Sansui Speakers

[FluxT]

THAT sounds like one heck of a story!

And yeah, the SP5500X’s I had were about as thin as a GameCube. Wood was really thin, now that I think about it. Veneer was the saddest I’d ever seen on a speaker this side of Soundesign. Sound-wise, pretty okay. Reminded me of my brother’s old and beloved Kenwood, especially in terms of sheer visual razzle-dazzle (now THOSE are beasts I’d love to revisit).

Local friend has a set of SP8000X’s sitting idly in his garage, in a bit of a sorry state. Cabs definitely looked thin and cheesy. I cleaned up his little Technics receiver, which he said was losing a channel until he got it “really f*ck*n’ loud!”. Receiver was perfectly fine, but it had a little funny business going on in the volume knob where one channel was out at the very bottom of the dial (like 0.25 out of 10). Given their extreme efficiency, I’d reckon that would be about enough for comfortable background listening. Maybe next time I see him, I’ll see if I can’t talk him into a trade of some sort, but I’d rather hold out for some pristine but cheap SP2500’s or some Kenwood monsters.

 

[maxhifi]

I would bet you are right. I cant get to it today and probably not tomorrow but I will try before the end of the week to open them up and take some pics.

I always find parted out speakers on eBay

example: https://www.ebay.ca/itm/143165100833

It does look like two caps, and it's a 12dB/octave OX on both drivers - nice!

 

[Bodyblue]

I always find parted out speakers on eBay

example: https://www.ebay.ca/itm/143165100833

It does look like two caps, and it's a 12dB/octave OX on both drivers - nice!

AND it looks easy to get to and replace!

 

[maxhifi]

THAT sounds like one heck of a story!

And yeah, the SP5500X’s I had were about as thin as a GameCube. Wood was really thin, now that I think about it. Veneer was the saddest I’d ever seen on a speaker this side of Soundesign. Sound-wise, pretty okay. Reminded me of my brother’s old and beloved Kenwood, especially in terms of sheer visual razzle-dazzle (now THOSE are beasts I’d love to revisit).

Local friend has a set of SP8000X’s sitting idly in his garage, in a bit of a sorry state. Cabs definitely looked thin and cheesy. I cleaned up his little Technics receiver, which he said was losing a channel until he got it “really f*ck*n’ loud!”. Receiver was perfectly fine, but it had a little funny business going on in the volume knob where one channel was out at the very bottom of the dial (like 0.25 out of 10). Given their extreme efficiency, I’d reckon that would be about enough for comfortable background listening. Maybe next time I see him, I’ll see if I can’t talk him into a trade of some sort, but I’d rather hold out for some pristine but cheap SP2500’s or some Kenwood monsters.

I did a thread on sansui speakers not so long ago, in the Sansui forum, and lots of people weighed in on what's the best model and why. I personally dislike Technics receivers and amps due to their low quality selector switches and pots always causing problems. I think that a speaker like the X8000 is more about the look than the sound - that's why I'm going after it anyway, it reminds me of looking at stuff in catalogs and buying on what looks the most impressive - simpler more naïve time.

 

[maxhifi]

AND it looks easy to get to and replace!

Yep just cut the leads off the old one, break it loose, and replace. That should be a 20 minute job for each speaker start to end.

 

[Bdbras84]

Nope, I dont think they need it yet. They dont sound muffled or anything like that. When hooked to my Yamaha 1040 they can be piercing on the top end. I am expecting two more receivers this week and I will try them with the SP 70s. A Kenwood KR 8010 (125wpc) and MCS 3260. Should be fun. I not found anything they dont sound good with. I am actually keeping the Sansuis and am selling my A 25s.

completely understand about the sp70's, thanks for the response. Will be anxiously awaiting to hear your review with the incoming recievers. I've had experience with the 3260 a very nice receiver might I add. And nice hefty quality feel and great sound to boot. The digital display took a little tinkering to fix, the tuning and preset buttons are not spring-loaded rather they put foam behind it and as with most things this old the foam deteriorated. I believe there are a few threads on here that go over fixing it. It's definitely one of my favorite crossover hybrid to analog/digital display receivers that i really liked.

 

[Bodyblue]

completely understand about the sp70's, thanks for the response. Will be anxiously awaiting to hear your review with the incoming recievers. I've had experience with the 3260 a very nice receiver might I add. And nice hefty quality feel and great sound to boot. The digital display took a little tinkering to fix, the tuning and preset buttons are not spring-loaded rather they put foam behind it and as with most things this old the foam deteriorated. I believe there are a few threads on here that go over fixing it. It's definitely one of my favorite crossover hybrid to analog/digital display receivers that i really liked.

