[kstuart]

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I know little about the vintage scene but have a decent budget to work with for one. What is the communities' opinion about the best sounding vintage receiver that is not made of unobtanium (like the Pioneer SX-1980)?

If there's one, then we don't need this thread and many internet forum. You must find your sound, it's a journey, but lots of fun.

It's certainly true that there is no "one best amp".
 
However, I find some reluctance on Forums like AudioKarma to describe the differences between the brands and between their individual products (probably because most Forum members are not skilled "reviewers" - people who can describe a sound with words).
 
Some of the fault also lies with those asking the question - who rarely describe their musical tastes and overall hardware requirements - which are necessary for any sort of recommendation.
 
Skylab's list is a good one, simply because all of those items are easily sold if they don't meet your needs.   Other brands are less popular, even though they have adherents (eg the "woods"), and so they are harder to re-sell.

 

[nailbunny7]

Thanks for the advice! I will probably choose from what Skylab listed

 

[risenfallen]

Is anyone familiar with the Pioneer SA-3000 integrated amp? It looks neat and seems to fit my need, e.g driving small, pretty efficient bookshelf speakers and if possible using as an alternative headphone amp. All I can find is that it puts out around 40wpc and was from Pioneer's early 1980s mini system. I would appreciate any input

 

[5aces]

I can only afford to try one at a time, so I have to make it worth it lol

Want to try tube- Fisher 500C receiver.

Marantz - start looking at a Model 2270 and up.

Pioneer- start looking at the SX 950 level.

Snag a Marantz Model 2325 or a Pioneer SX 1250 for the right price and you are in for a treat.
Sound quality and shear power that won't disappoint.
Frequently available and repairable.

 

[gikigill]

My newest acquisition, the Sherwood 260B with a solid 110x2w RMS  and power consumption of 600W

 
 
 

 

[calipilot227]

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I have a fairly healthy collection of factory recorded reel to reel tapes. These were mostly purchased on eBay and are mostly jazz and classical, since 7.5 ips rock reel tapes are hard to come by and 3.75 ips tapes don't sound all that good. The tapes I I have range from very good to absolutely spectacular in terms of SQ.

I also have a few 10"/15 ips tapes that are copies of safety masters. These of course sound beyond spectacular. They also require playback on my Teac A-3340S which will play 10" reels and has a 15 ips speed capability, which the Pioneer does not.

 
Where do you buy pre-recorded tapes (1/4", 7.5 ips)? I bought a few from eBay (including a copy of Bridge Over Troubled Water that was still sealed), and they all sound like doo-doo 

 Now the recordings I've dubbed from my MFSL LPs onto Ampex 407, now those are good 

. Using a Pioneer RT-1011L, fresh out of overhaul.

 

[harrinj]

I love this thread... 

 

[Skylab]

Where do you buy pre-recorded tapes (1/4", 7.5 ips)? I bought a few from eBay (including a copy of Bridge Over Troubled Water that was still sealed), and they all sound like doo-doo 

 Now the recordings I've dubbed from my MFSL LPs onto Ampex 407, now those are good 

. Using a Pioneer RT-1011L, fresh out of overhaul.

Almost 100% from eBay. I would say about 95% of the ones I've gotten sound between very good - phenomenal. About 5% were no good and got returned (eBay is very buyer friendly these days).

Again this refers to 7.5 ips tapes only. 3.75 prerecorded tapes never sound any better than "pretty good" IMO.

 

[kstuart]

Has anyone compared how their headphones sound with a vintage amp/receiver to how they sound with an Emotiva Mini-x A100 ?

 

[jasonb]

Last night was spent using my T50rp paired with the SX-750. Yesterday I tested my Q701 quickly on the SX-750, but quickly went back to the T50rp. Tonight I am using the Q701 with it at length. It definitely made the T50rp sound better, and I can confirm that it also makes the Q701 sound a bit better too. The Q701's sound best with the treble control left alone, but with some added bass. I'm using them with the bass knob on the +2 position for some added fun. The soundstage seems even bigger than it did with the E17 alone. The Q701, in my opinion, is still better when listened to at a lower volume. The T50rp really likes to be cranked, the Q701 is just to jagged in the upper mid-range to be cranked for long periods of time. I'm not saying the SX-750 doesn't sound smooth, I am saying that the Q701 is still a Q701.
 
The SX-750 is definitely a beastly chunk of metal. It's got a ridiculous amount of power for headphones, I can't take either the Q701 or the T50rp past the 9 o'clock spot on the volume knob. I'm going to need more time before I say what kind of sound signature I think it has. With the Q701 I am doing the same thing using the SX-750 that I did the with E17 which is leave the treble alone, but slightly boost the bass. With the modded T50rp I almost always prefered them with +2 treble from the E17, but with the bass at 0. With the SX-750 and T50rp yesterday I was boosting both the treble and the bass. So it's too soon to say how I'm really hearing things. I'm still in the honeymoon phase with it. So far so good though.    
 
Oh, and can someone remind me again why a low output impedance is better? I am not hearing any effects of a decreased damping factor. Bass response it fast and tight with both headphones, not slow, flabby, or bloated. I was skeptical before trying it based on what I've read, but based on what I am hearing it sounds great. 

 

[kazsud]

I have the SX-750 as well and haven't used the headphone out on my Dac-100 since I got it. I find myself never going higher then 9:00 except for 24bit songs which takes me to around 12:00.
 
I might sell it to a buddy at work and pick up a SX-1050

 

[MattTCG]

Go for the 1050...

 

[Silent One]

P/U a 1250 and call it an evening... with tunes of course!

 

[wotts]

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P/U a 1250 and call it an evening... with tunes of course!

 
 
I do love my SX-1250. I'd only sell it if I lucked out on a big 1980.

 

[MattTCG]

I might trade my mint Sansui 9090db for a sx-1250.