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Talk me out of a 8080 or 9090 please :-)

JimEGR said:
I'll take that AU-717 off your hands if you are needing to embark on a more austere trajectory in life ;). Same goes for anyone else that is feeling burdened by their Sansui art collection. My PM box is open. Glad to help.
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I’m wrapping up an overhaul on another one at the moment. Waiting for transistors and FedEx is really messing up the workflow (as usual).

The last one I overhauled went to a local buyer for $1100! Part of the draw for the buyer was the photos and documentation of the overhaul process. I’m not planning to ask that much again — that was back when the market was peaking and everything.

I’ll definitely advertise it on AK but I prefer to sell it locally. Buyer can home demo, return, etc. without coat and risk of shipping.
 
crv00 said:
I’m wrapping up an overhaul on another one at the moment. Waiting for transistors and FedEx is really messing up the workflow (as usual).

The last one I overhauled went to a local buyer for $1100! Part of the draw for the buyer was the photos and documentation of the overhaul process. I’m not planning to ask that much again — that was back when the market was peaking and everything.

I’ll definitely advertise it on AK but I prefer to sell it locally. Buyer can home demo, return, etc. without coat and risk of shipping.
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I already own one. Was just offering to help you out if you were throwing in the towel and going to something from Schiit. (or anyone else feeling burdened or losing appreciation for their Sansui gear) :)
 
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onwardjames said:
I'm 50.

At 30, I would have agreed with you.

I no longer can. Vintage has priced itself out of the old "dollar-for-dollar" argument. MOST of it needs a full restoration to be optimal, or even functional. New? There's serious sound out there, assuming you're looking for quality not quantity, and it is CHEAP. If you want peel the paint off the walls volume, that's something different than what I seek at 50, which is soundstage, depth, and something that, in the words of my man Pio1980 immerses you in the music.

I owned an Echowars restored 9090db. Yes, it sounded good. I had given a couple hundred for it, and restoration was about 500.

That receiver, nice as it was, cannot touch my Allo Volt D. And that tiny thing cost me all of 130 bucks, used.

These days, that same receiver I let go for 3 figures would now bring 4 figures. So, with all that said, I'd encourage you to think first what kind of sound you seek. Then, audition all you can. LISTEN TO WHAT IS OUT THERE by asking AK'ers if you can. Most of us will let you into our homes to show off our gear, or if you're near a big city, maybe hit some of the get-togethers.

Don't be like me and fill your tiny house with a ton of **** that eventually becomes a headache.


Best of luck.
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I appreciate the reality check and I'll check out the Allo Volt D for sure! Everyone here has talked me out of a 9090 - they are simply too expensive and I agree that they no longer are the dollar-for-dollar thing. That said, in the end, it's a hobby, and I don't mind the dance of trying things out. The $1500 I spent on my Mac 4100 was well worth it to me, as was the $35 I spent on my 5000x. Half of my gear I basically got for nothing and almost all of it works fine. At some point I'll probably liquidate all my stuff (my kids have no interest at all) but for now I have space and the means to acquire/experiment, so don't mind it.
 
DB-7 said:
If you're stuck on 4 ohm speakers, you should probably steer away from Sansui altogether.

There are a lot of 8 ohm speakers out there that will sound the same if not better than Cerwin Vegas.

I own 2 sets of CV's. They are at the bottom of my speaker collection in terms of sound quality.
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I hear that a lot - but I'm not giving them up. The two sets I have are probably the 2 best CW ever made (AT-15, 316r) and I like them very much. Are they for everyone? No, and I get that. But I'm more interested in finding pieces that bring out the most in them, and not the other way around. Also - why do you say that about Sansui? My Sansui pieces are all rated at 4ohms, and the CWs are super sensitive, so why would it matter?
 
If you're using Cerwin Vegas, they get stupid loud with a single watt.

I don't know how that little amp, the Allo Volt D, would fare with those, but I'd have to think it'd be enough to rattle the walls.

Have I stated how engaging the amp is? It's astoundingly good. One AK'er I greatly respect says he has all sorts of multi-thousand dollar TUBE amps that he keeps "for nostalgia's sake" because the Allo Volt D is just so damned good.

Good luck!
 
Cerwin Vega 316R? You lucky devil. I have a set of 211R here that I think are excellent. That rear firing horn makes a noticeable difference, and i really like the sound that is achieved from reflecting that mid/high content off the wall behind the speakers. CV had a magazine ad back in the early 70's with a headline that read "Lease breaking with a one watt amp". I believe the 211R was pictured in that ad.
 