I had a 3248 and kick myself in the ass for selling it. The 3260 look to be NEC made as well.....it is supposedly in good condition and I should get it tomorrow or Thursday.

And I was not going to recap the 70s anytime soon till @maxhifi got the worm tunneling into my brain now I am going to order the caps I need......LOL this place is like a drug dealer and his junkie!

 

[FluxT]

I did a thread on sansui speakers not so long ago, in the Sansui forum, and lots of people weighed in on what's the best model and why. I personally dislike Technics receivers and amps due to their low quality selector switches and pots always causing problems. I think that a speaker like the X8000 is more about the look than the sound - that's why I'm going after it anyway, it reminds me of looking at stuff in catalogs and buying on what looks the most impressive - simpler more naïve time.

I really liked that little thing with some smaller bookshelves, but it did feel pretty chintzy in some areas. Very bright, not a great combo with those shouty Sansui’s.

And I feel ya on the nostalgia standpoint. Those Kenwoods were looooong dated by the time my brothers got their grubby hands on ‘em, but they were the baddest things on the block back then. Definitely remember thinking they looked cooler than dad’s DCM’s(?) or the usual 2000s rack stereo/Bose getups I vaguely remember at my friend’s houses.

 

[Bodyblue]

On the subject of two way 8in speakers; I have a cherry set of Marantz Imperial 5s that are ass kickers as well. I think they are just a bit better than the SP 70s. Funny but in the CR test from 73 they were rated 3rd and a best buy.

 

[Bdbras84]

I had a 3248 and kick myself in the ass for selling it. The 3260 look to be NEC made as well.....it is supposedly in good condition and I should get it tomorrow or Thursday.

And I was not going to recap the 70s anytime soon till @maxhifi got the worm tunneling into my brain now I am going to order the caps I need......LOL this place is like a drug dealer and his junkie!

Ain't that the truth! lol wasn't familiar with the Kenwood so I just looked it up, man that thing is awesome looking!

 

[Bodyblue]

Ain't that the truth! lol wasn't familiar with the Kenwood so I just looked it up, man that thing is awesome looking!

Well I am bit worried about the condition. It was "lost" for a week wandering around the Midwest before making it out to CA yesterday after almost 3 weeks from OshKosh WI! Lets hope it is not dust!

 

[mikej56]

[QUOTE The negative terminal on the crossover was connected to the positive terminal on the back of the squaker enclosure, and the positive terminal connected to the negative. So I swapped them. I wonder if it was just a mistake in the factory or would they be wired out of phase on purpose?
[/QUOTE]

They were probably connected out of phase deliberately.
Apparently this is one method of increasing the sensitivity by 3dB. and it could be used to balance less sensitive mid range drivers with high sensitivity bass drivers. I have seen this in a DIY design somewhere.

 

[Bodyblue]

Ain't that the truth! lol wasn't familiar with the Kenwood so I just looked it up, man that thing is awesome looking!

Well I just got the dumb thing after 3 weeks. I was sure it was fully working at first but it turns out the switches are just so filthy it was shorting out one side. I flicked the source switch a few times and on it came. I will get it taken apart tomorrow and get it cleaned up. It is a looker though.....and now I know why they call it a monster....freaking thing is huge!

 

[Bdbras84]

It looks great! Hopefully it's just needing some cleaning and Deoxit to get it up to snuff. When you said " missing" I was afraid it would show up in pieces. Glad that's not the case!

 

[Bodyblue]

It looks great! Hopefully it's just needing some cleaning and Deoxit to get it up to snuff. When you said " missing" I was afraid it would show up in pieces. Glad that's not the case!

Me too! Good GOD the thing is heavy! The only cosmetic flaw is that the power switch is missing the cover. I will take some under the hood pics when I do it and I will start a new thread about it. This the first one i have seen.

 

[TBL_HK]

[QUOTE The negative terminal on the crossover was connected to the positive terminal on the back of the squaker enclosure, and the positive terminal connected to the negative. So I swapped them. I wonder if it was just a mistake in the factory or would they be wired out of phase on purpose?

They were probably connected out of phase deliberately.
Apparently this is one method of increasing the sensitivity by 3dB. and it could be used to balance less sensitive mid range drivers with high sensitivity bass drivers. I have seen this in a DIY design somewhere.[/QUOTE]

That reverse polarity is to counter phase change in crossover designs. Most Sansui Khabuki spkrs hv 12db/oct filtre slopes, which put the filtered freq section a complete 180 degrees from the source. This is. completely out of phase.

