fuelie
New Member
I purchased my first Sansui, AU717 in 1977, for about $500. I still have it and the matching TU717 also. They both work perfectly and just a few years back gave them both a thorough cleaning/tune-up and now they look as good as they sound. I have also acquired a number of other models in this black faced/knobbed series, AU-519, 719, 819 and 919 models and enjoy cleaning, repairing and restoring these back to working condition. I have been amazed at the very dynamic sound of this vintage of Sansui Integrated Amplifiers.
I have also acquired some AU9900 and AU20000 models too because I wanted to be able to compare the differences between them. But I never thought that I would ever want or need to have the AU-X1. I was concerned about the bad reputation it had and thought that since it was an integrated without any tone or filtering controls that I really wouldn’t be in the market for such a high cost unit.
But that changed when just a couple of weeks ago an opportunity came along. Actually it was on Ebay, “SANSUI AU-X1 SUPER INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER” the seller said that one channel was working and the other had just nothing. When I saw that the price was reasonable $359, I was interested. When I noticed that the price was “buy it now” I was very!! Interested!! I sent the seller a question about the non-working channel, he answered back that it had “noise”. I thought WOW!! this X1 might potentially be in some level of working condition, so now I was more than interested, I wanted to acquire this considered by some to be the holy grail of Sansui amplifiers.
But I’m a little concerned, is this ebay deal for real and did the X1 actually exist? I checked on the auction again and now the price is different, it had been lowered to $329. So I did a little background checking on the seller, tried not to get too anxious, waited a little, checked back on the auction again and felt that the auction was legit. When I checked back on the Auction a few hours later, I noticed that the price was now lowered to $279. I was beginning to get concerned that if I didn’t pick this thing up soon that it might just disappear and be gone forever. The following morning I checked on the auction again. Now the price was lowered again, the seller was lowering the price twice a day and if I didn’t hit it soon it was probably going to get some attention and somebody else might get it. So I committed and hit ”buy it now”. I thought that even if it wasn’t for real it was definitely worth the risk at only $259.
I got two communications from the seller indicating the unit had shipped and even received a tracking number so it looked pretty good that I might actually receive the X1.
On Friday Feb. 5th UPS approached, he had a large box 70lbs, and that was when I realized that I had acquired an AU-X1 integrated. But I still had to open the box and make sure that I got what I paid for. Yes indeed!! Inside was the all black X1, it had been packed with care and arrived exactly as described and pictured. I took it out of the box, much bigger than I expected, about 1-1/2" wider and about 2" taller than AU-919. I placed it on the coffee table and took some photos to document the occasion of the arrival. Not very pretty but very impressive on the size and weight factor alone at 63lbs. Removed the cover, lot of dust is typical, and actually good I thought, maybe it hasn't been messed with too much.
The next day I put the X1 on the bench and began the power-up test. I make use of a variac for the power-up of unknown equipment. To my surprise it powered up with no problems and the outputs even balanced within 40mv. Another surprise, both channels produced intelligible sound. My test bench has some cheapo speakers just in case there is a problem. One channel was clear and the other was slightly distorted. I let it continue to warm up while checking other systems and to make sure there were no other issues. Checking with a scope, I discovered that even the clean sounding channel had distortion and so both power modules were going to require a rebuild. When I removed the Power Modules I see that correct original part numbers are on all of the twelve finals, some had been replaced and hopefully all have survived as they are impossible to get now. The Serial number on the back indicates 1980 build and probably is a factory modified design that has the best possible chance of survival from what I have read here and on other forums.
In testing and checking the components on the power driver boards, several resistors are out of spec and some are open. Yet all remaining active devices are original p/n and testing good. Replaced all bad components, disassembled enough to dust and deox all the pots, switches and relays. Re-assemble, install the power modules and tried another power-up. Amazing! - both channels need only a slight zero balance and bias adjustment.
Now for the Sound test. Still using the cheap 4-inch test speakers, I am greeted with a most incredible sound quality from the cheapest speakers I have. If this amp makes these test speakers sound so full range, then how will it sound connected to my EV-Regency’s? - I will let you know.
I have also acquired some AU9900 and AU20000 models too because I wanted to be able to compare the differences between them. But I never thought that I would ever want or need to have the AU-X1. I was concerned about the bad reputation it had and thought that since it was an integrated without any tone or filtering controls that I really wouldn’t be in the market for such a high cost unit.
But that changed when just a couple of weeks ago an opportunity came along. Actually it was on Ebay, “SANSUI AU-X1 SUPER INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER” the seller said that one channel was working and the other had just nothing. When I saw that the price was reasonable $359, I was interested. When I noticed that the price was “buy it now” I was very!! Interested!! I sent the seller a question about the non-working channel, he answered back that it had “noise”. I thought WOW!! this X1 might potentially be in some level of working condition, so now I was more than interested, I wanted to acquire this considered by some to be the holy grail of Sansui amplifiers.
But I’m a little concerned, is this ebay deal for real and did the X1 actually exist? I checked on the auction again and now the price is different, it had been lowered to $329. So I did a little background checking on the seller, tried not to get too anxious, waited a little, checked back on the auction again and felt that the auction was legit. When I checked back on the Auction a few hours later, I noticed that the price was now lowered to $279. I was beginning to get concerned that if I didn’t pick this thing up soon that it might just disappear and be gone forever. The following morning I checked on the auction again. Now the price was lowered again, the seller was lowering the price twice a day and if I didn’t hit it soon it was probably going to get some attention and somebody else might get it. So I committed and hit ”buy it now”. I thought that even if it wasn’t for real it was definitely worth the risk at only $259.
I got two communications from the seller indicating the unit had shipped and even received a tracking number so it looked pretty good that I might actually receive the X1.
On Friday Feb. 5th UPS approached, he had a large box 70lbs, and that was when I realized that I had acquired an AU-X1 integrated. But I still had to open the box and make sure that I got what I paid for. Yes indeed!! Inside was the all black X1, it had been packed with care and arrived exactly as described and pictured. I took it out of the box, much bigger than I expected, about 1-1/2" wider and about 2" taller than AU-919. I placed it on the coffee table and took some photos to document the occasion of the arrival. Not very pretty but very impressive on the size and weight factor alone at 63lbs. Removed the cover, lot of dust is typical, and actually good I thought, maybe it hasn't been messed with too much.
The next day I put the X1 on the bench and began the power-up test. I make use of a variac for the power-up of unknown equipment. To my surprise it powered up with no problems and the outputs even balanced within 40mv. Another surprise, both channels produced intelligible sound. My test bench has some cheapo speakers just in case there is a problem. One channel was clear and the other was slightly distorted. I let it continue to warm up while checking other systems and to make sure there were no other issues. Checking with a scope, I discovered that even the clean sounding channel had distortion and so both power modules were going to require a rebuild. When I removed the Power Modules I see that correct original part numbers are on all of the twelve finals, some had been replaced and hopefully all have survived as they are impossible to get now. The Serial number on the back indicates 1980 build and probably is a factory modified design that has the best possible chance of survival from what I have read here and on other forums.
In testing and checking the components on the power driver boards, several resistors are out of spec and some are open. Yet all remaining active devices are original p/n and testing good. Replaced all bad components, disassembled enough to dust and deox all the pots, switches and relays. Re-assemble, install the power modules and tried another power-up. Amazing! - both channels need only a slight zero balance and bias adjustment.
Now for the Sound test. Still using the cheap 4-inch test speakers, I am greeted with a most incredible sound quality from the cheapest speakers I have. If this amp makes these test speakers sound so full range, then how will it sound connected to my EV-Regency’s? - I will let you know.
