Sansui TOTL Speakers SP-5000 and SP-5500 Side By Side?

I have found this is the case with these big speaker. Guys in the army/air force where designated how much weight they could ship back according to rank. Pilots where captains and bought the big boys, my 5500 came from a captain.

I liked my SP-5000 better than the horns on the Sp-5500 as they where warmer and not as bright.

I know someone wanting to sell a pair of 5500. I used to have some Klipsch KG-4 with the horns. They really weren't that great, although maybe they needed to be recapped. I sold them. These 5000 are the best thing since sliced bread. I'm tempted to buy the 5500 just to see if the horns suit me. It seems like I can always get my money back if I don't like them. But remembering my KG-4 experience, I don't know. I'm probably going to go for it. I want to see / hear.
 
I know someone wanting to sell a pair of 5500. I used to have some Klipsch KG-4 with the horns. They really weren't that great, although maybe they needed to be recapped. I sold them. These 5000 are the best thing since sliced bread. I'm tempted to buy the 5500 just to see if the horns suit me. It seems like I can always get my money back if I don't like them. But remembering my KG-4 experience, I don't know. I'm probably going to go for it. I want to see / hear.

The horns where to much for me at 8 feet from the speakers and hitting them with 180 wpc. The do go very very loud with that kind of power, jet engine levels of SPL. They'r a good all around speaker it's just I preferred the 5000 over them.
 
Count me into this club. :)
I own a very clean, nearly mint pair of SP5000 that I bought in Vancouver, WA. They were listed on craigslist by a very nice guy who got them from his neighbor Vern, after Vern had to finally leave his home for assisted living.

Vern got them in 1972 while he was an Air Force pilot. They've been recapped and the sound coming out of them and my Sansui AU-717 is so incredible that my friends are coming over and refusing to leave. They just keep asking for more of their favorite songs. As a bonus the guy I bought them from very kindly tuned up my 717 when I went to pick up the speakers.

These speakers my wife calls, "pure pleasure."


We need pics to officially put you in the 5000 club......:)
 
I've posted in here before but I have a question, my 5000s are in immaculate shape all except the factory stands I have inspected the bottom and there are four screws holding the stands on but I believe there is a Shit ton of wood glue as well because they don't budge, can someone confirm this for me and give me a suggestion about the best way to remove them?
 

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I've posted in here before but I have a question, my 5000s are in immaculate shape all except the factory stands I have inspected the bottom and there are four screws holding the stands on but I believe there is a Shit ton of wood glue as well because they don't budge, can someone confirm this for me and give me a suggestion about the best way to remove them?
Chisel and hammer, It will break the joint but I cant say you will not have damage to the veneer on the bottom of the speaker. One does have to ask why you need to take it off?
 
The stands are in rough shape and I think they look tacky so I want to remove them and make a hardwood replica of them for strength and more durability
 
The stands are in rough shape and I think they look tacky so I want to remove them and make a hardwood replica of them for strength and more durability

Well looking at how high up your speakers are I guess your looking at the base that most don't see much. While I feel these speakers need to be a little higher off the floor that's to high, but you have what you have.

Ripping apart a speaker with the thinking that home made solid wood base will be stronger, and not look tacky will depend on cabinet making and finishing skills. In the end it will not be original and the finish will not mach the 40 year old amber aging of the walnut.. Think about a few other things first that will not physically change the speaker in a permanent way.

Hear I knew I like the speakers raised off the floor a bit, and if you look closely you can see a milk crate fits inside the base frame work.

IMG_1913.JPG
I always wanted to build nice walnut wood boxes that actual let the base slip inside of it. It would be the same size of the speaker and to a determined hight that could also be filled with sand. The speaker could just be lifted in and out of it when moving around.

But now look at these IMF speakers, they have the same style base, but have a factory stand that elevates and angles them, the base frame slips inside the stand. .

IMG_1992.jpg IMG_2056.JPG IMG_1991.jpg
 
Chisel and hammer, It will break the joint but I cant say you will not have damage to the veneer on the bottom of the speaker. One does have to ask why you need to take it off?
The bottoms of all 5000s are unfinished by the way so slight Knicks along the line where the new stands will be mounted doesn't bother me, the only thing I'm worried a bit about is applying too much pressure and ripping a section of veneer off which I don't want at all, I'll just take painstakingly long doing it and it'll get right, I'm still looking for a single w5000 woofer or a pair of someone is parting out a ruined set of these, I have a single the previous owner of mine took one to a "repair shop" because he burnt out the voice coil on one half way and it scratched at higher levels but he wasn't knowledgeable enough to know that and they THREW AWAY THE WOOFER..........and no Bullshit Jerry rigged a....goldwood woofer.....into it it was back mounted with drywall screws and yeah that had to change, I have a pair of coral bx1500 woofers as set ins for the moment and they sound great, same sensitivity rating and almost the same peak Max watts as well, but one day I'd love to get the originals back in there, pm me if you have one or a pair, thank-you
 
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Hear are the SP-5500 siting on the same IMF stands, the base is the same as the SP-5000.

IMG_2213.jpg IMG_2220.jpg IMG_2227.jpg IMG_2229.jpg

If I get some time tonight I'll take photos of the stands all by themselves so you all can see how they are made.
 
