The Story of PIONEER and the BEST Vintage Audio Receivers EVER Built! #audio

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One of the BEST SELLING lines EVER was undoubtedly the 1976 Pioneer SX 50 Series. This series included the Pioneer SX-450, SX-550, SX-650, SX-750, SX-850, SX-950, SX-1050, & SX-1250. The Pioneer SX 50 Series may go down as the most popular line in the history of HiFi! Many consider it to be the Best Vintage Audio available. We are going to take a nostalgic ride back in time as we break down and review the Pioneer SX-50 Series from 1976!

My Essential Vintage HiFi Tools
Clean your knobs, switches, and pots with...
Clean Faders & Sliders with...
Clean your faceplates carefully with...

My Essential Vintage HiFi Accessories
Add banana plug terminals to your receiver...
Another option for small speaker terminals...
My Favorite Banana Plugs
Switch Between Multiple Amps & Speakers

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#HiFi #Audio #HomeAudio #Hi-Fi #Audiophile #Vintage

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:33 Pioneer!
02:05 The Pioneer SX 50 series
03:56 Pioneer SX-450
05:03 Pioneer SX-550
06:02 Pioneer SX-650
06:43 Pioneer SX-750
08:17 Pioneer SX-850
09:48 Pioneer SX-950 (kinda)
10:20 Pioneer SX-1050
11:27 Pioneer SX-1250

[Hefty]

I am 67 years old and I bought my Pioneer SX-1250, PL 530, RT-1020H and my CT-750 cassette player. Pair of JBL L200 added a crossover and installed the tweeter in the cabinet when I was 19 years old because I got tired of it sitting on top of the speaker cabinet. I still have them today and I only recently had the SX-1250 rebuilt. It cost me 1000 dollars but what is a great memory worth. Now I listen to it everyday and loving it. Not bad working that many years without stopping. Its still the most beautiful system ever to me. I know other brands are nice but your first love is always the one you gravitate to. Now I would like to have matching numbers in a system but weren't available at the time. Like PL-1250 turntable the CT-1250 cassette player but the RT-909 reel to reel well its so so I think I would keep mine. So that's my system.

[mikeschock]

I have a SX1050 that was passed down to me by my dad. Now that he’s gone, this is one of my most prized possessions! We used to spend hours upon hours listening to this unit. I also have his speakers as well a set of Koss CM-1030’s

[bafoley]

I've seen others post exactly what I'm about to. First, I dig the video. Thank you for making it.

Not long after my dad returned from Vietnam, he bought a Pioneer system straight off the catalogue page: an SX-1010 receiver, the PL-A450 auto turntable, and two CS-99A speakers. Agent Orange caught up with him and eventually took his life in 2006. Long story, short, my sister took the system but did not take care of it. At least she didn't pawn it. She's died sick years later and the stereo sits in my house, covered, doing naught but holding the floorboards down. It might be a lost cause by now but I still hold onto hope that someday, some part if it might be restored.

[deanwhite]

I bought a new Pioneer SX-450 receiver in late 1976. Even at 15 watts per channel it was plenty loud. It performed flawlessly until I purchased a new Yamaha receiver to replace it in 1984. The SX-450 was still perfectly fine and in like new condition. I sold the SX-450. I wish that I still had it. The SX-450 was my first hi-fi receiver. It was a thing of beauty. A real masterpiece. I also had a Pioneer turntable to go with my receiver and a set of Pioneer Aria 50 speakers. I was big on Pioneer back in the day. a lot of other people were too. A shame how Pioneer vanished from the world of hi-fidelity,

[jeffwiegers]

I have had sx 1050 since 77 and i love it.

[AudiophileTubes]

Nice to see a new generation showing so much love and appreciation for this great, classic, well made gear that was popular during what is known as 'THE GOLDEN AGE OF HI-FI'.

[brianboeckl]

Pioneer beauty at it's finest. Still have my near perfect SX780 that I bought in high school and use daily. Thank you guys for a great video and all that you do to keep these vintage receivers alive.

[jasonbrindamour]

Why is turning a large heavy FM tuner knob so satisfying??? It just is!

[christophergetchell]

I have an SX - 737, it's an old heirloom that I cut my teeth on vintage restorations on. It still sounds great today, and I love the blue backlit dial scale and meters!

[karaDee]

I love these Pioneer receivers, and I used to admire all of them in my local Hi-Fi store, which was one of my favorite hangouts to listen to all the latest stuff.
Back in 1975 when I was shopping for a HiFi receiver, I had a budget of about $200, which was a lot for a 15 year old earning money doing babysitting. Most of the Pioneers at that time we're over my budget, so I ended up buying a nice Kenwood demonstration model that I could afford. I think all the Pioneers you showed here came out shortly after I already bought my receiver, which I had kept and used for about 30 years.
Now I listen to a Pioneer SX 780 that I picked up last year, but I still drool over the larger models LOL

[RaiderCBR.]

Good timing on this video. About a month ago I was in my landlords garage looking for some tile sealer. While looking around I hit my shin on a sharp corner, WTF its bleeding and hurts like hell. I looked under the sheet and standing on its side is a mint SX 1250. Called my landlord to ask about the 1250 and she said it was her husbands who passed away soon after purchasing it. She said I can have it if i would like, ah yes I would like. Before getting off the phone she said there might be some speakers in the very big and full garage. HOT DAM, after an hour I found in the original boxes a set of Polk RTA 12b speakers. It took 3 days to find the tweeters, they were still bolted together in the factory wrap with all paperwork. I have the best landlord ever and my neighbors don't like me as much as they did before I set the SX and 12b's up.

[MrTallwilly]

I still have my sx1010 i got from a thrift store in wa state in 1998 for $15 i recently did full rebuild/recap led display bulbs etc. Looks great and sounds great again.

[NeedleDropRules]

Great video. I was glued to it. I love the SX-50 series. I have an SX-750, and just love it. It's powerful, looks beautiful and impressive, has great sound and is built so well. Back when stereos were important and meant to be seen like furniture, and not blend into the background. I think just about everyone who has come into my music room has gravitated to my Pioneer silver faced components. No one has ever done that with my black home entertainment surround receiver. Unless a higher model from the series falls in my lap at a price I can't ignore, I plan on using my SX-750 until I'm dead and gone!

[wmalden]

My first Pioneer was the SX-626. Next (and last) was the SX-980. My brother had the SX-650.

[AFEaglekeeper]

I have the SX626 and love it.... my dad had it mated up to Marantz Imperial 6G speakers and I wish I had those speakers, he gave them away before he passed

[Darrylizer]

I have an SX-850 and I gotta say the pushbuttons, switches and knobs all have a really great weight to them. Very tactile.

[bewilderment]

Spinning that tuning knob brought back memories for me. The two best rock stations were at different ends of t he scale. Get there in a hurry.

[ricke.]

I like me some Pioneer gear!
When our family would go to the department stores in the 1970's, my brother and I would just about run to the electronics area and check out the latest stereos on sale, spinning the controls and flipping the switches. (Fond memories)

[elementkx]

Pioneer NEEDS to bring back the logo. I'd buy more of their stuff just for that.

[stephenstevens]

I was born in 58...so I was a young adult right during the golden age of hifi...the sx series was the most popular during those days. I was a spec 1 fan and owner during those times. Sure do miss those days, and thst gear! Thanks for doing some vintage stuff. May not measure as well as some modern gear, but I'm still a big fan of the sound! ( presently. I'm using vintage SAE gear, so I'm still a fan of the sound!)