Many a returning Viet Nam veteran brought back a Sansui sound system they picked up on their way back during a stop over in Japan. If you owned a Sansui system back in the day you were one of a select few with bragging rights. Even today those Sansui systems are still very much a desired system.
Yep - we were stationed in Guam 68-71, dad came back from Japan with 350 around '70 and it was awesome, a lot of our neighbors on the base had Sansui systems.
As teenagers in the 90's, we used to jam out on my buddies dad's sansui stereo. His dad was a Vietnam vet too. Man those huge boxes with 12" woofers pounded! We used to pack them in their car and drive around blasting Metallica! Great speakers and great times!
I had my amp and SU-400 speakers shipped home from Nam in March of 69.Speakers were beautiful,heavy pieces of furniture with 15” woofer,2-6”midrange,and 2-2” tweeters.They would literally vibrate your bones.The intro to Joplin’s Ball and Chain was almost unbearable.Thanks for taking me back to those memorable times.
Yes! I'm interested!! I had 2 Akai reel to reels as well as several others from the likes of Teac, Pioneer and Sony. The Akais were always superior IMHO. The glass and crystal heads were bulletproof as well as sounding the best of all of them. Was always curious as to why they never seemed to float to the top of the industry.
Back in the 1970's, my father owned a Sansui Receiver 331 with the green back light. I remember that thing sounded fantastic and all of my friends thought I was so lucky to have a "cool father" for owning a Sansui. Although my father past away many years ago, I still have his Sansui 331 in 2023!
My father bought the 331 back in 1975...like you, people and my school friends came around to listen to it, the Sansui AA-3900 speakers with the FR-1080 turntable...people could not believe their ears; laughing and shaking their heads in disbelief!!! 12 watts per channel but it is SANSUI watts!!! Everything is still working perfectly to this day with normal maintenance. Cheers from sunny Australia!!!
Our neighbor returned from Viet Nam with what seemed like every Sansui component made. That was the first time I saw the Sansui reverb highlighted in a video earlier this year. As a 15-year-old, his setup was the coolest thing I had ever seen. It was a note of nostalgia seeing the reverb recently in the store. Thank you
Bought a new Sansui G6000 receiver in NYC in 1979 for 360 bucks. it still works , and still sounds great. Sansui proved that all good things really do come to an end. I wish they would re-release the old stuff made new. It would be awesome. I just watched the video. running through all that gear was really fantastic. thanks for taking the time to make this. people that like music have no idea what they missed when this gear was out. It was a great time to be alive.
I loved my Sansui 5000 which lasted me 22 years of almost constant high power use. It had such a beautiful natural sound. I used it with my Akai GX-230D which, believe it or not I'm still using. I recorded almost 1,500 vinyl albums on it. There's just something about that pure, high end analogue sound that digital remasters can't duplicate. Surprisingly those tapes still sound great. I'm still using my analogue HK receiver I bought in 1991 when my Sansui died, and my top of the line Radio Shack speakers from 1972 and 1979. Five years ago I went to Best Buy to by a Sony TV that was on sale, and the sales rep wanted me to hear this super expensive sound system in their Magnolia Room. We selected a song I have in my collection so I'd know what it's supposed to sound like. I was prepared to be blown away, and I was. I was blown away by how bad it sounded. I could hear the sound of the plastic...yes plastic cabinets resonating, and the annoying boom in the muddy upper bass. I told him I couldn't even listen to the rest of the song, and told him since he lived near me to stop over and hear it on my old analogue system with acoustically sealed heavy wooden speaker cabinets, and he did. Once he heard it he asked how he was ever going to feel good about demoing that ten thousand dollar system again. As they say, they don't make them like they used to.
to flick on a stereo in a car or house +theater , store whatever and make an immediate opinion, and walk away is a bit narrow-minded. Most new 10k audio systems have more then bass treble and partical board cabinets .long story short being a person that there Playlist could go from zeppelin or Fleetwood mack or Gorge Thorogood to hozier,Struggle Jennings/jelly roll to slipknot then to boosie or Kevin gates that being said that 10k audio unit probably/obviously! wasn't turned to listen to your genre of music at that sec. we're not going backwards here,? except these 4 years and this senile administration....
