Sansui vs Marantz vs Pioneer

[Vintage_Hi-F]

Pioneer < Marantz < SANSUI

wrong order.
It goes Marantz < Pioneer < Sansui

 

[just dave]

Wrong again it goes speakers, room, receiver and the first 2 make a bigger difference than your receiver IMO.To me those receivers sound pretty much the same.

 

[Flammaster]

Sherwood!

 

[Cactus Bob]

I agree, Kenwood :yes:

 

[automojo]

Sorry-Harman Kardon beats 'em all!!:thmbsp:

 

[Vintage_Hi-F]

Sorry-Harman Kardon beats 'em all!!:thmbsp:

Get outta here with your highfalutin European nonsense.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

As a serviceman who is a Ph.D! in Electrical Engineering, it is Marantz better gear, Sansui better gear, Pioneer in the build quality sweepstakes. I love all three pre 1980. I have owned all 3. For me, all have made superb gear and have made junk gear and all grades in between. I love the Pioneer SX 1010 best of their non Spec line, I like the Marantz tube gear even better and all but the lowest end through 1980 and many of their new components. The best Marantz receivers were the Model 18 and 19 and much of their pre-1980 output. Sansuis were all good pre 1980, I love the 4000 and 5000 for early SS, the 9090 and 9090 DB, and the Big G lineup best. All 3 are recommended in better models but all 3 had dogs too.

 

[fmueller]

Denon > Yamaha > Kenwood

Nobody cares about any of the lesser brands

 

[davidro]

Denon > Yamaha > Kenwood

Nobody cares about any of the lesser brands

Hitachi > Denon

Hitachi makes Denon look like Mark Levinson, don't it?

 

[krowmagnum]

Marantz - your dad's stereo.

Sansui - your dad's younger brother's stereo. (cool uncle)

Pioneer - the one you gotta have.

I've had several of each and my preference is Pioneer 1st with Sansui in a close 2nd and Marantz coming in third. All 3 brands were used with the same 3 or 4 pairs of speakers over time and none had any caps replaced or any other work done as far as I know. In a way that may be a very good comparison because it takes into account the long term "natural aging" sound of the gear since I would guess most people probably don't recap or anything else anyway.

This is all based on personal preference so you should buy one of each and make your own decision.

 

[donberry]

wow, 3 years and it still has not been decided.....

 

[Mr. Lin]

Well, of those three, Marantz is currently most prominent and highly-regarded in the world of new hi-fi equipment, if that tells you something. It says something to me.

 

[villerat01]

I like them all.

 

[dim_span]

will never part with my old Pioneer SA-9800 amp or the B&W DM2 transmission speakers that are connected to it ....

that combo just sounds 'right' with any type of music played

 

[ssmith3046]

Depends on your hearing.

 

[statman122]

They're all good. And while we're at it, why not throw Harmon Kardon, Kenwood, and Sherwood into the mix?

 

[Vintage_Hi-F]

Well, of those three, Marantz is currently most prominent and highly-regarded in the world of new hi-fi equipment, if that tells you something. It says something to me.

What that as apposed to going bankrupt they merged with denon to stay afloat.

 

[68custom]

no one mentioned vintage onkyo! till now..

 

[libertycaps]

Would like one flagship Receiver of each as luck and funds permit. I got Sansui covered.

 

[automojo]

Get outta here with your highfalutin European nonsense.

Hmm, in the past, H/K made more US made products than Kenwood, Pioneer and Sansui combined, but I don't think any of them made stuff in Europe.
Perhaps you are confusing H/K with Garrard?
Anyway, H/K still blows 'em all away!!