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Sansui 2000x vs Sansui 6060

Gang-Twanger

Gang-Twanger

Resident Wharfedaliophool
Hey, y'all! I was hoping to get some specific pros and cons in regards to these two outstanding Sansui models: the 2000x and the 6060. As far as power and features go, these are the two I'm most-interested in (I already have a 4000, but it is currently not working - Left channel is out, so until I can get this one fixed, I was thinking about the possibility of grabbing another Sansui in the meantime - I'm really-looking to explore several different models to see which one fits me the best). Any help is appreciated, but if possible, can you please name the speakers you're using with your Sansui? That will help a lot (My speakers are from '73 (Wharfedale), and are very-warm-sounding and smooth, so if someone is saying they love the sound of their 6060, but they neglect to tell me that they're powering a pair of late '70's JBL's, it's going to turn into an apples-and-oranges situation.

I should mention right off the bat that I love warm-sounding receivers/amps (like the 4000), and while I love the looks and features of the 6060, I've still never heard one, and I was concerned that I might be sacrificing too-much of that warmth with a later model like that. But if I were to find one close by, then it might be something worth grabbing.

So basically, I'm looking for comparisons between the 2000x and the 6060, with an emphasis on sound quality. I love the features of both models, and the power ratings are similar (I believe the 2000x is rated at 39w per channel @ 8ohms, and I think the 6060 is rated around 45w per channel @ 8ohms, but I can't remember for sure. My speakers are rated to handle 50w RMS per channel, and considering their age, I'd say that both receiver models are well-suited for my speakers in regards to power.

Again, any help is welcome, but I ask that (whenever possible) people say what speakers are being powered by their respective Sansui models.

Thanks in advance.
 
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I think it's worth mentioning again that IMO the 6060, 7070, and 9090 are, IMO, the best-looking Sansui receivers (and the best-looking receivers of ANY brand).
 
Had 2 2000Xs. in mear mint cond, and also a 7000. Today if I was after another sui rcvr Id go for a 6060/7070. Like the looks and they wll sound great. Presently running a sui AU517 65watt integ. amp.
 
I am listening to my 9090 with a tube buffer, ipod and KLH 5's and it sounds absolutely amazing. Like I am in the room with the musicians or in the control room listening to the mix.

Bass is fat, but balanced mids and highs where they should be. Sounds very musical.

It is hard for me to describe sound. I hope this is helpful!
 
oldhifiguy said:
Had 2 2000Xs. in mear mint cond, and also a 7000. Today if I was after another sui rcvr Id go for a 6060/7070. Like the looks and they wll sound great. Presently running a sui AU517 65watt integ. amp.
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Isn't the AU517 one of the earlier integrateds from the same period as the 4000 and 2000x? Or is that a model from around the same time as the 6060? I'm asking because I have a pair of speakers that appear to respond to warmer, livelier receivers (more-"alive"-sounding), and I have an NAD 3140 integrated from '81 that I was using, and when I tried swapping it out for a mid '70's Rotel (an RX-203A, which I think is the cheapest one from that series and is actually very-light), it blew away the NAD hands down (It was as if my speakers had been dead for 6 months but were now alive and kicking). And since then, after trying to mate my speakers with a few other receivers, I've found that they definitely respond better to the earlier warmer units - and I'm wondering if the 6060 will fit that criteria. I'm concerned it might fall closer to "accurate" than "warm". But I really love the looks of it, and I know that it gets decent respect among the audiophiles - It's just that I've never heard one before. They look so-damn-good though.
 
