Thread: Anybody have monster receivers?

I was wonderin if any of you guys have any monsters in your gear collection.I've got
Pio. sx-1280
Hitachi sr-2004
Onkyo tx-8500mkII
Optonica sa-5605
Sansui g-9000
Ken. kr-9050
Audio Reflex AGS-152
The last one is pretty rare sold only in Canada but who made it,I don't know.

I had the Denon 5800. It was indeed a beast. Back in the 80's, I had a pioneer receiver.... Forget the model number though. I remember it had meters. Love meters!

Yep meters are cool!

Originally Posted by Mike

I had the Denon 5800. It was indeed a beast. Back in the 80's, I had a pioneer receiver.... Forget the model number though. I remember it had meters. Love meters!

It wasn't the AVR-5805 Mike? ...Almost a foot high, and weighting 97 pounds.

* I had some flagship receivers, and still have few, but nothing compared to those magnificent vintage receivers of the 60s and 70s.
Nowadays AV receivers have only three buttons (power, volume, and selector) that's it!

I like old vintage Marantz, Pioneer, Kenwood, Luxman, Sansui, Telefunken stereo receivers, with their beautiful front cockpit design with all the meters and multitude of shiny silver buttons, plus that magic analog tuner.
- At night they look like all the instrumentation needed right in front of you in helping you to land that big turbo jet on that airport runaway lane.
...Ground control ... - David Bowie

Yes. That's right. As time passes, this old brain has a hard time keeping all the model numbers straight.

Like these bad boys...LOVE EM

That's ok Mike you're still young yet, just wait till your 99.

Originally Posted by just dave

I was wonderin if any of you guys have any monsters in your gear collection.I've got
Pio. sx-1280
Hitachi sr-2004
Onkyo tx-8500mkII
Optonica sa-5605
Sansui g-9000
Ken. kr-9050
Audio Reflex AGS-152
The last one is pretty rare sold only in Canada but who made it,I don't know.

Dave !!! Didn't know you were here !!! (Arcorob)

And Art too is here, and Evange, plus few more.

Originally Posted by NorthStar

It wasn't the AVR-5805 Mike? ...Almost a foot high, and weighting 97 pounds.

* I had some flagship receivers, and still have few, but nothing compared to those magnificent vintage receivers of the 60s and 70s.
Nowadays AV receivers have only three buttons (power, volume, and selector) that's it!

I like old vintage Marantz, Pioneer, Kenwood, Luxman, Sansui, Telefunken stereo receivers, with their beautiful front cockpit design with all the meters and multitude of shiny silver buttons, plus that magic analog tuner.
- At night they look like all the instrumentation needed right in front of you in helping you to land that big turbo jet on that airport runaway lane.
...Ground control ... - David Bowie

I hear ya man.I'm very impressed with the sound quality as well,these things still sound great.A testament to their build quality and engineering.

Originally Posted by ohbythebay

Dave !!! Didn't know you were here !!! (Arcorob)

Hey man glad your here.

I love my Denon 5800 is a monster and use them with an MK system, the 150 LCR, 250S for souround, and a pair of MX350 Subs, Oppo 83ES and Shunyata Hydra 8 MKII and I very happy with the sound I get for movies.

Originally Posted by just dave

I hear ya man.I'm very impressed with the sound quality as well,these things still sound great.A testament to their build quality and engineering.

The analog tuner section in them was much more serious back then than now. Nowadays tuners in receivers are mainly a joke (Yamaha is more serious still).
And their overall sound quality was warmer too, tube alike. ...The overall stereo receiver's sound.

Originally Posted by NorthStar

The analog tuner section in them was much more serious back then than now. Nowadays tuners in receivers are mainly a joke (Yamaha is more serious still).
And their overall sound quality was warmer too, tube alike. ...The overall stereo receiver's sound.

Yeah FM was a much bigger deal back then.Now there's nothing but crap on the radio,at least when it comes to rock.