So, to cancel the outphased channel, reversing the spkr unit will bring it bk to in phase output.

 

[NH-MAN]

Sansui PM C100 1982-84 800 pair list
I have a pair of these and I love them, I replaced the tweeter with a dome as the original while sounding good was very directional. The tweeter replacement made a tremendous improvement. These are very revealing, they have a concert like soundstage, and the bass can hurt your throat with 100 watts. The woofer is crossed over relitvely high with makes guitars sound like you are hearing them straight from the guitar amp. Solid well built. If you dont like to hear all the crap and noise in a recording they are not for you. they would be considered by most i guess as "bright"but I would rather have a speaker that can vs ones that cant,Thats what tone controls are for. Set mid and treble to 10-10:30 good to go. Vocals and pianos and such are outstanding.
Sansui PM-C100II

Speaker System


Speakers:

Woofer: 305mm PM-C cone type Rolled Cloth surround

Midrange: 120mm PM-C cone type

Tweeter: 30mm planar diaphragm type

Supertweeter: 25mm planar ribbon direct


Max. Input Power: 260W

Impedance: 8 ohms

Sensitivity: 93dB/W/m

Frequency Response: 30-40.000Hz


Dimensions (W x H x D, mm): 380 x 670 x 326

Weight: 18.2kg

 

[Bdbras84]

Sansui PM C100 1982-84 800 pair list
I have a pair of these and I love them, I replaced the tweeter with a dome as the original while sounding good was very directional. The tweeter replacement made a tremendous improvement. These are very revealing, they have a concert like soundstage, and the bass can hurt your throat with 100 watts. The woofer is crossed over relitvely high with makes guitars sound like you are hearing them straight from the guitar amp. Solid well built. If you dont like to hear all the crap and noise in a recording they are not for you. they would be considered by most i guess as "bright"but I would rather have a speaker that can vs ones that cant,Thats what tone controls are for. Set mid and treble to 10-10:30 good to go. Vocals and pianos and such are outstanding.
Sansui PM-C100II

Speaker System


Speakers:

Woofer: 305mm PM-C cone type Rolled Cloth surround

Midrange: 120mm PM-C cone type

Tweeter: 30mm planar diaphragm type

Supertweeter: 25mm planar ribbon direct


Max. Input Power: 260W

Impedance: 8 ohms

Sensitivity: 93dB/W/m

Frequency Response: 30-40.000Hz


Dimensions (W x H x D, mm): 380 x 670 x 326

Weight: 18.2kg

Those are some really nice speakers! Not too common either, I've seen a few pairs pop up within the last few years but they've always been too far away for me to grab them.

 

[lorne]

The best speakers in any system combo I've ever had over the decades have been some 80's Magnaplanars, and the SANSUI SP-G88. That doesn't really say anything much to you guys, but just to say I've I've had some good Pioneers that I reviewed here on AK years ago — and somewhat altered Tannoy 10" III LZ's in the years I've been in Japan.

These speakers were put on the market in 1987; they may never have been exported — I dunno.

In stock form, my guess is they are right up there with the Yamaha N-1000's. But I improved them, and I do not believe it was just a matter of taste. The titanium domed tweeters were too sharp IMHO. So, I one day when I was in Akihabara Tokyo (before it was turned into a "cosplay" resort for wankers) I found a pair of NOS, English silk dome types that matched the parameters of the Sansui originals. I rewired the interior and upgraded the caps. I removed the ugly mesh screens and that cheesy plastic trident grill over the tweeters. I added heavy duty terminals and — Voila!

There are some interesting features in these beasts, in particular the woofer was made from glass fibre and cross woven with a carbon material. The mid-range driver was a foam and carbon composite. You can read about the magnets and other stuff in the URL link cited below. After owning these, I will not accept the legend that Sansui never made good speakers.

As stock they were good. After my mods they became very, very good. They will take 200 Watts. Currently they are driven by rebuilt Trio (Kenwood) 100 watt L-05M mono amps with a Melos GK 1+1 preamp. Here are some pics I've borrowed from Nishi san's excellent coverage of this speaker — one of a series he's done over the years. (See here: http://www.niji.or.jp/home/k-nisi/sp-g88.html)

 

[bluesky]

Sansui AS-100 and AS-300 speakers sound really good. Like ARs or KLH.

AS-100s sound nice - unknown for sure. .AS-300s too. Acoustic Suspension.