Well looking at how high up your speakers are I guess your looking at the base that most don't see much. While I feel these speakers need to be a little higher off the floor that's to high, but you have what you have.

Ripping apart a speaker with the thinking that home made solid wood base will be stronger, and not look tacky will depend on cabinet making and finishing skills. In the end it will not be original and the finish will not mach the 40 year old amber aging of the walnut.. Think about a few other things first that will not physically change the speaker in a permanent way.

Hear I knew I like the speakers raised off the floor a bit, and if you look closely you can see a milk crate fits inside the base frame work.

View attachment 923801
I always wanted to build nice walnut wood boxes that actual let the base slip inside of it. It would be the same size of the speaker and to a determined hight that could also be filled with sand. The speaker could just be lifted in and out of it when moving around.

But now look at these IMF speakers, they have the same style base, but have a factory stand that elevates and angles them, the base frame slips inside the stand. .

View attachment 923803 View attachment 923804 View attachment 923805
Thanks for the detailed reply 4-2-7 I did worry about the aging, however I am very good at woodwork and I would spend hours on test pieces to achieve the correct color, but I really like that idea of slip in stands I'm gonna do some thinking on it,
Well looking at how high up your speakers are I guess your looking at the base that most don't see much. While I feel these speakers need to be a little higher off the floor that's to high, but you have what you have.

Ripping apart a speaker with the thinking that home made solid wood base will be stronger, and not look tacky will depend on cabinet making and finishing skills. In the end it will not be original and the finish will not mach the 40 year old amber aging of the walnut.. Think about a few other things first that will not physically change the speaker in a permanent way.

Hear I knew I like the speakers raised off the floor a bit, and if you look closely you can see a milk crate fits inside the base frame work.

View attachment 923801
I always wanted to build nice walnut wood boxes that actual let the base slip inside of it. It would be the same size of the speaker and to a determined hight that could also be filled with sand. The speaker could just be lifted in and out of it when moving around.

But now look at these IMF speakers, they have the same style base, but have a factory stand that elevates and angles them, the base frame slips inside the stand. .

View attachment 923803 View attachment 923804 View attachment 923805

Thanks for the detailed reply 4-2-7 I did worry about the aging, however I am very good at woodwork and I would spend hours on test pieces to achieve the correct color, but I really like that idea of slip in stands I'm gonna do some thinking on it, but that worries me as far as the visual with how high i have them, since the factory ones are recessed they are still kind of "hidden" it's my only choice atm and believe me I have spent countless hours tuning and tweaking my system to the best it can be so the height doesn't affect quality of sound. Below them are coral 12tx-50 coaxial three way single 12" drivers as surrounds to make sure there's no distortion from excessive drivers, the only reason I steered away from stands such as those 5500 ones you showed is because that then would make then really too tall, I'm gonna have to do some serious thinking about all this
 
That's a good point, hmmmmm decisions decisions, and so far as the veneer color being an issue they are missing two sides of veneer and one of them only has half the strip, it's amazing how good the cabs are compared to the condition of the stands, I can tell you these things have done their job well but are just looking tired and beyond "repair" here's a quick photo of part I can get to, I colored in the raw wood on the right side to "help" disguise it from a glance and untrained eyes but it bugs the hell out of me though
 

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Even after doing all the sound evaluations with different equipment? Evaluations as to sonics are important for me but not the end all in deciding what will be "a core keeper" to have throughout the house, and a pair of Sansui SP-5500s are a must have for me! I've sold off "better" with so much stuff (to still hold on to say JBL L-100s', Bose 301s, MCS big boy receivers' etc.). Guess audiophile isn't always about perfection for me....as long as I keep a main setup working that direction.

A pair of those will be Mine someday!
 
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I've had both the 5500 and the 5000's. Both are awesome, but I prefer my current 5500's for sound quality. I also prefer the 5500 looks with the curved front grill and the butt joint construction vs the mitered joints on the 5000.
 
I've had both the 5500 and the 5000's. Both are awesome, but I prefer my current 5500's for sound quality. I also prefer the 5500 looks with the curved front grill and the butt joint construction vs the mitered joints on the 5000.
First time I saw the size, curved grills, and components in the SP-5500? I could tell they were NOT kabuki and have wanted a pair ever since.
Can you describe the difference in sound between the SP-5000s' take and that of the SP-5500? (Which has crisper bass and creamier highs between the two I guess.)
 
Bass is equivalent. I like the tight, crystal clear horns on the 5500. Listening to Chicago (25 or 6 to 4) really blows you away. Feels like you are front stage.
 
I brought my SP-5500X back from Okinawa, along with a 8080DB that I bought in 1976. It was my first real stereo. Wish I still had the speakers. They definitely could crank and sounded great to me.

4-2-7, your set-up looks awesome and fun!
 
I brought my SP-5500X back from Okinawa, along with a 8080DB that I bought in 1976. It was my first real stereo. Wish I still had the speakers. They definitely could crank and sounded great to me.

4-2-7, your set-up looks awesome and fun!
"X" series is nowhere near what SP-5000/ SP-5500 speakers are. You owe it to yourself to compare the two.
 
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