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Questions about Sansui equalizers

gagelle

gagelle

Super Member
A while ago, I bought an AU-999 and matching tuner. The seller included a Sansui equalizer that I didn't really want but I hooked it up anyway to see how it would sound. It's an SE-3000. Well, it made the sound terrible, like a cheap radio. The seller told me to run it between the preamp and the amp. I tried to get some info on it and it appears to have been made during the early 80s. It's also very flimsy and light. It's basically just sitting around, not being used. I'm wondering: is the equalizer a piece of junk that was made in China during the "bad years"? Or does it need to be repaired? Did Sansui ever make any high quality equalizers?

I had a Soundcraftsmen equalizer in the 70s that was amazing. It actually improved the sound of my amplifier.
 
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I am not familar with that model , have you tried to run it through the tape in and out connections , I know my se99 is able to bypass the eq, do you have it activated?
 
tonysrep said:
I am not familar with that model , have you tried to run it through the tape in and out connections , I know my se99 is able to bypass the eq, do you have it activated?
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Well, my son knocked it off a chair onto the floor. It wasn't damaged externally but I don't want to take a chance with it. I'm going onto Barter town to give it away. I really don't want or need an equalizer. But thanks for the help anyway.
 
First of all: I'm not a friend of using equalizers. Anyway, I have SE8 and SE9.
They are offering various possibilities when having rooms with difficult interior or being built with difficult materials at all. In these cases the equalizers will help. For sure. I tried out a lot with these two comrades - I can't tell anything negative about.
 
I have a Sansui SE-8X, and when run flat, it seems pretty transparent. You have to have a VERY light touch with an EQ in order not to have things really sound a mess, though.
 
An equalizer really shows it's mettle when used with an RTA. You wind up with the sliders all up and down. This can cause problems like snap on and rainbow. Search these terms with soundcraftsmen and you should find their brochure explaining it.

I've had many many eqs as I am a fan using an RTA.

The Sansui SE-7 was my hands down favorite. It worked much better than any other Sansui eq, and lots of other brands too. Second fave was ADC SSII or III.

The SE-3000 is a POS. One of the few pieces of gear I have EVER returned.

IMHO you have no technical need (other than looks) for an EQ unless you have an RTA or Osc/SPL meter.

If you do it ONCE you will be hooked. Well worth the effort. Especially in a difficult room or using meh speakers.
 
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