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Top 5 (Sansui) Integrated Amplifiers
- Thread starter JimEGR
- Start date
I would be too if you read the story (or maybe it was a video) on his website about how he got it.He's crazy about the AU-20000.
A great amp for sure fully restored, but they have lots of bad components stock. So, they take quite a bit of work to bring back.
If I were spending AU-20000 $$, I'd pay a bit more for a CA/BA-3000 pair.
Yeah it was a video. He scored. And what vintage Sansui doesn't require "quite a bit of work"? He just put up a video talking about that fact, too. That even with restoration cost factored in you can't find the sound and build quality with new for the same expense. I'd agree. That AU-20000 is a beautiful beast. I would love to own one of those, or of that family - works of art.
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Anyone identify the speakers and/or the turntable behind him?
billyz
Super Member
Pretty sure the speakers are jbl jubals, L65
I have question that I am hoping someone can answer for. I have a friend that took me he had a Sansui reviver/amp back around 1980 and said it had a built in reverb in it and wanted to see if he can find one. I have looked and can not find any one that had a reverb unit in them and wanted to know if anything like that existed. Thanks Bugs
The Z-9000 and Z-9000X receivers had built in reverb effects. These were not spring tanks though, they were based on bucket brigade audio delay chips, as was common of a number of outboard reverb units in the early to mid 1980's. There were no integrated amps with integral reverb, nor any receivers by Sansui with a built in spring tank reverb.
The effect produced would be identical to the RA-990 and RA-1000 reverb amplifiers Sansui made between 1981-1986 or so. The RA-900 was the last spring tank type reverb they made, in the late 70's.
The effect produced would be identical to the RA-990 and RA-1000 reverb amplifiers Sansui made between 1981-1986 or so. The RA-900 was the last spring tank type reverb they made, in the late 70's.
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Bright_Star
Active Member
There is nothing wrong with taking a survey for the purpose of sharing our enthusiasm for vintage Sansui amps. However, when it comes to making comparisons between various models, some folks can turn it into a debate or competition. In reality, there is no actual proven answer to determine which amp is the best, or what order they should be in a Top 5 List, or Top 10 for that matter, or whatever the number is.
To even try to put forth an accurate list, the person who posted the YT video, as well as all of the rest of us would need to have actually tried EVERY Sansui AU amp that was ever made, and I doubt any one here has that capability. Being that Sansui dropped out of the scene by the 1990's, many folks would not even have the opportunity to purchase their amps made at that time for the Japanese market.
Thus, when evaluating the AU series, based on the models that people actually own, the vast majority spans a period of approximately 20 years, 1969-1989.
Lets just say 1969 represents any 60's models, but most of them would be the classic AU-111 tube amp, or the AU-999 series that overlap into the early 70's.
The end period would be the time of the AU-X901 series, or AU-X911DG.
If one traces the history of the AU series, via audio magazine reviews, ads, the catalogs/brochures etc.., you can see that Sansui was always striving to be innovative and moving forward. The question is, in the 1980's, how did some of the quality cost-cutting affect the performance of the amps?
The other thing to consider: Amps are obviously needed to produce music, but its the loudspeakers from which the sound is coming from, and all of us have many different brands of speakers, as well as listening in various formats (cd, vinyl, streaming, etc) within the acoustics of our listening rooms and so forth- so how can someone really prove a certain amp is superior to another based on what their ears perceive when listening to music, when the sound is coming from the speakers they happen to have, thus what might sound great to you or not, does not guarantee the same result for someone else. We both can own the same Sansui amp, but not the same speakers and all other components, be it cd player, turntable etc., and then to get even more precise or fanatical, some folks feel the interconnect cables and power conditioners affect the sound quality as well.
Overall, thats why I stated earlier, surveys should not be considered as something to be taken as the be all - end all, last word on the hierarchy of amplifiers.
