This episode of kitchen table electronics repair, a very nice Pioneer VSX-24TX Elite receiver is repaired and demonstrated. This will probably be replacing the VSX-820-K, as the 820-k just have to many things I don't like...
I used to have the VSX-27TX. It was the best sounding receiver I’ve ever had. Wonderful, warm sounding amp. None of the later pioneer elite receivers I had ever sounded nearly as good. Nice find on your part
The late 90's early 2000's were probably the Last years of the Decent Elite series line. As one of the comments pointed out that they were a Bear to service but were still made with quality components and had Very Good R&D. The Last Elite receive I tore down had Output Modules that had to be replaced as a Whole And couldn't be component level repaired supposably. Around a $150 Apiece. I doubt if the customer gave much more than that for it, (Unless they got it has a Rent to Own outfit special)!
My 15yr old unit got repaired successfully. The local shop had a guy who's worked on these things for a while. He said it was a b*tch getting it apart with all the soldering a huge heat sinks lol He went the extra mile. It had a problem switching input signals. He replaced the power drive in the front as I understood it. He replaced (6) dry capacitors. He had to take the volume dial apart. I said he didn't have to fix it but my remote volume buttons don't work and it was easier for him to use the dial instead of a universal remote as he worked on it. $103.50 materials. Only $139 labor. $258 incl tax. (1% cash back on Visa lol). Even the lady at the front desk said it sounded good and he had it hooked up to tiny speakers. It kicks the crap out of the VSX-524 I tried from Best Buy. That thing doesn't sound much better than the Samsung plasma TV speakers. It made my Def Tech speakers sound bad lol The 24TX has a rich, warm, deep, more 'analog-than-digital' sound. If it holds up it's well worth the repair. The logic board is down the right side (if you're facing the front). If that goes it'll be time to buy a new receiver.
I have the elite 24tx model a few weeks pass the sound its stopped here and there and one day we heard a little sound and then nothing more I have no sound coming out would you have any idea?
I found one these at Goodwill the power switch was broken so paid for it and asked them to hold until the following day. It was a really nice receiver. They placed it in the back room and it disappeared the next day.
I have the VSX-54TX. Had the same problems mentioned. Volume pot response was intermittent. Took it apart and cleaned some of the grease (Pioneer used this to lube the shaft) off of the disc, etc .that had oozed in over time. System counts pulses and direction off this to change volume. Input selection (on mine) has a knob also, but the titles are changed using the setup function with the a/v cable to a tv. Check the instruction manual. Mine works perfectly now.
Let me comment just a really quick one: Rubicons and Nippon Chemi-cons are good but definitely just behind Nichicon-s and ELNA-s and maybe Panasonic line. Anyway it was a nice catch for sure. :)
I just found a discarded VSX-37TX this morning. unfortunately I don't think it works. I do have a confession though that I never had a surround sound system so I'm not even sure how to hook it up. I plugged it in and the standby light comes on as well as the selector light but I cant get it to do anything else. I attempted to hook it up to my LD player via RCA and S-video but I couldn't get it to do anything. the front panel display also never displayed anything. its a shame it would of looked nice with the LD/DVD combo player. I guess maybe it was discarded for a good reason.
I still have my original 1999 VSX-24TX. I also saved the box & instructions. The unit weighs 31lbs by itself. The volume knob has done that exact same thing on mine for years. The volume buttons on the remote are worn out. The material they use on the buttons gets really sticky. It hasn’t been switching input signals very well lately. It’s always made a loud clicking sound when it switches signals. It either won’t play the audio, or I have to cycle thru the inputs several times until it does. Would you know what that problem might be? What’s your opinion on how it sounds compared to your VSX-820-K? On one hand I’d like to get it fixed. But it would have to be shipped to a repair center and the weight isn’t cheap. It’s also hard to say how long it would last until something else goes on it. However as you can see from yours the old Elite’s are built to last. Something tells me they last longer than new ones : I've been spoiled by the sound quality all these years. I use Definitive Technology home theater speakers. What gauge speaker wires do you use? A home theater store way back then sold me very thick gauge wires they were getting rid of that I use with banana plugs. They're too thick for spring clips like the VSX-524.
