QR-6500 vs Single Digits

[captouch]

Hi,

From all I've read, the single digit Sansui's are supposed to be among the highest build quality/no cost compromise line in Sansui's history (and I've heard the 7000 should be included into this category as well). So I've had my eye on those, but haven't been able to land a really cosmetically clean one for a good price.

Meanwhile, I just got a QR-6500 and am very pleased with it so far. It's from the same era, and I've also read that Sansui was one of the few companies that built quads with the same SQ as the stereo units.

So. . .my question: Have I effectively already achieved my goal of effectively getting a single digit in my QR-6500? I know that not all single digits are the same and the Six, Seven, Eight Deluxe have a more advanced amp design vs the Eight/7000, and I'm thinking that the QR-6500 has the older amp architecture. But is it fair to say I have the equivalent of two lower power Eights?

If so, then I can probably focus on other acquisitions and let my single digit fixation go.

If not equivalent to the single digits, any opinions on how much SQ improvement I'd get with single digits vs QR-6500?

Thanks.

 

[DCinDC]

I'd say the SQ is like a low power 4 channel 7000.

Whilst working on a 7000, I found that;
the 7000, the TU-888, and the QR-6500 have the same FM IF (F-1243) boards.

So the tuner is pretty much the same.

The Single digits are MUCH better looking though. And the switching is unbeaten anywhere.

IOW, be happy.

and keep looking!

 

[captouch]

I'd say the SQ is like a low power 4 channel 7000.

Whilst working on a 7000, I found that;
the 7000, the TU-888, and the QR-6500 have the same FM IF (F-1243) boards.

So the tuner is pretty much the same.

The Single digits are MUCH better looking though. And the switching is unbeaten anywhere.

IOW, be happy.

and keep looking!

Sounds like a 7000 wouldn't make a whole lot of sense then since I don't listen at high levels most of the time, but a Seven or Eight Deluxe might be the way to go.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[DCinDC]

WHY is the Six excluded? Not just you but everybody just ignores those things. Although one went for over 200 on DeBay recently. Shocked me.

A Six usually sells for a third or less of an Eight Deluxe. Sevens are on the move.

A center meter, a midrange control, more power, and some build details are all that seperate them. They're not like a Pioneer SX-650 vs an SX-1250.

7000s are still under the radar, too.

<unabashed Sansui Six lover!>

 

[captouch]

Not excluded necessarily, but compared to the QR-6500, it would be a flavor change (more modern amp architecture) and step down in power, versus a flavor change and equivalent/more power in the case of the Seven (same power) or Eight Deluxe (more power).

I was just hoping to kill two birds with one stone. If I got the Six, I might be thinking, "I wonder what this would sound like with more power?" :scratch2: Then proceed to be on the hunt for Seven or Eight Deluxe.

I'm just trying (perhaps in vain) to avoid stacks upon stacks of receivers that I can't actually keep in rotation.

 

[DCinDC]

I'm just trying (perhaps in vain) to avoid stacks upon stacks of receivers that I can't actually keep in rotation.

resistance is futile...

 

[stereofun]

...and keep in mind that those power ratings are not to be taken too seriously, particular when it comes to the Six. I pitted one (29 watts) against my recapped Eight with upgraded power/driver tranny's - same sonics, same punch in the gut, only thing that separated them was the Eight went a tad deeper and maybe a notch more detailed. The Six is truly a beast in its own right.

I believe the QR-6500 is cap coupled ? Not necessarily a bad thing. I like the smoother more musical sound of the cap-coupled design. Not as punchy and edgy but more musical in my humble opinion.

 

[captouch]

...and keep in mind that those power ratings are not to be taken too seriously, particular when it comes to the Six. I pitted one (29 watts) against my recapped Eight with upgraded power/driver tranny's - same sonics, same punch in the gut, only thing that separated them was the Eight went a tad deeper and maybe a notch more detailed. The Six is truly a beast in its own right.

I believe the QR-6500 is cap coupled ? Not necessarily a bad thing. I like the smoother more musical sound of the cap-coupled design. Not as punchy and edgy but more musical in my humble opinion.

Thanks for the input - good to know.

Re the 6500: I'm not sure if it's cap coupled, but there's no protection circuit that I can tell - no click after some delay after power up.

I did measure offset on all the channels and all measured really low - but I wasn't confident I was measuring real offset since I thought I read somewhere that you can't measure offset on the outputs on a cap coupled design.

 

[DCinDC]

see those 4 big caps to the rear of the chassis? Yes it's cap coupled.

The 40 hz square wave response oscope pics prove it. Compare to the Six at 10 hz. Then compare to anything else. Yeah. That's right!


edit: Yes no point in measuring dc offset in a cap output amp.