Gang-Twanger said:
Isn't the AU517 one of the earlier integrateds from the same period as the 4000 and 2000x? Or is that a model from around the same time as the 6060? I'm asking because I have a pair of speakers that appear to respond to warmer, livelier receivers (more-"alive"-sounding), and I have an NAD 3140 integrated from '81 that I was using, and when I tried swapping it out for a mid '70's Rotel (an RX-203A, which I think is the cheapest one from that series and is actually very-light), it blew away the NAD hands down (It was as if my speakers had been dead for 6 months but were now alive and kicking). And since then, after trying to mate my speakers with a few other receivers, I've found that they definitely respond better to the earlier warmer units - and I'm wondering if the 6060 will fit that criteria. I'm concerned it might fall closer to "accurate" than "warm". But I really love the looks of it, and I know that it gets decent respect among the audiophiles - It's just that I've never heard one before. They look so-damn-good though.
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No, later. Big, black, dual power supply transformers. part of series 317 to 917 I think, not all with 2 xfmrs. Some describe the sound as very "tube" like. It just sounds great.
im sure the 6060 will be all you want it to be. dont swet it just get it if you want it.
 
Man, this is as tough as I thought it would be.

I'm a huge fan of '70's solid-state receivers and amps that have a "tubelike" sound (like the Sansui 4000, the old MAC-1700 [or is it 1900, or is it both], the early Marantz 22** series [mid '70's, I think - with the old-style lettering], those really-tubey-sounding Sony and Sherwood models that I can't remember the model # for, and stuff like that. And according to the info I read on here after doing a search, it seems like, for the money, the best tubey-sounding, "bang-for-the-buck" models were the early '70's Sansui models like the 1000x, 2000x, 4000, and the others from that era that didn't have any recall issues (The 5000a is too-much power for my needs anyway, even if it did have the better preamp boards - I think that was the part they recalled for that model). And that kind of sound seems to have the most synergy with the speakers I'm using (which I really-dig a lot). I've never been a big fan of the "accurate" sound of later models (the G series is out - Not for me). My current setup has a very-warm, smooth, and relaxing sound with no fatigue - It's just that it's not quite-enough power for my speakers (OR my needs in general). With a receiver or amp with a 40w-50w rating (a good one, that is), I should get more low-end clarity and probably a more-balanced, clearer tone in general, but I don't want to sacrifice any of the warmth and smoothness. A lot of later units have more so-called clarity, but they sound sterile to me - no life. Not what I want. And with a slightly-later model like the 6060, I was worried that I might be trading off some of those "tubelike" qualities that I love so-much. And with money being so-tight these days, I want to be sure I'm making the right decision (for me) because I listen to A LOT of music - sometimes as much as 12 hours a day or more (I LOVES my music).

Man, I really-suck at making decisions (The OCD makes it almost-impossible because I'm constantly second-guessing myself).
 
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prisoners said:
Wish I kept my 2000x.
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You didn't happen to buy a 6060 at some point after getting rid of the 2000x, did you? Is that why you wish you'd hung on to your 2000x, or did you just really like it in general?

I just realized that the 6060 is indeed 40 watts per channel, and not 45. So we're talking about two equally-powered receivers here. Now it's just down to preference. This would be so-much-easier if I didn't like the looks of the 6060 so-damn-much. And the 2000x is generally much-cheaper on the auction sites than the 6060.

Still, I just don't know..... Hmmmm...... (Stupid OCD). At least the 6060 is usually much-cheaper than it's bigger brethren (Those power meters attract big bucks - I'd be all over a 7070 for just that reason, but it's just too-much-power for my needs). I wish CT had a bunch of great vintage audio stores so I could go and listen to several units at once. I plan on getting my 4000 fixed in the near-future, but the only vintage audio repair place in my area already has my Dual 1019 (which they've had for the last 6 months - No BS - I dropped it off in the middle of September '09, and it just needed to have the cuing arm fluid repacked and just needed to generally be checked out to make sure everything is working up to spec - Not a full refurb or anything - The table is already in awesome shape), so I'm not exactly looking forward to dropping off another piece of gear so it can just sit there for another 6 months. It pisses me off too because I read about all these places across the country that fix the same kind of gear, and they talk about their one-week turnaround times and all that, and it makes me want to smash my head through the wall. I miss my LP's and it's aggrevating the snot out of me. This is why I'm looking for a working receiver in the meantime (By the way, I've tried several times to light a fire under the ass of the repair place, but it hasn't worked).
 
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No, so I can't compare, but the 2000x sounded so smooth. I had the brilliant idea of using separates in the bedroom and now realize that the simplicity of the Sansui was much better for the 2nd system than a stack of components.
 
prisoners said:
No, so I can't compare, but the 2000x sounded so smooth. I had the brilliant idea of using separates in the bedroom and now realize that the simplicity of the Sansui was much better for the 2nd system than a stack of components.
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How's the bottom-end on it (You're swaying me here...)? I'm expecting the sound to be smooth, balanced, and warm, as I assume most good 40 watt receivers from this era basically-are), but I've been wondering about the low-end response.
 
My experience with them is the 2000X sounds wonderful. The 6060s were good but just lacking a little something and also problem prone. Seemed to me the 7070 was a huge step up from both in power.
 
davidb said:
My experience with them is the 2000X sounds wonderful. The 6060s were good but just lacking a little something and also problem prone. Seemed to me the 7070 was a huge step up from both in power.
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Yeah, I think I'm gonna stick with a 2000x (unless I find a sweet 4000 first). I really love the tone of those early '70's units (Well, '72-'75 - The models from that era seem totally-underrated - But some people have different ears than others - Some love the warm sound, but hate the "accurate" sound, and vice-versa). Also, the 2000x must have sold quite-well, because I see them all the time online, so there must have been a good reason for that. I can't help but get caught up in the looks of those late '70's units (The 9090, and all the big receivers from McIntosh, Marantz, even Pioneer - They're sexy as hell - The Rotels aren't terribly-sexy, but they just might be the best-sounding receivers out there), but I'm just not sure that the sound is for me. I like a tubey sound, but I can't afford a tube receiver/amp, and as far as I can tell, the early '70's stuff seems to be the closest thing to it. I plan on putting a vinyl-ripping setup together once my Dual 1019 is rescued from captivity, and I think that smoothness will help a lot. I'll get a decent soundcard, but I want to stick with the smooth, vintage vibe rather than going all crazy in the other direction (like a lot of vinyl-rippers do with the Scoutmasters and Music Halls and Regas, and all that 192khz hi-rez stuff). I've heard a lot of vinyl-rips, and a lot of them sound too-bright, almost as if they're trying to sound like a CD rather than an LP (There are several guys out there that are amazing though, but most of them have modern tables - I'd like to hear more rips made from Thorens, Luxman, Dual, AR, and that sort of thing. The older tables have an energy to them that can't be explained - something I rarely hear from the modern tables. I think that with the right soundcard plus an old early to mid '70's German-made table and an old Sansui receiver, you could make some excellent rips that rival the hi-rez ones, yet have much-more of that vintage energy.
 
A smidge higher than I would have preferred (Someone tried to sneak it out from under me.... Well, sorta'), but I bought one. With the cash-back, it will be around $55, but my neighbor just threw me some extra cash last night as a thank-you gift for helping her out a lot lately, so it all evens out (plus, I'm still new to all this stuff, so I'm not a pro at this yet). I'm certainly-happy with my decision. And I'm already working to try and insure that it's not a repeat of my last receiver purchase - The box looked like someone repeatedly-kicked it all the way to my house (which was a short distance from the seller - Any closer and I would have just picked the thing up). I was eyeing a 6060 that wasn't drawing that much attention - close-enough that I could concievably-drive there to pick it up and avoid having it shipped (which I prefer because shipping electronics is a nightmare), but I really wasn't sure it was the kind of thing I'd be happy with, and the condition isn't as good. And for the kind of sound I'm after, I really-think a 2000x is a better choice. This should hopefully keep me happy until I'm able to get my 4000 up and running properly. By the way, I'm actually starting to come around on the looks of the 2000x vs the 6060. I'm still going to refinish the cabinet with a darker stain that's closer to the tone of the later cabs used on the 9090db and the other ones from that series. I've seen pictures of a few that were redone like that and they look great. I wish I could make it a blue-lit panel instead of green, but I assume that the bulbs are plain-white and set behind some kind of colored background rather than being colored bulbs, so that's probably out. It WOULD be cool if I could though.

