Vintage Receiver or Modern? Pioneer SX-828 vs Yamaha R-S300

I love vintage gear, but I was given this Yamaha from the teens, and it sounds pretty good. But, does it hold a candle to the mighty Pioneer SX-828? Aesthetically, it's no contest, but the sound is a closer call.

[auntmaryspals]

I found a sx 828 probably fifteen years ago at a yard sale and didn't have to pay much for it. My brother was very good at working on old radios and did all the necessary repairs to it. He passed away a few years ago, so I hope it stays running well. Sansui was what I had in the 70's.

[tigerbalm]

I has a '73 SX747...sounds great! Replaced with ceramic fuses and LED bulbs. But the warm glow from the face and real metal knobs is just pure magic...

[hanksta]

Good one. I like the relaxed, conversational approach. I understand we all are subject to being biased based towards our gear's characteristics based on emotions, sentimentality, sweat equity, nostalgia, etc. Nice bonus at the end.

[gilbertwashburn]

Thanks for the video I've been buying and fixing electronics for 50 years I'm old but I found a Yamaha dspa1 in snowbank about 5 years ago I dried it out figured out that the display was gibberish and after reflowing 132 pin jacks on a display board it works like a million bucks what an awesome amplifier look it up Yamaha dspa1 it was their flagship I use it in two channels it's wonderful but if someone don't have the skills to figure out what's wrong or solder all those connections well there's issues have a great day good luck hunting I'm done buying anything I have enough to fix have a great day

[vextr]

This vid came up on recommendations. I noticed the Pioneer because I have the Pioneer SX-990 I got from my father who bought it in the early 1970s. As a kid I remember we were not aloud to touch it at all. I still have it in storage and for the most part it still works although some of the pots need cleaning and some of the bulbs are burnt out. I have the original Pioneer speakers it came with. I currently use them in my garage.

[ldwahl]

I purchased the Pioneer along with Altec Segovia speakers in 72, while stationed in Germany. Great memories.

[krisn]

The vintage units from the 70’s are the way to go. I have two Pioneer receivers. An SX1000TW and an SX680. They have very different sounds. The SX1000 has a dark, warm tone and the SX680 has some bite to it. I pair the SX1000 with sensitive speakers and the SX680 with less sensitive speakers to take the edge off just a little. Both are fantastic.

[a]

I bought the Yamaha a few years back for 30€, use it with Pioneer Hpm 60 speakers . I like it a lot and friends also say that it sounds very good . Thanks for this video !

[Parallax]

I think your analysis is pretty spot on. I have some vintage Marantz's that sound noticeably better than a 2010 Marantz but it's not a huge difference. If I hook up my 2005 surround sound Denon, it holds its own. I think the best value right now is in the 2000 to 2010 equipment. It's plentiful and one can buy for pennies on the dollar originally spent.

The same was true of the vintage stuff 20 years ago. People were throwing it away. Now it's shocking how much my old stuff is worth. But I won't sell the old stuff. I get the most satisfaction from my old stuff and it's not all about the sounds, though in part it is. But it's also the way it looks and feels, and the fact that I love it. It has character. I own Marantz receivers not because they sound better than Sansuis or Pioneers or similar vintage. They don't. But the way they look left me willing to pay the Marantz tax. We're human beings. We're not meant to be overly logical. The mind can guide and temper the heart but the heart is where real satisfaction resides.

[crodrig]

I have a sansui 6060 that recently crapped out and a friend gifted me an old optimus 90 watt pro logic receiver that ive been using until i get it fixed. The differences were immediately apparent but its really not that bad. I miss the og though! Also bought a sansui au101 to start kinda fiddling around learning electronics with. Should be here any day now... The next would be a tube amp once i can learn how to build a good one. Really like your videos.

[leemelone]

I had a Marantz 4415 Quadradial with SQ decoder. I took very good care of it and had it serviced. I wish I still had it.

[webman]

I used to have a Pioneer SX-450 from 1977 up until 2001 when I got a divorce and forgot it in a spare room, and I haven`t had anything decent quality since with just Amazon Echos that didn`t do music any justice. I finally said to myself that I missed a decent system that wouldn`t break the bank so I bought a Sony STR-DH190 with Sony SSCS5 3-Way 3-Driver Bookshelf Speakers and a Sony SACS9 10-Inch Active Subwoofer, and I have to say that it sounds so good that I almost feel like it`s 1977 again!

[TheAgeOfAnalog]

Ha! That RLJ is one of my primary reference discs as well. Good stuff.

[luisdiaz]

It’s a matter of how we perceive the sound. You could have the best speakers and receivers and if are kind of hearing impaired you’re done.

[hippydippy]

As a vintage collector, using a totally restored Sansui 9090 DB for my main receiver, I totally agree on all counts mate. The Yamaha sound is pretty darn good for the money, but you'll be more than likely be buying a new one every 3 years & it'll end up in a scarp pile, while the Pioneer will last for decades & looks 10 times better.

[Duane-ss]

Why are all modern receivers just a black box? They are ugly. Receivers from the 70’s were beautiful. Something special.

[toanduong]

Your comparison is on point and accurate, IMO. The Yamaha has that clean/clear and LEAN "house" signature sound no matter if it is amplifier, speakers, signal processor, etc., maybe too much so. The Pioneer is just more tuneful with forward midbass and midrange. Not a double-blind test, but I bet you would know immediately if your long-term amp was switched without your knowledge.

The Dg-SE1 bonus is a nice touch! Nice-relaxed tube sound.

[dylanemeraldgrey]

I like these comparisons. I'm even more interested in vintage vs. new speakers. The consensus seems to be that speaker technology has now progressed so much that, all things considered, they are better than vintage speakers. Or at the very least that you can get new excellent - even "end game" - speakers for a fraction of what you used to have to spend. I haven't been able to do enough comparisons on my own, but i think it's an interesting topic. Anyway, thanks for the video. You got another subscription. - Cheers

[brooklynbummer]

From my own experience is that some vintage receivers were well built but one common thing was that they had many features.

[bobgauthier]

Listening to pink Floyd Money on my sx1250 Pioneer right now. Hard to beat that. 😮