Sansui AU717...thoughts?

Klownschool

Klownschool

Mouth open = can't hear
I am picking up one of these on Friday for what I believe to be a great price. I would like to know what people think of the 85wpc black-faced nugget. I play a lot of vinyl too so inlcude what you think of the phono stage as well.

Thanks,
rick
 
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You’re going to love it. Do however take the cover off and check for leaking caps. PS caps (the big ones in the middle) and any that have leaked on a PCB and caused any corrosion. (Don't mistake the crummy glue Sansui used to bond the bigger electrolytics to the boards)

I bought one new back in the day, still my favorite, but needs recapped...
 
I think you'll be very happy with this amp - it's definitely a keeper. I bought an AU-717 by mail order back in 1978 and it's been a powerhouse for nearly 30 years. I attached the rack handles when it arrived because they look so cool. I replaced a fuse 10 years ago - that's it. It powered many a great party with my S-7 speakers back when. :guitar:

Until I picked up the 9090DB a couple of weeks ago, this was my main system amp. I wish I had picked up a matching 717 tuner at the time, because the pair looks very cool. My brother recently picked up an AU-717+TU-717 pair which he keeps in his office at work which is blatant overkill and gets alot of funny looks from his lawyer friends, I'm sure. :D
 
I had one for a couple years until it started having protection mode/relay troubles... I never fixed it (probably simple!) because I wanted to upgrade. BUT, it is well built (very robust!) and sounds great! I still have my TU-717 with rack handles! :yes:
 
I love mine! Although I'd like to hear the X900 series and others which have a midrange adjustment (in addition to bass & treble) I've been very happy with it. Echowars is the man to refurb this Int Amp... mine had serious issues & now it is running like a top. BTW, it will go a bit past 85 wpc with ease.

I replaced an older Yamaha 10 year old receiver and the difference is day and night. It not only sounds like I got a new amp - but speakers too. Can't wait to hear the new (to me) AR's with this.

No experience with the phono stage.

The tuner and amp combo IS beautiful!

Enjoy!
 
I'm very pleased with my AU-717. Records, tapes, CDs, and radio all sound great. It has plenty of clean power for my needs. I think you will be quite pleased.
 
I have a couple of these amps and am heavy into vinyl. I can tell you the phono stage,.. IF working properly... is better than any built-in stage in any current Home Theater amp. You would have to spend $100 for a pcb and parts to build a modern Hagerman Bugle phono stage kit to better it, and thats probably almost half of what you paid for the entire AU-717. I built one and wired it into the stock location. BTW, on the 717 phono board, resistors R49 - R52 can burn out. If one resistor goes, you still get sound, but distorted. If both go on the same side, you get no sound.

The one thing about vinyl.... for it to really beat CD sound, you generally need a fairly expensive phono stage and cart to get there. But when you do, it sure is sweet.

Scott T.
 
scottrt said:
The one thing about vinyl.... for it to really beat CD sound, you generally need a fairly expensive phono stage and cart to get there. But when you do, it sure is sweet.
Scott T.
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Ok Scott you have my attention. I'm looking at a 717 now and am wondering does the stock AU-717 have what it takes to beat CD quality? I'm running an AU-999 and I've got a decent Denon TT with a really good moving iron Ortofon cart sounds pretty good "almost" as good but sometimes better than the CD version of my vinyl records. I have a top o the line HHB CD player/recorder probably a lot better than my TT. So sometimes, depending on record the vinyl sounds as good and sometimes not. I'm talking the same recording on vinyl compared to the same CD. Yeah yeah... but hey nothing to me beats the warm sound of a good quality record specially on the AU-999. But I gotta say there are a few CDs that do sound a little better. What do I have to do to beat CD quality consistantly with analog? Should I try and find a tube amp/preamp and call it a day or is ther anything out there in solid state land that will pull my vinyl socks off? My goal is to find said piece of equipment that will, on a daily basis, make me want to sell off my CD collection. Regarding vinyl I'm into 60's records in the blues and zydeco flavor specifically Clifton Chenier. I love my Zydeco and so will you, and his blues are hard to beat. Well enough of that I'm off to the local pub for the Friday night Zydeco dance, and guess what they play a ton of Clifton. Lacin up my dancin shoes.

Yeah u right!

Bob
 
I had to clean a nasty mess off the driver board in mine and replace a bunch of caps and a few resistors... but it was worth it! :yes: You are in for a treat, and yes, that phono stage is excellent!

