still gets my heart racing. Yamaha, Kenwood, Pioneer, Sansui, Technics, Teac, are names we used to dream of. Thank you for sharing this with us all. As the songs says, 'Dreams are ten a penny', but these amps are still expensive. Pioneer and Marantz are probably by favorites, with Technics and Sansui rounding out the list. Owned both Pioneer and Kenwood in previous lives, with Marantz and Rotel in the house today, with a Pioneer Elite SC-25 on standby.

@1British-Columbian-ca 8 ай бұрын

have had a sx-1250 for 30 yrs and will never let it go

@davidbartochowski7832 8 ай бұрын

Both are great concert hall quality receivers especially with any Klipsch heritage speakers. ultimate system

@fredheinz1134 8 ай бұрын

Everyone is entitled to their preferences, to me, the G-9000 is truly a superb unit. The overseas G-901 is even more elegant with a darker rosewood style cover and tinted front chrome. The G-9000 is not merely a "receiver", it performs quite impressively when switched into power amp mode. I have observed it handle low impedance speakers better than the other dedicated power amp I have, a Sansui BA-F1, which tends to shut off into protection mode, unlike the G-9000 which can get loud without raising the volume control too much. Its sad to see the quality cost cutting that happened at the start of the 1980's, compare the G series with Sansui's followup, the Z series- its sad how the beautiful deluxe-size volume & tuning knobs were lopped off and replaced with flimsy pushbuttons. Keep in mind: when testing/comparing amplifiers, its not the be all-end all. The sound you hear is coming from the loudspeakers and how well they are placed in your listening room and its acoustics. Even the source material, be it a better vinyl pressing, or a remastered cd, or sacd can be a big improvement as if towels were removed from the speakers, so swapping amps and spending alot of money does not always guarantee audio nirvana. In my system, my various Sansui amps are awesome, especially my BA-5000, but my Infinity Renaissance 90 speakers are the true shining stars and an absolute pleasure to listen to.

@larrysmith5413 8 ай бұрын

No vintage monsters unfortunately but I do own a fully restored Technics SA 400 and a fully restored Sansui 5000a converted to x. I enjoy both but the Technics definitely has more “punch” and possibly more detail. The Sansui is warmer with a slightly better sound stage.

@RUfromthe40s 8 ай бұрын

i like both brands ,so i can´t say wich is the best both are fantastic, i bought a sansui when in my 20´s but my father gave me his 76 top end system from pioneer and having both sx-1980 and the g-6000 both are great in diferent rooms

@dragonfly9434 8 ай бұрын

I have a Pioneer SX-838 on one of my many setups. It’s warm sounding and brings back my nastalgia for the 70’s, that I experienced first hand many yeras ago.

@adsph 8 ай бұрын

Trip down memory lane. Very cool stuff. Thanks Randy.

@patrickgeorge141 8 ай бұрын

I have a Sansui 5000 and it sounds wonderful. It is 10 years older than the one you looking at. I also have 2 Kenwood Model 11 iii and one Model 11, also have a 8300 and they absolutely rock in my opinion. Love almost all the vintage recievers. Good video, nice to see different things.

@texasbassranger 8 ай бұрын

When I was in the Army, seems everyone had that Sansui 5000 receiver in the barracks. It was stunning to look at as well as sounding fantastic. Of course being overseas. Component systems like Kenwood and Sansui cost a third or less than they would have back in the states. I brought home a full rack of Phase Linear gear myself.

@rafaeldeyavorsky5766 8 ай бұрын

I have owned a McIntosh MA 6100 since 1980. It was damaged for a few years, but recently I took it to a repair and overhowling and now it is blike brand new... the sound is great. I used to have an SMSL SA300, it was great, but since the repair I am using the McIntosh, the sound and retro Look of it is great.

@kennycrippen2901 8 ай бұрын

I’ve had a Sansui 7070 for 12 years and have always loved it. Recently paired it with Polk Monitor 10 speakers and a Geshelli J2 DAC and am very happy with the sound!