This VSX-24TX has been working pretty much flawlessly, though the volume knob does still act up once in awhile, and my remote has the same problems as yours. Even after cleaning it, it still has that sticky issue, and only certain buttons are working. I could try the pencil trick on the pads but, it's not a big deal as I just use a universal. The modern Pioneer equipment is built by Sherwood, as I think are a lot of other brands as well, and it seems like there are a lot of people that have failures of one kind or another with these newer receivers fairly short in their life, at least that's what seems to be when I googled about the 820K, lots of problems. I think the sound quality is better than the 820K was, but then again I couldn't get access to the bass and treble adjustments so it is hard to compare without that. Still though, I think this one has a bit of an edge in that department. Features, it is about the same as the 820K, and the OSD is virtually identical. RU-vid user VintageStereo just did a review on a Yamaha receiver made in 2010 that you might watch, though I would bet money that receiver was also built by Sherwood. He quite liked the sound a lot. He has a lot of reviews in general on stereo receivers, modern and vintage.
WaybackTECH Thanx for the feedback! That's what service centers have been telling me that the new stuff is junk. I found a service place in town a couple miles down the road that's been around forever my Mom remembered. My Dad actually played softball for them in the 70's and my friend did sub-contracting appliance repair for them lol They took a look at it and will fix the 24TX for $250. They put in a lot of hours taking it apart. I think there's a lot of soldering. I think the guy was surprised I'd have it fixed. But it's still less than a new one. They said some small common parts were ready to go so that's not a bad thing to have it done all at once. I'll try to remember to post what parts they actually replaced. They said I can come down and listen to it before I haul it back. I gave them the link to this video to explain what you used on the volume dial ; The Elite sounds a lot better than a VSX-524-K I tried open box from Best Buy. The BB Elite Rewards return policy is 30-days. So I'll keep it 'til I get the Elite fixed lol But that's why I wondered if the 524 is the same sound as the 820 just with bare bones inputs. The MCACC automatic setup with the microphone seemed to set the channel levels and speaker distance accurately. I wish the 24TX had that. It took me a long time to dial the settings in manually when I moved. But yeah hands down the Elite a richer smoother warmer almost analog in a good way natural sound compared to the 524. Combined with Definitive Technology speakers you'd never get listening fatigue if you sat there all day. My 1999 Pioneer Elite DV-05 DVD player is an awesome player as well. It just won't play typical scratched discs from the local Library. I use a Sony for those. The only goofy thing is it closes the tray when I open it so I have to plop the disc in quick. It'd be interesting to compare it to a Blu-ray player. I can imagine how cheap the parts are in those things.
amusement420 $250 really isn't bad at all. I think the main difference between older stuff and stuff today is, the stuff today is meant to be just good enough to get by with, and to be tossed and buy new. It is light weight, flimsy casing, and from what I see, the build quality is pretty much the same on receivers today. Very basic displays, very neutral sounding. You look at the insides of the 820K, which is basically the same as anything else on the market today, and compare that to the insides of the 24TX, it is a startling difference. I do not see how they can honestly rate 100+ W of power on modern receivers when they use thin solid core ribbon cable between the amp and the speaker terminals. Seems like that stuff would just melt if it was ever really put to the test. I do wish the 24TX would push bass to the front / rear, instead of the electronic crossover sending it all to the sub output, when the sub is disabled and listening in stereo. It sends some bass but not the pounding bass that my Fisher 871 can do, or the Sherwood from 1989 I had, or even my Kenwood KR9940. That is something I will not understand. There is no reason for a 70W or higher per channel receiver to need a powered sub. Heck even my Pioneer sx-680 with it's 35W per channel can hit pretty good. If you have small bookshelf theater speakers and a sub setup going, then I can understand it but, there should be a way to just listen to it as a traditional 2CH receiver/amp with all frequencies going to the speakers like pre-97 or so receivers did. That is my complaint about AV receivers in general and why I was shocked at how much power that old Sherwood AV receiver actually delivered to the speakers, and it was a 70WPC rated receiver also.
