I have my Pioneer file changer (100+1 disc), a Sony TC-K65 (all four types, B-C)-really nice and a Teac V-500X (B-C-DBX) because it just works well and keeps going. No phono yet but it's sitting there waiting to be hooked up. The speakers are Realistic Minimus-26, not so common maybe (made for almost one year?) and 40 watts so I can't tickle the bass or loudness too much or they'll clip (POP) but the niceest thing is that I don't NEED to ram it down the wires...lower power is awesome once you have you settings figured.
Radio display problem: In FM all the element are correctly operating-with the exception of the numeric section. It can read 1, 11 or 111 (no places for .00-.90 and YES this set normally displays in .05 MHz increments as well as 1 kHz steps as it was made to tune worldwide and it can be switched between 9 and 10 kHz channels and likewise can be operated at 50/60Hz line frequency and multiple voltages (by a ring switch that must be removed after the fuse cover and reoriented to plug in the needed voltage. trying AM merely gets one of the strength indicators to briefly flicker but no audio yet (I may not have the ferrite antenna extended well yet).
A caution about the voltage control: Like other similarly equipped world voltage capable Pioneers this should be set to 120V. 100 and 110 and over 120 would cause problems and harm the circuitry possibly if you underpower it here and especially where 220-240 is mains voltage.
This beast uses a 10 A power fuse! I'm sure the SX-1980s out there think it's a sissy, of course! Three non-polarized courtesy outlets provide AC power (1 switched, 2 unswitched, 100W max and 200W total unswitched. I'm not sure when polarized plugs were required (between 1980 and '82, 1985 is my best guess on this) but it sure makes trying to conserve the slots on the power strip a pain! Of well, Ground Fault Interruptors probably work best with a common ground I would again guess.
Inputs and interesting features associated:
Tuner buttons FM and AM, AUX, PHONO 1 and 2
MM and MC selector can be applied to either phono and the chosen phono button changes from green to orangish when you switch MM and MC. All the other buttons are only green and they are large and clear.
The rest of this center section has LOUDNESS, -20dB muting and a UNIQUE center volume and balance concentric control that LOOKs much like it's sibling D5000's but they are unique in both cases and do not swap. Monitor 1 and 2, switching to change playbcak and record 1>2 and 2>1 and the adaptor button (made to use the "AM STEREO" adaptor I don't think was ever made)
The left 'pod'/fascia panel has A/B/C speaker selectors (any two can be selected and only two), sliders for bass and treble with switchable crossover points for each, mono/stereo (universal), tone controls defeat and the power fluroscan meters. Below the panel is the power switch and headphone jack. The jack is always live-it functions regardless of and speakers being selected.
The right side panel is the radio center with 6 presets for AM and FM and they are separate unlike the sets that replaced them the next year (like SX-6). No numeric entry, only UP/DOWN SEEK/SCAN that can be automatic or manually tuned. When you reach the desired frequency press MEMORY and the preset button you wish to use. A button is provided to tune in weaker stations the tuner might not pick up normally.
The right side Fluroscan tube shows AM or FM and five "flags" to show the strength of the signal. An unusual feature, then and now is the complete absense or a STEREO lamp or even the word! When tuning is locked in a small vertical line appears and the MPX stereo decoder opens up. Apparently Pioneer was so confident in the tuner that they could afford to get rid of the pilot lamp as we know it.
This set was truly alien and not alien at the same time. Remove the face and it resembles a strange looking SX-1280. The next years' models were a completely different breed and Pioneers would never be the same.
This was Pioneer's goodbye set for the old ways. It's weird but it still feels familiar when you use it a while.
That's why I'm looking for the USB floppy drive because IT'S HERE.