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Sansui au-999 use in bi-amping with power amp 2102 or the type?

BigRiver

BigRiver

Member
Hi,

I am getting an au-999 restored at the moment and have some questions about using it as both an integrated and a pre amp for a larger, more "modern" Sansui B-2102.

I will apologize in advance for any uninformed questions here, I am really pretty new as you can probably tell from the questions;).

1) Can I use the au-999 as both an integrated and a pre amp?

-- Meaning can I run my phono, cd, streamer, etc in to the 999 and use it to amp a set of speakers and also run it in to a larger power amp - in this case a b-2102 to run some more power hungry speakers? If so how/can I run the speakers at the same time if I want to experiment with stacking?

-- Can I use the au-999 in conjunction with the b-2102 in a bi-amp set up? Using the 999 to power the highs/mids and the 2102 to run the woofers in some larger more hungry speakers?

-- Can I use the 999 to run a center channel and the 2102 to run left and right channels?

Thanks in advance for any insight!
 
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1 and 1a) Yes, use the preout - main in.

1b) Waste of equipment IMO/E, use the 2102 only for the "larger more hungry" speakers.

1c) Yes, but how will you get a mono signal to 999 and a stereo signal to the 2102?
 
opnly bafld said:
1 and 1a) Yes, use the preout - main in.

1b) Waste of equipment IMO/E, use the 2102 only for the "larger more hungry" speakers.

1c) Yes, but how will you get a mono signal to 999 and a stereo signal to the 2102?
Click to expand...

Thank you! 1a is the solution I am most interested in, and clearly the easier/best use of the equipment. 1c IDK how to do that - this particular 999 has the speaker output for C as pre and main separated so I also wonder how that works and what I can do with it in regards to this or something else.

Lastly I haven't picked up the b-2102 yet but there is one locally available, pics look good and described as works perfectly, professionally serviced a couple fo years ago, one lamp is a little dim, for a buck fifty, which seems like it might be a little too good to pass up? Thoughts?
 
BigRiver said:
Thank you! 1a is the solution I am most interested in, and clearly the easier/best use of the equipment. 1c IDK how to do that - this particular 999 has the speaker output for C as pre and main separated so I also wonder how that works and what I can do with it in regards to this or something else.
Click to expand...

Not sure what your are saying with speaker output C, but you would remove the jumpers and use a y cable to connect to main in and the 2102.

Not a "Sansui" guy, so I will let others answer your B-1202 question.


g703F22M-F.jpg
 
opnly bafld said:
Not sure what your are saying with speaker output C, but you would remove the jumpers and use a y cable to connect to main in and the 2102.

Not a "Sansui" guy, so I will let others answer your B-1202 question.


g703F22M-F.jpg
Click to expand...
So yeah, pre-out on the 999 to main in on the 2102 with the y cable, got it. And thanks for taking the time here, appreciate it!
 
BigRiver said:
So yeah, pre-out on the 999 to main in on the 2102 with the y cable, got it. And thanks for taking the time here, appreciate it!
Click to expand...

You have to also connect preout to main in on the 999 replacing the jumpers (make sure to keep the stock jumpers).
 
opnly bafld said:
You have to also connect preout to main in on the 999 replacing the jumpers (make sure to keep the stock jumpers).
Click to expand...
Ok, I think this is all making sense. Basically I need to take out (and save) the jumpers and replace them with something that can both go back in to the main ins on the 999 and the ins on the 2102?
Tromatic said:
The manual has the answers to your questions.

https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/sansui/au-999.shtml
Click to expand...
Thanks Tromatic, I also have the manual, however the way it covers the electronic crossover system seems different than what I was trying to do. Although the more I think about it, maybe not? They are breaking it down in a bi/tri amp type set up to drive the tweets, mids, and woofs on three different amps (the 999 pre/main separated speaker channel c) being one of them. I suppose instead of just driving the woofers from the 999 I could drive one set of speakers and another hungrier pair with the b-2102, yeah?

It also occurs to me with this set up I would not need to run the pre out back in to the main ins on the 999? Though if I don't I will likely not be able to run any other speakers off a or b, right?
 
BigRiver said:
Ok, I think this is all making sense. Basically I need to take out (and save) the jumpers and replace them with something that can both go back in to the main ins on the 999 and the ins on the 2102?

Thanks Tromatic, I also have the manual, however the way it covers the electronic crossover system seems different than what I was trying to do. Although the more I think about it, maybe not? They are breaking it down in a bi/tri amp type set up to drive the tweets, mids, and woofs on three different amps (the 999 pre/main separated speaker channel c) being one of them. I suppose instead of just driving the woofers from the 999 I could drive one set of speakers and another hungrier pair with the b-2102, yeah?

It also occurs to me with this set up I would not need to run the pre out back in to the main ins on the 999? Though if I don't I will likely not be able to run any other speakers off a or b, right?
Click to expand...

The preout and main in separates the preamp from the amplifier, so you are using the 999 preamp for both amps with the y cable.

Biamping and triamping are way over your head right now and to really benefit you need to remove the passive crossover and use an electronic crossover before the amplifiers.

Whether or not you can use multiple sets of speakers (at the same time) with the 999 depends on the speakers and the load they present to the amplifier.
Easy to drive speakers could allow you to use 2 pair at the same time, but unless they are identical or very close one will play louder than the other
By using another amplifier, one for each pair of speakers, you don't have to worry about the load (impedance) and can adjust the volume with the gain controls on the extra amp.

