[DemonFox]

 

The Yamaha's look good on paper with tons of power and great flexibility and features so of course that's attractive. But just want to make sure I get the right one. 

There is no CR-8020, could it be CR-2020?
If it's CR-2020 and you can get it for $225 for good working and cosmetic condition. Go for it. If you don't like it, I am happy to buy from you.

BTW, are you only interested in receiver? For $225 budget, I think you can get Pioneer SA-8x00 integrated easily (at least on ePay). If you get luck, you may get SA-9x00.

Sorry, but I meant CR-820

Thanks,


:evil:

 

[Meewoo]

Sorry, but I meant CR-820

Thanks,

 
Oh, 820 and 1020 are also very good Yamaha receivers.
 
Regarding those 70's irons, Pionny, Marantz, Kenwood, Sansui, Yamaha, Harman Kardon etcs are all good (I omitted some brands on purpose). And every brand has own "house sound".
 
So choice depends your preference. And there is no No.1 in them, different person has their own No.1.
Searching your No.1 is a exciting journey! Hope you enjoy it as much as I.

 

[kstuart]

  Guys I need some more help.  So I'm debating between these models all Pioneer
 
SX-680
SX-750
SX-780
SX-850
SX-950
SX-980 
 
Not really that sure about all of them but I learn more and more each day. Trying to stay under $225 so I know the 850 and up will most likely be out of my range for now so the two I'm interested in the most would have to be the 750 and 780. Has anyone had both or at least heard both or know enough to steer me into the right direction. I'll be using them with a couple of pairs of headphones and some bookshelves I've had for quite a while.

If you are making a decision, that is on a similar level of subtlety as the improvements of something like the LCD2.2 over some of the other headphones, then I would go for 850/950/980 OR as previously mentioned, the Pioneer Integrated Amp SA-8x00 or SA-9x00 where x is some number (same thing as 5 or 8 in your list of receivers), IF you do not need an FM tuner.
 
I have read some things that SX-850 and above are made to higher standards than the lower numbered receivers, even though the lower numbered are fine products.

 

[DemonFox]

 

Sorry, but I meant CR-820

Thanks,

 
Oh, 820 and 1020 are also very good Yamaha receivers.
 
Regarding those 70's irons, Pionny, Marantz, Kenwood, Sansui, Yamaha, Harman Kardon etcs are all good (I omitted some brands on purpose). And every brand has own "house sound".
 
So choice depends your preference. And there is no No.1 in them, different person has their own No.1.
Searching your No.1 is a exciting journey! Hope you enjoy it as much as I.

 
Thanks, I've already had a lot of fun searching so this is going to be great! 
 
 
 
Thanks,
 
 

 

[DefQon]

  Kenwood

 
The late 60's to early 70's Kenwood's are all over the Sansui and Marantz from the same timeframe if you want a fat tubey sound. Very coloured and euphonic.

 

[moodyrn]

   
 
So choice depends your preference. And there is no No.1 in them, different person has their own No.1.
Searching your No.1 is a exciting journey! Hope you enjoy it as much as I. 

Couldn't have said it better. I have favorites with in multiple brands, and I don't really have a brand preference. And some brands don't really have a house sound. Some brands have popular models with the same sound signature, but as a whole, produce models with different sound signatures. 
 
Take marantz for example. Many of the receivers are will known for being warm and euphoric. But the "B" line have a signature that's more along the lines of neutral. A 2330B I once had was just as neutral as a pioneer sx1280 I recently owned. They both were just slightly warm. Most of the sansui's are said to be very warm as well, but the "G's" are reported to be neutral. So it really can be a very long journey. But it's worth it IMO, and like other's have said.....fun!!

 

[LugBug1]

^^ I'd agree with that too. I found my personal preference with mid 70's Sansui, warm, full, with a nice sheen in the treble but not analytical or hard. 
 
Both my Pioneers sound very different, same as my Marantz. My two Sansui's sound very similar but they were from the same period. I really don't think its a simple as labelling 'Pioneers as best' or any other big name from the 70's. There is too much variation in models regarding sound characteristics. Pioneers from a certain era, e.g 78/79 would be more accurate imo.    

 

[MattTCG]

The Sansui Model 8 that I owned recently was very close to neutral. Not my cup of tea, but if that's what you're after it will be very clean and neutral. 

 

[Shaffer]

I bit the bullet and brought home a mint Kenwood 3130 receiver from '71-72. Everything works including the lights. Operationally, no issues. Reading this thread, it seems like most HP jacks at the time were ~120 Ohm or higher and that one should use the receiver as with speakers. My question, what do I need to do this? I imagine that something is required to pad down the power a bit, but I don't know what it's called. Noob, what can I say. Can someone please give me a pointer and I can search and go from there? Thank you in advance.
 
The pic isn't mine, but the receiver looks identical to the image.
 

 

[kstuart]

I would try the headphone output and see how it is.  The 1970s headphone jacks are almost always just connected to the speaker outs with a resistor, which helps to allow you to use the full range of the volume knob.

 

[kstuart]

  The Sansui Model 8 that I owned recently was very close to neutral. Not my cup of tea, but if that's what you're after it will be very clean and neutral. 

My recapped Sansui AU417 from the late 1970s is very characteristically upper-mid-fi neutral, while my Marantz 1040 has that warm euphonic sound.  The Kenwood M2A from the 1980s has more of a high-end-audio sound profile (although not quite a refined as the real high-end gear).
 
I have had less of a need to get a Pioneer, since that is what I used "back in the day".  Currently, I don't need a preamp (which is why the M2A power amp with input level controls and headphone jack is perfect), but Pioneer did not make or sell very many power amps, so they tend to be expensive.  So, I may end up getting a SA-8x00 just for fun/nostalgia...

 

[Shaffer]

  I would try the headphone output and see how it is.  The 1970s headphone jacks are almost always just connected to the speaker outs with a resistor, which helps to allow you to use the full range of the volume knob.

 
Thank you for the reply. I have tried the HP-out. I mean, how could I resist?
 
My cans are DT880/600 and DT990pro. The 990s sound unbearably bright with almost zero low-end - a polar opposite of what I hear with my other amps The 880s, OTOH, fare much better. Smooth, powerful presentation with mostly sins of omission. The bass, however, doesn't go that deep; a subjective 50Hz or so. Any suggestions?

 

[moodyrn]

Well after failing to find someone here to recap my ka907 that I would trust to do it right, I decided to just get it serviced here in birmingham. I told him to fix or replace any parts bad or out of spec. It turns out that four caps in the power supply were bad. Although neither were leaking or bulged, they had dried up. Well two of them were and the other two were out of spec. Also two caps in the preamp were bad as well. So I got it back today and hooray!! It's king again(as far as solid state goes). Tonality wise it sounds the same. Technically as far as depth, extension, transparency etc, it's the same as well. But the reason I slightly preferred the restored 9090db to it was the fact the 907 sounded a bit grainy in comparison.

Well the grain is now completely gone, and the sound is buttery smooth. It now sounds like the solid state version of the 500c, though the 500c is still a little better. They both are the most neutral vintage amps I've heard and that includes the sx1280 which I find just slightly warm.(not a bad thing) But it makes me wonder if this would take the overall top spot if I could ever get it restored by echowars. Ummm.... But for now, just getting it serviced will have to do until he have a spot available.

 

[Glow Fish]

  ^^ I'd agree with that too. I found my personal preference with mid 70's Sansui, warm, full, with a nice sheen in the treble but not analytical or hard.
 
Both my Pioneers sound very different, same as my Marantz. My two Sansui's sound very similar but they were from the same period. I really don't think its a simple as labelling 'Pioneers as best' or any other big name from the 70's. There is too much variation in models regarding sound characteristics. Pioneers from a certain era, e.g 78/79 would be more accurate imo.   

 
I have a Sansui 881 and a 2000X.  The 881 is my favorite of the two, but not by much as they have a similar sound - lush, but not loose or unrefined, good bass extension.  I also have a Pioneer SA-9100 that I love.  It is more neutral and very powerful.  All of them work great with Mad Dogs 3.2.  Power to spare.

 

[claybum]

Right on moodryn!!!! Buttery smooth for sure. Glad you had it worked on.