yep, analog warmth…producers originally using studer, otari or mci ‘john henry’ rollers, CURSED the first sony 48 track. sure there was no real setup or qtipping needed, saving session start time, but a whole new set of sonic issues entered. little things like compressing the output, not the input. you wanted to take the whole mix thru a tube amp & mic the speakers. nowdays its tube amp plug-ins, tape sat simulator plug-ins, other helps…they help
i picked up a set of dumped home made spekers from side of the road. didnt think much of them except they were like 50 kg each, kinda riduculous. i dunno who on earth made them but they sound solid as.... lets just say i got rid of my KEF reference series soon after that LOL still, the KEFs sounded infinitely better than the plasic home theater garbage thats filling every living room and dumpster these days.
i have the same receiver still here, bought new by my mother, together with a pair of Wharfedale Denton speakers and akai tape deck. Brilliant combination.. :)
I had a better deal.I got the Sansui 331 for free. It was totally dark and silent. 3 bulbs to led replacement + 2X 10uF couple caps (elco's) L + R channel. Nice retro look and easy to use, for more than 10 year now..
My nearly 50 year old AU517 (and TU717) gets used nearly every day, it sounds fantastic. I've only had it for the last 8 to 10 years and it is one of my favorites.
Same here. I have had various other sansui amps from the 70s - 317, 517, 717 and I think a 919 and many others, but I always came back to the first sui I bought - the 517. That warm sansui sound always gets me.
I too had Au and Tu 517 separates. Picked them up in 1979 or 80 I think Consistently used as primary and secondary systems until 3 years ago. Sold them and they are still working just fine !
While in the Air Force I owed a QRX-9001. In the barracks this receiver would emit enough light to land a C5 in dense fog. While lighting up the room, I could also warm up leftovers. Great sounding machine. Looking at the used prices, wish I would have kept it.
How could you have known that the majority of the population would become brain damaged? I like this old gear but folks are driving up the prices. Why? It can't come close to competing with Modern Gear. What should be $5 is $5,000 now. Nevermind that a dollar is worth 1 cent too thx to low-lifes like the gov and Mr Pawn Shop youtube guy here. I served too btw. Let's pretend to free.
I had a Sansui 60w receiver when I was in college in the mid to late seventies. I didn't know anything about the technical aspects, I just know it sounded great and looked super cool with that blue dial! When I was a freshman, I went into another guys dorm room to listen to music and he had a super cool looking Sansui receiver, I was high as a kite and right then decided I'd get one myself, and I did!
I worked in a couple of Hifi stores in the late 70's and I have to say that after hours of comparing the big 4 Japanese receiver lines through that time period I always preferred Yamaha. Looks only being a part of the equation. I recall that Yamaha was consistently the winner as far as musicality and sound. Yamaha was also the clear cut winner as far as reliability. They seldom showed up on the workbench. The company that gave Yamaha a run for the money music wise in our store was Tandberg. Those were fun days to be in Hifi sales.
Totally agree. Sansui was great, but it was the era of GREAT hifi from an entire industry. Yamaha definitely sounded better to my ears as well. But there were so many others too. It was really the absolute golden age.
It was the perfect storm of highly qualified engineers, favorable economics and a booming market. They could produce high-end for the masses at affordable prices.
It's really heartbreaking how such a legendary company went to shit. I"m going to upgrade my stereo next year and the AU series, (7700, 9500) and particularly the professional (9900, 11000) are first in the list with some Pioneer SA as contenders. it's a shame that those things went down after the 717. Fortunately they were built with such perfection that we'll be able to enjoy those pieces for many years to came. Thanks for the great video!
@@Gpray75 As far as I know, if you have a qualified tech and the necessary parts, why not. Fact is that the 717 was a very innovative amp when launched if I'm not wrong. However I'd go for the professional series for sure.
Love a history lesson. What a shame what eventually happened to Sansui. I have my late fathers 441 receiver he purchased in the mid 70’s I believe. I was a young kid. Sounds good to this day.
Thank you for this video. I always wondered what became of Sansui. I had an AU-777 for many decades and when it was time to replace it the brand was nowhere to be found. I loved that amp.
I have a Sansui 6060 receiver/amplifier with a wonderfully dampened analog station dial that my father bought 50 years ago. It works perfectly and looks like new, it still resides in the original, dedicated stereo cabinet with a Pioneer direct drive turntable and an Akai cassette deck. I use it almost daily to listen the radio or to our old records, I love the sound coming from the big speakers with the deep bass.