@tmdillon1969 8 ай бұрын

I bought a Pioneer receiver in 1985 that was nothing to write home about. My sister had given me a Marantz 2216 which was rated at 15 or 20 watts a side and teenage me wanted MOAR! It never played better or louder than the 1974-75 small Marantz it supposedly had 3-4 times the wattage. I just bought a Marantz 2330 from a friend I'm going to clean up and enjoy. I have heard a bunch of them and I really love most of them. I find in general their wattage ratings are not commensurate with their performance. 20 watts in 1976 meant a lot more than 100W today as far as my experience goes. I have several Chi-fi amps, a big Yamaha AVR receiver, a pair of Bel Canto monoblocs, and two 70s receivers and I'll put the sound of the oldies against anything else I own.

@JimmShaffer-vr9wu 8 ай бұрын

I love that you are doing a vintage amp review. I'm reminded of my amplifiers from the day. My favorite, actually an early 80s model, that I owned was a Pioneer A-8. When I moved to the Philippines I gifted it to my younger brother who had yearned for it😊. I hope you will do more of these occasionally.

@ericelliott227 8 ай бұрын

There is no "which vintage receiver is better" between Pioneer and Sansui or for that matter we can add in Marantz and Yamaha to the mix. They are all completely different from each other sonically! I would know, I have had all four! I still have the Marantz (2336b) and Sansui (8080DB). The Pioneer and Yamaha receivers (especially the Pioneers) are more picky as to what speakers you hook up. Any 8 ohm speakers will be fine, but there are huge sound differences. I tried Polk, Pioneer and DCM Timeframes to name a few. The Pioneer HPM 100s sounded real good with the Pioneers I had, (one was one of the monster units), The Polk Sevens and DCMs did not play well with the Pioneers though. They sounded like there was a thick wet blanket over them. I never tried modern day speakers with them, just never got the chance before I let them go. These days I swap from time to time between my main big boy pants rig and my Marantz and Sansui. In fact, I'm swapping in my Sansui this weekend. (It has to be on a floor stand in front as it doesn't fit in my rack, it also weighs in around 60 pounds). My little vintage Marantz is lively and fun, the Sansui is tube-like in sound. It also doesn't get along well with my Denon DP47f turntable for some reason when running directly. Although I have not tried running it through a phone preamp, so that may improve things. Failing that I just hook up one of my two Pioneer turntables (Pl510A or PL530) and everyone plays together nicely. I hook up my Pioneer PL510 to my Marantz all the time as I feel they just go together. I got tired of the Pioneer and Yamaha sound signatures, so I gave them up some years ago. I enjoy the vast contrast between the Marantz and Sansui though. That 8080DB is a beast. I don't dare turn it past 1/8 of the way! I run Paradigm Monitor series speakers with my vintage receivers. The Studio 100s are strictly for my big boy system.

@johnbrender7635 8 ай бұрын

Vintage Stereo gear is my wheel house. BUT NOT A FAN of vintage PIONEER. They all sound the same to me. Like giant Boom Boxes. Hope I dont offend anyone with that comment. They look beautiful. Probably the best looking in Vintage next to Marantz. I've had many 70's era recievers, my final keepers were Sansui 9090. Incredible Sonics The most dynamic pure sound I've ever heard but....bass can get too heavy. I find myself always adjusting tone controls to tame it with certain songs.. Very powerful. I rarely use it. Sherwood S9110 110 watts, My 2nd favorite and my 2nd most used for the last 4 years. Same watts as the 9090 but not as boomy with the bass. Its perfect in Bass Treble and Mids balance. I set my tone controls once and never touch them no matter what im playing. The Marantz 2230. Not a lot of power but man this receiver sounds beautiful. Tone controls stay the same on this too. I had several Marantz's and they all have the same signature sound but i kept this one. Cant go wrong with Marantz. I switch to it at least once or twice a week. Sherwood HP 1000 Integrated Amp. 75 watts. This is my favorite and most used. Beautiful looking and phenominal sounding. Has a very Marantz like warmth in sound but is overall sonically a little better to me. Rare and hard to find. Runners up, Onkyo TX 4500 and 6500 MKII. These have a smooth well balanced deep and clean pure sound. No colorization. But I'm not a fan of how they look. Hate the vinyl veneer wrap. I sold both after 4-5 years of use. Wish I would have kept the 6500 though.

@quiksr20 8 ай бұрын

I have a 2230/2235/1060 and I agree There is something special about the 2230/1060's they are magical esp when rebuilt + it looks like a piece of audio jewelry.

