General Asylum: Pioneer SX-780 Receiver by johnda1237@hotmail.com

Great review!

I picked up my SX-780 at an estate sale last summer. It was in my basement driving a pair of AR4x speakers and a pair of Fisher floor standing speakers until I finally couldn't stand my living room's late model Sony STR-AV 1020's blacked out face any longer. I think that unit must have the most complicated front face in the universe! So, in went the SX-780 and out went the STR-AV 1020, currently on R&R. The SX-780 has been just great. No snaps crackles or pops thanks to the high quality pots. I'm not interested in surround, Dolby, etc. and just like good old normal stereo so the SX-780 is just fine. I did add an outboard aux input box from Radio Shack to increase my audio choices (Cable,DVD, CD)but that's all she needed. I first thought the FM performance was on the weak side and actually thought the mute system was needing fixing, but it turned out to be a loose connection to the FM antenna. Once I discovered the loose connection the other day and fixed that, the FM performance was right up there. What can I say, it's a great looking unit with those power level meters, silver easy to read face, and well laid out controls. The sound is excellent on my AR 215SP speakers and I'm hoping to make a real estate deal with my wife in the fall and get a pair of 60's vintage KLH Six speakers, which I have just finished cleaning, up into the living room on either side of the fireplace for some real good classical listening this winter when the winter winds come howling across the water. Ahhhhhh, life is good!