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Sansui 1970s AU integrateds?

jeeem

jeeem

Active Member
I've gotten some great Sansui advice from Audiokarmaniacs here and in the last few months have picked up an AU-4900, a luscious QRX-7001, and a really lovely 551 receiver (only 16 wpc, but what's there is cherce).

Now I'm looking for an integrated with maybe a little more oomph, but I don't know where to start. I looked up some Sansui history and there's quite a by-the-numbers overview at http://www.sansui.us/Amplifiers.htm .

But that's where it gets complicated. Some swear that (to pick a random example) the AU 777 (or 777A) is superior to the 999, or something like that. So, I'm asking you: In your experience, what is the best AU series, or the best models within the various series?

1967-70: AU-222 to -999
1972: AU-6500 to -9500
1973-75: AU-2200 to -7700 AND AU-3900 to -7900 (+ AU-9900 to -20000 Professional Series)
1977: AU-517 & -717
1978: AU-117 to -717 AND AU-519 to -919

Whew. Got any favorites in there? Thanks again.
 
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Ok, so I'm a fan on the late 60's and early 70's line up for both its sonic and visual appeal, subjective of course.
Now you've got to remember that this was still pretty early days in Sansui's evolution, and audio technology in general. So from the the AU-111 valve amp (65) came their first transistor amp the AU-777 (69) also with capacitor coupled output design.
Then came DC output like their famous AU999..666..and 888. There were others in between but I'm just giving you my quick answer.
From around '72~73 came the AU-6500,7500,8500,9500 line. Different looks, similar warm, pleasant and powerful sound.
That's what I myself refer to as the classic lines.

The 555A, 777A and 999 give outstanding performance and are very often spoken of throughout the pages of AK. I'm just delighted by my AU222 that gets played in my living area.
 
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I'm not sure what the rest of your system looks like, but I can give two big thumbs up for the AU-999. I love mine. The built in phono stage sounds beautiful to me. Big, warm and clear all around. I don't need more than the 50 watts it offers in my living room. The AU-999 cranks plenty loud, and it can drive lots of speaker options (4-16 ohms).
 
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I hope you will gain some clarity, but we all have favorites, and in turn haven't heard all the "other ones" - I can argue that the modded 999 is the best overall - but I've never heard a 7900 let alone a D9/11, which I suspect is really good - so I cannot opine in good faith.

I'll freely admit too, that sound is not the only driver - I take great joy in the early industrial designs of the 777's which look gorgeous in a wood sleeve or the ditto 888 and ofcourse the 999.

The good news is that Sansui didn't to my knowledge produce junk and you will find fans with almost all the models - you cant go wrong ! . We generally talk of the early sound and then the later more refined sound. If anything I'd venture into to both and see where you'd like to explore more. Right now you are somewhere in the middle and with low power, so you can more up in time and power and get something like a 517 / 519 / 717 /719 (if you move into the 80'ties you'll get even more of the later refinement) OR you can move to the early sound which has two branches: The cap coupled sound, but you'll be limited on power (although the 777a can pack a good punch) OR you can pick one of the first gen DC designs per AnalogueBen lists. If you go early and need power, its probably 888/999 45-50'ish watt or the 8500/9500 65-75 watt
 
Great info in here!

I'd love to try a 777a. That cap coupled sound is something to really appreciate. The 5000x seems to have endless power and has a fantastic low end. I'm guessing the 777 would be in the same ballpark. They have a similar circuit design I believe.

My recommendation would be a 717 for many reasons other than just it's sonic properties. Ive heard even the 317 sounds good!
 
I have had two AU 7900s and one each AU 517/717, plus multiple Sansui receivers. Vintage Sansui integrated amps are all varying degrees of wonderful. I wish I had one of the 7900s back because there were so many knobs, buttons, and switches on it to match the amp to just about anything you might want to make sound.
 
My first taste of Sansui was an AU555, an excellent little amp with a wonderfully smooth sound and some of the best build quality I’ve ever seen in a vintage amp (and that’s saying something). I gave it to a good friend for his first setup, but sometimes I catch myself missing it. Maybe I’ll find another someday!
 
MIJ_Pioneer said:
Great info in here!