As an analogy: we could compare an endless list of things, coffee vs tea, sneakers vs shoes, the color blue vs green, The Beatles or Stones... People will like and dislike whichever one, or be neutral and like both, there is no real proven answer, apply the same logic to audio equipment comparisons. And again- keep in mind, while amps are important, a great amp thru a pair of mediocre speakers, wont produce anything better than mediocre sound.
But anyhow.... if I were to try and put a Best of List together based on my own preferences, or what I have observed based on Sansui's history:
Without having personal access to any kind of actual Sales receipts, etc. If I were to venture a pretty good guess on Sansui's most popular/best selling AU model, I would feel fairly confident that it would be the AU-717. It was introduced in 1977 when Sansui was in its peak years- just look thru any Sansui catalog from that time period to see all the wonderful products they offered, as well as accessories, be it the GX-5 rack or AX-7, etc... No cheap 'combo' series models to be found that was so prevalent in the 80's that tarnished the company's reputation.
The AU-717 really set the template for all other AU models that followed it- we see that in the AU-919- the 717's front panel was about as perfectly designed as can be, so no need to really change anything as if to make it better on the 919, other than a few things such as the 'Jump' switch'. The 919 retained separable pre-power amp capability and rack handles, same click-stop volume control. So, I dont see the 919 as competing with the 717, it was Sansui's attempt to further refine the 717.
In the 1980's, the quality cost cutting is more evident, though thats not to say the performance of the amp was compromised, for example, the AU-D11/D9 lost the rack handles, and no pre out-main in, and although it still borrowed from the 717 front panel template, the switches and knobs are not quite as robust, though it had a copper chassis and featured "Super Feed Forward" circuitry, so overall I'd say, despite a reduction in the construction quality, the amp still had impressive specs and excellent sound quality (when played thru good speakers to hear it) - most of which can be said about the other 1980's AU amps that came along.
1) AU-20000 Sansui made a huge leap forward in 1975 when they introduced the Definition Series, this to me is when they reached the spotlight and held it for a few more
years. The AU-11000/9900 Professional Series would also qualify.
2) AU-717/919 (kudos to the smaller models that offer great bang for the the buck, AU-317 and AU-519, the Japanese models offered a few extra visual touches, such as the
nice block diagram on the cover of the AU-307, which is not on the 317).
3) AU-X1 No doubt it was designed to be Sansui's "super" integrated amp, but to me, its oscillation instability detracts from it, though it can be tamed by a really good
tech who has the proper skills. Perhaps the AU-X11 would be better in this regard. And while I have never owned one, I have heard great things about the
AU-X1111 Mos.
4) AU-D11 II Impressive specs, appears to share alot with the AU-G90X, its more of an X balanced amp, rather than an AU-D with super feed forward.
Actually, this spot can represent any 80's AU amp, D11, G-99X, 901, whichever you like best. Some of the smaller versions are worth considering
for the bang for the buck, and not to hard on the $$ wallet, such as AU-D55X (features a decent toroidal transformer)
5) 1960's or 90's: This slot is for something like a classic tube amp, the AU-111, or any of the top models from Japan in the 90's. Depends on how they are used,
some folks are more seduced by tubes than others, also need to consider the speakers and their impedance/efficiency, the AU-111 might be
better suited for 8 ohms and not huge floorstanding speakers, though could be used as a tube preamp. Some folks might use the logic that if
Sansui kept moving forward with their design technology, that their 90's AU amps were their best. I would not necessarily argue that, but without
owning any, (closest I had was 1986 B & C-2301 which are separates) cant really say how much of a performance upgrade I would hear thru my
Infinity Renaissance 90 speakers (and they are truly SUPERB speakers!). Thus why I listed it as # 5. I was basically trying to go in chronological order.
If it was a matter of being forced to choose one, when it comes to performance at a price point and what stands out for innovation by Sansui, it would
probably be the AU-717, though its hard to overlook the AU-20000 and the beautiful claret red cover.. but in my own collection, the top honor goes
to the mighty BA-5000, but thats obviously a power amp, not integrated. Receiver - no doubts for me: G-901/G-9000. Impressive if used as a standalone
power amp as well.