Sansuiman said:
Cerwin Vega 316R? You lucky devil. I have a set of 211R here that I think are excellent. That rear firing horn makes a noticeable difference, and i really like the sound that is achieved from reflecting that mid/high content off the wall behind the speakers. CV had a magazine ad back in the early 70's with a headline that read "Lease breaking with a one watt amp". I believe the 211R was pictured in that ad.
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Nice, have never seen a pair of those! Yeah, the 316r and AT-15 have a bit of a different sound for sure, frequency response is a bit wider on the AT-15 and of course they are rated at 400w vs the 150w of the 316r, but you are right about the rear firing tweeter (and the AT-15 has two mids, whereas the 316r has two tweeters) ... but like I said, I really don't have any plans of replacing of either ;-)
 
redondo2018 said:
I have a QR-4500 (as I see you do) but it's supposed to be very basic quad I guess
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"Basic" for Sansui, but still miles ahead of the "best" of what other brands offered. I had a TOTL Pioneer quad receiver, which I thought was great, but once I heard the Sansui QR-4500, I dumped my Pioneer. Have you listened to the "Synthesized quad" of the 4500? I think it enhances almost all genres of music (though not classical so much). It has a nice synthesized "surround" effect. What you get with the later models (such as the QRX-x001 series), is enhanced channel separation in surround mode, and an actual "Hall" effect in Hall mode, which is suitable for classical and some other types of music. The QR-4500 has two "Hall" settings, but I find they are no different from the "Surround" setting. Don't know why that is, or if it originally had a different sound, but did not age well? Some have tinkered with the quad boards and gotten a Hall effect from the early units.

However, quad is not for everyone. Some people just don't like it. That's ok. I would just say it is a very different experience, and one worth trying. Your QR-4500 will give a very good synthesized quad experience. It's about 80% of the way there compared to later QRX units such as my QRX-8001. If I had to pick just one unit to keep of all my gear, it would be the QRX-8001. It can do stereo and has the various quad modes, and sounds great playing all genres.
 
KeithD said:
"Basic" for Sansui, but still miles ahead of the "best" of what other brands offered. I had a TOTL Pioneer quad receiver, which I thought was great, but once I heard the Sansui QR-4500, I dumped my Pioneer. Have you listened to the "Synthesized quad" of the 4500? I think it enhances almost all genres of music (though not classical so much). It has a nice synthesized "surround" effect. What you get with the later models (such as the QRX-x001 series), is enhanced channel separation in surround mode, and an actual "Hall" effect in Hall mode, which is suitable for classical and some other types of music. The QR-4500 has two "Hall" settings, but I find they are no different from the "Surround" setting. Don't know why that is, or if it originally had a different sound, but did not age well? Some have tinkered with the quad boards and gotten a Hall effect from the early units.

However, quad is not for everyone. Some people just don't like it. That's ok. I would just say it is a very different experience, and one worth trying. Your QR-4500 will give a very good synthesized quad experience. It's about 80% of the way there compared to later QRX units such as my QRX-8001. If I had to pick just one unit to keep of all my gear, it would be the QRX-8001. It can do stereo and has the various quad modes, and sounds great playing all genres.
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Cool, yeah, if I ever get my Akai quad R2R deck working properly, I plan to hook it up to the QR-4500. Mine QR-4500 is absolutely pristine (like straight out of the factory pristine) but still has some channel drop out issues. At some point I'll bring it down to Eugene to have the Sansui guys there take a look, it is certainly the most attractive piece in my collection, and, when working 100%, sounds great.
 
redondo2018 said:
Anyone ever heard an Eight vs 5000x or similar?
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I had a Sansui Model 6 and a Sansui 2000X, and I preferred the 2000X. It is a very nice sounding low watt receiver. I would love to hear a 5000X, but I don't expect that will happen. I'm good with that.

I think you have been unlucky in your choices of integrateds. Also, did you ever deoxit the controls on them? That can make a huge difference in sound quality.

I also had a 9090, and I never liked it. In fact, it warped my view on Sansui for years before I picked up a Sansui AU-5500, and then I heard what people were talking about. I let the AU-5500 go because I wanted more power, and I settled on an AU-9900, which I absolutely love. The MAC4100 is also a much better receiver in my opinion over the 9090. I've heard the MAC4100, and I've had two MAC1900s. Differences are big.
 
BilboBaggins said:
I had a Sansui Model 6 and a Sansui 2000X, and I preferred the 2000X. It is a very nice sounding low watt receiver. I would love to hear a 5000X, but I don't expect that will happen. I'm good with that.

I think you have been unlucky in your choices of integrateds. Also, did you ever deoxit the controls on them? That can make a huge difference in sound quality.

I also had a 9090, and I never liked it. In fact, it warped my view on Sansui for years before I picked up a Sansui AU-5500, and then I heard what people were talking about. I let the AU-5500 go because I wanted more power, and I settled on an AU-9900, which I absolutely love. The MAC4100 is also a much better receiver in my opinion over the 9090. I've heard the MAC4100, and I've had two MAC1900s. Differences are big.
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Out of curiosity, do you run the AU-9900 flat or do you use tone controls or an equalizer to shape the sound?
 
