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Now that's the build quality I'm talking about

I have a 1979 Sansui AU-X1. Overall,it's my No.1 fave amp.. In-terms of build quality (and sound),I much prefer it over my Pioneer reference A-91D from the late 80's.. The latter is the heaviest integrated Pioneer ever made (at around 29kg),and is around 1 kg heavier than the AU-X1.
The only thing that lets the AU-X1 down is the plastic input selector push buttons.. They should've been metal.
 
Daunia 70 said:
I have a 1979 Sansui AU-X1. Overall,it's my No.1 fave amp.. In-terms of build quality (and sound),I much prefer it over my Pioneer reference A-91D from the late 80's.. The latter is the heaviest integrated Pioneer ever made (at around 29kg),and is around 1 kg heavier than the AU-X1.
The only thing that lets the AU-X1 down is the plastic input selector push buttons.. They should've been metal.
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I really don't get what difference metal selectors would make.
 
My A91D weighs 29.9kg according to the specs and my scales. It is indeed the heaviest integrated Pioneer built for worldwide sales.

I prefer its sound to most other amps, including some the Sansui AU-717s. Don't have an AU-X1 to compare.

My Marantz PM95 sounds the best to my ears. 27.5kg of MOSFET goodness, TDA1541 S1 DAC and with a build quality that makes the others look cheap.

Daunia 70 said:
I have a 1979 Sansui AU-X1. Overall,it's my No.1 fave amp.. In-terms of build quality (and sound),I much prefer it over my Pioneer reference A-91D from the late 80's.. The latter is the heaviest integrated Pioneer ever made (at around 29kg),and is around 1 kg heavier than the AU-X1.
The only thing that lets the AU-X1 down is the plastic input selector push buttons.. They should've been metal.
Click to expand...
 
The cost of a new amp isn't just on better components, but it also has to take into consideration for the time spent in developing the unit. In the end the manufacture is pretty simple and automated. I'm sure, taking the cost of the actual hardware and build process, these units would be half the price. There is more to an amp... or car.. or aircraft... than the cost of parts.

In regards to build quality... it is something you need to feel and see up close. Pictures on the net look impressive, but so does the stage set for The Hobbit until you look behind ity and see there's not much to it. Having owned and repaired a few Yamaha units, I can assume the new one would be a high quality build, but until I see it in person, feel it and poke about, I can only judge by the net images.
 
Bigerik said:
I really don't get what difference metal selectors would make.
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Well,the rest of the knobs are all metal (with grub screws),and feel real nice 'n smooth.. The push buttons feel slightly cheap and are a little noisy when you press 'em,therefore seem outta place.
 
The thread is about build quality.

Plastic push button selector buttons are cheap and fit fairly and squarely into the average build quality description.

Having had and repaired many Sansui selectors where the buttons crack or shoot off, it was a poor decision to put such nasty buttons on the AU-X1.

Build quality often determines service life and TOTL components should be expected to have a commensurately longer service life.


Bigerik said:
I really don't get what difference metal selectors would make.
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Its like a plastic dash or wood dash on a car.

The actual material doesn't make a difference to performance, but for some it is the visual aspect they find appealing of one material over another.
 
Bigerik said:
I really don't get what difference metal selectors would make.
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Tactile feel of luxury that befit a higher-end or statement product. Auto manufacturers are well aware of this.

The selectors on a Honda feel completely different than those on a Mercedes yet neither performs it's function any differently.
 
Vintagear said:
Tactile feel of luxury that befit a higher-end or statement product. Auto manufacturers are well aware of this.

The selectors on a Honda feel completely different than those on a Mercedes yet neither performs it's function any differently.
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So true. One of my reasons for knocking Honda off my list when car shopping a while back because the controls felt cheap.
 
Vintagear said:
Tactile feel of luxury that befit a higher-end or statement product. Auto manufacturers are well aware of this.

The selectors on a Honda feel completely different than those on a Mercedes yet neither performs it's function any differently.
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But at minimum from 1990 to 2005 I would say that Hondas had higher design and build quality than Mercedes. More reliable, dependable, fun to drive.
 
I drove a Mercedes for a short while, like for a weekend. An AMG Mercedes, a CL55 V8 Kompressor. We're talking a car with something like a $100k+ sticker price, 150 sticks in my head for some reason. Used though, for a fraction of that.

An absolutely fabulous car, 200+ MPH in fully unlocked trim, and handling and braking that could loosen fillings. However, the prospects of repairing somewhat problematic active suspension problems at $4000 per shock absorber, not counting install labor and retuning the suspension, I passed. Build quality was top notch though...each engine meticulously assembled by one technician and all that...

Point being, as others have eluded to, build quality ain't necessarily all that in and of itself.
 
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Reynolds531 said:
But at minimum from 1990 to 2005 I would say that Hondas had higher design and build quality than Mercedes. More reliable, dependable, fun to drive.
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I didn't know this but it wouldn't surprise me. I don't think the controls actually were cheap but they had a plasticky feel I didn't like. This would have been in late 2005, and I had been driving a Camry for about 8 years. My first car was an 88 accord (stick shift) and I liked it a lot so I was very surprised to not like the feel of the Honda controls. Actually it seemed to me that they were virtually unchanged from the 88 model year which was over 15 years back at that point. But when I shopped for a car again in 2009 I the Honda controls felt much more solid. They must have made changes in between.
 
People are confusing build quality and luxury. Two different aspects although sometimes they can and do go hand in hand.

Honda cars have high build quality but are hardly luxurious.

Solid aluminum knobs and levers are luxurious but not necessarily indicative of build quality.
 
As I mentioned further back in the thread, there are many parameters that contribute to the level of build quality and aluminium knobs and levers are definitely an indication of build quality. Not the sole contributor but a valid indicator without a doubt.

trhee said:
Solid aluminum knobs and levers are luxurious but not necessarily indicative of build quality.
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trhee said:
Solid aluminum knobs and levers are luxurious but not necessarily indicative of build quality.
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I get what you are saying, but which one has the higher probability of breaking (cracking, decaying, fading, etc.) over time the metal or the plastic?

In manufacturing, metal will be used in most cases when cost savings or weight is not an issue and durability is required.
 
Vintagear said:
I get what you are saying, but which one has the higher probability of breaking (cracking, decaying, fading, etc.) over time the metal or the plastic?

In manufacturing, metal will be used in most cases when cost savings or weight is not an issue and durability is required.
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Absolutely.

Did you get my PM?
 
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