To even try to put forth an accurate list, the person who posted the YT video, as well as all of the rest of us would need to have actually tried EVERY Sansui AU amp that was ever made, and I doubt any one here has that capability. Being that Sansui dropped out of the scene by the 1990's, many folks would not even have the opportunity to purchase their amps made at that time for the Japanese market.
Thus, when evaluating the AU series, based on the models that people actually own, the vast majority spans a period of approximately 20 years, 1969-1989.
Lets just say 1969 represents any 60's models, but most of them would be the classic AU-111 tube amp, or the AU-999 series that overlap into the early 70's.
The end period would be the time of the AU-X901 series, or AU-X911DG.
If one traces the history of the AU series, via audio magazine reviews, ads, the catalogs/brochures etc.., you can see that Sansui was always striving to be innovative and moving forward. The question is, in the 1980's, how did some of the quality cost-cutting affect the performance of the amps?
The other thing to consider: Amps are obviously needed to produce music, but its the loudspeakers from which the sound is coming from, and all of us have many different brands of speakers, as well as listening in various formats (cd, vinyl, streaming, etc) within the acoustics of our listening rooms and so forth- so how can someone really prove a certain amp is superior to another based on what their ears perceive when listening to music, when the sound is coming from the speakers they happen to have, thus what might sound great to you or not, does not guarantee the same result for someone else. We both can own the same Sansui amp, but not the same speakers and all other components, be it cd player, turntable etc., and then to get even more precise or fanatical, some folks feel the interconnect cables and power conditioners affect the sound quality as well.
Overall, thats why I stated earlier, surveys should not be considered as something to be taken as the be all - end all, last word on the hierarchy of amplifiers.
As an analogy: we could compare an endless list of things, coffee vs tea, sneakers vs shoes, the color blue vs green, The Beatles or Stones... People will like and dislike whichever one, or be neutral and like both, there is no real proven answer, apply the same logic to audio equipment comparisons. And again- keep in mind, while amps are important, a great amp thru a pair of mediocre speakers, wont produce anything better than mediocre sound.
But anyhow.... if I were to try and put a Best of List together based on my own preferences, or what I have observed based on Sansui's history:
Without having personal access to any kind of actual Sales receipts, etc. If I were to venture a pretty good guess on Sansui's most popular/best selling AU model, I would feel fairly confident that it would be the AU-717. It was introduced in 1977 when Sansui was in its peak years- just look thru any Sansui catalog from that time period to see all the wonderful products they offered, as well as accessories, be it the GX-5 rack or AX-7, etc... No cheap 'combo' series models to be found that was so prevalent in the 80's that tarnished the company's reputation.
The AU-717 really set the template for all other AU models that followed it- we see that in the AU-919- the 717's front panel was about as perfectly designed as can be, so no need to really change anything as if to make it better on the 919, other than a few things such as the 'Jump' switch'. The 919 retained separable pre-power amp capability and rack handles, same click-stop volume control. So, I dont see the 919 as competing with the 717, it was Sansui's attempt to further refine the 717.
In the 1980's, the quality cost cutting is more evident, though thats not to say the performance of the amp was compromised, for example, the AU-D11/D9 lost the rack handles, and no pre out-main in, and although it still borrowed from the 717 front panel template, the switches and knobs are not quite as robust, though it had a copper chassis and featured "Super Feed Forward" circuitry, so overall I'd say, despite a reduction in the construction quality, the amp still had impressive specs and excellent sound quality (when played thru good speakers to hear it) - most of which can be said about the other 1980's AU amps that came along.
1) AU-20000 Sansui made a huge leap forward in 1975 when they introduced the Definition Series, this to me is when they reached the spotlight and held it for a few more
years. The AU-11000/9900 Professional Series would also qualify.
2) AU-717/919 (kudos to the smaller models that offer great bang for the the buck, AU-317 and AU-519, the Japanese models offered a few extra visual touches, such as the
nice block diagram on the cover of the AU-307, which is not on the 317).
