Q8: Pioneer QT-2100

QuadraphonicQuad

Help Support QuadraphonicQuad:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Quad Linda

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 3, 2011
Messages
10,728
Location
DROP YOUR WAD ON QUAD Chicago, Illinois
Pioneer QT-2100 Q8 Player
Vintage: 1972
Rarity: Scarce


qt-2100.JPG
 
Last edited:
I have one of these, along with a repair manual, that I was going to attempt to "fix up". It's been sitting for probably 3 years, and I'm never going to get to it, so if anyone is interested in trying their hand at it, shoot me a PM with an offer. I bought this one on eBay for too much a few years ago ($200+). I doubt I'll recover my cost, but give it a shot if you want to try.
 
So the question for me is do i want this one too because I'm actually a hoarder or because I may need some parts for mine? I'll give you 200.00 (US) plus the cost to ship but i don't want to analyse my reasoning too closely.

ken
 
Part of me thought about buying this but I just bought one Pioneer Q8 player. I should let myself be content. Hopefully between having two, 66Grandeguy can easily put together one in good working/cosmetic condition.
 
Although QH-44 and QT-2100 are from different generations, I suspect that there is little or no difference in fidelity. I don't recall ever getting the opportunity to A/B them, or us having both in our store at the same time.

Part of me thought about buying this but I just bought one Pioneer Q8 player. I should let myself be content. Hopefully between having two, 66Grandeguy can easily put together one in good working/cosmetic condition.
 
OK! Its a deal! Just so you know if i can get it working my intention is to rig up a quad setup as well in my summer travelling home. I love retro stuff and the music that goes with it.trailer side shot.jpg
 
I will post some pictures of the unit I have here tomorrow. I forgot how heavy this monster was! :)
 
Some pictures (Taken with my iPhone because my "real" camera batteries were dead) of the unit I bought off eBay a while ago:


Pioneer QT-2100 w/Service Manual
Deck.jpg



A look at the playback head
Heads.jpg



With the top off the unit
Inside.jpg


The funky "oil" filler deal (?)
Oil.jpg



The blurry back (sorry)
)
Back.jpg
 
That machine looks great! I think you said that you needed to work on it, whats wrong with it? It appears to be mighty clean. That head looks great.

My QH-44 I just got sounds great, but there is a good amount of head wear and some oxidation.

But in any case! Great deck! I hope I luck upon one someday in my Thrift Store/Yard Sale/Flea Market hunting.
 
Hi Q8, I actually think his unit is nicer than the one I'm presently using so I'm really glad to be getting it. However I don't know if I mentioned that i actually have a QH 44 that I bought some time ago. I had wanted it for a spare etc. but since this big fellow is coming I coudl be easily talked out of it if you want another one.... i could post pictures etc if you are interested.


Its kind of interesting that his machine is missing the two knob covers that mine has and mine is missing the one cover that his has. Its cosmic!


ken
 
Last edited:
Hi Q8, I actually think his unit is nicer than the one I'm presently using so I'm really glad to be getting it. However I don't know if I mentioned that i actually have a QH 44 that I bought some time ago. I had wanted it for a spare etc. but since this big fellow is coming I coudl be easily talked out of it if you want another one.... i could post pictures etc if you are interested.


Its kind of interesting that his machine is missing the two knob covers that mine has and mine is missing the one cover that his has. Its cosmic!


ken


Yeah, the tape bay on his machine looks so clean you could eat off of it. What is the head condition of the unit you have? Feel free to post some pics. You can PM me with what you are thinking on price and I may consider it. Doesn't hurt to have a backup/parts unit.

Thanks!
 
Here are pics of the QH44. I cleaned the head but you may still be able to see in my slightly blurry picture (couldn't quite get it to focus on the head) that there something on there. Oxidation?, Stubbern crud? It plays OK and switched tracks like it should although it had trouble pulling some of my tapes at the proper speed If your still interested PM me.

ken

deck1.jpg
deck2.jpg
Deck3.jpg
Deck4.jpg
 
I took some closer looks at the QT-2100. Is it meant to be a stand alone amp/Q8 player? I say that because of the size and the fact that it has volume controlls. Also it has a large heat vent and a fuse access on the back, so I'm guessing it has an amp in there so you could plug speakers directly to the unit if you want. Am I right that it is also a small amp?
 
Well my QT-2100 is on it's way to the outer reaches of Canada! I hope it survives the journey, and that Ken can get one great machine by combining the best of the two machines he'll have. I just hope it was worth it.

Q8 - I don't think there's an amplifier in the thing, although it seems to be heavy enough to have a washing machine in it! It was 28 pounds to ship. Since I never used it, I really don't know the significance of the volume control.
 
The one I've been using for years in the outer reaches of canada (even north of Lacombe!) is not a standalone unit. You need to run it through amps but I guess the volume control was so that you could control all the outputs the same amount. It may have predated most quad amps so perhaps the thinking was that you'd have to buy two stereo amps which is how I still use it. I find it kind of handy as one of the 2 amps I use is about 15 feet away so it saves me a few steps. It also has that kind of pre LED readout on the 2/4 channel indicator which I find kind of charmingly old fashioned. It is built like a truck and even has an oil reservoir for the motor and the capstan which leads me to think it was built to last, and so far it sure has.
 
I believe the readout is a nixie tube, which is literally a tube where certain filaments light to create numbers and/or letters. They were the predecessors to LED's. It appears to be an IN-1 Nixie. If it is, that would account for the size and weight of the chassis. A Nixie would need a step-up transformer to provide between 180 - 220V, depending on the Nixie device. Add in a large motor, and you'd have a behemoth. Below are pix of a nixie display and nixie tubes:
IN-1: 832151512_d40c898eea_z.jpg
nixie4.jpg
nixie3.jpg

All I could find of a QT-2100 schematic was this: http://www.hifi-manuals.com/521409/Pioneer-QT-2100-schematic.gif
Although I can read schematics, when I blow this up or even leave it original size, it's too damn fuzzy for me to discern the components either in the schematic, or what I assume is the parts list on the upper right.
 
The more we talk about this the more I want one :mad:@: And it's taken me upteen years to get a QH-44, now there's another rare Q8 player I want. Thats even more rare. Ah, the plight of the collector...
 
@ QuadLinda: Without having one myself, i can't be sure, but looking at the 2/4 channel numeric display, I'd say that it is an edge-lit display. One of my comatose Electrophonic stereo 8-track decks uses that for the program indicator, and I have a Zenith Allegro system that uses edge-lit display for its FM/AM dial indication (really cool).
 
Back
Top