@edholmwood 8 ай бұрын

Great video. It must have been a blast with Dan and Steve. True gentleman. I had several of the monster receivers and for the life of me I can't really remember their sound. I do know I loved them. If I had only known how they would have appreciated in value... Oh well. Thanks

@ginom407 8 ай бұрын

Both are Beautiful pieces of equipment!!!

@nascarracer886 8 ай бұрын

My first receiver was a Technics 50 watt receiver. Later I upgraded to Kenwood integrated 110 watt amp. IIRC. Currently using a Yamaha M65 as my main amp. 1986 ish.

@frischma1 8 ай бұрын

Very cool to be able to compare these two big boys. Must have been fun. I an early 70s lower power Sansui hook up to Klipsch heresies, and a mid power Sansui hooked up to Vandersteen 1a speakers .

@spacehopper77 8 ай бұрын

Great video. After owning multiple amplifiers and receivers, both modern and vintage I finally found my music utopia with the Pioneer SX1250 monster at that heart of my main system. I was lucky enough to find one in a local shop in great condition and cheap. It has such dynamic drive and musicality that makes music become alive and exciting but not fatiguing. I love my SX1250 and would not swap it for anything, not a 1980 or anything. In my opinion the 1250 is the best monster receiver ever made, it was the first, was not rushed into production to compete in the coming war, so Pioneer did not cut corners on this model or sacrifice musicality for the sake of higher power numbers like later models.

@ewoutbuhler5217 8 ай бұрын

Great memories with de Technics SA-500 on a set of HPM-100s my dad bought together with our US neighbor at the USAF PX in The Netherland. That was late 70's. And again we had a blast when the new CD came in, early 80's, that really worked great together! Dire Straits So Far Away and my grandparents jumped up about 3 feet from our couch when I flipped the tape selector switch and crystal-clear sound filled to room...

@texasbassranger 8 ай бұрын

AFAIK, the HPM 100s were a once-in-a-generation speaker. Even when I upgraded my pioneer system to Phase Linear gear, I kept the Pioneer speakers and was just careful not to drive them too hard, bought them in the mid to late seventies and ended up selling them in 1994. No foam rot or wear at all,

@ewoutbuhler5217 8 ай бұрын

@@texasbassranger still have them, blew and replaced the tweeters when I was a student, now found original tweeters so will restore to original soon. Rest is in great shape, after more than 45years, wow

@campjefferson8947 8 ай бұрын

You are a good salesman! Haha. I now have a Fluance 82 and Sony SSCS5 speakers driven by a Technics SA-5270 receiver. Love the sound. Will keep watching your videos.

@iamroberty 7 ай бұрын

My dad had an sx1250 when I was a kid! It drove a pair of ESS amt4 rock monitors. Classic combination.

@benkrake3678 8 ай бұрын

The earliest receiver I ever had was a Technics SA-110 from 1983, which would’ve been right at the end of the receiver wars. I got this handed down to me when I was 14 from my father, and this was once our lounge room HiFi system. This is a very basic low power receiver, that I think was only 30 watts per channel, and it came as a full HiFi setup, with the SB-2211 speakers, p-mount turntable, SH-8025 equaliser, and M226 cassette deck. This was my introduction to HiFi and I loved it, especially when I finally got the Technics SL-PG 100 CD player to go with it later on for Christmas! I have also owned a Technics SU-V2 integrated DC amplifier as well!

@plektosgaming 8 ай бұрын

The receiver wars actually ended about 1988-1990, though they had all gone digital as that was the craze. As well as a smaller form-factor. Models like the SX-8 were basically the same or better inside. It's the next gen "AV" models in the early 90s that were the end, though - all junk and op-amps and so on as opposed to old-school engineering. Yes, they are plain looking - and the silver look didn't help, either - but are great bargains as most people assume they are old junk.

@WireHedd 8 ай бұрын

Dad had the Pioneer Monster but it got sold at a garage sale when I was away at college which broke my heart as I'd been hoping to "inherit" it and bring it back to school with me. He replaced it with a gigantic wooden cabinet hi-fi unit with everything in it but a TV. I'd had the police at my house as a teenager a couple of times thanks to that old Pioneer beastie. Since then it was either Harman/Kardon stereo receivers/amplifiers or Pioneer AVRs in my systems.

