smurfer77
Super Member
What is it about these darn Sansui amps that sucks you in. I was just bench testing a recapped/retransistored AU-555A. ok this particular unit been given the royal treatment; lots of new silicon, resistors, film caps everywhere I could... but when you see the size of this thing and pick it up and put it on the bench (it's a one hand job almost!), you really can't expect the glorious sound that comes out of it. While I didn't list this amp to the in true competition with the AU-777A (and now AU-70), but honestly, this thing might win the bang for buck (or weight/size) award! A little less bass control and intensity, and a slightly collapsed image in both width and depth on my setup, but really it's pretty darn amazing for the size and embarrasses most non-sansui gear . I guess the AU-222 will always my the 'little amp champ', but the AU-555A does deliver significantly higher fidelity for now much more weight (although I have to say, there is something about the 222's warm tone that is really really special, sounding more like those early sansui receivers (300, 350 etc) more than the integrateds in the same line up)
So while it's maybe not my ultimate Sansui, it's really a champion in it's own right, honestly worthy of being a main amp in anyone's house that doesn't require too much more than 20 W into 8 Ohms. Well, at least that is my view now, with beer in hand and kicking back listening to the AU-555A back in the main rack (with the Sansui AU-777A, Yamaha CA-1000 & Sansui AU-70). FWIW the main amp in my other main system has been an AU-888 for over a year now. That may change though, as I need to service the AU-888 and I have a CA-F1 that is a superb preamp for a number of tube power amps I have tried it with so far.
Ok, a bit of a rant. Long story short... AU-555A is still a champion even if it isn't in the very top of my list... I could easily live with this rebuilt one as my only amp if I had to. Maybe I should pull out a rebuilt AU-505 and compare to the 555A again. And, next up on the work bench is a beautiful AU-999; it's no secret I've been down on the 999. I suspect I've been overly harsh, but I will save my judgement for after checking it is up to spec. Will listen to it a while unmodded, then do the mods and report back.
So while it's maybe not my ultimate Sansui, it's really a champion in it's own right, honestly worthy of being a main amp in anyone's house that doesn't require too much more than 20 W into 8 Ohms. Well, at least that is my view now, with beer in hand and kicking back listening to the AU-555A back in the main rack (with the Sansui AU-777A, Yamaha CA-1000 & Sansui AU-70). FWIW the main amp in my other main system has been an AU-888 for over a year now. That may change though, as I need to service the AU-888 and I have a CA-F1 that is a superb preamp for a number of tube power amps I have tried it with so far.
Ok, a bit of a rant. Long story short... AU-555A is still a champion even if it isn't in the very top of my list... I could easily live with this rebuilt one as my only amp if I had to. Maybe I should pull out a rebuilt AU-505 and compare to the 555A again. And, next up on the work bench is a beautiful AU-999; it's no secret I've been down on the 999. I suspect I've been overly harsh, but I will save my judgement for after checking it is up to spec. Will listen to it a while unmodded, then do the mods and report back.
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