Sansui A-60 question

Hi,
I picked up a Sansui A-60 a while back, had it serviced by my local tech, hooked it up to some PSB Amazing Alphas (92 sensitivity) and the speakers distort above 1/3 volume. The speakers are fine as they don't distort on my other equipment.
Any idea what the problem is? Is it just a bad match? Not enough juice to run these speakers?
Thanks
 
What you're likely hearing is clipping. These Sansui amps were sold as rack systems (not the last word in build quality, if you get my drift), and were not designed to drive low or lower impedance speakers (read: less than 8 ohms). I'm recalling that their rated output was @ 40 watts per channel @ 8 ohms, so you should be able to get satisfyingly loud SPL's with speakers as efficient as the PSB's. What is the nominal impedance of your speakers? I've seen 6 ohms for some versions/model years of the PSB Alpha, so maybe this is the problem. If you have some speakers around rated at 8 ohms, play them and see if you get the same distortion.
 
Last edited:
What you're likely hearing is clipping. These Sansui amps were sold as rack systems (not the last word in build quality, if you get my drift), and were not designed to drive low or lower impedance speakers (read: less than 8 ohms). I'm recalling that their rated output was @ 40 watts per channel @ 8 ohms, so you should be able to get satisfyingly loud SPL's with speakers as efficient as the PSB's. What is the nominal impedance of your speakers? I've seen 6 ohms for some versions/model years of the PSB Alpha, so maybe this is the problem. If you have some speakers around rated at 8 ohms, play them and see if you get the same distortion.

Thanks for the help. I checked the PSB specs and they are rated as 8 ohms, so that shouldn't be the problem? Any other thoughts?
 
You want to be careful about equating volume knob position to output power. You almost certainly have a log pot, which means you're way beyond the halfway point of the pot at 1/3rd position. With a "hot" input, such as a CD or soundcard, (or tape or aux, for that matter), you could easily be hitting the upper limit of the amp with the knob at 33%.
 
You want to be careful about equating volume knob position to output power. You almost certainly have a log pot, which means you're way beyond the halfway point of the pot at 1/3rd position. With a "hot" input, such as a CD or soundcard, (or tape or aux, for that matter), you could easily be hitting the upper limit of the amp with the knob at 33%.

I thought about that, but it is the same with the tuner (matching T-60) and I tried Ipod and CD player inputs. At 1/3 it isn't very loud. Not bad but not loud.
 
Do you have the loudness on? Try it with it off and controls flat.

Rob

Thanks, yes did that too. No difference. I am stumped. I think it might be the ohms thing even though they are supposed to match ok. It could also be the amp just plain sucks.
I have an old Vector Research v9000 that made the speakers sing.
It is a system I am fixing up for my daughter and husband so it doesn't have to be pretty, just want it to work.
 
It could also be the amp just plain sucks.

I'd be willing to put my money on that. The A series was one of the reasons that Sansui lost alot of it's rep in the High End audio market. I've never heard an A-60 but I've heard it's bigger brother the A-80 and well at about 1/2 way to 12 o'clock on the vol it would distort like crazy and this was with a pair of 8ohm JBL's.
 
My next guess would be the voltage to the outputs is too low.

Does the unit have a voltage selector? Is it in the right position?

Rob
 
I'd be willing to put my money on that. The A series was one of the reasons that Sansui lost alot of it's rep in the High End audio market. I've never heard an A-60 but I've heard it's bigger brother the A-80 and well at about 1/2 way to 12 o'clock on the vol it would distort like crazy and this was with a pair of 8ohm JBL's.

If the A-80 distorts, then the A-60 is probably worse.
 
If the A-80 distorts, then the A-60 is probably worse.

The A series may look nice but they sounded terrible and while yeah your A-60 may just need a few parts replaced here and there and some adjusting to get "back in spec" I'd say just send it to the recyclers. They aren't worth much (30-60 bones) and you'll be putting more money into it than you'll ever get out.
 
The A series may look nice but they sounded terrible and while yeah your A-60 may just need a few parts replaced here and there and some adjusting to get "back in spec" I'd say just send it to the recyclers. They aren't worth much (30-60 bones) and you'll be putting more money into it than you'll ever get out.

Yeah, I agree. Already online looking for something better that can drive my PSB Alphas. I see the Cambridge 540A's can be had for reasonable used.
 
Sansuis distort plain and simple. They have always had a muddy sound designed to replicate tube amp sound and they do but they distort at high volumes.
If you want it to sound great, keep the volume low as you would if your granny were in the room.

Get any other amp and it will be fine.
 
Sansuis distort plain and simple. They have always had a muddy sound designed to replicate tube amp sound and they do but they distort at high volumes.
If you want it to sound great, keep the volume low as you would if your granny were in the room.

Get any other amp and it will be fine.

Mate this just isn't useful and is plain wrong.

To the OP - the A60 isn't great however I had one for a while and I guess at that price-point at the time, these units weren't have been too bad. What is the sensitivity of your speakers?
 
Last edited:
Hi, l would have to disagree with some of the opinions of the A series. Yes they were a more lightweight, cheaply designed amplifier to be used as a rack system with other matching components but this does not mean they are automatically going to sound bad. (plastic sides and masonite bases have little to do with amplifier topology)

I used to own an A-40 and A-80 that l repaired with new outputs, drivers, filter caps etc and l used these with less efficient speakers than yours and had no probs whatsoever. Your A-60 shouldn't be distorting as you have explained. I am guessing there something wrong internally. Robs suggestion is very good, check internal voltage supplies for spec. Check bias and offset. Maybe someone has been in there before and used mismatched or sub par parts?
I remember the A-40 l had in particular sounded much better than it really should have.
 
Hemispheres; Go ahead and spout off like that in the Sansui Forum and you WILL get SHUT DOWN! Just a friendly reminder. remember "ALL AUDIO, NO ATTITUDE! Dude. (which is one U.S. analogy to the Aussie "MATE")
 
Back
Top Bottom