@scottnewton9046 5 ай бұрын

I had the “baby” 20 WPC Pioneer SX 580. Got it for Christmas in 1979 and was in heaven. I coveted the monster versions of the Pioneers, but my parents were trying to keep it real. I used it with my Technics SL B2 Turntable and used it to drive my vintage JBL LE8 speakers in custom cabinets. What great time for HiFi.

@Brian_Romska 8 ай бұрын

Oh man I miss my old 70s pioneer receiver, not a “monster” but rated at 50 watts and it was running a pair of Cerwin Vega 15” dual voice coil subs, and I couldn’t get the volume past halfway without shaking the entire house apart, literally, plaster walls do not like that much bass! I picked it up from goodwill for like $10, I also miss early 90s prices… Thanks again Randy!!!

@texasbassranger 8 ай бұрын

I actually put myself back into the europe transfer list when I heard that Phase Linear was discontinuing consumer audio. I was able to get my dream system for less than a third of what it would have cost back here in the states.

@gregeplerwood6534 7 ай бұрын

I bought an SX-1250 in about 1976 from my friend/roommate who brought it back from Southeast Asia, where apparently he was able to buy it before it was available in the US. Although I was lucky enough to inherit an entire McIntosh system (not speakers) from my father-in-law in 2006 and sold the Pioneer, I wish I would have kept it-as you and so many others have said, this was and still is a gem. I feel the same about the 1952 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 I had to part with in 1965 when I joined the Air Force. Like the SX-1250, the Olds was a tank and had some incredible features, such as a self-wind clock built into the steering wheel and a driver’s side external spotlight. Just like driving this guy from PA to FL for spring break, so did I drive the Pioneer to some randy times. (Did I just say ‘Randy’?)😂

@dtracy03ss 8 ай бұрын

4K for both of those Recievers if you don't want to be fixing things all the Time, I personally own a Just Audio Pioneer SX1280 that is virtually New and shoves 185 WPC Clean and awesome very Tunable Sound out at 8 ohms ! It is my Main unit, which can at any time have Killer Cassette Decks , Pioneer Elite CD Player, a Fender Edition MoFi Turntable , and the Phono Stage is absolutely awesome too, a Geshelli Labs Maxed out DAC , various high end vintage Equalizers sometimes asa wrll asa Node X for Streaming all going through a set of JBL L100 CLASSIC 75s or A Set of KLH Model 5s, both have a Different Flavor according to your Mood! Anyhow what I'm saying is you can have Modern sound or spending the Same amount of money as a high end Integrated you can have a Vintage Sound that Soothes the Soul. Also in my Arsenal is a Marantz 2265 Completely New and a Kenwood Eleven Model 3 is Currently going Through the Restoration process! Sansui will be the Next Victim, not sure the Model Yet! But they are All very Versatile and awesome Sound with Monster Soundstage to boot!

@bobgauthier1569 8 ай бұрын

Great stuff. Love my 1250 got it about 5 years ago and had it recapped before I even used it. It’s in my bedroom and sounds great. Downstairs in the man cave is my Marantz 2325 just had it re capped about a month ago . And in the living room is my techniques sa 800 . And yes I love the pioneer the best 😊

@EsotericArctos 8 ай бұрын

FM IF - Intermediate Frequency. Widening the IF will make the receiver a little less sensitive, but increases the frequency response and as such the sound quality. If you are in an area where a lot of FM stations are close together, you'd keep it on the narrower / normal position, but if you have some strong FM stations, with no stations close together, click the IF to wide and you'll get improved sound quality and frequency response. I prefer Pioneer amplifiers, just because I like that "rock" type sound, but for a turntable I have had a preference for Technics direct drive. The Technics turntable is controlled, well behaved, but paired with a Pioneer amplifier, it creates an exciting sound and good sound staging.

@shaunapplebaum8341 8 ай бұрын

Hi Randy. Nice video as always. I have a question regarding vinyl playback. Where is the best place to ask you? Cheers, Shaun.

@GtegStteet 5 ай бұрын

I've got a Sansui G9000, a pioneer 1050 and 950 as well as a Kenwood 9600 and last but certainly not least a 4300 and 4270 Maramtz with double stack 20inch JBL woofer pa speakers and Yamaha PA speakers the JBL handle 2000 watts the Sansui handles all 4 with ease and incredible sound and headroom like it's a real concert in front of you , l like the pioneer and Maramtz there very smooth at normal power but Sansui out does them all when cranked up over 100-200watts rms easily it's fantastic

@Oldcrow77 8 ай бұрын

Hey Randy How about a tutorial on hooking a passive sub to a vintage receiver

@Beathoven007 4 ай бұрын

Loudness is for lower volumes to compensate for slightly losing bass and treble. It follows the Fletcher Munson curves principle related to how we perceive sound. So if you want more presence at lower volumes, turn it up.