Yipper!

Edit (9/23/10): Well, she arrived last Friday, and I've been on a cloud ever since. Shipping was quick because I upgraded - I didn't want that thing to be in transit anymore than it had to. Looks like I did the right thing because the case is near-mint except for two small edge dings that were clearly-displayed in the auction listing - The rest of it looks almost-new and is smoother than I've ever seen for a unit from '72. Even though the unit was double-boxed, it still managed to take a hit that punched through both boxes, and two speaker terminals were bumped, shattering the plastic part and slightly-bending the metal terminal on one and merely knocking the plastic piece off it's metal terminal on the other. One of the fuse holders was cracked as well. Nothing else was damaged (Front faceplate was mint, and I can steal the replacement pieces from my non-working 4000 receiver, so not a big problem there (No permanent cosmetic damage as a result of the shipping). I simply-plugged into "Speaker System B", and I've been enjoying it ever since. This is one sweet receiver. I definitely went with the right one. Thanks for all the help, everybody.
 
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I have never experienced 6060 or 2000x. I have a 7070 and a 8080. I also have a 4000, which I think is an excellent all round receiver. I play my 4000 with JBL 82. I think if you are looking for that old tubey ss sound the xoxo series is not where you will find it. I also believe it woud be better to fix your 4000 or grab any of these Sonys if you encounter them: amp TA 1120; receivers 6060F, 6200. The amp is easier to find than the receivers. THe built quality of these Sonys is "Mac" quality.
 
Yeah, I had a feeling that was the case. It's hard not to like the looks of those 9090db's though, but they're just too-much power for my needs anyway. I've been on the lookout for that Sony 6060F, not to mention the Sherwood model that's said to have that kind of sound, but they seem to fetch more money than I've got (when I can even find any). I like the early '70's Sansuis because they seem to fall under the radar. I'll fix my 4000 in the near-future, but for right now, the 2000x should hopefully keep me happy. My speakers handle 50 watts per, so the 2000x should be a good match, and the 4000 will still be a step up once it's ready (I think it has 45 watts per). The 4000 and the 2000x seem to have a lot in common with each other.

Totally-unrelated (Hey, it's MY thread...), but I love GoogleMaps and all these online travel aid sites where you can actually view a snapshot of an actual intersection, and then move forward and actually travel down that road - It's the coolest thing ever. I managed to get to the road up in central Maine where my family's summer cottage is located (Saw the lake and everything), and I was "driving" my computer around town (Sort of a brief, online vacation). Man, if someone told me twenty years ago that I'd be doing that today, I'd have said they were crazy.
 
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I like the sound of the 2000x & 4000 better than the 9090db and own all three. The 2000x is the receiver I keep coming back to if a high powered amp is not required. It's warm tubey sound with my EV's and C40 JBL's (both horn speakers) makes for a great match. Although the 2000x is almost too much power for them. I'm assuming your Wharfedale's are horn also? Bob

The only thing negative I can say about the 2000x & 4000 is when their in phono or aux mode etc. the face isn't light up like the other receivers.
 
I can't speak for the 2000x, but I have a restored Sansui 3300 which is the same era, and the warmth and musicality is incredible. I thought my modern Klipsch speakers were just cold and harsh by nature and I'd been constantly questioning my purchase of them until going with an early 70s Sansui. It's no exaggeration to say it brought the breath of life those speakers sorely needed.

Now, I'd love to hear my uncle's 9090db sometime, but I know he'll never let it go. He never uses it anymore, though.
 
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