Pioneer Quad Plan

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Mr Row

Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2019
Messages
10
Location
Ontario
Hello
Looking to adjust my current set up to add the ability to play Quad 8 track and Quad LPs.
I currently have Pioneer SA 8500ii integrated amp and Pioneer SX 780 stereo reciever.
My plan is to add a Pioneer QC 800a quad preamp. Use the SA 8500ii power amp (bypass its internal preamp) for the front channel and the SX 780 for the rear.
Looking experienced opinions of how well this will work or not.
 
If i were you, i would get a 4 channel amp (adcom makes a great one) and use the quad pre amp with it. Another way is to just use the 8500 and 780 together, one for the fronts and one for the rears (you dont need the quad pre amp then). If the 780 has the pre amp/amp separation jacks like the 8500 you would use the quad preamp to control the music and the amps separately.
 
If i were you, i would get a 4 channel amp (adcom makes a great one) and use the quad pre amp with it. Another way is to just use the 8500 and 780 together, one for the fronts and one for the rears (you dont need the quad pre amp then). If the 780 has the pre amp/amp separation jacks like the 8500 you would use the quad preamp to control the music and the amps separately.
I would need an sq decoder then? which is in the qc 800a.
 
Should have mentioned any new quad unit needs to match my current vintage gear.
38770
 
Sounds like you must use the quad preamp (for the sq decoder), so the question is can you separate the pre amp from the amp on the 780. If you cant use the amp separately on the 780, then you will have to come up with another amp. Ideal situation is your quad preamp (really cool) and a 4 channel amp. By the way, I have a pioneer SX-680 that does not have separate pre amp in/out jacks. There are lots of options depending on how much money you want to spend and on what you want to spend it on. If you want to spend your money on a new decoder with real performance, then see the surroundmaster threads.
 
Mr Row...luv your pioneer system! Pioneer has always been some of my fav gear. One of my systems includes a pioneer SX 950 receiver, CTF-1250 cassette, RG-9800 equalizer and Pioneer elite TZ-7 towers. I got the receiver from an electronics shop that was left for repair and never picked up by the owner. The tech told me it needed new output transistors, which was a very easy and affordable fix. One of these days Im goin to hook up my pioneer HPM 900s to this system. Speaking about the HPM 900's, A while back, I bought a pair of from a yard sale really cheaply, but the guy had thrown out the original woofers when the surrounds rotted and replaced them with some junk woofers. About a year later, I went into a thrift store and sitting in their glorious splendor were a pair of hpm 900s with the original woofers!!! I was able to put a really nice pair together between the two that sound marvelous.
 
Those just look beautiful...and brings back memories for me....IIRC the 8500 was late 70's...and I love your turntable shelf...the Pioneer units and the "blue light" Marantz receivers were just pieces of art..how high is your rack?
 
Sounds like you must use the quad preamp (for the sq decoder), so the question is can you separate the pre amp from the amp on the 780. If you cant use the amp separately on the 780, then you will have to come up with another amp. Ideal situation is your quad preamp (really cool) and a 4 channel amp. By the way, I have a pioneer SX-680 that does not have separate pre amp in/out jacks. There are lots of options depending on how much money you want to spend and on what you want to spend it on. If you want to spend your money on a new decoder with real performance, then see the surroundmaster threads.
its an obviously flaw in my plan which i was afraid of......So i guess what i would like to clarify is....the rear channel can't be sent through an integrated amp or stereo reciever unless you can bypass the internal preamp. I guess you would be double preamping the rear channel. Has anyone tried this and what is the result?
 