@joebrouillard565 8 ай бұрын

Love vintage and the unique chuncky square toggles!

@charleswilliams8368 8 ай бұрын

I was just listening to my 1979 Sansui recever, and saw this. Not one of the monsters, but still nice.

@AllHandlesHaveBeenTaken 8 ай бұрын

My best friend had an 80s pioneer receiver and I've been a pioneer fanboy ever since

@shipsahoy1793 8 ай бұрын

Those power wars back in the 70s were stressful.. especially if you bought a higher power unit and then you thought you were going be good, and then somebody came out with something with another 3dB !!😂

@sirsuse 8 ай бұрын

Don't have either of those receivers but have heard the SX-1250. I love the punch the 1250 receiver puts out. The one I heard sounded warm and inviting to me. I do own a restored SX-950. This is my daily driver. It also has a warm punchy sound to my ears. I just can't get enough of it.

@Carl-bd1rf 8 ай бұрын

My daily driver is a mint SX-1050. Great sound. Punch and clarity is like no other.

@richardlloyd5519 8 ай бұрын

Great Job, Randy! The Wide / Normal (or actually, Narrow) is to choose Filters for FM. If you have a great incoming signal with no nearby interference or multi path issues, Wide IF filters will capture more

@richardlloyd5519 8 ай бұрын

(oops, cut myself short there ; ) signal and sound better. If you have noise or multipath, go to narrow filters. Generally, just try both and see which sounds best for a particular station.I'm not certain, but I don't think that the SX-1250 offers a choice between Narrow and Wide FM Filters?

@carolynmaxwell-hc4co 2 ай бұрын

In the past I owned a Pioneer SX-780 and was satisfied with it's sound until I heard an earlier Pioneer series. A Pioneer QX-949 came up for sale locally for a good price and I went to look at it. I was just blown away at how good it sounded in two channel mode. I picked it up and sold the 780. I have since purchased and serviced a Pioneer SX-828 and love it too. My brother has a G-5700 which I have heard but on a real cheap pair of speakers so I don't have a good basis for an opinion.

@christalbert722 8 ай бұрын

Ahhh.... good stuff! :) I've got a SX838, not a monster, just a "midsize", still a very nice setup. And a bit more affordable.

@paulv22 8 ай бұрын

I have an SX-1250, a Sansui 9090 (precedes the G9000) and a few smaller receivers. For me, the SX-1250 wins.

@bengleason508 8 ай бұрын

I feel so old, thanks Randy.

@NeedleDropRules 8 ай бұрын

Loved this video, as I felt I could really relate to the comparisons. While I don't have these two receivers, I do have a receiver of each brand from the same eras, just smaller versions. I have a Pioneer SX-750, and a Sansui G-3500. Both are beautiful receivers, delivering great sound and built very well. So with these two, I felt like I was on the same page as you, just not with as many bells and whistles and power. That out of the way, I think they both sound great, but I like my Pioneer better than the Sansui. Don't get me wrong, I like both! But there's just something I hear from the Pioneer that I don't hear with the Sansui. And I have friends who are the exact opposite in their opinion. Very cool video.

@PhillioDoede 8 ай бұрын

Nice! You should do a similar thing with late 90s early 2000s separates. There are some really incredible deals on high-end Adcom, NAD, and Rotel gear that is under valued by the market simply because it doesn't have the 70's retro look that so many people loose their minds over.

@greatpix 8 ай бұрын

I had a Sony STR-7065 from the 70's, not a monster receiver but man, it sounded so good. It wasn't until I started buying PS Audio components in the 80's that I stopped using it.

@oOandrewbOo 8 ай бұрын

I have a lovely Sansui G-7700 it was built mid April 1980. 120 watts into 8 ohms. I have also had a Technics SA-T670 (100 watts) these were manifactured h here in New Zealand under license, this was due to our import laws to protect our manufacturing industries. The decent overseas products were extremely expensive due to the import tax, this makes extremely hard to get now days. Im definitely a Sansui guy.

