Dug out the SX-780...

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 - Amplifier: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: PSB Imagine T2
Post edited by steveinaz on
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Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, PASS ACA 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: , Antique Sound Labs Wave AV-8 Monoblocks, Tisbury Mini Passive Pre, 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
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
Mine is on a shelf for now.
Delivers a great sound with my DM4's.
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.
Gotta say I’d love to hear that pairing!
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!
Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, PASS ACA 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: , Antique Sound Labs Wave AV-8 Monoblocks, Tisbury Mini Passive Pre, 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
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
I need to make a correction: Nichicon capacitors.
Sweet reciever!
Game Room HT: Denon AVR-X4200w; Definitive Technology SM350; Definitive Technology LCR2000; Definitive Technology Procinema 800; Mirage Nanasats; Sub - HSU VTF-2 MK5; LG UP870 4K BDP;
; Master Bedroom
Cambridge Azur 551r; Definitive Technology SM45, ACI Titan Subwoofer Squeezebox Touch
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.
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.
Next time for sure!
I graduated from freaking college in 1980...
Nice lookin' SX-780
source: http://www.kallhovde.com/pioneer/sx-780om.pdf
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...
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.
Sorry!
Unfortunately, I don't know squat 'bout no SX-780
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.
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/
_________________
* Major Bugaboo, of course, distinguished himself in the trenches in WWI. This is a different bugaboo altogether.
EDIT: looks to be mono:
https://www.digchip.com/datasheets/parts/datasheet/922/STK0050-pdf.php
Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, PASS ACA 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: , Antique Sound Labs Wave AV-8 Monoblocks, Tisbury Mini Passive Pre, 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
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
2 channel - PS Audio Stellar S300 amp, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, audio optimized NUC7i5 running Windows 10 Pro/JRiver MC24, Matrix X-SPDIF 2 USB interface, Blackbird SSD dock with 500 GB Samsung 860 EVO, Tom Tutay modded EE Minimax preamp, Furman Elite 15 Pfi power conditioner, Martin Logan Electromotion ESL speakers, Rythmik F12SE subwoofer, Kimber 4TC speaker wire, Gabriel Gold Reflection V2 IC's, VH Audio power cords, Wireworld USB and HDMI/I2S cables
Computer - Windows 7/JRiver, Topping D10 DAC, Fostex PMO.4n monitors