sansui au-4900

roseskunk

Well-Known Member
hi guys- i just got an au-4900 for 25 bucks on epay. so why did it sell so low? is this a dog or what? it's my first sansui- well actually second but the first doesn't count as it's going back...i'm seduced by the looks of them and am hoping it sounds as good. does someone know where i can find a service manual for it...i'm a novice and don't want to screw it up, but i'm sure it'll need a cleaning...anyway, thanks in advance. if you've got one, i'd like to know what you think...anything i should look out for?
 
Are you saying that a Sansui might be a "dog", lol? Seriously, that is a great little amp. I don't have that particular one but have had others in that series. They're built well and sound good. As with all older gear, an initial cleaning, inspection, and measurements is almost mandatory. Some will go as far as an immediate recapping and replacing of resistors but I'm assuming this is somewhat of a budget item. You don't have to take it that far. I start off using my older gear gently, letting everything wake up slowly.
 
thanks westend. if it is a dog, i hope it's like mine, a smart chocolate lab named Rose. honestly i wouldn't have a clue as to how to replace caps or resistors. i'd love to learn but don't know where to look. if i can clean the thing i'll feel good... :thmbsp:
 
roseskunk said:
thanks westend. if it is a dog, i hope it's like mine, a smart chocolate lab named Rose. honestly i wouldn't have a clue as to how to replace caps or resistors. i'd love to learn but don't know where to look. if i can clean the thing i'll feel good... :thmbsp:

Would Rose like to meet a dumb chocolate named Gandalf. Maybe some of the smartness will rub off. :D

As for the Sansui, I would never back off from buying any of the vintage Sui stuff. Sansui probably makes up 90% of my gear, none of which have disappointed me.
 
it's funny. if i win an item cheap, i immediately think other folks know something i don't (which of course is eeassyyyy...) and if i don't win, i think think, "damn, i should've gone just a little higher. i really missed a gem!"
thanks for the manual info pete- man i love the internet- and zebra, i'll ask rose if she's interested. she was a pound dog and is fixed, so it would purely be for their enjoyment... :thmbsp:
 
me too

Hello the web is mighty.. the same thing happened to me, I bought a sansui 4900 and a sansui tape deck same series for almost the same price (double actually I wasn't as lucky...). I decided to get it because I saw one inside and it was build in a clean and tough way, everyting was sui branded (the one I saw, think it was a x17) and sounded BIG, full, clean.
tOO bad I have to find some new 6" woofer for my AR and I've no way to try that amp...
So, QUESTION : is it better than a nad 3020 ?

tnx,

e
 
The AU-4900 is a good entry level amp from Sansui, it has a relay speaker protector which the A-40 and bunch of lower end Sansui 80s amp & receiver models are missing.

You need to pay attention on the rectifier for the power amp section. Two of the main rectifier diodes on mine were shorted when I got it. Luckily the power transistors were intact. Sansui used 2 diodes in parallel on each leg of the bridge rectifier to meet the current requirement for a total of 8. This is OK if the diodes have the same drop but it isn't going to happen. One will draw more current than the other and will fail eventually.

Replace the 8 diodes with 4 of the proper current(2x the original) and peak inverse voltage(PIV) rating.
 
Joe is 'right on' with the tip about the rectifier for the power amp section. I have two AU-4900's and had that same problem with one of them. I also have an AU-7900. The 4900 is like a toy replica of the 7900. Just no comparison in my opinion. They do look cool though and can sound good. Get the matching tuner, clean them up and display them proudly!

Porfido- I love Sansui but I would say the NAD would sound better.
 
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