Sansui 661 Thrift Store Find

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lovely receivers...the 661 has a nice sound, bit brighter compared to some of sansui's other gear..definitely a keeper!

Maybe because it's amazing 15-30 000htz bandwith (info found at hifiengine site)?

 

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Saw an ad for a pair of JVC SK-303: 20$ and the seller threw in a Sansui 661 with one inoperate channel. Didn't care for the speakers but wanted to get the Sansui and try some magic deoxit. Well, ended replacing 2 fuses for the right output and everything work in stereo like a charm again. All the bulbs light on. Lol.
The sound is amazingly smooth: warm bass and crystal clear highs, and much better mids than the Pioneer sx-780 I bought for 40$. Today it already sounds better than yesterday.
It turns out that the JVC sk-303 sounds very nice after a period of break in after being stored extensively by the previous owner. I thought they sounded muddy in the lows and harsh in the highs. But today, after 3 hours of radio and CD player as source, they sound amazing. I thought they were good for trash. What an idiot I was (and probably still am as I'm all new to vintage)
I'm about to put the sx-780 to sale or maybe donate to a friend as I really like the 661. For back up I already have a Sony STR-6800SD I salvaged in the street in front of my door.
Do you think I'm lucky or people throw any nice gear of the past in order to get surround plastic junk?

 

[nosirrah]

They know not what they do.....

 

[michaelhigh]

I have a 771(slightly bigger brother) that sounds very nice. I think this
series(have heard an 881 as well) is pretty nice, and as stated by others, a bit underappreciated.

A bit, nowhere near the 8080DB (my #1) but worth the $75 I paid secondhand.

 

[moebuster]

They know not what they do.....

i am a testament to that statement-
let me explain...

a couple days ago i picked up a 661 that would not power up at the thrift store( i did hear a faint "clink"while pressing the on/off button though) so for 5 bucks i thought i'd take a chance.

i felt like the guy in a pressed suit on the side of the road peering into the engine bay of his stranded car with a hopeful gaze-

"maybe if i stare at it a bit it will come to life" he/i though.

yes- but I have WD40 i thought...

after squirting the pots a while and rapping on the side of the chassis it
slowly came to life-i was amazed at my electronics repair skills.

the next morning i listened to the radio, played a cd or two and generally felt
like i'd "scored".
then someone on AK scorned me for using a WD-40 type spray-(CRC 2-26)
actually-anyway...
i source some DeoxIT from Radio Shack,the small, no tiny cans of D series
"contact cleaner" and "G" series Gold. 20 bucks -"gold" indeed....

guess what?
now it has died/ returned to the dead/ not dead just asleep.pick one.

checked fuses rapped on the side(i worked the first time) squirted CRC back into the pots,squirted "real" contact cleaner into the pots twisted and wiggled the pots til my fingers ached.

i apparently squirted Deox somewhere it did not need to be.
o.k.-magic wands in hand-
any ideas on it?

 

[jim292]

I picked up this Sansui 661 today for 30.00. Seemed a little high on the price but it is pretty clean inside and out and sounds good. Anyone have one of these?

hi I buy and sell recievers for a 2nd job have sold many and value on ebay does not eqall performance the sansuis always seem by far the best performing for the money I love em

 

[jim292]

bad display lighting on sansui 221 throught 881s are commonly a bad soldering job on dial light board resolder em and light em up again

 

[playittwice]

My first Sansui was a 661. Sold it to make room for upgradeitis stuff. Sellers regret everyday. Mine was in excellent condition also For the amount I sold it for I would have rather let it sit on a shelf and just look at it! No I would have rotated it in! But really, a fine example of early Sansui equipment. Enjoy.

 

[SiliconTi]

My first real receiver was a 771 - I loved that thing until it died. I'd get another xx1 anyday!