Pioneer SA-606 Amp and TX-606 Tuner Combo

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Matt Williams

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Joined 2025
#1
Hello,

I'm thinking about buying my first piece of vintage audio. I'm looking at a Pioneer SA-606 Amp and TX-606 Tuner Combo. I've never seen these models before and can't find much info online (I know, bad sign). Just wondering if anyone knows anything about them?

Thank you,

Matt
 
#6
Like @rayma said... what is the condition of these units.? eBay is a cesspit and there are many sellers that are plain hucksters..

link wise... try going into hifiengine.com and search for pioneer sa606

https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/pioneer/sa-606.shtml
https://www.hifiengine.com/search_results.php?q=pioneer+sa606

Make a reasonable offer, they've been recapped, but how about the rest?.... I got these, rebuilt, with new ( NOS) output transistors. ( Myself, I avoid eBay and Reverb.. but this gives you an idea ).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1164799996...MIq6mty6KejAMVL8_CBB1WZgHjEAQYAiABEgLXmvD_BwE

There are so many such amps... IMHO, there are a bunch of excellent Kenwoods from the time... I just don't see what makes that particular Pioneer pair worthwhile, unless you are collecting them... Avoid Marantz as they are grossly overpriced.

Have you researched this purchase or is this just a spur of the moment?

https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=pioneer+sa+606
 
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#7
Here's an idea.... the monitor amps are lots more reliable... the PE amps had an issue with the relay.

But as you can see... this stuff sounds FAR, FAR, FAR, FAR better than most of the stuff from the 70s.

I'm not sure if the 1600 preamp/tuner has a remote. I have the 1700 which does. Oddly enough the part of the 1700 that had to be rebuilt is the ribbon cable for the remote controlled volume... I had it rebuilt and it sounds really good.

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650148533-nad-monitor-series-1600-amp-2400/

If you're looking for vintage gear... do NOT deal with eBay. Unless it's something really specific, you can get a good deal, you're sure the seller is honest and they specialize on audio.... don't bother with those who sell Knick knacks and have an old Superscope they want to sell for 1000 bucks... Also, eBay charges sales tax too.... for private sales.
 
#9
If you are willing to travel, there are several shops in the Tampa and St. Petersburg area.
When I was in Florida last month, I saw several reasonable deals at several Sound Exchange of Tampa Bay locations. Checking out Banana Records warehouse location might be worthwhile too.

I don't recommend buying online, shipping is expensive. Shipping damage is almost certain, unless packaged correctly.
 
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#11
eBay charges you sales tax for private transactions....

I had a KR4070 myself. I ended up parting it and using its output transistors for my KA3500. I kept the rack handles. I still have them.

The Kenwood receivers don't get any love... people are trying to get $800 for a Marantz 2215... imagine that foolishness. I think I paid 180 bucks for a Marantz 2220B at the Hickam PX back in '75.
 
#12
Matt Williams said:
Thank all of you for your replies. There are no vintage audio places near me. I live in Orlando. I don't want to deal with anyone on craigslist. Is there anything anyone can recommend besides ebay?
Click to expand...

Create an account on hifishark.com. I have a long list of items to search for and it generates daily emails.

I found lots of stuff on canuckaudiomart and audiomart. Create accounts there too. Over the years I found out that buying private party from audiophiles is the best... nice people, make acquaintances and get good prices.

The trick is to find what you want, deal promptly and nicely with the seller ( or buyer ) and make the deal and then pay... I like to use Paypal and if the seller sounds bonafide and it's a private sale, then use Paypal Friends and Family. I've made quite a few deals over the years that way.

My latest was a Linn Ekos - 2 that is now sitting on the Keel.... ;-)
 
#14
Thank you everyone for your feedback and replies!

I understand that today's models are light years ahead of the 1970's, but my goal is to buy some vintage audio.

I would like to buy (1) receiver, either a Pioneer 650ish, Onkyo mark2, a Yamaha CR series or a 1970's Marantz.

I know that eBay is a risk but other than to driving to Tampa I don't have much of a choice and they don't have much of a selection online.

I know that Marantz is overpriced but there are a lot of replacement parts for them online.

Some of you have sent me links to HIFI shark and I appreciate that but the only listings I see are for eBay or in different
countries across the Atlantic.