That’s interesting. I use a powered Sub woofer so I never thought of that. MY FL and FR are set to small and the crossover 80Hz. If I set them to large it sends less to the SW. And probably even less if the X-over was set at 100Hz(?) You’re probably more of an audiophile. I mainly use it for for home theater. HDTV sounds better in stereo with a little bit of the sub but not too much. The SW db is set lower for Stereo than when I use full surround for movies. I stick to the ‘Standard’ receiver setting for home theater. Sometimes Midnight mode. Audio-wise I have a Police DTS audio disc. I can’t say I like surround sound music. Not really fair to say since I only have that one. I used the 24TX and a turntable to record vinyl to my Mac many years ago via Spin Doctor and Roxio Toast Titanium software. I should have offered a service doing that since it was all hooked up ; I use speakers designed for a small home theater setup. Definitive Technology Pro Cinema 200 FL and FR, Pro Cinema 100 SL and SR, a Pro Monitor 100 SW, and a CLR 2000 Center. The reason for that big 35lb speaker is the small Pro Cinema 200 center speaker that was designed for the others sounded too small and exhibited dialogue sibilance. When someone spoke an ‘S’ sound it was really noticeable and annoying. ‘CLR’ means it can be used as a Center, Left or Right. You may be amused to hear the home theater/stereo store that sold me those in 1999 gave me 12 gauge(!) speaker wire they were trying to get rid of. It’s like a fire hose lol They didn’t stay too well in the VSX-524 spring clips. I got good banana plugs for the 24TX. I’d like to do a test versus lamp cord to see if that much copper really makes a difference lol Another reason for fixing the Elite is I don’t need HDMI switching. Poor HDMI connections are one big problem I’ve read about on the new receivers. Bottom line I was pleased with the sound back in 1999 and still am. If I have to get the 24TX fixed in the future I’d probably do it. I’m glad they still make parts for it.
+WaybackTECH I can't remember if I mentioned I was able to get my 24TX fixed after all. He replaced old capacitors and fixed the volume knob. And the problem with the receiver not making any sound for a few minutes when turned on was the board on the side. No one stocks that anymore of course. He blew dust out of it. I brought it home and it works fine. It's acted up a couple times for no reason but so far so good (fingers crossed). It sure sounds a heck of a lot better than the low end junk lol even the lady who answers the phones there remarked at how good it sounded ;
A stereo that turns off immediately after being turned on means it is going into protection mode ( usually ) because there is a short somewhere inside of the unit it is detecting so it kills power before anything else goes up in flame. Probably a bad transistor is what usually ends up being the case.
hi mi pioneer elite is the same but only works direct function the stereo no works i know a some things about electronic. you cant tell me what i have fixed element? some times works but turn off and stereo function not works
Hi, I have a rx-v3900 yamaha turn on ok but the symptom is that when turning up the volume it goes off Where do you suggest that may be the problem? Thank you
Joshua's Recordings The only thing I noticed with " midnight " is it it emphasizes the bass frequency to the speakers and sub a bit more than loudness does.
Midnight should be the opposite of loudness for late night, quieter, neighbor friendly listening. Bass is de-emphasized in comparison to the rest of the source material.
Hi from Russia! Nobody can help me with a solution( I hope for you! Pioneer VSX 923 Receiver randomly turns off on -30 - 26 dZb. and blinks FL OFF or Ipod light . Sound system - Monitor Audio Bronze BX5. It is switched off even at one connected channel.