I wouldn't suggest it. In the long run I dont think you would be happy with the sound with the system hooked up that way (distortion). It could possibly damage the preamp that gets the already preamped signal, not to mention the fact that it could blow speakers. But then, I've never tried it (If you try it let me know how it works). Check your local pawn shops or thrift stores for a 2 channel power amp, thats all you need. I've purchased power amps for as low as $20 and seen 3 kenwood power amps in thrift stores in the last year or so in that price range. I bought one and it kicks tail. What is nice about your quad preamp is controlling all 4 channels from a single point. This would be a great system for SQ vinyl and 8 track quads. I use an equalizer for both front and back channels (quad equalizer anyone) which in my opinion is required for making classic 4ch quad sound good. At some point in the future you could also use this system for multi channel sacds,dvd audios and blurays by getting a player and setting it to 4 large speakers but you need a player that has analogue outs and decodes the quad signal in the player (Oppo's)
 
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What are your thoughts on the Sony SQD 2020?


I’ve had a Sony SQD-2020 for years. It was probably the best SQ decoder that any of the mainstream international HiFi brands produced before they ditched the whole idea. It is of a later design than the decoder in the Pioneer pre-amp and is much more sophisticated. It is far from perfect however, and whilst it generally sounds decent and offers reasonably good separation you can hear the logic circuitry working on some material. A great vintage buy if you can find one in ‘as new’ condition (if they haven’t been looked after the push button switches can go noisy for example). Mine is only for show now (the meters look funky!) as I use the far superior Involve Surround Master exclusively for SQ & QS decoding.
 
Hey Row, whats that piece at the bottom of the stack? It looks like you have the pioneer dynamic range unit on top. I think you're going to have to bite the bullet and add the Spec 1 power amp (or similar) to match stuff in your rack along with the surround master and 2 more hpm 100's. I helped a friend set up a system way back when with a Spec 2 preamp and HPM 100's. I have 2 pioneer integrated amps and love their looks. Ive seen a few of the bigger integrated pioneers in thrifts but they were always priced $300 plus. I remember one was really nice and the next time I went in to see if the price had been reduced, all the knobs were gone!. In all of my searching for classic electronics, Ive always wanted a rack but never came across one. They must have only been available in japan or maybe just the east and west coasts of the US. I don't remember ever seeing a rack similar to yours in a stereo shop.
 
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Hey Row, whats that piece at the bottom of the stack? It looks like you have the pioneer dynamic range unit on top. I think you're going to have to bite the bullet and add the Spec 1 power amp (or similar) to match stuff in your rack along with the surround master and 2 more hpm 100's. I helped a friend set up a system way back when with a Spec 2 preamp and HPM 100's. I have 2 pioneer integrated amps and love their looks. Ive seen a few of the bigger integrated pioneers in thrifts but they were always priced $300 plus. I remember one was really nice and the next time I went in to see if the price had been reduced, all the knobs were gone!. In all of my searching for classic electronics, Ive always wanted a rack but never came across one. They must have only been available in japan or maybe just the east and west coasts of the US. I don't remember ever seeing a rack similar to yours in a stereo shop.
The piece at the bottom is a Sony DVP CX777ES. 400 disc changer. The rack is by Chatsworth for computer servers. Same size a hole patterns as audio racks.
 
I’ve had a Sony SQD-2020 for years. It was probably the best SQ decoder that any of the mainstream international HiFi brands produced before they ditched the whole idea. It is of a later design than the decoder in the Pioneer pre-amp and is much more sophisticated. It is far from perfect however, and whilst it generally sounds decent and offers reasonably good separation you can hear the logic circuitry working on some material. A great vintage buy if you can find one in ‘as new’ condition (if they haven’t been looked after the push button switches can go noisy for example). Mine is only for show now (the meters look funky!) as I use the far superior Involve Surround Master exclusively for SQ & QS decoding.
So how could I hook up the Sony SQD 2020 to my current system? Not clear weather it has a preamp in it?
 
Need some input on my revised plan.
I currently have Pioneer SA 8500ii integrated amp and Pioneer SX 780 stereo reciever.
My plan is to add a Sony SQD 2020 . Use the sx 780 for the front channels and SA 8500ii power amp (bypass its internal preamp) for the rear
Looking experienced opinions of how well this will work or not.
 
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