[Skylab]

You could try opening the amp up and spraying http://www.amazon.com/CAIG-DeOxit-Cleaning-Solution-Spray/dp/B0002BBV4G on all of the pots and switches as it is likely a build up of oxide if one channel is low. This may be all that a service center might do and you can do it yourself very easily Theres loads of info on the net on how to do it  

If this doesn't work and the noise is still there, then it may be a faulty capacitor. This is where you do need some skill in finding it and replacing it... If this is the case then I'd probably look for another amp if you are not confident in taking this route. $150 can get you some pretty good vintage stuff if you keep looking on craiglist and fleabay

Words of wisdom. Also try aggressively working ALL of the pots and switches while the amp is off. Cycle the switches on and off rapidly 20 times each, and rotate the volume control swiftly through its entire range 20 times. If you turn the amp on and it works well right away, then the issue for sure is that the pots or switches need cleaning with deoxit. That at least is an inexpensive fix.

Otherwise, and please don't take offense, but that particular Denon just isn't worth spending a lot of money to fix. It's not that it's a bad unit, I'm sure it can sound quite good, but it's not anything worth investing more money in at this stage of its life. You are better off buying something else, be it a nice vintage piece, or a modern one.

 

[Lang]

Got this one yesterday for 120 CDN from a local craigslist seller

 

 

[LugBug1]

  Got this one yesterday for 120 CDN from a local craigslist seller

 
 

Well that looks like a perfect example of what you can get for little money. It's a beauty! I love the black and silver look of those. 

 

[roadcykler]

This may have been answered somewhere in this thread, but what is the general time frame for "vintage"? I have a 1980's (not sure of the exact year(s) because I can find almost nothing about them) Mitsubishi pre-amp/tuner and power amp that I'd like to sell but don't really know how vintage that would be considered. I bought it because of the uniqueness and the condition but don't really have a place for them. The model # for the pre-amp/tuner is M-PF5200 and the amp is
M-A4200 if that helps. 

 

[Skylab]

I don't believe there is any sort of agreed upon definition for that as it relates to audio. It was during the 1980's that we first saw mass produced stereos that really truly sucked come into existence, and so typically I think currently most folk think of vintage as being 50's (the beginning of hi-fi) through the early 80's, and maybe even late 80's high-end.

The real inflection point was when the stuff that Kenwood, Pioneer, Technics, Fisher, and others went from all being pretty good and some being really good to some being really good but most being awful. Depending on the brand that happened sometime in the 1980's, and generally coincided with the rise of the "high end" brands like Audio Research, Mark Levinson, et al.

 

[jgreen16]

New acquisition, and freshly restored. Pioneer SX-950 in overall very good physical condition, with some scratching on the tuning knob. Not bad for getting close to 40 years old.

 

[jgreen16]

I recently sold my Asgard 2 to a fellow Head-fier, and was considering grabbing a Valhalla 2, but the headphone out on this SX-950 sounds pretty darn good. Not sure if I'd get a good return on investment over what this vintage receiver provides at no additional cost.

 

[moodyrn]

I don't believe there is any sort of agreed upon definition for that as it relates to audio. It was during the 1980's that we first saw mass produced stereos that really truly sucked come into existence, and so typically I think currently most folk think of vintage as being 50's (the beginning of hi-fi) through the early 80's, and maybe even late 80's high-end.

The real inflection point was when the stuff that Kenwood, Pioneer, Technics, Fisher, and others went from all being pretty good and some being really good to some being really good but most being awful. Depending on the brand that happened sometime in the 1980's, and generally coincided with the rise of the "high end" brands like Audio Research, Mark Levinson, et al.

That's an excellent assessment, and to simplify it even further, the golden age for solid state was during the 70s. Typically, the later in that era you go, the more neutral gear got as a whole. While the golden era for tube gear was the early to mid 60s. There are many fans of 50s tube gear, but that's pretty much limited to mono amps and finding a matching pair for stereo  is pretty hard to find. The 80s like Skylab said is pretty much hit or miss, much more so than the 70s. It was this era when  the main objective change from producing the biggest, baddest, best sounding gear to moving as much product as fast as possible. So basically from quality to quantity and the sound suffered as a whole. This led to the birth of high end brands. Before then, they pretty much all(marantz, pioneer, kenwood, sansui etc) were highend brands. Can you actually wrap your mind around the idea of pioneer and mcintosh being equals?

