Old Pioneer Reciever Question.. Johnny B perhaps ?

[Turdus]

I always keep my eyes open when at the dump. I've built a couple working PC from parts found there.

Yesterday's find was a Pioneer SX990 reciever. Overall decent looking condition. Powered it up, and only one side works.

Took a quick look around the net last night, and found almost no information on this piece. I have on Onkyo, where the speaker fuses are on the back of the chassis. Wondering if a fuse is blown on this guy, and if is worth having a look inside.

Any information on this piece would be appreciated... years produced.... was it decent, or should have never left the dump, lol. gem or junk is basically what I'm after.

Thanks.

[veatch]

I have an SX-1250. These models were (if i recall correctly) very late 60's to early 70's. I think the 1250 sounds pretty good. Not sure about the 990 or how different it will sound...

[JohnnyB]

Specs

Pics, including interior shots

Pioneer SX-990 dead channel discussion on Audiokarma

According to this discussion, there are a couple of fuses inside near the back panel. Yes, there could be a blown fuse, but the blown fuse could be indicative of blown output transistors. OTOH, I had a receiver in the '70s where one channel went out. It was under warranty and I lived near the factory and its repair outlet. I got it fixed under warranty but as I remember from the tech report, they replaced a diode or two.

So it could be a hassle or it might not be. The discussion on AudioKarma indicates that these aren't all that easy for amateurs to work on. You can try replacing the fuse and see if it holds, in which case it might have protected the amp/speakers from a short or power surge. If the fuse blows again right away, there's probably a problem with the output stage of the bad channel.

Prize or junk? That's subjective. Many look back on that period (late '60s/early '70s) as the golden age of audio. I don't, and that's precisely when I got into it. There are a few items from that period that are still great components, such as the McIntosh MC275 tube power amp, some of the Marantz separates and better receivers. The last of the tube components from Fisher, H.H. Scott, Eico, and Heath from the '60s are worth restoring and using if they're not too far gone. And some enthusiast hobbyists love to collect these solid state Pioneers and keep them alive. In that case it's more for love than money.

Judging from completed eBay listings, an SX-990 in good working order is worth around $70, possibly $100 if bought locally from a store. So if you rescued it for free and put $50-100 into getting it fixed, you're getting fair value assuming you like what you get in the end.

[kizanski]

It took you TEN HOURS to respond to an audio/video question?

Where you trapped under something heavy?

[JohnnyB]

It took you TEN HOURS to respond to an audio/video question?

Where you trapped under something heavy?

Football. Go Seahawks. Go Niners.

And reading up on the Dragonfly.

[Turdus]

thanks JB. I opened it up, found a burned fuse, and replaced it... then, both channels blew, lol. I looked at the article you posted. I think this one will be going back to the dump. The reason I grabbed it, was that it was not in the usual trash pile, but sitting off to the side, as if somebody gently placed it there for a repair type to grab. I see that occasionaly. Was worth taking a chance on.

If you know anybody who like to have it for the parts, or wants the knobs, etc.. shoot me a PM.... It would be free of course.

[JohnnyB]

Why not look up electronics repair shops in your area and find one who'll take it off your hands? For an electronic tech with drawers full of parts from all eras, he could fix it up and sell it for seventy to a hundred bucks. Better than the dump.