Do vintage receivers sound better than new ones?

Good looking Sansui. very nice

 

Does amazing things for BASS/HEAVY music.

 

Although I have modern equipment, 'cause you hafta for home theater set-ups, the older pre-digital receivers of the 70's, I feel, have a better sound and are easier to use. Many lack the power of receivers of the 2k, but they still may have all the power you need. I have a Pioneer QX-949 powering my separate quadraphonic system and I love the sound quality, plus the simplicity of operation with a separate knob controlling each function. No menus or anything to have to sift through.

 

Wow, that one is purdy. Reminds me of a black face Marantz I once saw in London. I passed on it because I thought I wouldn’t get the best performance given voltage differences.

 

The Pioneer needs the pots and switches cleaned. This is a leading cause of signal degradation. (also interconnect connections) In some instances, an equipment upgrade can be credited to the eqip change, but most of it was reconnection of the cables, and re-establishing a good connection. (not the case in this instance) The small electrolytic caps should be replaced. The Large filter caps should NOT be replaced on a vintage Pioneer, as these are very high quality and usually do not go bad. Do not allow a tech talk you into replacing the filter caps and installing replacements as a "cobbed up" installation. (replacements will usually not fit in the original chassis clamps)

When cleaning the pots and switches, also the function selector, simply use straight contact cleaner for electronics, no need for the lube additive. (makes a mess) Pots are self lubricating. Oil is conductive, and will tend to change the response of your amp.

Likewise do NOT use Deoxit! Don't do it! It contains acid and preserver, and will change the values of the pots and may cause signal bleed in the switches. The acid becomes permanently a part of the wipers and traces in the pots, and switch contacts.. Don't use deoxit. The problem with most "scratchy" switches and pots isn't oxidation, but only dust and accumulated resin from the atmosphere. The resin causes the dust to "stick" to the wiper and trace, so the contact cleaner displaces or flushes that "out of the way" of the contact surfaces.

When cleaning with contact cleaner, the method is critical. HOW the pot is sprayed makes a difference (professional advice following)
(I am a former electronics tech IBM and Dutchess Audio, plus restore turntables and receivers)

1) Never "fire hose" the pot, as the bearing lube will be displaced or flushed out on the wiper and trace, where oil or grease should not be. Too much contact cleaner also diminishes the damped feel of the pot, causing it to turn very freely... not a problem functionally in itself, but removes that nice damped feel as we adjust the control.

2) Spray the pot through its opening, or a small notch in the cover. Spray in a short burst, turn the control all the way right and left briskly but not like a wild man. (not like we see in you tube demos.. not like that) Wait approx a minute or two wait.... wait.... patience.... this isn't a race (not like the rushed demos we see on you tube) Spray again only a short burst, repeat turning the pot. If the pot still "crackles" repeat again. We do not want to wash the grease off the bearing. PLUS the evaporation of the contact cleaner cools the internal parts rapidly. In some cases, too much contact cleaner at once, or not allowing the parts to warm between applications can crack the trace in the pot. Take some time with this.. again this isn't a race.

Good luck, clean the pots/ switches/ function selector, and maybe have those small electrolytic caps replaced by a tech who can solder (many are awful solderers the worst will scorch the PC board) If shipped out to a tech, ask for photos of their work.
Steve VK

 

I am finishing up the restoration of a Pioneer SA-9900 amplifier for a customer. It's a very nice piece of gear. It is sounding great and has plenty of power, around 100 -120wpc. I had this brought in with the matching tuner and a turntable to get operational. I decided to do a restoration on the amp as it is the most complicated and valuable piece, and because it had some aging issues. The tuner is OK, might could use restoration but I don't think the owner wants to pay for that. The turntable works great and will just get a new cartridge and set-up.


I finished doing a minor service on another nice integrated last week. A Kenwood KA-8100 which has a beefy dual power supply, including separate transformers for each channel. The matching tuner is with it as well. I will be selling that set. I like these integrated amps better than receivers of the same era. I think they are generally built better, sound better, and are easier to service. I do love the appearance of the old receivers and especially the Pioneer SX series, but time marches on.

-Bill

 

The vaudeville villain!!

 

Having twice the power is a pretty big deal. Especially when talking about 30 vs 60. It’s literally like comparing a car that can go 30 mph to one that can cruise at 60.

I doubt you like the HK better because it’s vintage, it’s that it can better drive your speakers. Now pull a new 60wpc SS amp from your speakers and replace it with a 40 year old 30 wpc and tell me you like it better and you have a good case for vintage equipment.

 

Those look great. Having the tuner in a separate box almost always means a better sounding stereo in my experience.

 

Good thoughts, but I am not saying vintage is better at all, if you re read what I posted I said it sounded much better than what I had, maybe what I had was not worth $399 2 years ago and the $60 I just spent is better than that. Everything else in my set up is not vintage. But yes the 60W is much more powerful, but everything I read or have read about the NAD amps are that the 30W is more like 50W, and if that is true maybe the 60W HK is more like 80W, who knows, but it just doesnt sound louder, it sounds better.

 

Damn right they do ! Case in point, my Pioneer SX-980 :

 

Don’t believe that talk about 50wpc is like 30wpc. Perhaps to a degree with tubes vs SS but it’s becuse the clipping is soft and you can push it harder without blowing a speaker.

I will say that much like mpg stickers on a new car, the way they measure that performance can be misleading. In new stuff they give you the peak wpc and in vintage it was measured more of the average. A Sansui 9090 has two channels at 110wpg and weights about 70 lbs. a new Marantz avr that claims 100wpc a channel for 7 channels weighs about 30lbs. That is not an apples to apples wpc measurement.

Many speakers just don’t do what they are capable of if you don’t give them the power they need. Not relative to loudness but detail, clarity and tone at moderate levels.

 

Thats sweet!

Great knowledge you passed on to me, makes perfect sense. Want to by my NAD D3020? just kidding lol

 

I got one too. Same shape as yours. What speakers do you use?

 

Well, based on the Audio Porn in this thread.....they def look better!

 

It's all in my profile, but Klipsch F2 floorstanders and a JBL SUB 12 Venue series subwoofer.

 

Pioneer

 

Sansui

 

Another Pioneer

 

Mmmmmmotorcycle!

 

I like stuff that works.
Every silver-faced receiver that I have found has some sort of channel issue...usually the right channel.
I like power amps stock that I drive with a fairly recent Music Angle tube preamp.

My downstairs system and my bedroom system have modern receivers that just work...Yamaha and Sherwood.
Good speakers and a decent turntable will make a huge difference.

I don't want to recap or get out a can of Deoxit.

 

That "Silver Machine" looks like it could hyper-speed into Zeti Reticulum in less than twelve parsecs!

 

It depends on what you compare with what, the condition what speakers you are going to match it with and also your personal taste makes a difference.

I recently bought an Onkyo that by the looks of it was much higher up the line than yours. I hated it and returned it within days then I bought a Yamaha 3060 which sounds good, does the job for movies and handling video but when I listen to music my 1976 Accuphase (in untouched full original condition) squashes the Yamaha in an embarrassing way.
The Onkyo can work better if you use it with small speakers lacking bass and highs but with big speakers it sounds like a giant smiling face on an EQ.

I went through countless amps and I like that line of receivers although a 650 might be too small, if it was something bigger I am sure I would pick the Pioneer over the Onkyo.

20 years on and I still regret not buying a Pioneer SX1980 which I could have had for a song, now they are worth thousands and are difficult to get.

You should try making a comparison it shouldn't be that hard.

 

Yeah but I think what the OP is asking is what is the best deal in a particular price range right now .