Pioneer SX 838
Documentation on the Pioneer SX 838 is thin. The surviving record is almost entirely period advertisements that grouped it with its bigger siblings, the SX-939 and SX-1010. What those ads confirm: the SX 838 was an AM-FM stereo receiver introduced in 1974 at a list price of $499.95, as stated in HiFI-Stereo (May 1974, p.5). It shared the family's "ultra wide tuning dial," FM and audio muting, loudness contour, hi/low filters, dual tuning meters, and a selector that permitted FM recording while listening to records. Up to three pairs of speakers could be connected. The ads also promoted a "safe circuit" that protected speakers and circuitry from overloading.
No independent laboratory measurements or detailed reviews have surfaced in the provided research. Power output, THD, frequency response and most other specifications are not documented here. The SX 838 appears to have been the "entry" model of that 1974 flagship trio, sitting below the SX-939 and the 100-watt SX-1010, but no firm wattage claim appears in the available ad copy. Collectors today often associate the SX 838 with Pioneer's silver-face era. Market values, restoration notes and sound character reports are absent from the known record. If you own one or have period documentation, the Archive would welcome a contribution.
Known Specs
- Type: AM/FM stereo receiver
- Original price: $499.95 (1974)
- Notable features: FM/audio muting, loudness contour, hi/low filters, dual tuning meters, three-pair speaker switching, overload protection circuit
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