I'm going to be listening to my AU-717 more again, soon, just to try out the new (to me) matching SC-3330 cassette deck I got yesterday. It replaces an sc-1330 model that sat there mostly just for the looks. :D Still looking for that elusive TU-717 tuner at a good price.

EDIT/UPDATE: About 1-1/2 years after posting the above, I'm still looking for that TU-717. I think perhaps the mainlanders sucked up every last one in Hong Kong! :sigh: :D
 
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My thoughts on the AU-717:

Umm, I want one a lot? :music:

A friend of mine had two of them some time back, loved them. Beat anything in his Marantz collection (which was once quite extensive) for sound quality any day. He now has an AU-20000 out for repair, now THAT should be sweet when it's up and running :D
 
I'll agree with everyone and say its a wonderful amp. The controls also are very well thought out. The volume control of the AU and the tuning knob of the TU are some of the silkiest controls you'll find in vintage audio.

I will also ditto the comments about the rack handles. They are extremely cool. I happen to have them with both my AU and TU 717. They go for about $40/ pr on eBay and I now understand why. I wouldn't consider parting with either pair, they just make the components look so cool.

Good luck, get the unit and consider having one of our techs refurbish it if needed.
 
bordeno said:
I'll agree with everyone and say its a wonderful amp. The controls also are very well thought out. The volume control of the AU and the tuning knob of the TU are some of the silkiest controls you'll find in vintage audio.

I will also ditto the comments about the rack handles. They are extremely cool. I happen to have them with both my AU and TU 717. They go for about $40/ pr on eBay and I now understand why. I wouldn't consider parting with either pair, they just make the components look so cool.

Good luck, get the unit and consider having one of our techs refurbish it if needed.
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I had it up and running but there are some issues. The previous owner must have had it in a dust storm by looking at it with the cover off. It is so dirty in there! I am not sure how well it will clean up. Considering what the inside looks like, I am surprised as hell that it made music.

Upon start-up the right channel is missing but with volume up at a moderate level the right channel comes in with a bit of crackling. Any suggestions on what might be wrong would be greatly appreciated.

Rick
 
As all previous posts have stated, the AU 717 is a great amp. I prefer the warmer sound of the AU 9500, but the AU 717 is a close second. Have you tried a generous spray of de-oxit on all the controls. Might help. If the unit needs external touching up, there have been several posts regarding the best paint to match the original Sansui black. Good luck with your restoration.
 
To BoBrown14: The Jolida JD-9 is a great phono stage for $400 new or ~$300 used on AGON. It uses 2 - 12ax7 tubes in a buffer stage, and opamps to deliver as much gain as you could ever need. It is VERY dynamic and has a huge fan base at the Vinyl Asylum. You would be happy with it for a long long time. The improvement in sound would be dramatic. Feed it into your AU-999s Auxilary input, or tape 1 or whatevers avaiable...its amp stage is wonderful as is. Attached is a link I found to show you the specs and pictures, I'm not endorsing the seller. Personally I would buy one used off Agon.

http://www.uptownaudio.com/jolida/jd9a.htm
Scott T.
 
bozak ron said:
As all previous posts have stated, the AU 717 is a great amp. I prefer the warmer sound of the AU 9500, but the AU 717 is a close second. Have you tried a generous spray of de-oxit on all the controls. Might help. If the unit needs external touching up, there have been several posts regarding the best paint to match the original Sansui black. Good luck with your restoration.
Click to expand...

The exterior is in great shape. The main cosmetic issue is the dust inside. I haven't tried the deoxit yet. I need to see what I am getting into first. It's REALLY dirty.

rick
 
De-Oxit may cure those sound ailments. I've resurrected completely quiet amps with a few shots of De-Oxit.

As for the 717, I like em plenty, as I do the 517, it's slightly smaller brother.

I've got a pair of the 317s- the 50wpc low-profile Sansuis of this line, and love them. The phono stage is a tad bit simpler, and no dual power supply, but otherwise a real great amp.
 
Au-717

AU-717...You'll love it. The sound is wonderful. Records sound great with them too. When you connect up a CD player also connect up a 'BBE-462 sonic maximizer' (Ebay $60) and you just won't believe the sound. It's simply mindboggling!!!!!!!! Enjoy!!

AU-717
TU-717
SR-838
Four SP 2000s
BBE 462 sonic maximizer
 
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