Dug out the SX-780...
steveinaz
Posts: 19,538
Getting ready to put this 'ol girl back to work in my shop. Cracked the lid to blow it out a bit and have a look at the caps (Nicholson) which all looked good. This SX-780 was built in 1980 (Japan). Gonna replace the lamps while the lid is off, they all work, but I figure I'll do it now as they are original and easy to replace. I also need to de-ox the balance pot.
Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
Post edited by steveinaz on
Comments
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Nice looking unit Steve! It looks minty!Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD. -
Nice.
Mine is on a shelf for now.
Delivers a great sound with my DM4's.
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It's an interesting story. Let me bore you with the details. Back in 1980, my best friend (Rob) and & I went to an audio "super sale" at the Checkerdome in STL. We both bought SX-780's and I also bought a Pioneer CTF-500 cassette deck. Fast forward to several years ago, I was able to make contact with Rob. My SX was long gone, but he still had his, which had been stored for over a decade. He sent me his, gratis, when he found out I was doing a 70's themed man cave. It IS mint, and I at least got him to agree to let me pay for the shipping. I had to agree to never sell it, and I did so willingly. So here she is!
Tell you what, this thing is HEAVY. Nothing like receivers today. I'd bet it's near 20lbs.
At the other house, in that HUGE RV garage, I had the 780 hooked up to a pair of ENERGY C-9 towers, and that SX could FILL that area (2500 sq ft) at incredible volumes thru those C-9's.Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2 -
Nice.
Mine is on a shelf for now.
Delivers a great sound with my DM4's.
Gotta say I’d love to hear that pairing!
"....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963) -
Sweet looking gear. They don't make them that pretty any more.
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It's an interesting story. Let me bore you with the details. Back in 1980, my best friend (Rob) and & I went to an audio "super sale" at the Checkerdome in STL. We both bought SX-780's and I also bought a Pioneer CTF-500 cassette deck. Fast forward to several years ago, I was able to make contact with Rob. My SX was long gone, but he still had his, which had been stored for over a decade. He sent me his, gratis, when he found out I was doing a 70's themed man cave. It IS mint, and I at least got him to agree to let me pay for the shipping. I had to agree to never sell it, and I did so willingly. So here she is!
Tell you what, this thing is HEAVY. Nothing like receivers today. I'd bet it's near 20lbs.
At the other house, in that HUGE RV garage, I had the 780 hooked up to a pair of ENERGY C-9 towers, and that SX could FILL that area (2500 sq ft) at incredible volumes thru those C-9's.
Not to thread jack, but I worked at the Checkerdome at that time (not that show, mainly Blues games and concerts) while I was in college! St Louis University! Small world indeed!
Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD. -
Sweet! Once a year they would have model year-end super sales at the Checkerdome. I remember seeing a Pair of HPM 100's that had acrylic see-thru cabinets--awesome.
I need to make a correction: Nichicon capacitors.Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2 -
I was 2 in 1980.
Sweet reciever!Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es
Game Room 5.1.4: Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
Bedroom 2.1 Harmon Kardon HK3490; Bluesounds Node N130; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer -
EndersShadow wrote: »
Funny you say that.
When I came to your GTG with the DM4's I almost brought it with me.
Don't know what it is about those 2 pieces but they really work well together.
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What's the power output per channel on this beast?
I remember those days well. Most of the receivers looked like this one back then, with some notable exceptions like Sansui. These boat anchors were durable and sounded good. -
Oh wait I see it on the meters in the close up pic. 50 wpc
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Need to pull her off the shelf.
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EndersShadow wrote: »
Funny you say that.
When I came to your GTG with the DM4's I almost brought it with me.
Don't know what it is about those 2 pieces but they really work well together
Next time for sure!
"....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963) -
I was 2 in 1980.
Sweet reciever!
I graduated from freaking college in 1980...
Nice lookin' SX-780
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What have you fellow SX owners used for replacement lamps (faceplate illumination)?Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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Haven't replaced mine. They all still work...
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I was 5 in 1980 and full o beans
Sweet looking receiver for sure. Love 70’s and 80’s gear. They looks so pretty compared to today’s gear. -
joecoulson wrote: »I was 5 in 1980 and full o beans
Sweet looking receiver for sure. Love 70’s and 80’s gear. They looks so pretty compared to today’s gear.
I, on the other hand, don't care for that Seventies junk at all...
DSC_0242 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
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Omg. That’s insane Mark!! Lol
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That's just the rack with the most seventies-era stuff on it (you'll notice a few imposters).
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I think I spy some Fischer or Scott tuners in that stack.Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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Those be Sherwoods, young man.
The Fishers and Scotts live on another shelf.
All three brands were/are very good, but the sound quality of Sherwoods per dollar (on today's market) is, in my characteristically unhumble opinion, exemplary.
great scott by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
DSC_9821 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr -
... but I digress.
Sorry!
Unfortunately, I don't know squat 'bout no SX-780
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My SX-780 is resting at the moment, enjoyed it's sound with my older small Monitor 7's and 5 JR+'s.
About four years ago I started using it again after several years. Low volume, easy loads. Then after about 2-3 months of maybe once weekly use, no output, powers on but nothing. Took it to the shop. Owner replaced one of two Darlington IC power packs (he said failed), less than $100.00. Okay, so now good. Take it home use it again, worked fine for about six months, then dead again. So I never took it back to the shop and that has been almost four years. Could be the other channel power pack has failed or the replacement was defective? Or something else? Unit is 9/10 otherwise. -
Good quality replacement "STK" power output packs for things like the SX-780 are notoriously hard to find. Many of the parts available today, regardless of source, are reputed to be counterfeits of poor, or at best, dubious, quality
It is a major bugaboo* with the late 1970s into early 1980s mass(ish) market Japanese-brand hifi hardware (receivers and integrated amplifiers), unfortunately.
Here's some example discussion on the subject.
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/is-there-any-better-new-type-stk-0050.822331
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/stk-0050-replacement-for-sx-780-and-others.721181/
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* Major Bugaboo, of course, distinguished himself in the trenches in WWI. This is a different bugaboo altogether.
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^^^^ Thanks Mark. So another option could be the find a donor power pack from a used 780? Is the pack used for each channel identical or specific to L/R?
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I am not 100% sure, if the STK-0050 is a mono pack, it'll use two; if it's a stereo pack, it'll use one.
EDIT: looks to be mono:
https://www.digchip.com/datasheets/parts/datasheet/922/STK0050-pdf.php
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OMG! Professor does have an 8-track player! Don’t get me started, again! Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD. -
Brings back memories of my first real system. Stationed in Germany 1976-1979 I ended up with the Pioneer SX-1050, Teac A-6300 reel to reel, Dual 721 turntable, Fisher Studio Standard Cassette Deck which at the time it came out had comparable measurements to reel to reel decks, and ta da......Bose 901's!2 channel - Willsenton R8 tube integrated, Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE DAC, audio optimized NUC7i5, Windows 10 Pro/JRiver MC29/Fidelizer Plus 8.7 w/LPS and external SSD drive, PS Audio PerfectWave P3 regenerator, KEF R3 speakers, Rythmik F12SE subwoofer, Audioquest Diamond USB cable, Gabriel Gold IC's, Morrow Audio SP5 speaker cables. Computer - Windows 10/JRiver, Schiit Magni 3+/Modi 3+, Fostex PMO.4n monitors, Sennheiser HD600 headphones