Take a look at this beautiful Pioneer receiver that I posted on another forum a while back-

Pioneer SX 5590 Stereo Recever RARE Black SX 1250 Awesome | eBay

I loved the sound of the receivers in the 1970's. I started in audio with a 15wpc Pioneer receiver and Altec Lansing Model 3's I believe. The sound was warm, lush and tube like. I keep thinking that I might buy an old Pioneer, Sansui or Marantz receiver. I still have my Technics SU7600 integrated amp from the mid 70's but it sounded nothing like the old Marantz and Pioneer gear.

Originally Posted by Mechnutt

Take a look at this beautiful Pioneer receiver that I posted on another forum a while back-

Pioneer SX 5590 Stereo Recever RARE Black SX 1250 Awesome | eBay

I loved the sound of the receivers in the 1970's. I started in audio with a 15wpc Pioneer receiver and Altec Lansing Model 3's I believe. The sound was warm, lush and tube like. I keep thinking that I might buy an old Pioneer, Sansui or Marantz receiver. I still have my Technics SU7600 integrated amp from the mid 70's but it sounded nothing like the old Marantz and Pioneer gear.

Beautiful receiver for sure! You should go and get yourself one, if nothing else they're nice to look at.I'd be interested if you did an ab test with the receiver and your newer gear.

Not a lot of action on this forum........hello anybody out there.

Originally Posted by Cory Cooper

Like Mike, I had a Denon AVR-5800. I had mine upgraded with the KAVR-5800 digital board. Actually, I still have mine packed away in the box.

A friend of mine had a Pioneer SX-1280 back in the day. I remember being at Service Merchandise and almost buying an SX-1980 demo unit on a clearance table. They didn't have the box or the owner's manual, so I passed. I still regret that to this day.

C

I've got a 1280 now but I bought my first receiver from those guys,a SX-680 but I never saw a 1980 there.Do you remember how much they were asking?

Originally Posted by Cory Cooper

It was a SM in Columbus, OH. I bet a lot of people don't even remember them. It's been so long ago...like 30+ years, right? If I had to guess, I would think maybe between $800-900 or so. List was like $1295 I think. I just don't remember for sure.

I bet that SX-1280 still sounds amazing...

C

Yep,I love it.It's a beautiful receiver as well.

image.jpg
Pioneer SX-1250
Completely refurbed by Classic Audio
Got it hooked up to some HPM-100's in my basement billiards/casual TV/chillin' area.
Kinda cheesy but fun...

image (1).png

Welcome to the forum mjalazard! Thank you for joining.

I love the vintage receivers. I still remember my fist piece of gear. It was a 1970's 15wpc Pioneer receiver, built like a tank and it had this nice warm lush sound. I paired it with some Altec Lansing model 3's.

Take a look at this beautifully restored Pioneer that I considered buying-

Pioneer SX 5590 Stereo Recever RARE Black SX 1250 Awesome | eBay

scroll down the page to see the pic's and history. They don't mak'em like this any more.

In the mid 1970's my brother bought a Marantz 2325 receiver--125wpc.

One of the last really good Marantz receivers.

Yep I love the phono section on the vintage receivers too.

Which receivers have the best phono section? ...Vintage ones, and newer AV receiver ones.

And, even with a receiver's very good phono stage, would it be still better to get a separate one? ...Say a good inexpensive one.

MY Onkyo 8500mkII has a great phono stage,my Onkyo HT receiver doesn't.Maybe with vinyl becoming more and more popular they'll look to improve the phono section in modern receivers.I've never heard a separate phono stage so I can't comment on those.

Do you think that tomorrow's receivers will put back the emphasis where it counts the most, in the analogue stage?

You're right about turntables and LPs; they are in a comeback rise.

Digital music servers; should they also include a good phono stage? ...Some of them, you know, to be more complete.
Probably not as it is a very bad idea to have digital and analog components inside a same unit.
Best is to build one full separate analogue rig all on its own, and another separate digital home theater video/sound system.
If you mix them both then you are not truly a serious audiophile.

Vintage, monsters receivers, they belong in their own separate entity; one based strictly on yesterday analogue, I think.

Originally Posted by NorthStar

Do you think that tomorrow's receivers will put back the emphasis where it counts the most, in the analogue stage?

You're right about turntables and LPs; they are in a comeback rise.

Digital music servers; should they also include a good phono stage? ...Some of them, you know, to be more complete.
Probably not as it is a very bad idea to have digital and analog components inside a same unit.
Best is to build one full separate analogue rig all on its own, and another separate digital home theater video/sound system.
If you mix them both then you are not truly a serious audiophile.

Vintage, monsters receivers, they belong in their own separate entity; one based strictly on yesterday analogue, I think.

That would be great to see a little more attention paid to good ole analogue.I enjoy seeing abx tests done with vintage gear not just receivers.I like seeing vintage gear kick some ass. It's a testament to their build quality that they can still give all but the most expensive modern gear a run for their money.Quality audio seemed to be a big deal back in the 70's.All my friends had really nice gear and we'd get together,have a few beers and listen to albums lit by only the light of our stereo's......ahhh good times.

Today they (we) still do, but with different drugs. ;-)

Onkyo TXSR 705 and TXSR 805 AV receivers. - Free Online Library

* Check the phono section of the 805. ...Plus everything else (2007 era).
..It's not from 1977 but still weighs (805) 51 pounds nonetheless.

Welcome rlock! Thank you for joining.

Nice gear.

Originally Posted by rlock

Sansui G901 (Mint, fully recapped and serviced)
Sansui G7700 (3)
Sansui G5700
Sansui G7500

Nice collection.How does that 901 sound now with the recap,notice a difference?

Originally Posted by rlock

Hi Dave,
I opened up the unit and saw the electrolytic caps were swelling on the power protection board. I did the recap in phases over a couple of months, so it was a gradual improvement. While at it, I cleaned pots and switches and replaced the relays. It was definitely worth it. It seems recapping the drivers and the tone section made the most difference. I want to take it to a professional shop to see if it still meets factory specs, but it sounds so good I do not want to part with it for any length of time. I must say these receivers are built like tanks and amazing quality (steel knobs with set screws, metal face, and meters with movements, steel chassis and very little plastic, cable trays to route wire to the rear of the unit).

Rick

Yep,I've got the G-9000. The build quality of these vintage units is excellent.The same goes for my other receivers as well.

I lived through the monster receiver era but never owned one. For one thing the real monsters were pricey for me back then -- would be today too if new prices were adjusted for inflation. More importantly, I was already into separates at the time. Nevertheless I love the monster receivers and "silver era" equipment in general for the visual aesthetic point of view.

What characteristics epitomize the Silver Era? I thing the following ...

• Obviously, silver faces -- black was rare in the '70s except for some Sansui
• Analog tuning dials and meters instead of neon or (later) LED or LCD
• Rotary knobs e.g. for selectors instead of push buttons
• Toggle switches instead of in/out buttons
• Largish size -- analog dials and knobs and switches took up a lot of space. Large sized reach giganticism by the end of the '70s
• Internally, discrete components vs. chips or LSIs, though the latter became increasingly common thru the era.

These characteristic applied to the monster receivers but also other components such as these Pioneer integrated amp and tuner.

Originally Posted by Feanor

I lived through the monster receiver era but never owned one. For one thing the real monsters were pricey for me back then -- would be today too if new prices were adjusted for inflation. More importantly, I was already into separates at the time. Nevertheless I love the monster receivers and "silver era" equipment in general for the visual aesthetic point of view.

What characteristics epitomize the Silver Era? I thing the following ...

• Obviously, silver faces -- black was rare in the '70s except for some Sansui
• Analog tuning dials and meters instead of neon or (later) LED or LCD
• Rotary knobs e.g. for selectors instead of push buttons
• Toggle switches instead of in/out buttons
• Largish size -- analog dials and knobs and switches took up a lot of space. Large sized reach giganticism by the end of the '70s
• Internally, discrete components vs. chips or LSIs, though the latter became increasingly common thru the era.

These characteristic applied to the monster receivers but also other components such as these Pioneer integrated amp and tuner.

I love the looks too.The analog tuning dial was the coolest,back when radio was still big.They were expensive back then but they aren't today except for a few of the TOTL models.I definitely want to get some separates from that era like Phase Linear or Harmon Kardon Citation.

Originally Posted by rlock

Hi Dave,
What speakers do you use with your G9000.

I have RTR model 10's.