A lot of people live with just one pair of speakers running at any given time. ;)
 
opnly bafld said:
The preout and main in separates the preamp from the amplifier, so you are using the 999 preamp for both amps with the y cable.

Biamping and triamping are way over your head right now and to really benefit you need to remove the passive crossover and use an electronic crossover before the amplifiers.

Whether or not you can use multiple sets of speakers (at the same time) with the 999 depends on the speakers and the load they present to the amplifier.
Easy to drive speakers could allow you to use 2 pair at the same time, but unless they are identical or very close one will play louder than the other
By using another amplifier, one for each pair of speakers, you don't have to worry about the load (impedance) and can adjust the volume with the gain controls on the extra amp.

A lot of people live with just one pair of speakers running at any given time. ;)
Click to expand...

Yeah, we are definitely in agreement regarding bi amping, etc, that water is a bit too deep. Thanks for the advice, I'm going with the most straight forward solution at this point which is clearly the y cable. I love it w/ one set running at a time, I guess it's curiosity more than anything, and learning what does what and how. Thanks again!
 
BigRiver said:
Yeah, we are definitely in agreement regarding bi amping, etc, that water is a bit too deep. Thanks for the advice, I'm going with the most straight forward solution at this point which is clearly the y cable. I love it w/ one set running at a time, I guess it's curiosity more than anything, and learning what does what and how. Thanks again!
Click to expand...

If you are not getting another amplifier there is no need for the y cable (just wanted to be clear), just use the A and B switch.

Edit: The "C" speakers can not be used to drive another pair of speakers using the 999 as an integrated.
 
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opnly bafld said:
If you are not getting another amplifier there is no need for the y cable (just wanted to be clear).
Click to expand...
Oh, totally clear, and thanks. I was unsure of how it worked at first, but upon further inspection I see that you run one y cable from each of the left and right pre-outs and then one of each back in to the integrated and the other in to the main ins on the power amp. Now I just have to try and figure out if this particular combination will work well together, one being from 1969 and the other likely from the mid 80's.
 
wow I just read up on Sansui's "electronic crossover system" in the AU-999 manual, link:

https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/sansui/au-999.shtml

pretty interesting: C speakers are supposed to run the AU-999 internal power amp to a pair of woofers

the AU-999 pre-outs get fed into a Sansui crossover unit, that outputs to TWO BA-90 ( basic power amplfiier ) amps: one hooked up to the tweeters and the other hooked up to the mids

the crossover also feeds the lows back into the AU-999

So that explains why the C speaker selector still drives the AU-999 amp, even when the pre-out is disconnected
 
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bolero said:
wow I just read up on Sansui's "electronic crossover system" in the AU-999 manual, link:

https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/sansui/au-999.shtml

pretty interesting: C speakers are supposed to run the AU-999 internal power amp to a pair of woofers

the AU-999 pre-outs get fed into a Sansui crossover unit, that outputs to TWO BA-90 ( basic power amplfiier ) amps: one hooked up to the tweeters and the other hooked up to the mids

the crossover also feeds the lows back into the AU-999

So that explains why the C speaker selector still drives the AU-999 amp, even when the pre-out is disconnected
Click to expand...


Right, I was looking at that too, it's pretty awesome, but it also requires an electronic crossover like the CD-5 or of you can swing it the CD-10. I would love to try the CD-5 some day in this manner with some boss 3 ways to see what it is like.

Check out the following thread: similar idea using the electronic crossovers in question:

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/sansui-cd-5.839378/

IN Addition, doesn't that lead you to also believe that you could run the pre-outs in to a power amp to feed a set of speakers while also running a set from speaker channel c? I know this would disable speakers a+b, unless of course you used y cables or the aforementioned electronic crossover.
 
bolero said:
wow I just read up on Sansui's "electronic crossover system" in the AU-999 manual, link:

https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/sansui/au-999.shtml

pretty interesting: C speakers are supposed to run the AU-999 internal power amp to a pair of woofers

the AU-999 pre-outs get fed into a Sansui crossover unit, that outputs to TWO BA-90 ( basic power amplfiier ) amps: one hooked up to the tweeters and the other hooked up to the mids

the crossover also feeds the lows back into the AU-999

So that explains why the C speaker selector still drives the AU-999 amp, even when the pre-out is disconnected
Click to expand...

Does the manual indicate if the C speaker output is fullrange or high passed?
 
opnly bafld said:
Does the manual indicate if the C speaker output is fullrange or high passed?
Click to expand...
Just went through cover to cover, no mention. If there is no mention of this, but there is mention of using speaker output c for its own set of speakers should one assume full range?
 
BigRiver said:
but there is mention of using speaker output c for its own set of speakers should one assume full range?
Click to expand...
With 'Speakers C' selected the pre-amp and power amp are disconnected. There is NO filtering applied to the power amp output in this case - you can see this from the schematic. So this means for all intents and purposes the 'Speakers C' output is full range.
 
Hyperion said:
With 'Speakers C' selected the pre-amp and power amp are disconnected. There is NO filtering applied to the power amp output in this case - you can see this from the schematic. So this means for all intents and purposes the 'Speakers C' output is full range.
Click to expand...

How would this work for volume control?
 
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