KeithD said:
Out of curiosity, do you run the AU-9900 flat or do you use tone controls or an equalizer to shape the sound?
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It is very rare that I run a system other than flat. I tend to keep gear that doesn't require room treatment more than what I already have. So I only have to adjust something if the recording is poor. I only used an EQ when I had my Sansui 9090 because it wasn't a good fit for my room or my speakers. As soon as the Sansui went, the EQ went. I have since bought another, but I have yet to use it.

I don't like using EQs. To me, it introduces noise. I know people say they don't, but I have yet to hear one that doesn't. And I'm not looking to find one.

@KeithD I see you have an AU-9900 as well as a tuner. How do you like them? Are you asking about the EQ because you need to use one in your system? And how do you like your 5000X? More than the Eight?
 
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Not to get too off track, but the 'value' of vintage, in terms of sound quality vs money spent can vary widely as shown by the fact the OP has a usable $35 5000x. I love my 5000a's but I would never have paid what what might be called Ebay prices. Admittedly I had to get a lot better with a soldering iron for at least one of them.
 
BilboBaggins said:
It is very rare that I run a system other than flat. I tend to keep gear that doesn't require room treatment more than what I already have. So I only have to adjust something if the recording is poor. I only used an EQ when I had my Sansui 9090 because it wasn't a good fit for my room or my speakers. As soon as the Sansui went, the EQ went. I have since bought another, but I have yet to use it.

I don't like using EQs. To me, it introduces noise. I know people say they don't, but I have yet to hear one that doesn't. And I'm not looking to find one.

@KeithD I see you have an AU-9900 as well as a tuner. How do you like them? Are you asking about the EQ because you need to use one in your system? And how do you like your 5000X? More than the Eight?
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Before I comment on the systems you asked about, I must tell you that I don't play music loud, and as such I prefer to use the Loudness switch on my receivers/amps that have one. As you know the AU-9900 does not have a loudness function.

The AU/TU-9900 are a very nice, beautiful set. The TU is the best tuner I own and I have been impressed with it's reception, and the aesthetics on both are outstanding. I completely recapped/restored the AU-9900, replacing many transistors and diodes. I have no complaints about the function or sound of this unit; however, without a loudness function, I find the low volume output lacking for my tastes, so I have experimented with the tone controls to get close to a loudness effect with reasonable success. I have also used an SE-8 with the AU-9900 with good results creating a sound pleasing to me. I don't think this is any flaw in the AU-9900. I have A/B compare the AU-9900 to several of my other amps/receivers and they all sound very similar, so the issue is enhancing the highs and lows at low volumes.

Among all the amps/receivers I have the 5000X is the most unique. It has a sound that is definitely different from all of the others. It has a very "warm" sound, and I mostly run it flat because adding loudness is too much. It sounds good to my ears run flat, and in that mode is more comparable to my other receivers with loudness on. The 5000X is completely stock and fully working, so I am very hesitant to change (recap) anything for fear of changing the sound.

I completely recapped my Eight and replaced all the transistors in the amp section (I bought it with issues). The Eight can create a "magical" sound with the right speakers, and in general is between the 5000X and 9090 with a "warm" but "detailed" sound. The 5000X has more distortion with it's cap-coupled design, while the direct couple sound of the 9090 is more accurate and detailed. The Eight stands in the middle of that. Even the Seven I have is less "warm" than the Eight. With the ability to set the differential current and the differential balance (in addition to bias and DC offset), the Eight is unique among all receivers, as far as I know. Jim (TrnsFmr) late of QRXRestore really praised this design and stated that subsequent amps took a step backwards in eliminating this feature.

Because of its uniqueness, total recap/rehab and sound, I'd keep the Eight over the 5000X if I had to choose. Good thing I don't have to!
 
OP update: I listened to everyone here and decided against a 9090 - then went crazy and won auctions on an Eight, a AU-5500 and a Pioneer SA-9100 :-) - we'll see how all that goes and whether it was worth it... After cleaning (and likely some time with a tech) I'll audition them all and then I "might" have to start thinning the herd. I wouldn't be surprised if I end up right where I am now, and while I probably wouldn't make too much flipping the new pieces if it comes to that, I doubt I'd lose anything either, which I can live with. Maybe I should have titled the thread "Talk me out of getting any more vintage gear" LOL ;-)
 
Nice! You got yourself some nice pieces. Have fun. I'm thinking they should all sound a bit different from each other. Be curious to hear which one(s) your ears prefer.
 
playittwice said:
Nice! You got yourself some nice pieces. Have fun. I'm thinking they should all sound a bit different from each other. Be curious to hear which one(s) your ears prefer.
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yeah, I'll need to figure out a system to run the AU-5500 to - I'm running my 5000x in my office to Timeframe TF400's (which are 6ohms) and the 5000x can (maybe just) handle those - Timeframes are power hungry - and while the AU-5500 is rated down to 4ohms I wonder if it'll have the juice to power the Timeframes? The CVs are of course super-sensitive so maybe they'll work with the AU-5500, but I've also got a pair of Sansui SP-3500's in the garage system that would (obviously) be a good match to any of my Sansui gear
 
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