 

[moodyrn]

  New acquisition, and freshly restored. Pioneer SX-950 in overall very good physical condition, with some scratching on the tuning knob. Not bad for getting close to 40 years old.

 
 

  Got this one yesterday for 120 CDN from a local craigslist seller

 

Great finds guys and congrats. Both of those are great lookers along with very good sounding as well.

 

[Silent One]

 

I don't believe there is any sort of agreed upon definition for that as it relates to audio. It was during the 1980's that we first saw mass produced stereos that really truly sucked come into existence, and so typically I think currently most folk think of vintage as being 50's (the beginning of hi-fi) through the early 80's, and maybe even late 80's high-end.

The real inflection point was when the stuff that Kenwood, Pioneer, Technics, Fisher, and others went from all being pretty good and some being really good to some being really good but most being awful. Depending on the brand that happened sometime in the 1980's, and generally coincided with the rise of the "high end" brands like Audio Research, Mark Levinson, et al.

That's an excellent assessment, and to simplify it even further, the golden age for solid state was during the 70s. Typically, the later in that era you go, the more neutral gear got as a whole. While the golden era for tube gear was the early to mid 60s. There are many fans of 50s tube gear, but that's pretty much limited to mono amps and finding a matching pair for stereo  is pretty hard to find. The 80s like Skylab said is pretty much hit or miss, much more so than the 70s. It was this era when  the main objective change from producing the biggest, baddest, best sounding gear to moving as much product as fast as possible. So basically from quality to quantity and the sound suffered as a whole. This led to the birth of high end brands. Before then, they pretty much all(marantz, pioneer, kenwood, sansui etc) were highend brands. Can you actually wrap your mind around the idea of pioneer and mcintosh being equals?

 Well stated by both of you. To which I'd like to add history shows the fundamental reason for the shift was the severe economic global crisis from the late 1970's through the early 1980's. Who doesn't like following a good love affair? Japanese Electronic firms had a great one with mass U.S. consumers. But in the same manner of jilted lover, many consumers were strapped during the recession and no longer discriminating. Manufacturers and consumers alike had to dial it down. In my view this gave a natural rise to the high-end audio boutique in the 1980's, catering to those with $$$ and desire.
 
Of course, I could be completely wrong about my views. But nuthin' a good listening session can't straighten out! 

 

[MIKELAP]

How would a Pioneer SA9500 sound compare to an SX750 would it sound similar or a step up Seller is asking $350.00 for this one . Thanks  guys.                                                    .
 

 

[Destroysall]

To my knowledge, most of the Pioneer receivers and amplifiers retain the same sound, but each unit has a different amount of power it is outputting.

 

[Silent One]

Sound presentation - night and day between my 1977 SX-650 and 1980 SX-D7000. Not surprised.

 

[moodyrn]

Yeah, pioneer vintage gear do have different sound signatures. And quiet a few of their integrates have been said to be warm sounding(sa9100 for example). The sx-xx50 line have one sound with the sx-xx80 line being just a bit more neutral, but still very similar. The line preceding those were a bit more warm. And these are just examples of their  receivers. Their integrates have their own sound sigs also. Some of them are similar to some of their receivers and some are not. But internally, their integrates are completely different from their receivers for the most part.
 
But the short answer to the original question, yes!! The 9500 would be a good deal better. Don't look at the power ratings. Their receivers were more powerful as a whole, but sx750 don't have anywhere near the build quality and of the 9500 which is a beast and was one of their  higher end integrates while the sx750 was on the high side of the entry level receivers, but still very good sounding.

 

[LugBug1]

There was a difference between my SX550 receiver and SA508 integrated. Both where around the same price range, but the receiver was warmer and smoother with a heavier bottom end. The 508 was more sprightly and resolving. The latter is from the late 70's and the former around the mid 70's.