I'd love to try a 777a. That cap coupled sound is something to really appreciate. The 5000x seems to have endless power and has a fantastic low end. I'm guessing the 777 would be in the same ballpark. They have a similar circuit design I believe.

My recommendation would be a 717 for many reasons other than just it's sonic properties. Ive heard even the 317 sounds good!
Click to expand...
AU777's are actually a very "exciting" sounding amp. I was very impressed when I heard my first one. I have restored two of them.
 
macyjrm said:
I have had two AU 7900s and one each AU 517/717, plus multiple Sansui receivers. Vintage Sansui integrated amps are all varying degrees of wonderful. I wish I had one of the 7900s back because there were so many knobs, buttons, and switches on it to match the amp to just about anything you might want to make sound.
Click to expand...
I still have my AU-7900-bought it new in 1977, recapped and replaced the usual villains-VD1212 diodes, fusible resistors, and noise prone transistors last year. It still sounded great before, but after-WOW!-Does it rock!!! You can’t turn it up much above 12 o’clock-it will blow your ears out. But, with such clarity!
 
jeeem said:
I've gotten some great Sansui advice from Audiokarmaniacs here and in the last few months have picked up an AU-4900, a luscious QRX-7001, and a really lovely 551 receiver (only 16 wpc, but what's there is cherce).

Now I'm looking for an integrated with maybe a little more oomph, but I don't know where to start. I looked up some Sansui history and there's quite a by-the-numbers overview at http://www.sansui.us/Amplifiers.htm .

But that's where it gets complicated. Some swear that (to pick a random example) the AU 777 (or 777A) is superior to the 999, or something like that. So, I'm asking you: In your experience, what is the best AU series, or the best models within the various series?

1967-70: AU-222 to -999
1972: AU-6500 to -9500
1973-75: AU-2200 to -7700 AND AU-3900 to -7900 (+ AU-9900 to -20000 Professional Series)
1977: AU-517 & -717
1978: AU-117 to -717 AND AU-519 to -919

Whew. Got any favorites in there? Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Having owned most of them from these series my personal favs
Au-222
Au-7900
Au-9900/11000
Au-717

models above give you the sweet spot of each series and parts generally plentiful for restoration purposes and given not totl of their series better priced
 
moefuzz said:
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Bub, I think you'll find that most Sansui Amps and receivers utilize a precision volume pot that
roughly puts you all in at around 5 to 6 o'clock.

This is opposed to many other amps and receivers of the day that really didn't start to get
warmed up until you hit 6...


The volume pot on my daily G-7700 features a nice machined line down it's side to show
where the volume is compared with the numbers indicated on the face plate.
I find it handy in that you really don't have to look down or take your hand off the
volume to know roughly where you are in turns of volume.

The G7700 really just starts to get loud at about 3.2 and there seems to be a natural
tendency for me to dial in 3.8 while on my way to pouring the cola to her.
By about 5 the house is a rocking at about 6 I know I am close to our limits (me and all
those woofers that is)


On my number 2 G9700 the volume acts very similarly but with the added effect of more power.

My number 1 G-9700 has been somewhat modified and all the output transistors were swapped
with larger versions available in Sansui's bigger amps of the day.
This '97 starts to get really loud by about 3 on the volume and at 4 the neighbor is
shaking and the lights are pulsating to the beat.
Substituting larger Sanken transistors allowed the G-9700 to run at a lot cooler pace
but had the effect of offsetting the volume button by about 10%.



Cheers,
moe




View attachment 2191050



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Click to expand...
Moe, I think we’re talking about 2 different things! :D
I was looking at the volume control from the perspective of the hour hand of a clock-12 o’clock is half the scale-the slot in the volume control pointing straight up.
At that position, my amp is so loud that conversation is pretty much impossible.
I don’t think that I’ve ever ventured much beyond that point.
But I DO know that the output, at that setting, is clean.
My music listening room is small, though.
And my speakers are pretty efficient, so that matters, too.

Where can I get a pair of those hearing aids?
I NEED those! :p
 
moefuzz said:
Yeah, same thing, I just you a scale of 1 to 10 so 5 is half way or straight up.
-Half volume on the dial is almost/about all in for most Sansui models that I have seen
Click to expand...
No, that’s just what too high of a SPL does to one’s ears! :)
I know that, for myself, high sound levels make everything sound like mush, after a while.
 
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