Bad Ass-5000!!

VINTAGEO

Newbie in New B.
Hi folks, among other nice audio gear, I have become the proud new owner of A beautiful Sansui BA-5000!
It came up for sale about a week ago approximately 4 hours from here, thanks Steve for pointing it out to me!
After about a day and a half of negotiating I noticed someone posted it in D&S on AK, and the buzz was on, I figured I better make an offer before this rare beast gets snagged away from our vicinity, stuff like this almost NEVER shows up around here!:no:
So we settled on a price, amp unseen, but he assured me that all was in working order except for scratchy pots, him being a musician, he should know.:idea:
So we actually ended up meeting about half way and then he revealed the Bad Ass-5000 to me for the first time, what a sight! I couldn't believe it was actually going to be mine!
After our transaction, I immediately started my 2 hour trek back home so I could play with my new toy!
I got home, waited a little bit, then hooked the monster up to my newly restored AR3a's and used a Yamaha C-45 for preamp. I dropped a Dire Straits cd in my Rotel RCD-955AX and the sweet sound filled every inch of the room effortlessly!:jump:
I was so happy, my friend Steve stopped in to have a listen, and we both sat there in awe of this magnificent beast! Bass is extraordinary, mids are very present, but not too in your face, highs are right on the money... then it happened, I switched over to my newly acquired Klipsch KG4's and they also sounded great, then all of a sudden POP! crackle crackle... What the?
I think I just blew a woofer in the left speaker, rattle buzz, DAMN!
So I immediately turn it off and bring the beast, with the help of Steve, to the work area, I should have known this was too good to be true!

I start dismantling this very heavy SOB! 108lbs to be exact! I can see the build quality of this amp is like nothing else I've seen! The gauge of metal is at least twice as thick as the thickest metal I've seen on other amps!
Once I get it apart enough to see the meter boards and the SEALED pots, I'm like oh not these pots! How the heck do you clean them without dismantling the whole front end, and just then I spotted something strange, Samsung capacitor? They weren't around in 75!
So I start inspecting and notice this caps neighbor is a NO NAME cap! GEES in this?! :eek2:
The good news is they are the right uf, 47 to be exact, the voltage is considerably higher 160 compared to the 6.3's that were originally there. No big deal should still work, but I cannot leave it like this, and a good thing I didn't!
I inspect the solder, and viola! I think I found the problem! a 4 year old soldered these in, even against better judgement!:wtf:
Luckily I have 2 brand new Panasonic 47uf 16v caps and I proceed to remove the mismatched caps, as I desoldering the last lead, the entire trace falls off! Luckily again the cap is connected to a resistor right next to it, so I make a copper ring to join the two points and also use the lead as a connection, thanks for the tip Terry. All goes together nicely and time to test it again... Deep breath, ...

The sweet sound is back! and this time no noise! Great news! more great news, the KG4's are ok! It was just the bad solder that was making all the noise.
It has been playing for an entire day now without issues! :banana:
Listening now as I type, :rflmao: Now I am using my beautiful AU-7500 as a preamp, which I just put new output transistors in and the sound is SUBLIME!:beerchug:
FB_IMG_1516370197746.jpg 20180121_094742.jpg 20180120_203144.jpg image-20180121_120826.jpg IMGP5268.JPG
 
That's a serious piece of work right there. A local collector put his pair up for sale a few years back and I was sure tempted. But, I need more 100 pound amplifiers like I need a hole in my head.

Even yet, I'd love to own a BA-5k one day! Have fun and enjoy.
 
Suweeeeet amp! Looks terrific! So now we need the obligatory video the video thread for the rest of us to hear this beast and your lovely AR-3's.
Cheers!
 
Suweeeeet amp! Looks terrific! So now we need the obligatory video the video thread for the rest of us to hear this beast and your lovely AR-3's.
Cheers!

I'll get on it, wish I had better recording gear though! Never does my systems justice..
 
I didn't have a lot of spare cash, but this is just one of those things you have to pull the trigger on! Chances of ever seeing another in this area, 4hr radius, is slim to none, :)
 
Yes nice condition after a good cleaning and if you read the post, wasn't quite working properly, bad solder job.. Could have done some serious damage if not fixed right away!
 
Have had a ca/ba3000 combo on the bench for a couple of weeks for a freshening up before the new owner picks them up later this week, my ca/ba2000 combo sits next to the bench, both are awesome pieces of gear so can only imagine how grand the ba5000 is. Only thing that I could compare it to that I have personally worked on is the big McIntosh MC2300 which also has transformer output design. Nice :)
 
I have read that Sansui built this to beat the big Mac, no pun intended, lol MC-2300 I'm referring to. I have never heard one, or any Mac gear for that matter, so I wouldn't know.
Maybe someone who has heard or owned both could chime in..
 
Here's your video folks! Sorry for the sound quality, wish I had better recording gear. Also sorry for the shaky middle of vid, I had to focus by hand.
Was pushing a laidback 10 watts! 290 to go! lol
Sansui BA-5000 Amp
Sansui AU-7500 integrated, using as Preamp
Sansui TU-5900 tuner
Rotel RCD-955AX CD player
AR3a Speakers

 
I have read that Sansui built this to beat the big Mac, no pun intended, lol MC-2300 I'm referring to. I have never heard one, or any Mac gear for that matter, so I wouldn't know.
Maybe someone who has heard or owned both could chime in..
There's a dude on YouTube with a pair of BA5000s, a pair of MC2300s, and a pair of MC2500s with all kinds of crazy vids. I have a pair of MC2300s and pair of MC2600s but would still like a BA-5k!
 
This piece will top out well over 300 WPC . I had my Ba/ Ca 3000 on the bench and it pushed out just short of 240 WPC . Glad you picked up this beast , This could of been mine as I had talked to Andrew and selttled at 1600.00 . But wasn't on the top of my list at the moment . Glad a fellow AK got it . Great find
 
20180123_233021.jpg Thanks, ya he talked to lot of people apparently, lol , for good reason. I read the so.eo e benched theirs at 398 wpc!
Slowly getting it all placed, set up with AR duo,
AR3A and AR4X!
 
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Congrats and welcome to the BA-5k club. They are great amps and as beautiful as they sound. I keep going to the gym just so I can move it around. Enjoy!
 
Congrats and welcome to the BA-5k club. They are great amps and as beautiful as they sound. I keep going to the gym just so I can move it around. Enjoy!

Thanks, and I hear ya! This thing is beyond heavy!
I slipped and fell on the ice last night, caught myself in an awkward position and now I think I pulled a muscle in my left arm, so won't be moving it for a while..
It's ok where it is..;)
 
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