3) AU-X1 No doubt it was designed to be Sansui's "super" integrated amp, but to me, its oscillation instability detracts from it, though it can be tamed by a really good
tech who has the proper skills. Perhaps the AU-X11 would be better in this regard. And while I have never owned one, I have heard great things about the
AU-X1111 Mos.
4) AU-D11 II Impressive specs, appears to share alot with the AU-G90X, its more of an X balanced amp, rather than an AU-D with super feed forward.
Actually, this spot can represent any 80's AU amp, D11, G-99X, 901, whichever you like best. Some of the smaller versions are worth considering
for the bang for the buck, and not to hard on the $$ wallet, such as AU-D55X (features a decent toroidal transformer)
5) 1960's or 90's: This slot is for something like a classic tube amp, the AU-111, or any of the top models from Japan in the 90's. Depends on how they are used,
some folks are more seduced by tubes than others, also need to consider the speakers and their impedance/efficiency, the AU-111 might be
better suited for 8 ohms and not huge floorstanding speakers, though could be used as a tube preamp. Some folks might use the logic that if
Sansui kept moving forward with their design technology, that their 90's AU amps were their best. I would not necessarily argue that, but without
owning any, (closest I had was 1986 B & C-2301 which are separates) cant really say how much of a performance upgrade I would hear thru my
Infinity Renaissance 90 speakers (and they are truly SUPERB speakers!). Thus why I listed it as # 5. I was basically trying to go in chronological order.
If it was a matter of being forced to choose one, when it comes to performance at a price point and what stands out for innovation by Sansui, it would
probably be the AU-717, though its hard to overlook the AU-20000 and the beautiful claret red cover.. but in my own collection, the top honor goes
to the mighty BA-5000, but thats obviously a power amp, not integrated. Receiver - no doubts for me: G-901/G-9000. Impressive if used as a standalone
power amp as well.
Bright_Star
Active Member
Yes the Z series that Sansuiman mentioned. But if its a matter of wanting reverb, consider the Sansui AX-7, very cool device.
pete_mac
Super Member
Some might indeed - I certainly feel that way, having owned or listened to much of what Sansui has produced over the years.
BLAH BLAH
Super Member
Or maybe you have just the right number, and who is anyone else to say what that number might be.Or two!!!
BLAH BLAH
Super Member
Zackly...
pete_mac
Super Member
They are receivers (which include radio tuners) rather than integrated amplifiers which do not include tuners.
My list would be
7700
222
717
based on the sound of the D607X and D707X, one of more modern ones like the D11 ii or G99X probably
777
But I haven't heard any of the big dogs like the 11000. And I've liked every Sansui amp I've heard. But not enough to keep em all!
I too was tempted by the x500 and turned off by significant number of people disappointed by it. Same with the extensive mods required for the 999. No one ever said that about a 222, 555a, 777.
Was also tempted by Sansui tubes, and if the Fisher 500C I bought didn't have such strong tone controls and beautiful sound, I might have had to plunk down the cash for a 1000 or 70 or something. As it stands I've basically checked out all the different types of amps I needed to on my journey, and stuck with Sansui for all my solid-state integrateds, minus the NAD in the garage...
7700
222
717
based on the sound of the D607X and D707X, one of more modern ones like the D11 ii or G99X probably
777
But I haven't heard any of the big dogs like the 11000. And I've liked every Sansui amp I've heard. But not enough to keep em all!
I too was tempted by the x500 and turned off by significant number of people disappointed by it. Same with the extensive mods required for the 999. No one ever said that about a 222, 555a, 777.
Was also tempted by Sansui tubes, and if the Fisher 500C I bought didn't have such strong tone controls and beautiful sound, I might have had to plunk down the cash for a 1000 or 70 or something. As it stands I've basically checked out all the different types of amps I needed to on my journey, and stuck with Sansui for all my solid-state integrateds, minus the NAD in the garage...
