By cheaper I mean that the 7900 should cost less. I cannot comment as to whether the 7900 was part of the same series as the 9900 but please check out the Sansui Data base for yourself.
I can list the years of manufacture and the MSRP from the SDB:
AU 7900 1974 to 1976 $400
AU 9900 1975 to 1977 $600
AU 11000 1974 to 1979 $750
So based on years and price I would guess that these were part of a AU XX00 series with the 7900 being the lowest (cheapest) on the list.
You can check out the specs as well. The D11 is newer technology and TOTL for its year which the 7900 was not. The price listed for the recapped D11 seems too good to be true. I cannot argue about looks or the new versus the older sound. I think the 11000 vs. the D11 may give me pause for thought, not the 7900. Again tastes vary and I admit I am a TOTL snob. That is not to say you won't enjoy the 7900 but I would not pay the same kind of money for a 7900 ($400 MSRP) that I would for the D11 ($1000 with AU 919 type technology).
Marc
A
Hi,
I do agree with Sriskie, AU 9900,AU 11000 and AU 20000 falls under Sansui Professional series. AU 7900 was the top of line of X900 series. Congrats on your new purchase,Its a good amplifier to listen. I was approach by a sansui fan to get his AU 819 exchange just for my AU 7900 earlier this year.
I am torn as the D11 besides the power... What is turning me off is, it is all black and plastic knobs.
I wanted to go into vintage and the D11 didn't seem to me like vintage in looks, it looked like any other black plastic peace you would find at a garage sale.
Looks like you got a beauty there loop! congratulations!
I'm sure you'll be very happy with the 7900, but as the owner of a D11 I just wanted to clarify that the knobs and the face plate are all metal and not plastic. Some of the smaller push buttons are plastic, but the large volume dial and all other knobs are machined metal and are all very solid, just like the rest of the amp.
I prefer the aesthetics of the 7700/7900/9900/10000/20000 line over the AU-717/919/DX11 etc amps
I don't know if there would be much difference between the 7700-20000 except for power output?
has anyone compared the circuits? I suspect the preamps may be quite similar, if not identical