Sansui Speakers

[Harvey/ Ga]

As you can see from my signature, I have 2 Sansui receivers (G-7000 and Eight deluxe), but no Sansui speakers.
It's probably been covered before, as I remember Sansui speakers are not held in the highest (or even high) regards.... to say the least.

As an addict of E-bay, where I found 80% of my audio equipment, I see many different Sansui speakers... even many different sizes in one enclosure<GG> Sooo....are there any decent to (almost) great Sansui speakers??

 

[nfafan]

Meh, speakers are in the ears of the beholder.

I have a pair of SP-50 2-way bass reflex bookshelves that sound fine to me, although lite on the bass compared to others of similar size. SP-50s (and likely SP-30s) are close in size to "The Smaller Advents", and with fantastic (IMHO) attention-to-details build quality. They do get loud fast, which is what I read about other Sansui speakers.

http://vintagehifiplovdiv.com/en/home/12-speakers-sansui.html

http://stereonomono.blogspot.com/2015/10/sansui-sp-50.html

I already have waaay too many speakers to use at the same time as it is, but had to snag mine for the kewl vintage look and nostalgia factor - as Sansui (and Kenwood, Pioneer) were in about every 3rd dorm room when I was a poor GI in the young 70's.

Be sure to check out the Sansui subforum here as well.

 

[Audio Fan]

There are some forum posts that have some good comments on a specific series of Sansui speakers. As a Sansui collector, I would like to find a pair as all of the SP-xxx series I have heard are less than satisfying. The XL-xxx series is a completely different type of speaker and breaks from the prior "Kabuki" models that copied Kenwood, Akai, etc. from that era. The XL line appears to be more akin to the Yamaha NS-1000 and its siblings.

Search for XL-100, XL-300, XL-500

 

[55Redneck]

I have 3 pairs of Sansui speakers none of which I like. SP-200's (not terrible), SP-5500X's (way to harsh and loud for me), and a pair of 3 way bass reflex who's model # escapes my memory right now that are just meh sounding to my ears. My wife has instructions to kick me in the ass the next time I think about buying anymore Sansui speakers.

 

[fish mojo]

I'm very partial to the SP-5000 and SP-5500 (neither are the lesser "X" model easily confused with).

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....kers-sp-5000-and-sp-5500-side-by-side.651939/

 

[MCM_Fan]

Not very common, but the SP-L700 and SP-L800 are generally considered the best Sansui models that were sold in North America. Definitely not your typical Kabuki Sansui speakers.

 

[bigaltx24]

I've owned a couple of pairs, SP-2500s and a regular three way, I forget the model number. Moved them to new homes real quick, there's a lot of better speakers out there.

 

[MCM_Fan]

The Sansui SP-L800 was the export version of the SP-G300, shown here:

Not your typical mass market Sansui speakers. They weigh 95 pounds each, have dual 12" cast frame woofers and horn tweeters with rear mounted compression drivers and front mounted acoustic lenses.

If they look similar to the large JBL studio monitors of the 1970s, its because they are. Similar enough the JBL sued Sansui, who was their distributor in Japan at the time.

Here's the specs for the SP-L800s:

And some information on the construction of their "little" brothers the SP-L700s:

Yeah, Sansui made a lot of poorly designed, bad sounding mass market speakers (driven more by their marketing department than their engineering department), but they were also capable of delivering some outstanding designs (even if they "leveraged" the work done elsewhere).

The OP asked specifically about "any decent to (almost) great Sansui speakers". The SP-L700 and SP-L800 definitely qualify.

 

[BloFish]

I sold a pair of SP-L700 when I switched to Sonabs.

 

[Ken Boyd]

I snagged a pair of them from an eBaying in Maryland. They sit next to a pair of Altec Flemenico's. I use a Fisher integrated tube amp with them when I put them in rotation. Actually it has been a number of years since I used them.

I refoamed the bass drivers, and recapped the crossovers. Both of mine the resistors were falling apart, looks like they got overheated, so they got replaced as well,

 

[z-adamson]

If it says Sansui and has a huge woofer with lots of midrange drivers, tweeters and horns and a bookshelf style cabinet, run the other way.

 

[Harvey/ Ga]

There are some forum posts that have some good comments on a specific series of Sansui speakers. As a Sansui collector, I would like to find a pair as all of the SP-xxx series I have heard are less than satisfying. The XL-xxx series is a completely different type of speaker and breaks from the prior "Kabuki" models that copied Kenwood, Akai, etc. from that era. The XL line appears to be more akin to the Yamaha NS-1000 and its siblings.