@marks.2909 8 ай бұрын

I have the Pioneer SX-5590 the European twin of the SX-1250 I love it , it’s a absolutely sensational match for TeKton Lore speakers .

@haqitman 8 ай бұрын

I have a Pioneer SX 5590 which is the black PX version of the 1250, and I also have a SX 850. IMO, peak Pioneer. Love 'em both.

@FantaconeBoxWorks 8 ай бұрын

Nice, a vintage perspective

@aammdj 8 ай бұрын

I'm rather surprised you didn't match the 9090DB against the 1250 as they were from the same era. I currently own a 9090DB and an SX1050...both fully recapped/restored. I vacillate between which one I love more. Your descriptions are fairly accurate. The Pioneer is punchier, with more brightness and hard-hitting bass. The Sansui is smoother, cleaner, and as you said...a more 'audiophile' sounding machine. I recently picked up an AU517 and I think I enjoy it a bit more than the 9090.

@mr.jazzfusionhiphop1298 8 ай бұрын

I remember and was part of those receiver wars back in the day. To make matters worse back then we had the nerve to run a 12 or 24 band EQ through the tape loop with the loudness on, yeah it was crazy back then.

@davidzwicker9988 8 ай бұрын

Just bought a reconditioned Sansui G4700. It replaces a new one bought in the late ‘70s that got lent out and sayonara.

@Steven-cs5cw 7 ай бұрын

I sold all of my modern gear and went vintage, well, I did keep my PS Audio DAC/Preamp... I now own two Sansui units, a 1969 2000 and a 1970 4000, which is in my main system along with the PS Audio DAC. None of the modern gear I have owned can do what either of these old girls pull off daily in my house. Both are powering Zu Dirty Weekend speakers, the original Omens and a new pair of the DW6 Supremes. Rock from the 60's and 70's never sounded so good! Sansui was really working some magic back then.

@kevinbehnke7149 8 ай бұрын

The only monster receiver I owned was the Sony STR-V7. Had it restored and wish I never sold. A true sleeper! Also a Luxman R1050 and R1070. Now these were sweet! Other than that had several vintage Pioneer, Luxman, Marantz and Sansui. Luxman was awesome as well. I have all Emotiva gear now and can't be happier.

@anonymousdonor8084 8 ай бұрын

Would love to see you do some old Onkyo or JVC. I have been reading about those and apparently both were stellar before my time. I guess one of the issues with old solid state is the state of the aged semiconductors. Do they sound the same now as they would have back In the 70's?

@maxtrue9744 8 ай бұрын

A friend of mine bought Sansui receiver like these, if not the same as yours. After about a year he realized that he only used about 5 of the knobs and it was set for regular stereo.

@Oldcrow77 8 ай бұрын

Love my 70’s Yamaha CR1020 pushing 100 plus into my 4 ohm 98db legacy speakers Never need to go past 3-4

@RockCity1111 8 ай бұрын

I just picked up a vintage Pioneer Sxv90 for 25 dollarsplus shipping. It came on but didn'tmake sound. . It was my very 1st stereo. I bought it for 400 bucks working at a Kroger grocery store in Charlotte NC back in 1988. 125 watts but tested over 150. Its flat faced. I had a pair of Jvc dual 12 inch woofer towers. Lol. I

@nic2098 2 ай бұрын

I have the pioneer sx 1050 paired with klipsch rf7 and jbl l100 I like to swith back and forth

@irisonray1 4 ай бұрын

I own the SX1250 & the G8000. I agree with your assessment that the sound of the SX1250 being better overall, but I prefer the looks of the G8000. Both sound amazing with my Cornwall IV's.

@NeilBlanchard 8 ай бұрын

I have only had listening time with a few lower (normal?) powered receivers - Cambridge, Pioneer, Bose (made by Panasonic, I believe?), Harmon Kardon. The Bose was the most powerful at 40W/ch into 8 ohms. I had this for about 10 years. To get the midrange boost on the Pioneer, you can cut both the bass and the treble.

@laorhino9702 8 ай бұрын

Still dreaming about the G-9000 hooked up to JBL L300, cassette deck that slides out and really expensive looking turntable. That was in 1981, 3 months fresh off the boat and was at a very rich high school buddy’s house. Michael Jackson “off the wall” album was amazing along with The Clash, Supertramp, Fleetwood Mac, etc. Still chasing that dream setup. Reality is I couldn’t afford them even now.

