Topic: Pioneer integrated amps

[aHobbit]

jojo,

good job! the last pioneer integrated amp i owned was an SA-8800
....

Interestingly, I got a Pioneer SA-8800 sold as is for 1k 2 yrs ago. busted and replaced na yung mga transistor atthe time of my purchase. But this one has no LED display (I wonder yung pix sa internet is different). Maganda pala yung may wood casing siya. Mine has none na, so bare metal - but the front plate is true 5mm aluminum. This is the one I converted into a gainclone amp (with regulated LM338 power supply). I retain the pre-amp (tested in running condition  together with a phono input) and mated to the LM3886 amp.

Its loook + the LM3886 + my own DIY effort makes it difficult for me to part away from this gear. All its knobs and switch holder are solid heavy aluminum. Its still alive and kicking and handling abusive use from me    .

[qguy]

Hi Jojod,

this is getting weird , the A-403 and the  A-405 uses the same  output transistors. Would you mind taking the part number of your transformers and the brand/value of the capacitors, will post mine tomorrow

might as well add that the A-405's power transistors are the more superior Japanese 2SA1302 and has a pair of a bigger and heftier bypass caps at the output stage compared to Rotel ra-02's Rubycon pair... (all the while i thought the rotels use Black Gates but I was wrong)

perhaps the rotels can only brag of with their custom-made torroidal trannys...

 

I was under the impression that they use the same boards for the A-403 and A-405 but with different transistors and tranny specs since the A-405 is a much higher wattage version. 

[JojoD818]

Hi Jojod,

this is getting weird , the A-403 and the  A-405 uses the same  output transistors. Would you mind taking the part number of your transformers and the brand/value of the capacitors, will post mine tomorrow

Sure, I will take some shots of the trany and psu caps. 

[qguy]

no need to take shots, the part number  of the tranny and brand values of the capacitor will be fine - thanks...

[qguy]

my trannies says
Bando ATS1529

Capacitors are "Nichicon" with a value of 10000

[JojoD818]

qguy my man, here it is.

[JojoD818]

my trannies says
Bando ATS1529

Capacitors are "Nichicon" with a value of 10000

looks like we share the same tranny and filter caps.

maybe you should post pics so I can upgrade my 403 into a 405? 

PS: Isn't the brand Bando a fan belt brand for automotive purposes? Hhmmm... I wonder if it's the same company. 

[qguy]

hmmm...is it possible that they just changed the biased of the amp, to improve quality and increased power handling ?.. then sell it for more..hahaha

My amp gets hot even when theres no signal..actuall signal or no signal halos pareho ang  temp niya..

[JojoD818]

hmmm...is it possible that they just changed the biased of the amp, to improve quality and increased power handling ?.. then sell it for more..hahaha

My amp gets hot even when theres no signal..actuall signal or no signal halos pareho ang  temp niya..

 

maybe it's forced more into classA than the 403.

[warmaster]

mukang wala masyado gumagamit dito ng pioneers but i'm currently looking at pioneer integrated amps for audio setup and planning to pair them with wharfedale 9.3. the two models i'm eyeing are the pioneer a209 and the elite model a a-6. any advice on my planned setup?

[ATJr.]

^in the 90's when i operated an electronics repair shop, whe had more Sansui's coming in for repairs than Pioneer amp.......to me that says a lot, and when we do get one for repair, the Pioneers were always easy to repair....

looks like the A-6 is the more audiophile of the two.....but either one will make a good match for you speakers....

[warmaster]

^thanks sir tony. medyo ipon pa ng onti at may kamahalan din yung a-6 compared to the a209 which is under 8k. funny thing is parang mas pinupush pa nung salesman yung a209 over the higher models dahil bang for the buck na raw. pinatest niya sakin yung a209 paired with very small klipsch reference bs and nagulat ako sa power and detail na naproduce nung combination. gusto ko lang maging mas mapili sa audio setup para iwas sa early upgrade syndrome 

[ATJr.]

^i would agree with the salesman, if that is brand new......

[titan]

A technician friend of mine just just sold me a Pioneer A400x(not surplus) recentlly, pa benta lang daw from nung friend nya who works in Japan. Very british sound indeed. Almost the same sound with my Nad 320bee.

[dana]

i still have my silver faced pioneers (vintage ones, as they call it)
1.SA-7800II (w/ VU meters) -powering my HT fronts in ST mode
2.SA-7800 (also with VU meters)- powering my 'artificial' surrounds at the back, in ST mode also.
3.SA-8800II - matched with Victor SX-3, 5II in A+ B ST mode.Also, using the lineouts to avail of phono stage and connected to SET amp
4.SA-8800- back up/tambay
5.UK-3II ('similar' to A400, just volume and selector knob, no B/T controls)-black faced panel, powering up my recently acquired toy, SX-100 single driver speaker sys.
Also have some silver faced tuners.

as you can see,di ko masyado type pioneers (esp. the silver faced ones). konti lan .
soundwise, just match them and fine tune to your taste.

[ATJr.]

^mukha ngan hindi....

[warmaster]

sabi nung salesperson sa 5th avenue wag raw ako bibili ng pioneer integrated amps. siempre nga naman love your own. hehehe

[Euphony101]

I think Pio integ amps are very good amps, I was lucky to get my hands on a A307r and based on my experience with it,  It can still  out performed my Denon 1910 (in music of course) using the same source and speakers. Considering the age of the two gears.... although one might argue that its not really an apple to apple comparison....

[meat_eater]

I'd second that. Just like the Yamaha flagships. Ang AX1, AZ1, are both made in Japan, but the rest, made in Malaysia. Wawa naman tayo.

Always, even with the cars they did.

The infamous Nissan Skyline GTR and the Honda CTR were once JDM exclusives.

[ATJr.]

IME, compared to Sansui's, these Pioneer amps are easier to repair....