WTD: Pioneer SX-1980 receiver

[vintagesteve]

I am looking for a Pioneer SX-1980 receiver if anyone has one to sell please? I am aware of Ebay, WAM, etc. Please PM me if you can help. Thanks.

[hornucopia]

hen's teeth?
/ good luck!

[robinb]

Very hard to find!

I have a SX-1250 that I'm very happy with.

They may be slightly easier to find and the brilliant guys at Good Old Hifi in Germany will get it up to as-new spec which, to be fair, they will also do on a SX-1980 or indeed any other piece of vintage Japanese gear. (Check out their website detailing previous projects for hi-fi porn at its best!)

Btw also worth checking the various classifieds/forums in Germany where there is still tons of well looked after Japanese gear floating around. I've bought receivers/turntables/CD players/cassette decks/tuners from Germany and I must say the vendors are without exception scrupulously honest about condition.

Have fun searching!

Robin

[RobbieGong]

Serious beast of a thing that, from the hey-day of hifi, likes of will never be seen again - MASSIVE in every way, physically, v heavy and with huge power.

270 wpc @ 8 ohms which was regarded as a conservative rating quote: However, in the September 1978 issue of Audio Magazine, Leonard Feldman did a spec test on the SX-1980 and concluded that the rating of 270 watts per channel was too conservative. He stated in his report:

I saw one in the flesh some years ago at the home of an older audiophile collector, you just cannot help but notice one - HUGE thing !

We cant lose the memory of these amazing pieces of hifi, so thank God for people who collect and use them (As well as have the space and strength of back )

All the best with the search

[vintagesteve]

Thanks guys for your interesting comments. I collect and perform my own restorations of vintage receivers. I have an SX-1250 but I'm still looking for it's big brother. Well, I say big brother, the SX-1980 is in the series of receivers that came after the SX-1250. They were both the biggest receivers in their respective series. So, there's the SX-XX50 series and the later SX-XX80 series. Many collectors say that the SX-1250 was the high water mark for build quality of any vintage receiver ever built, even better than the SX-1980 albeit not so powerful at a mere 160W per channel.

[robinb]

As well as the SX-1250 I have a Yammy CR-2020 which makes for an interesting compare and contrast.

The SX-1250 goes into some HPM-100s (with updated crossover) and the Yammy goes into first generation PMC FB1s with recently updated tweeters.

The Yammy is less powerful at c100w - and also not quite so physically hefty - and the tuner on the SX-1250 is a touch more sensitive, but otherwise there really isn't much to choose between them.

A Yammy CR-3020 would be nice-to-have, but they are in the same realms as SX-1980 in terms of scarcity...!

[vintagesteve]

As well as the SX-1250 I have a Yammy CR-2020 which makes for an interesting compare and contrast.

The SX-1250 goes into some HPM-100s (with updated crossover) and the Yammy goes into first generation PMC FB1s with recently updated tweeters.

The Yammy is less powerful at c100w - and also not quite so physically hefty - and the tuner on the SX-1250 is a touch more sensitive, but otherwise there really isn't much to choose between them.

A Yammy CR-3020 would be nice-to-have, but they are in the same realms as SX-1980 in terms of scarcity...!

I think in this country the Yamaha CR-3020 is much more rare than the Pioneer SX-1980 that's is not particularly 'rare', but they just don't come up for grabs much.

[vintagesteve]

Still looking for one of these beasts if anyone has one and would like to turn it into cash. Thanks.

[vintagesteve]

Still looking, hopefully!

[vintagesteve]

Still looking!