Search for XL-100, XL-300, XL-500

Hmmm nothing but SP's on Ebay right now. Thanks for the info. I need a 5th pair of speakers like a hole in the head, and more interested in others for that spot, BUT, if a nice Sansui come up at a Thrift shop, I want the option to get it <GG>

 

[danj]

My ears tell me that the Sansui speakers are better than most other Japanese speakers of the 70s, at least when driven by suitable equipment. I've not heard one that I would consider awful and have heard more than a few I thought pretty good.

 

[z-adamson]

My ears tell me that the Sansui speakers are better than most other Japanese speakers of the 70s, at least when driven by suitable equipment. I've not heard one that I would consider awful and have heard more than a few I thought pretty good.

Ever compared Sansui speakers to Pioneer HPM speakers?

No Sansui speaker that I have heard can even hold a candle to the HPM100 in my opinion.

I have heard a few realistic speakers that blow away the sansui speakers that I have heard.

 

[ragtopolds6]

The Sansui SP-L800 was the export version of the SP-G300, shown here:

Not your typical mass market Sansui speakers. They weigh 95 pounds each, have dual 12" cast frame woofers and horn tweeters with rear mounted compression drivers and front mounted acoustic lenses.

If they look similar to the large JBL studio monitors of the 1970s, its because they are. Similar enough the JBL sued Sansui, who was their distributor in Japan at the time.

Here's the specs for the SP-L800s:

And some information on the construction of their "little" brothers the SP-L700s:

Yeah, Sansui made a lot of poorly designed, bad sounding mass market speakers (driven more by their marketing department than their engineering department), but they were also capable of delivering some outstanding designs (even if they "leveraged" the work done elsewhere).

The OP asked specifically about "any decent to (almost) great Sansui speakers". The SP-L700 and SP-L800 definitely qualify.

wow nice sansui speakers...ya know technics has some high end stuff also that never made it here ..at least not in quantity's...way cool

 

[danj]

Ever compared Sansui speakers to Pioneer HPM speakers?

No Sansui speaker that I have heard can even hold a candle to the HPM100 in my opinion.

I have heard a few realistic speakers that blow away the sansui speakers that I have heard.

The HPM100 debuted in 1976 and is a damn fine speaker. I consider it the better speaker. When comparing the Sansuis to the Pioneer CS series, the Sansuis win.

Never heard a large Realistic speaker I would own. I thoroughly detest the Mach I speakers, all three generations. The company did market some good speakers but most were bookshelf sized and smaller.

We can agree to disagree.

 

[z-adamson]

The HPM100 debuted in 1976 and is a damn fine speaker. I consider it the better speaker. When comparing the Sansuis to the Pioneer CS series, the Sansuis win.

Never heard a large Realistic speaker I would own. I thoroughly detest the Mach I speakers, all three generations. The company did market some good speakers but most were bookshelf sized and smaller.

We can agree to disagree.

Try realistic 400 to start. Very good sounding. Better than any sansui I have heard.

 

[danj]

Try realistic 400 to start. Very good sounding. Better than any sansui I have heard.

If you say so. I used to manage a Radio Shack store and for me Realistic speakers are a non starter.

 

[Ken Boyd]

Ever compared Sansui speakers to Pioneer HPM speakers?

No Sansui speaker that I have heard can even hold a candle to the HPM100 in my opinion.

I have heard a few realistic speakers that blow away the sansui speakers that I have heard.

Well you haven't heard all the Sansui speakers out there. I prefer my pair of Sansui's to that of the Pioneer HPM100 or any Realistic speakers, and I have heard them. I haven't heard a pair of the Pioneer HPM200's but judging them based on some other members who own them evaluation of them I might prefer them to my pair of Sansui's.

 

[MCM_Fan]

Ever compared Sansui speakers to Pioneer HPM speakers?

No Sansui speaker that I have heard can even hold a candle to the HPM100 in my opinion.

I have heard a few realistic speakers that blow away the sansui speakers that I have heard.

The part in bold is the key. Have you ever heard the SP-5500s, SP-L700s or SP-L800s?

If not, you're comparing lower end Sansui speakers to a higher end, more expensive Pioneer model, and that's not really a fair comparison.

Someone who hasn't heard the HPM 100s, HPM 150s or HPM 200s could claim no Pioneer speaker they have heard can hold a candle to their Sansui SP-5500s (or SP-L700s or SPL-800s).

In both cases, you are not comparing apples to apples. Both manufactures were fully capable of producing high quality, excellent sounding speakers. Both were also capable of producing lots of poor sounding, mass market dreck.