Sansui 800, 210.....or another

danixmen01

Active Member
I'm still struggling in the search for a low wattage Sansui Receiver. At first I was interested in the Sansui 800, but then some members recommended the Sansui 210. There are so many models...200, 210, 250, 310, 350..... Those of you who know these receivers well, which one do you choose?
Thank you
 
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I have a 331 and a 661. Both are great sounding low power receivers. The 661 has discrete amp components along with better SQ.
 
@LBPete is probably the best "which Sansui models are similar" expert on AK... He may be able to give you some suggestions.
 
We have a well-maintained list of "cap-coupled receivers" by @GyroTuner here on AK. "Cap-coupled" means "warm or sweet sounding" due to the coloration of sound as it passes through that final capacitor on its way to the speakers.

Cap-coupled receivers and amps also tend to be low powered (under 50 watts per channel) as the expense and size of high voltage (80+ VAC) output caps keep that design away from high watts.

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index...e-receivers-and-integrated-amplifiers.912075/
 
I have both the 800 and the 210, and like them both. To me, the SQ might be a bit better with the 210, but the 800 is punchier.

Also, the 800 is built a bit better, and I like the styling better than the 210. I think that the 210 was produced to be a little more budget conscience.

All of this said, I don't think you can go wrong with either.

Also, though it sounds like you have your heart set on a receiver, the low watt integrated AU-222 is my favorite - of the ones I own.
 
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thanks for the contributions. More punchier the 800... does that mean you give deeper bass? I have read practically all the links that you put... the bad thing about reading so much is that different opinions are read. We all know that the AU-222 is one of the desired greats, there are even people who like it more than the 555/777.
Thank you!
 
800 is a little older (1968-69) and a bit more output power than the 210, 221, 331, or AU-222. Not mentioed so far (I think) were the 350 and 350A. I have one of the latter, it is quite a sweet little cap coupled unit. May not look like much, but it can deliver. The original 350 (sans A) was a smaller sibling of the 800, both are very well built units (slightly more so than the post 1970 models).

I do really like the 210, which I also have in the collection, as well as the AU-101. These low power models will really surprise you, so long as you have efficient speakers in use.
 
Happy Three Wise Men!
I'm rescuing the thread since I still want to change my SX-737 for a low-power Sansui receiver. The 210 is still one of the candidates, as well as the 221 and the 350A (I have read about the latter that it is better than the 350). It seems that there are several colleagues who prefer the 210 SQ over the 800. Any new suggestions for 2024? Thank you so much!
 
Also, though it sounds like you have your heart set on a receiver, the low watt integrated AU-222 is my favorite - of the ones I own.
Same here, and I have several to compare. au555a, au 717, au317, 331,661, 9090db, marantz 1060.
The au222 is a little ripper!
 
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If you want something slightly newer, for cap-coupled receivers I really liked the sound and styling of the 1000X. The one I had, had an issue in the tuner, so it went back to the seller and I bought a 5000X instead, but I thought the 1000X had great sound, every bit as good as the 5000X.
 
Sansui 210 at home!

Aesthetically it is immaculate, and functionally it is apparently perfect.
I have connected it for a short time, compared to the Pioneer SX-737 (switching) it seems that the Sansui has more detail, and the bass is better controlled, the bass of the Pioneers seems more "inflated". It's still early to have a trial, I have to try them for longer.

Regarding the lighting of the lamps, they are very very dim. In broad daylight you can barely see that they are on, you have to lower the light a lot in the almost dark room to see their illumination. I have ordered 2 sets of 8v LEDs (cool white and warm white), let's see how these LEDs go.
The radio pointer light is completely out...what bulb do I put in?

A question about balance. The plastic wheel on the volume control, if I turn it to the left (you have to hold the volume with the other hand so as not to alter it) works fine, but when I turn it to the right it seems to increase the volume even when blocking the volume knob with the other hand. Am I doing something wrong, is there any trick? I find it somewhat cumbersome not to have an independent balance knob.

Thank you very much and I will keep you informed!
 