My Dad bought his first Sansui in 1969 to replace The Fisher Model X 100b. Dad bought a very interesting Sansui 600L AM/FM and Short Wave Receiver, this receiver even had a integrated equalizer. In 1976 dad replaced that receiver with the AU5900 with Matching TU5900 tuner. We also purchase a Sansui front loading Tape deck the SC3110, other equipment paired with the AU5900 was a Thorens TD 124 that Dad bought in 1958 upgraded in 1964 with a grado labs wood tonearm, also a Sony Reel to Reel TC 377_2 , a pioneer equializer SG9500, and Sansui and Fisher speakers. To this day I have the AU5900, the TU5900, the Thorens td 124, and the pioneer equilizer in working order. I love the sound of that amplifer, my whole vinatage equipment is my pride and joy.
Sansui was by far the most amazing stereo system when I was in high school in 1972. I still remember the first time a friend invited me over to experience his new Sansui system. Sitting between two speakers while listening to The Beatles' "I Am the Walrus," it was as if I could hear every instrument distinctly. Even quality headphones couldn't duplicate the stunning fidelity of the Sansui system.
Sansui was the pinnacle of audio equipment of my teens and also very rare, expensive, and almost not obtainable due to international sanctions and embargoes. AKAI was also sought after, as was Kenwood and Pioneer. A history of AKAI would also be interesting.
Depends on the places you audio-shopped. I was in high-end shops in the 70's that wouldn't carry Sansui, Kenwood, Sherwood, Scott and the like. Sansui had the best light show at night and they always seemed to be upping the ante on power/features.
Actually Sansui had alot of issues which kept them from Pioneer, Marantz kind of success and then Yamaha entered and it was a slow death after that. I sold Hi Fi in the late 70's early 80's
@@LennyFlorentine I can understand, especially if it's one of the tape recorders with the glass coated heads (like the GX-635D), aside from modern hard drives I don't think anyone else has done that with magnetic heads.
Had a 9090 as a teenager. Got in a lot of trouble with that. It was very loud let’s say. I even had a funeral home director come over and asked me to turn the music down. They were trying to have a funeral. But I have a 7070 today and it’s going strong I love it. Four Sansui speakers. I bought a 6060 for my son, and another friend. I guess you could say I’m a Sansui guy. Thanks so much for all the information. It’s some stuff I’ve always wondered about.
Still have my 8080!! As a young musician, i did a lot of woodsheding plugging my Bass into the mic input playing along with the radio and all my albums!! It was a real workhorse. Still works but needs work.
I have a Sansui TU-9900 tuner and a Sansui AU-D7 amp that I picked up when I was on active duty in Korea in 1983. It still sounds great and has more power than I'll ever use. Sansui definitely was good stuff back in the early years.
I have a bunch of Sansui gear and use it often. Some belonged to my military dad that he bought over seas and other stuff I have acquired. Love the warm full spacious sound. Hope to keep it in the family another generation.
Long ago I had a Sansui 1000A Tube Type Receiver, Technically rated at 28 watts per channel, that receiver could pump out sound all day long like much much more powerful receivers. Old but awesome.
I still have my Sansui 1000a that i bought in the early 70s when i was 16. I loved that thing. Parents hated it. But i think it was 60 warrs per channel because it has 4 6L6 output tubes in push pull parallel. With 3 iron core transformers that thing is HEAVY! I plugged it in a couple years ago and when i turned it on it immediately blew the AC fuse :(
@@dreammix9430 Yeah I was quoting the RMS power at 8 ohms, that’s too bad it’s blowing the fuse, i would bet that like old TV’s that it needs the capacitor cans rebuilt. Wish I still had mine.
@@MysticFrequencies yeah those caps are probably dry as a bone. I just cant get rid of it though. Too many memories. Edit: maybe ill rebuild it... when i retire :)
I was stationed in Okinawa in 1977 - 1978. I bought a Sansui 9090db on the Marine Corp birthday on sale for 305.00. It's still marked on the box. I still use it and sounds great with my Altec Valencia 846b speakers. Thanks for an interesting education on Sansui!
Helped my friend pick out a stereo system at Circuit City in NC circa 1984. He ended up with a Sansui receiver powering some Micro Acoustics speakers (odd brand - not Boston Acoustics - but sounded good) and a Pioneer cassette deck with a Technics turntable and the ubiquitous Discwasher record cleaner. Even his wife liked it and didn't complain too much about his "hobby". Life was good. The AM/FM tuner on that Sansui was every bit the equal to my Pioneer.
I got a '69 5000a a few months ago. Kinda the same thing at my house. In the first couple weeks, three times or so, the wife just stopped for a second, unprompted, and said " That sounds REALLY nice." The guys at the store said Marantz was generally warm and mellow, while the "Sansui sound" is a little more lively. I love it!
