[Adarsh]

Hey all 

I found a really neat looking vintage Pioneer amplifier on ebay  :
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260508552830#ht_3138wt_1100

Can anyone find out the wattage of these is? 

-A

[Niteshade]

Look like around 60-80 watts/channel to me based on its internal heat sink structure.

[Adarsh]

Nightshade, thanks for your reply.

Are these terrible or will they suffice for my dorm room setup with bookshelf speakers?

-A

[Niteshade]

These are not bad amps and it should work fine in a dorm setup. You might be able to find something less expensive that works just as well.

[macrojack]

In the Pioneer lineup the model numbers run from 400 series up to 1000 series as power and features increase. If the A420 follows that pattern, it is probably about 35 watts per channel.

I noticed you were involved in the Audio Engine A-5 thread. Why don't you just go that way?

Perhaps you might get better advice if you outline your goals, your budget and your location.
There are lots of members on here who can help you. Most of us older guys have a closet full of unused gear and a desire to help new members get their feet wet.

[Adarsh]

Thanks MacroJack - no doubt you have been observing my confused tirades quite well. You are right, I have revised my thoughts several times over the course of the day 

1) I dreamt of building my own speakers today and started looking up plans and imagining how they would be which resulted in my DIY rants.

2) Realized I probably won't be able to afford the nice floorstanding SP25s that I am salivating over 

3) Found some good amplifier deals for the current setup I have which is my small room and am now thinking that bookshelf speakers will suffice with that Pioneer amp.

So that's what I have been thinking of this whole day, probably wasted all my time but what the heck.

[Thol]

The Pioneer Silver faced line were well-engineered classics. I don't know the value of the Australian $ at this time, but I suspect that this one is on the high side.

Their performances will shine with a change-out of all the old capacitors. So you can take that into  consideration. I rebuilt an SA-8900. I got it cheap, and I spent the bucks on the caps, including the power supply cans. It is a very nice amp, and under-rated IMHO. But they all need some attention by this time. Unless you can get it cheap, let some other dude take it. If you can take it home for a few bucks and do some basic work, it will probably surprise you. The Pioneers got bigger, more complicated and got caught up in the power wars. A earlier, smaller model less powerful should be a nice amp for a smaller room and efficient speakers. Its the first few watts that count