Quote:

matttcg said:

Nice!! I do like the black.

So it's okay to spray the inside of the RCA jacks? Deoxit?

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See the AudioKarma link 10 posts up... it has more detail than anyone would ever want to know about Deoxit and vintage gear. 
 
I have a little bottle of liquid contact conditioner and I'll just use a little teeny brush, or a q-tip...

Oh, I forgot to mention... the soundstage of the AU-417 is not as deep as the Bellari hybrid, but it is the widest I have ever heard.    Beyond the headphones...

On the deoxit thing - i have an old rca plug that I cut the wire from and put on a power screw-driver. I put deoxit on it and the jack then spin the plug on the jack a bit with the power screw driver. good as new, shiny and clean in no time.

Ok after deciding I'm not going outfit my west coast digs with vintage gear I have a question: Do any of you here have ANY direct AB comparisons between the SX 1980 and the Fisher 500 C? If I pull the trigger on this it's going to cost me, no barn finds here...money talks and BS walks. Looking for intimate details. Thx, T

Holy crap Trav...you have the 1980 on your radar?  Run don't walk and grab that bad boy brother. It's made of unubtanium. 

+1 
Grab that bitch by the horns and gallop like the wind!! 

As an owner of 1280 and a restored 500c, I would say unless you have speakers that need that much power, go with the fisher. As good as the 1280 sounds, and it's sounds absolutely fabulous, I would easily put the 500c against any tube amp I've heard under 5000.00 and beyond.

If the 500c haven't been restored, I would still take it. It only cost about 300.00-400.00 to have one restored and my 500c slaps my 1280 around pretty good. The guy I sold my x100c to contacted me to tell me that it's spanking his 2000.00 tube amp, and I can believe it. There's a reason I kept it for so long. But my 500c made it unlistenable and it was on the chopping block fast.

One interesting fact is the 500c was a direct competitor to the infamous mcintosh mc275. They both retailed for the same price. They both are on the same playing field sonically, but fisher eventually went belly up and the mcintosh brand lived on. So today that's why the mc275 cost several thousands and a restored 500c can be had for a grand. Just take a look at the stereophile review when they compared it to the best modern day high end tube amps. I think the review was spot on.

Now I've never heard the 1980, but from everything I've read, it's a more powerful version of the 1280. If that's true, then I strongly suggest the 500c, especially if its restored. Now if the 1980 destroys the 1280 then disregard what I said and hopefully someone who's heard "both" can chime in because the 500c also destroys the 1280 IMO.

Quote:

skylab said:

My basement system has a Schiit Bifrost paired with a SX-1980 and that's an excellent combo, although I've been thinking of going to a Gungir.

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Have you thought about adding the USB upgrade and the Uber analog board?  I did both to my Bifrost a couple of months ago and it raised the Bifrost's overall quality to a whole new level.  I am using the Bifrost in my 2-channel rig at this time and my iFi USB & Modi for headphones at this time.

 

 
Quote:

matttcg said:

Holy crap Trav...you have the 1980 on your radar? 

 Run don't walk and grab that bad boy brother. It's made of unubtanium. 

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Seen on CANUCK AUDIO pionneer sx 1980 for sale by dealer $ 3,500.00 i repeat $3,500.00

Quote:

moodyrn said:

Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!

As an owner of 1280 and a restored 500c, I would say unless you have speakers that need that much power, go with the fisher. As good as the 1280 sounds, and it's sounds absolutely fabulous, I would easily put the 500c against any tube amp I've heard under 5000.00 and beyond.

If the 500c haven't been restored, I would still take it. It only cost about 300.00-400.00 to have one restored and my 500c slaps my 1280 around pretty good. The guy I sold my x100c to contacted me to tell me that it's spanking his 2000.00 tube amp, and I can believe it. There's a reason I kept it for so long. But my 500c made it unlistenable and it was on the chopping block fast.

One interesting fact is the 500c was a direct competitor to the infamous mcintosh mc275. They both retailed for the same price. They both are on the same playing field sonically, but fisher eventually went belly up and the mcintosh brand lived on. So today that's why the mc275 cost several thousands and a restored 500c can be had for a grand. Just take a look at the stereophile review when they compared it to the best modern day high end tube amps. I think the review was spot on.

Now I've never heard the 1980, but from everything I've read, it's a more powerful version of the 1280. If that's true, then I strongly suggest the 500c, especially if its restored. Now if the 1980 destroys the 1280 then disregard what I said and hopefully someone who's heard "both" can chime in because the 500c also destroys the 1280 IMO.