Bueno, ya he hecho una comparativa del Sansui 210 con los demás amplificadores que tengo:

- Sansui 210 frente a Pioneer SX-737. El sonido es muy cercano entre sí, sólo noto un poco más de detalle en los 210 y los graves son más controlados, menos carnosos a favor de los Sansui. Estéticamente me gusta más el Pioneer.
Para mí el ganador es el Sansui.

- Sansui 210 vs Technics SU-V9: son dos amplificadores que están en ligas diferentes. El SU-V9 es más detallado, con un sonido más clínico, más potencia (120w), mientras que el Sansui es más cálido y sólo 10w. Siempre me han gustado mucho los graves que da con los Technics, y aquí el Sansui le planta cara, no sabría decir cuál de los dos me gusta más en este apartado.
Para mí el ganador es el Sansui, me gusta más el sonido cálido, con el plus de que tiene FM.

- Sansui 210 vs Philips 22RH591: aquí es cuando el Sansui se enfrenta a mi amplificador favorito, y tengo que decir que el Sansui me tiene asombrado, pero el Philips me gusta más por cómo suena mejor. No sé si es por los transistores de germanio, pero este Philips tiene un sonido diferente, muy especial, sobre todo noto que es más suave en las voces, con un sonido mucho más abierto que el Sansui no puede igualar. Si muchos compañeros comentan que el 210 es lo más parecido a un amplificador de válvulas... ¡el Philips lo está aún más!


He de decir que estas comparativas las he hecho con los controles de tono de cada amplificador a mi gusto y a partir de aquí comencé la comparativa. No me gusta compararlos planos porque simplemente nunca los escucho así, así que para mí tiene más sentido compararlos como los escucho habitualmente, con los tonos graves y agudos ajustados a mi gusto.

Saludos
 
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danixmen01. The Volume control is ganged and friction coupled to Left and Right. NO BALANCE CONTROL. From your description above it sound's like you are holding one channel and rotating the other, the channel being rotated responding normally. This was usual and customary in lower level(read as Bottom of the line) units. Turn off the unit, and zero out both volume controls. Then turn it on and tweak one or the other until you get the balance you want. The friction lock between them will do the rest.
 
Bueno, ya he hecho una comparativa del Sansui 210 con los demás amplificadores que tengo:

- Sansui 210 frente a Pioneer SX-737. El sonido es muy cercano entre sí, sólo noto un poco más de detalle en los 210 y los graves son más controlados, menos carnosos a favor de los Sansui. Estéticamente me gusta más el Pioneer.
Para mí el ganador es el Sansui.

- Sansui 210 vs Technics SU-V9: son dos amplificadores que están en ligas diferentes. El SU-V9 es más detallado, con un sonido más clínico, más potencia (120w), mientras que el Sansui es más cálido y sólo 10w. Siempre me han gustado mucho los graves que da con los Technics, y aquí el Sansui le planta cara, no sabría decir cuál de los dos me gusta más en este apartado.
Para mí el ganador es el Sansui, me gusta más el sonido cálido, con el plus de que tiene FM.

- Sansui 210 vs Philips 22RH591: aquí es cuando el Sansui se enfrenta a mi amplificador favorito, y tengo que decir que el Sansui me tiene asombrado, pero el Philips me gusta más por cómo suena mejor. No sé si es por los transistores de germanio, pero este Philips tiene un sonido diferente, muy especial, sobre todo noto que es más suave en las voces, con un sonido mucho más abierto que el Sansui no puede igualar. Si muchos compañeros comentan que el 210 es lo más parecido a un amplificador de válvulas... ¡el Philips lo está aún más!


He de decir que estas comparativas las he hecho con los controles de tono de cada amplificador a mi gusto y a partir de aquí comencé la comparativa. No me gusta compararlos planos porque simplemente nunca los escucho así, así que para mí tiene más sentido compararlos como los escucho habitualmente, con los tonos graves y agudos ajustados a mi gusto.

Saludos
Agree on using the tone controls for comparison. I don't really see a point to comparing things completely flat, other than to see what they sound like with no adjustments, or if one is insistent on running it that way. On the other hand, I usually compare amps using just the Loudness switch on, if the amp has one. When comparing Sansui to Sansui, I find I can generally match the sound of two amps/receivers using tone controls to the point where I can't tell the difference between the two. Which leads me to my last point. I have not found a Sansui that sounds better than another, just different.
 
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