Sansui AU-x501: "Plastic Cr*p"?

[special5000]

Still trying to decide for myself.

I wanted an inexpensive, low-maintenance integrated to replace some undisputed Plastic Crap at a vacation house. I wasn't picky since no one does much serious listening at this place.

An AU-x501 popped up on Craigslist and I snagged it yesterday for $100, including a matching TU-x301 digital tuner. Probably overpaid but it was convenient. Both pieces work fine and are in "fair" cosmetic condition (a few nicks / dings).

I'm auditioning the amp now through a pair of B&W DM602 S2s. I can't say anything bad about it per se. It has plenty of power to drive my speakers and gets super loud (should work well for yard parties). However, it's quite cold and clinical-sounding to my ears. Admittedly, I'm partial to a vintage sound, and this is anything but. It also seems to lose some clarity and get muddy during dense passages. Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth. I'm sure it will be more than adequate for my application.

Curious if others have experience with this amp, and how they like it. I've read rave reviews of the AU-x701 and AU-x901. I wonder if the AU-x501 was a much lower-end design / build versus its celebrated siblings.

 

[special5000]

Pictures.
(In fairness, it's definitely NOT made of plastic!)

 

[bluesky]

All I know is what I've read. Which may or may not be true.

The X701 'Vintage' and X901 'Vintage' amps are of a more expensive caliber export amplifier, basically rebadged Japanese domestic 'alphas' (AU-a607i and AU-a707i respectively) for the international market.

There are some guys out there who really like the X501, a lot! The X501s are under the X701s, in model number anyway.

Plenty of power! Perfect.

The alpha type circuitry does sound a bit different from the earlier 07s, like the AU-717. More sophisticated, musical, some say audiophile...where as the older 07 models sounded more like muscle machines, deep, with that 'live concert' type sound. There is a slightly different sound quality between the two. Maybe more refined and not so much muscle machine?? You'll get used to it!!

All I have heard is the X901, which I have, and I really do like it. It's perfect for me. If your X501 has 'source direct', try it in that mode. If it also has a 'tone' button, energize that circuit too along with 'source direct' so you can play with base and treble in 'source direct' mode.

With that said: For $100 I'd say you got a 'really good amp' (and tuner) for your 'vacation house'!!

Very cool.

Enjoy!

 

[special5000]

Love the Source Direct button. It makes a noticeable difference in clarity. Thanks for the tip re: adding tone controls to the "direct" circuit!

 

[BigElCat]

I've yet to hear an AU-X501, but I feel the need to say a few things on this topic.

It can't be plastic crap...the Piano Black face plate is an aluminum mirror; a marvel in itself! The matching tuner is also very handsome. You didn't get hurt by spending a $100 on this set. Try the loudness button, to see if it adds warmth.

What the AU-X501 lacks compared to the AU-X701 and Au-X901 is this;



Not just the logo in the bottom right corner, but the circuitry design that the logo indicates. The Aelph ultra-bomb something.

The AU-X701 is selling for about 3 times what you gave for the AU-X501. The rare AU-X901 is considerably more expensive.

Your B&W 602s are really nice speakers. As a general rule of thumb (and this may be the subject of debate), people should spend about the same amount of money on their amplifier as they do their speakers. The B&W 602s are worth at least $300 used. You might want to keep looking for a $300 used amplifier. Or, since you're looking for a vintage sound, find a nice pair of $100 speakers...something you would not mind taking outside. The B&Ws have a precision/clinically acurate sound quality (based on what others say).

A tube amp would go great with the B&Ws.

To summarize; it may be you have a quality mis-match...more speaker than amp.

 

[roger2]

IMHO

-you definitely underpaid for that pair if they are fully functional and not totally beat-up

-i do not know the differences between the 901/701 and the 501. but i have a 701 and it is so far above BPC that i doubt that the 501, just below it in the model line, could be considered anywhere close to BPC

-my 701 also does not sound like vintage. i would say that it approaches (at least more so than any other amp i have owned) the ideal of not adding anything to the music, i.e. it does not have a "sound" in the same way that many vintage pieces might do. possibly this is the lack of "warmth" that you perceive. another point to consider is that a better amp will reveal bad sounding CD's

 

[scottrt]

I agree with the above two posters...IMO you've got a very accurate amp driving clinical sounding speakers (dry and cool). Obviously not the synergy you are listening for in that combo.

Get an older series warmer sounding vintage of Sansui integrated amp. Do some research first. In your opening you say you weren't picky, but then you go on to say you're "auditioning" the amp... sounds kinda picky.

Scott T.

Scott T.

 

[special5000]

All good comments and insights. The speaker-amp synergy point makes a lot of sense.

Ultimately, my B&Ws are not going to be paired with this amp. They are my main living room speakers, usually mated with a very warm-sounding tube amp (Cayin A-50T). For now, I'm just trying out the x501 with the B&Ws (maybe "auditioning" was a poor word choice), since they're the only speakers I have in the house.

That said, the sound of this x501 is starting to grow on me. The Loudness button really adds to the sound in a way I find pleasing.

 

[special5000]

Just as it's starting to grow on me, the x501 is showing signs of a problem. I get a periodic blast of static / noise through the right channel only. It seems unrelated to the front panel switches / pots. Just occurs at random times, so far pretty infrequently.

Any ideas what this could be?

 

[stereofanboy]

Nothing wrong with "auditioning", it's just harder to spell than "trying out" and has more letters.

I always thought the point of the source direct button was to get all the extra stuff like tone controls out of the circuit.

I hope that periodic noise isn't a sign of impending doom. If you end up having to get your amp rebuilt, then it will have cost you more than the speakers, and you will have to go out and find more expensive speakers.

 

[bluesky]

My 701 also does not sound like vintage. i would say that it approaches (at least more so than any other amp i have owned) the ideal of not adding anything to the music, i.e. it does not have a "sound" in the same way that many vintage pieces might do. possibly this is the lack of "warmth" that you perceive.

That's it exactly.

Nicely put Roger. The amp plays just what is on the LP or CD. In 'source direct' it's my understanding that many of the amps circuits are bypassed for a more direct source to the speakers. If 'Tone' is pressed your treble and base will function in 'source direct' mode.

It's like these amps don't have much of a 'flavor'. So it won't sound like an AU-717/919. It's like these X amps are still deep sounding, but the older 07 amps like the AU-717 were really deep (and I really liked that sound too)!! Still powerful, still Sansui, but it's just more of a straight sound, more 'audiophile' for lack of a better word. What is on the LP or CD...that's what you get with minimum of sonic flavor. It's like the sound is cleaner. :thmbsp:

Sounds great to me! I 'really' like it. OK...LOVE it!!

And yes, 'loudness' at low levels really sounds fine. I use loudness almost all the time because I play music at mostly lower volumns.

 

[special5000]

Update: For fun, I hooked up the x501 to a pair of Tannoy Mercury M2 bookshelf speakers (recently acquired to be paired with my Sansui 3300). I miss some of the depth & clarity now that my B&Ws are back in the living room, but the x501 still sounds great through these Tannoys that I paid $100 for. I've definitely grown to like this amp and happy I picked it up.

 

[bluesky]

Update: For fun, I hooked up the x501 to a pair of Tannoy Mercury M2 bookshelf speakers (recently acquired to be paired with my Sansui 3300). I miss some of the depth & clarity now that my B&Ws are back in the living room, but the x501 still sounds great through these Tannoys that I paid $100 for. I've definitely grown to like this amp and happy I picked it up.

Cool! Congrads. :thmbsp: