Sansui AU-317

[ryanward84]

Just picked up a mint Sansui AU-317 for a great price. It sounds awesome!

How can I tell if it is original or MkII?

 

[SoundOfSound]

It should be marked on the front panel.

Another way to tell is that the first series has the bells on the power transformer and the mkII series does not.

 

[ryanward84]

OK. Looks like MkI than. Thanks. Does this thing pair well with 6 ohm speakers? Or what speakers sound especially good with it?

 

[ryanward84]

I've been playing it through a pair of Polk 11t speakers (6 ohm) for about n hour and the top casing is fairly warm almost hot. I'm a little surprised.

 

[SoundOfSound]

I think it wants an 8 Ohm load. :scratch2:

http://elektrotanya.com/sansui_au-317_sm.pdf/download.html

 

[39cross]

How can I tell if it is original or MkII?

The first version also has Pre-Amp out & Power-Amp in jacks in the back.

The service manual output specs are only listed for 8 ohms. However, there is this info I copied from another post:

The spec page of the AU317/217/117 product brochure (http://new-hifi-classic.de/Gallery_MO/displayimage.php?album=156&pos=101) does quote the AU-317 as:
Min RMS both channels driven at 1000Hz with no more than 0.03% total harmonic distortion
72 watts RMS per channel into 4ohms
52 watts RMS per channel into 8ohms

Based on these specs, one pair of 6 ohm speakers shouldn't be a problem for this amp.

 

[rasenthiran]

I have try using au 317 with 4 ohm speakers before with no issues. May be you need to get the unit service first.

 

[ryanward84]

Yeah I may have it serviced. Sounds great but it is running warm with even 8 ohm speakers.

 

[39cross]

Yeah I may have it serviced. Sounds great but it is running warm with even 8 ohm speakers.

It's worth updating, it's a sweet little amp. I recapped mine and it's getting regular use, and mine doesn't run particularly warm.

 

[Karl vd Berg]

Hello!

Could anyone confirm if the power transformer for the AU-317 is rated about ~210VA?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Hyperion]

The 'Rating Plate' says 215W - good enough?

 

[Karl vd Berg]

Thank you, John!

I was in doubt about the proper VA rating for that trafo. Normally inside the 317, few fuses are 7A, whereas other units (same 1st version model) show 6.3A.

 

[Hyperion]

It all depends on what voltage line you want to protect, the difference in protection terms between 6.3A and 7A rated fuses is minimal, just one look at the fuse spec's tells it all.

 

[Karl vd Berg]

Thanks again. I forgot to mention / put a picture: I had another AU-317 with that "215W" rating mark. But this one doesn't have it. Fuses inside this are 6.3A. The other AU-317 with the 215W rating mark has 7A fuses.

So, in the case of this trafo, we have 2x 30V x 6.3A = ~380VA ... Not bad.

Thanks again.