@completedentalcare5742 8 ай бұрын

You should do the old speakers that were the first 360 degree radial drivers I believe. My Sansui's sounded nice but imaged like crap of course. Neat idea that I never fully appreciated while I had them. Throwback speaker day if you run out of your fantastic content. Thanks for your input!

@philipketchum1407 8 ай бұрын

Before buying any of them at todays prices you better have your daily driver system completed. The vintage equipment is mostly for cool factor. I have several 70s pieces in perfect condition and they can’t hold up to my modern systems at all. Luckily I made my purchases before the vintage bubble grew this big. That being said. The Pioneer SX-1250 is probably the best receiver ever made.

@quiksr20 8 ай бұрын

Suprised to hear that, Is your vintage piece fully refurbished ie new caps etc? I run a fully rebuilt Marantz 1060 and sometimes an Apt Holman pre as a pre with a David Halfer amp to ADS speakers ( so all pretty old ) and it sounds better than almost any modern setup ive heard.. Im not talking boutique stuff like PS Audio for $20k im talking regular modern gear,

@gregmarcus3064 8 ай бұрын

Vintage pioneers (I have two intergated silver amps) are exactly what Randy describes. I concur I also have a vintage yamaha cx-a1. It is more mids focused but thankfully the loudness button helps with bass but not as bold and bassy as the pioneers.

@hifitommy 8 ай бұрын

hey Randy, i starrted with receivers, a Sony 4055 (40wpc) which I found allowed distortion to set in at too low a volume when playing a gong on the Sergio Mendes album Primal Roots. i thought it was mistracking. nope, my friend said to play the same track at a lower volume to see if the distortion went away. it did. next...60wpc in a Sherwood S8900a...SUCCESS. then separates and never to return to receiverland except for the fantastic NAD 7020 with only 20wpc but somehow, not easily beaten down. Circuitry designed by Tom Holman (THX inventor). the power ratings on receivers were often expressed in IPP power (Instantaneous Peak Power) and not RMS. this is why I take those ratings with a grain of salt. the Sansui and Pioneer receivers were the most popular but Marantz were notably better such as the 2270 (70wpc RMS) and even better, the 2325 at 125wpc RMS. there is a modern equivalent that should be considered and that is the Outlaw Receiver with 11wpc and many features such as phono mith mm and mc, USB input, and others. the vintage units available are usually overpriced and unless reconditioned by a reputable restorer, questionable in condition. the $1K price of the Outlaw gets you a new device with no need for re-capping etc. just some thoughts. ...hifitommy

@Matt-bp2zu 8 ай бұрын

Can we please see a review of Dayton's lineup of amps?

@markhertzberg6407 5 ай бұрын

My G-9000 was purchased 1979 and used near daily today. Easily able to DAC flac digital as Aux + turntable (of course). It just sounds great. I honestly can’t find anything under $4000 today that sounds as good. Comparing these two monster receivers is almost unfair as they both sound so fantastic compared to what we listen to these days. If you can possibly get your hands on any of these in good condition, buy it.

@paznewis107 8 ай бұрын

I have a scandyna 2100 lovely thing

@UP_URANUS 8 ай бұрын

That 8kHz filter on the pioneer is a "high filter" not a "high pass filter" as stated in video. Still a great video. I like the way my sx1980 looks over my g33000