I do not want to buy something from another country.

As far as is an EBAY piece guaranteed to work properly? I can only go by the item description, photos of the inside, seller ratings and a return policy. I'm not in a position to try them out. I know EBAY is not ideal.

I like the Serviced/Recapped Kenwood KA-3500 + KT-5300 Stereo Amplifier/Tuner Combo that Tony EE sent me but that is on EBAY and I'm being told by everyone not to deal with EBAY.

I saw the Pioneer SA-606 Amp and TX-606 Tuner Combo on EBAY and I liked it so I thought I would ask about it. It was not my first choice.

I have been watching Skylabs Audio you tube channel for the past 6 months and he obviously agrees with all of you that shipping vintage audio is a big mistake.

I also don't have any repair places near me so I guess I'm kind of stuck. I appreciate all the feedback.

-Matt
 
#16
Overall try not to get impatient, that always leads to overpaying. It is very much worth it to shop around for a while.

Try checking out local record shops, many have or know where to get stereo equipment.

Also check if any local repair shops have any abandoned equipment. These two Orlando area repair shops up appear to work on stereo equipment.
https://www.jaydonelectronics.com/
https://www.orlandoelectronicstv.com/about-us/

Here is another in the Tampa area.
https://adamselectronicsrepair.net/

So far of all of the receivers I have worked on, Onkyo and Superscope era Marantz were usually poor performers.
Every Onkyo I have worked on seemed to have a very poor phono stage, high frequency roll off.
 
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#17
Matt Williams said:
Thank you everyone for your feedback and replies!

I understand that today's models are light years ahead of the 1970's, but my goal is to buy some vintage audio.

I would like to buy (1) receiver, either a Pioneer 650ish, Onkyo mark2, a Yamaha CR series or a 1970's Marantz.

I know that eBay is a risk but other than to driving to Tampa I don't have much of a choice and they don't have much of a selection online.

I know that Marantz is overpriced but there are a lot of replacement parts for them online.

Some of you have sent me links to HIFI shark and I appreciate that but the only listings I see are for eBay or in different
countries across the Atlantic.

I do not want to buy something from another country.

As far as is an EBAY piece guaranteed to work properly? I can only go by the item description, photos of the inside, seller ratings and a return policy. I'm not in a position to try them out. I know EBAY is not ideal.

I like the Serviced/Recapped Kenwood KA-3500 + KT-5300 Stereo Amplifier/Tuner Combo that Tony EE sent me but that is on EBAY and I'm being told by everyone not to deal with EBAY.

I saw the Pioneer SA-606 Amp and TX-606 Tuner Combo on EBAY and I liked it so I thought I would ask about it. It was not my first choice.

I have been watching Skylabs Audio you tube channel for the past 6 months and he obviously agrees with all of you that shipping vintage audio is a big mistake.

I also don't have any repair places near me so I guess I'm kind of stuck. I appreciate all the feedback.

-Matt
Click to expand...

Don't be IMPATIENT.... take your time... research what's out there... figure out what are your options and what the market looks like.

For vintage, eBay is flooding the market with bad faith actors. So, you need to be an educated buyer. That Kenwood pair is actually quite good. I have a pair just like that.... have owned the amp since new in '76 and bought the tuner used in the mid 90s. But in '22 I had them both fully restored and that ran about 1000 bucks. Mind you, those two units will never return that but for me, it was worth it. So, be aware that buying used and vintage is not going to save you much money.

Marantz... FORGET ABOUT IT. Unless you like to blow money...

Unless you are into doing your own repairs, you are gonna see a fairly large amount of money... 500 bucks at least, to get the rebuild done right... Every board must be taken out, cleaned out, resoldered, parts replaced, biased, etc.... it's not something you do by

"my technician looked at it and put new LED lights... works great!"

That's the standard eBay seller BS.

However, once you learn the market, you will learn to discern the good sellers from the riff raff. The link I sent you seems to be an honest job... If you're really into that you can then search for the matching Kenwood rack handles (I got them, had one since brand new, took five years to find the second set for the tuner, with the original cardboard boxes).