 

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Good morning moodyrn; "calling-all-vintage-integrated-receiver-owners" members ~
 
Like many other things that don't get a second glance, when their value is unknown, can't tell you how many times in the past couple of years I could've had one. For a great price.  I know, I know... welcome to the hobby!
 
Now that you've pushed it onto my radar... AND sonar, how does it sound with headphones? Or is it seeing speaker duty only?

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Originally Posted by MIKELAP /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
 
Seen on CANUCK AUDIO pionneer sx 1980 sold by dealer $ 3,500.00 i repeat $3,500.00

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 Link me... I'll offer the new buyer $3,600! 

I'm at work on my lunch break listening to my GR01 in ears on my Samsung Galaxy S4. All I can say is that I miss my home rig.

lee harvey said:

Have you thought about adding the USB upgrade and the Uber analog board?  I did both to my Bifrost a couple of months ago and it raised the Bifrost's overall quality to a whole new level.  I am using the Bifrost in my 2-channel rig at this time and my iFi USB & Modi for headphones at this time.

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I probably won't go that route because what I really need is more digital inputs...

Quote:

silent one said:

 
Good morning moodyr; "calling-all-vintage-integrated-receiver-owners" members ~
 
Like many other things that don't get a second glance, when their value is unknown, can't tell you how many times in the past couple of years I could've had one. For a great price. 

 I know, I know... welcome to the hobby!
 
Now that you've pushed it onto my radar... AND sonar

, how does it sound with headphones? Or is it seeing speaker duty only?

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I find it's performance to be equally impressive whether it's speakers or headphones. But it's not going to have the power out of the headphone jack the 1980 will....not even close. For example, my he6 are running out of the speaker taps. The heaphone out is fairly powerful, and would be great for anything other than something as hard to drive as the he-6. But my w3000 has a completely black background. Now that part isn't surprising since my x100c had a completely quiet background as well. What is surprising is the fact my jh13 also have a black background. 
 
A quick story(you know I like to tell those). I've always been a firm believer the he-6 has no ceiling. I've tried about 15-20 different amps for them and they scale unlike anything I've ever seen. A friend and I thinks the stax 009 performance could be reached with a really high end amp. He bought an audio research vsi60 to go with a new pair of harbeth hl5. He had no intentions of ever pairing it with the he6 long term and bought it exclusively for speaker use since he  was so enameled with his dark star powering his he6. But he did invite me over to give it a try since he didn't have a pigtail  for his he6. Well not only was the combo better, it was on a whole nother level from   the darkstar he-6 combo. The sound stage and imaging was just out  of  this world. The mids were the best I've heard whether we're talking about headphones or speakers. The sound was so pure, nuance and refined, I found myself in a trance. The overall performance was so close to the 009, that we would have had to have both side by side to pick a clear winner. And I'm talking 009s paired with the blue hawaii.
 
I said all of that to say this. The first time I listened to my he6 off the 500c, the first thought that came to mind was..."wow this sounds at least as good as the vsi60". But the only difference was the vsi60 still has the prototypical tube warmth. The 500c does everything it did, but don't sound like a tube amp tonality wise. it's one of the most neutral sounding amps I've listened to whether it's tube or solid state. But still maintain the organic richness, holographic imaging and sound stage some of the best tube amps are known for. I've listened to a lot of high end tube amps for both speakers and headphones, and the 500c takes a back seat to none of them. The only quibble I have is how unforgiving it is. If the recording have any harshness or grain, the 500c isn't going to smooth or gloss over it.(really not a quibble, that's what one should want an amp to do) But if the recording is good, then it will reward you in musically bliss. It is that good.

Quote:

moodyrn said:

I said all of that to say this. The first time I listened to my he6 off the 500c, the first thought that came to mind was..."wow this sounds at least as good as the vsi60". But the only difference was the vsi60 still has the prototypical tube warmth. The 500c does everything it did, but don't sound like a tube amp tonality wise. it's one of the most neutral sounding amps I've listened to whether it's tube or solid state. But still maintain the organic richness, holographic imaging and sound stage some of the best tube amps are known for. I've listened to a lot of high end tube amps for both speakers and headphones, and the 500c takes a back seat to none of them. The only quibble I have is how unforgiving it is. If the recording have any harshness or grain, the 500c isn't going to smooth or gloss over it.(really not a quibble, that's what one should want an amp to do) But if the recording is good, then it will reward you in musically bliss. It is that good.

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Totally agree!!
 
Moodyrn, please curb your passion, you just made many people a long way to get 500c (your input definitely will drive up deand and price)!!