54. Pioneer SX-980 Receiver 80 WPC from 1978.

I had this one about a year ago and sold it. I liked it. Powerful, strong bass, very dynamic. 80 watts per channel of old 1970's Pioneer power.

The prices on the two main lines of Pioneer receivers are getting crazy. The 1976 line ends in "50". For instance, 750, 850, 950, 1050 and 1250. The 1978 line ends in "80". For instance, 780, 880, 980, 1080, 1280 and the big daddy that continues to elude me, the 1980.

Here's a pic of my old Pioneer SX-980:

53. Onkyo TX-8500 MKI 110 WPC Monster Receiver from 1978

I picked this up a few months ago and flipped it. It wasn't bad, but I have too much gear. It was nice, mellow and clear. The 110 WPC were more than enough. A few years later Onkyo updated the TX-8500 with the release of the TX-8500 MKII. This model was upgraded to a digital tuning dial and 160 watts per channel. Needles to say, the MKII sells for more than the MKI, but if you're looking for the most affordable way to join the 100+ WPC club, I don't think that the TX-8500 MKI can be beat, $200 to $300 bucks. This is a picture of the one I owned for a short time.

52. McIntosh C26 Preamplifier From 1968 to 1977

Nice little preamp. VERY simple to get to the pots for cleaning. In fact, I don't think I have ever worked on an easier to service piece of equipment. The pushbuttons, pots and bulbs are all extremely easy to get to. In 1977 the last of these went for $450 which in todays dollars equals a little over $1700.  These don't get a lot of love from the audiophile community, but that's because after decades, vintage equipment can get out of spec. Capacitors go bad. I believe that I'm just lucky to find one that's in great shape. The guy who sold it to me said it was restored. I think it sounds great. Check out the split pic of the back and front below.