But we aware that most vintage amps/receivers of the era were not so powerful... and the matching speakers did not put out as good a soundstage. Although most amp ratings in the 70s were honest. If you pick up a Kenwood KT3500 or KT5300 you will understand... they have big power supplies for those "40 watts"... I drove my ADS L810 speakers to 11 a few times with the 3500.... although I blew a tweeter in '83 playing Michael Jackson's Thriller. It was LOUD. The 600 series is very nice... I also got a Kenwood KT9900 tuner... paid 400 bucks for it three years ago, in perfect shape. They make a matching KT amp for it. The KT8300 is electronically identical to the KT9900 and easier to find... so you might want to go that route and the matching integrates are more common.

Parts for the Kenwood are rather easy to get.

Pioneer... the SX838 and SX939 were tops in their day, but they grossly overpriced... heck, check out the SX1980. I saw one in the metal last year. I didn't even try to pick it up.

The Sansui GX receivers sound great but their high speed output transistors are fragile. The 8080 and 9090 are overpriced and just not worth it.

Then you got some of the Sony ES units. They tend to be a dark horse.

Anyhow... you get the idea... if you're gonna buy old vintage you need to learn what you're getting into..

https://classicreceivers.com/
https://classicaudio.com/

So, bottom line will be... what do you want... a good sounding system or something that just looks nice on the shelf?

I have given you some advice on the former, not on the latter -unless you share my idea that four big black 5U/400mm boxes with blue lights are "sexy" in the living room rack.

Oh, another thing.... on eBay they're charging sales tax on private sales.... so take that into account. I prefer the "make offer". so whenever I go in there, I will make an offer on what the unit is worth ( hifishark has listing of sold units ), then subtract the sales tax... most of the time the sellers feel "slighted".... BFD... it's the Golden Rule and I stick by it.

I did get my Linn Ekos - 2 tonearm over eBay and that's what I did. As I told the seller, if he had posted that over Audiogon, or one of the other sites, he would have gotten more money out of me. But sometimes, you really have no other option so you have to negotiate.

That Nakamichi SR3 receiver is one particularly good sounding unit... Nelson Pass was involved in those circuits. The NAD monitor units are also very good sounding... and you can get the remote easily for that.
 
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#19
Thank you all for your input. Definitely very helpful.

I'm trying not to be impatient.

Everyone says don't buy Marantz. I get it and will try to avoid them.

Definitely don't do my own repairs. Don't know how to.

Like TonyEE's statement "my technician looked at it and put new LED lights... works great!" 100% agree. When I reach out and ask for more detail I usually get "it was my uncles and he took great care of it". Delete

BTW TonyEE Thank you for all the links! That Kenwood combo you sent me is already gone so obviously a good choice.

I don't look at sellers that try to every single thing they own. You'll see one receiver and then a bunch of stuff that should be in a garage sale.

I only look at sellers with 99% or higher that specialize in vintage audio. They have been the most responsive detail wise. They will send inside pics before and after and generally list specifically what was done to the unit, like the Kenwood seller you sent me.

Akimmet also stressed being patient and provided some cool links...thank you!

As far as do you want a good sounding system or something that just looks nice on the shelf? Well both. I like the big VU meters with the different colored LED's on some units...not gonna lie.

I'm ok with shipping costs and sales tax if it seems like something I would really like. Looking to be @ $700 all in but less if possible.

I am continuing to look and undoubtedly will keep monitoring this site.

Thanks again!
 
#20
I know... eBay... but it has a "make me offer"

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2360096196...customid=d19c0210-0911-11f0-9f23-306330363531

And... Canadians have the best prices..

https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/650184178-harman-kardon-670-twin-powered-receiver/

The 330C is also awesome sounding. Don't let the low power "rating" scare you.

I know... this sold.... I used to have a tuner like that... You want meters... this is the best from '76.

https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/det...don-a-402-twin-dual-mono-amps-and-t403-tuner/

Yes, local repair shops often carry used components with a warranty. Indeed, if you're gonna dip into vintage audio, you better know how to fix things or have access to a shop that specializes on it. Here in SoCal I got access to three of them close enough. Even one that does High End stuff.

Have fun! It's supposed to be fun! It is fun!


You want meters? The MIGHTY Radio Shack APM-200. You should be able to get one in excellent shape for under $150. Then get the Nakamichi SR3, which is not fancy but has the Stasis sound... hook this up to it and you got meters, sound and likely some money left over!


1742864223729.png
 
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