@parkersgarage4216 5 ай бұрын

wanna hear a terrible story that just happened to me? i went to go purchase my first vintage reciever which was a mint pioneer sx-737. i was getting it for 150 bucks. it even had perfect print around the buttons on the glass. i test it out decide i wanna buy it. i start unhooking everything and im at the rca jacks which are the las thing to unhook so i can run to my jeep w it lol. the rca jacks were literally stuck in the reciever. i tell the owner hey i dont wanna break something and be responsible so you will have to get these rca's out. i didnt notice at the time but it was sitting on a stand w no top simply 2 1/4 steel bars roughly 14" apart so a small stand. he goes to unhook them and is really struggling to get them out. after literally 10 min of trying he turns to go to the other room. the second he does the reciever crashes face first onto the floor. im in shock at this point as i'd never had anything like this happen. he picks it up and i tell him lets see the damage. well the glass got cracked around the tuner know. the bass switch got bent, along w the signal vu meter needle is now stuck. he hooked it back up to which my surprise the unit still did work. he then says he would knock 30 bucks off the price i told him no way. you just ruined a perfect unit and im ocd btw. i cant stand having something wrong w something. he tries to haggle w me for 20 min. i end up telling him i'll give u 80 bucks and you need to throw in the yamaha natural sound cd player. he immediately says no to which i say to him well take care cause im out. as i turn to literally walk away he agrees to the deal. he certainly didnt want to thats for sure. i brought it home and hooked it up to my at12's and couldnt hear for 10 min lol. when i was walking away he said once you set it up you wont notice a thing. to which i replied oh yes i will its going to drive me nuts. am i happy i bought it yes simply because i got to get a taste of what these vintage units offer. am i upset, you bet your a$$ i am. im never going to be able to find the glass or the meters for a decent price. i guess it is what it is. i think i'll prob keep it until i find something else or all the parts i now need to fix it. the whole reason i bought it is for the vu meters and i really like the look of the 3 series. now im back in the market for parts or a new reciever. my dream unit is a 9 or 1080 though. i'd also love to get a 939 or even a 1010. i just gotta hope i come across one for a good deal again. i appreciate your vids and you and a few others piqued my interest in vintage stuff. its amazing what a vintage 35w reciever can do tbh. if anyone out there has something for sale lmk. id be interested, even in parts to fix the current one. take care and i appreciate your vids.

@kellanmackenzie5230 8 ай бұрын

I love my Technics SA-828. It's also a great headphone amp.

@dandinhofer9240 18 күн бұрын

I just bought a European SA828 black face (k) edition from a guy in Greece. I was praying the entire time till it hit my porch. It was completely mint. Even came with the original Technics brochure. I'm completely in love with this thing including the cool multicolor meters. I'll probably be buried with it. Lol

@kellanmackenzie5230 18 күн бұрын

@@dandinhofer9240 enjoy the hell out of that thing! I've had mine for nearly 10 years now and I'm still falling in love with it over and over again. Just recently I started using all the ins and outs on the back panel. Didn't realize the output's worked even when the unit was a powered off lol deeper in love.

@rofgabor 8 ай бұрын

These are beautiful, almost as beautiful Marantz 22xxs

@pervertedalchemist9944 8 ай бұрын

Both are great receivers...and quite expensive these days. You would be hard pressed to find those models at an affordable price right now.

@grumpy9478 8 ай бұрын

you aren't wrong about your characterizations. for my taste (first integrated amp I ever got was an entry level Sansui... new in early '70s... still have it & a 331 receiver). I prefer the Sansui "sound" - clean, revealing, w/ a touch of "tube-like" smoothness. I think it's easier to make them sound R&R (as you put it), than to make a Pioneer style present even-handedly across all freqs & sources. Sansui's vintage amps & receivers are good for those who swap in & out a variety of sources & speakers. I also prefer Yamaha's Natural Sound philosophy (still run a CR2040 in one room) to those biased toward a branded acoustic. it is possible that your mating Monster Power to Klipsch speakers is a bit of a mismatch... they might couple best w/ less efficient types. cheers,

@scrappy7571 8 ай бұрын

I also have a 331, 661. Both are wonderful sounding recievers. Even more wonderful are my au222, and au555a. Amazing how awesome low watt amps can sound. The 9090db and au717 are my least used amps, unless the windows need to be rattled.

@pwnjones 8 ай бұрын

PS Audio Sprout Amp on sale for $499, what do you think Randy?

@turbomustang84 8 ай бұрын

The SX1250 is a receiver that I've bought and sold at least a dozen times and it sounds better than any other .... Even the 1980 does not sound as good. But when you can get separates much better for a fraction of the price the silver faced units lost their appeal for me

@cnhhnc 8 ай бұрын

Wow! Both must haves for any vintage boy or girl. I have a later Pioneer SX-3900 my most powerful at 120 wats x 2. More like the Piioneer SX-1050, or the 1250s little borther, lol. Sansui. I just have the integrated AU-517, 65 watts x 2 , TWIN power unit. A step down from the more popular/powerful AU-717. Both sound very very good. The models reviewed here are currently outside the budget. Those prices have SKY ROCKETED since I entered the market over a decade ago. Should have snagged them then, lol!