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Sansui 350A find - what is it that I've found ?

F

fcm44

Active Member
Hello all,

I've recently picked up a Sansui 350A from someone for a very low price. I usually stay away from Marantz/Sansui and other 'inflated' brands like these but this very unit wasn't priced like a Sansui. So I picked it up. All it needed was a fuse for the lamps, some new fuse-bulbs and some DeOxit on the pots and switches. It is now in working condition.

Compared to my other vintage receivers (Realistic, Hitachi, Sony), I find this unit to have a different sound signature. I feel it has less warmth and more separation (which isn't a bad thing per say) than other vintage units in my collection.

It has 20 WPC and 1% total harmonic distortion, which I've always thought was very bad, but I'm no audiophile so I don't notice. Well at least that's according to this website : https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/sansui/350a.shtml

I don't plan on selling it at all. It took its place in my living room for now ! But I'd like to know what kind of unit this is : is it a good era for Sansui? Is it a quality unit?

From the wattage it has to be a base model, but base models can be well built anyway ! So I really want to know.
 

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Have one on the bench right now I am fixing for someone. Only have used FM so far and am really impressed with the separation and sounds more lively than the 1000 and 2000 that have passed through here. Of course it runs out of power before the 1000 and 2000 but at low listening volume its really really nice and has more detail to my ears. One thing that caught my eye is the Kill-a-Watt shows its only drawing 9 watts while listening at low volume which is really efficient.
 
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it has high marks among owners who posted on hifiengine. so, the sound must be good. certainly must need a refresh for optimum audio and reliability considering it's from 1970. currently working on a 5050 and it was littered with schematic errors, the parts were worn and bad. same era.
 
fcm44 said:
I feel it has less warmth
Click to expand...

That's a little surprising to me for a cap-coupled receiver from the early 70s . . . I have one in rough shape but it doesn't work yet, bought it for some parts, now I want to fix it :rolleyes: out of curiousity.
Is yours original?
I wonder if it's an indication that yours might be due for a refresh. Maybe it's tough to judge the sound signature of such an old amp if it hasn't been freshened-up.
I ordered a kit from peace.love.music to try to fix mine up. It has all the caps, transistors and even the double diode. Really nice to just get all the proven correct parts needed in one organized package, especially if you don't have a lot of time. Anyway I like the 350A! I'm a sucker for the lower-powered units due to their simplicity and great sound, and price.
 
My first real "stereo", a hand me down from my uncle that is a few yrs older than I am, 6th grade (1976). That hand me down included my AR-XA and some KLH 17s. My oldest daughter has the receiver and speakers and I still enjoy spinning some vinyls and listening to it at my daughters.
 
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petes'picks said:
Have one on the bench right now I am fixing for someone. Only have used FM so far and am really impressed with the separation and sounds more lively than the 1000 and 2000 that have passed through here. Of course it runs out of power before the 1000 and 2000 but at low listening volume its really really nice and has more detail to my ears. One thing that caught my eye is the Kill-a-Watt shows its only drawing 9 watts while listening at low volume which is really efficient.
Click to expand...

Yes I had the same experience. I first used it on FM and the sound was impressive. It almost sounded ... modern? Very separated and clean.
 
I've yet to listen to a cap coupled Sansui that I didn't like, they were voiced by ear and passion back in those days.

My 350A get frequent airings, particularly good with 70s/80s soul.
 
About $60-80 US in parts. Labor is the killer. If it works and nothing needs troubleshooting, probably 6-8 hours. Labor rates vary by location and shops. There are some very good Techs that are AK members in the Provinces of Canada. I just can't remember who right at the moment (early morning, before Coffee brain fog). After 3 cups in last hour, LEEStereo is in Ottawa. He does restorations and is very recommended. PM him.
 
Oh well, not sure it's worth it for that very unit. I'll keep enjoying it as is. It's totally good right now.
 
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