Great video. My house is full of vintage Sansui from the golden age. Once I learned about the golden age of stereo just before the stereo wars I focused there and went through a bunch of Sansui gear. I grew up on Pioneer in the 70's but love vintage Sansui.
The Sansui 9090DB was the receiver that got me into HiFi back in 1976 when I was 12 years old. It belonged to my oldest brother who had it paired up with a pair of Technics SB7000A speakers.
Ouch. I followed Sansui's long, sad decline up until about 2000, then sort of forgot about it (and Kenwood, and Denon...it was getting all too depressing). Thanks for bringing me up to speed here, and definitely looking forward to more like this.
I own a Sansui 9090 that I bought for $100 maybe 15 years ago. Sounds incredible and whenever I get the itch to buy a new amp, I put that money into components instead and keep the 9090 as the core of my system. I've had it serviced a few times and one time the tech didn't do the best job. Wish I had some way to get it to Just Audio all the way from Chicago for some of your expert service work!
@@alexw890 No, I lived in NYC at the time and it was a place on Long Island called In House Audio Repair.... or something like that. It didn't help matters any that I was also ignorant about hifi at the time too.
I’ve been a Pioneer guy my whole life. I have a Pioneer SX-750 that I’ve been using for almost 20 years, and absolutely love everything about it. That being said, I always worried that it would crap out, and I’d be without a vintage 70’s receiver while it was in the shop. Almost two years ago, my cousin passed away. He and I had a great connection through music, and talked about bands, songs, records and stereo equipment all the time. When he passed, his wife asked me to help sell all of his records and equipment, not knowing what to do with them. For helping, she said I could take whatever I wanted. He had a beautiful Sansui G3500 that cosmetically looked prestige, but wasn’t working. $300 in repairs later, I now have it running on a second stereo setup in my listening room. I have to say, for such a small unit, that sucker packs a punch, delivering great sound and plenty of volume. Visually, it’s stunning like most great equipment from the 70’s. I love every time I turn it on, thinking of my cousin as if he’s there listening to me. I can see why there’s such a fan base for Sansui.
My very first integrated amp was a 301i Sansui. I always liked that it sounded very soothing and musical, although it lacked in the analytical department. Which, on the other hand, made listening to mediocre productions much easier.
You guys are remarkably affective at making me want to forage through my spare junk room (similar to a kitchen junk drawer) to get reacquainted with my retired gear. Most appreciated! New old found treasure.
Another terrific video! I bought a Sansui 9090 receiver a few years ago, and the build quality is first-rate. The quality of the switches and the heaviness of the large volume knob gives one the confidence this receiver will be working long after I'm dead. The sound has so much depth and comes on strongly if you let it. I use it all the time and love it. Please keep creating these videos, and Thank You!!
Since the mid 1970s, when I was buying my main stereo gear, and coincidentally got my start in radio as a disc jockey then engineer, I repeatedly saw two manufacturers names inside of every piece of equipment I ever opened up.. Toshiba and Matsushita. Unless I’m terribly mistaken, almost all Japanese audio equipment, during the 70s and early 80s, was built from components from those two companies, later including JVC (Japan Victor Corporation). I don’t remember ever needing to open up Sansui products from that era because they just worked so well for so long. This video makes me want to crack open a Sansui amplifier, tape deck or EQ and see who’s inside.
Back in the 80’s & 90’s, my grandmother worked for the Hect Co. department stores as a sales person in their electronics department. This was back in the day when most of America purchased their stereos, televisions, appliances, etc. in department stores. Sansui, even back then, was positioned as a top-brand line…above brands like Fisher, Sanyo, Sony, RCA, etc. For many, hi-fi meant a “rack system” of plug-and-play components that included matching speakers. In hindsight, pretty much every system coming out of department stores from this era was probably made by the same Chinese or Taiwan factories…they just had different branding and faceplates. One thing I’d like to mention is that there was a clear brand that was really different that you could find in the department stores back then: Philips/Magnevox. Of course, they had that European difference to them, but beyond that, they were built to a higher state and had better performance. Those first CD players from Magnevox are still considered the best performing and sounding players ever…would’ve been great to see if the rest of Philips/Magnevox gear could have matched the Technics/Kenwood/Pioneer/Onkyo gear of that day. Great history lesson, Lenny!
Awesome share! Everyone should read this! Phillips also made pretty much every cd mech for 90% of the cd players ever made regardless of who made them.
Back in the day I had an AU-777, it was by far the best sound amp I've ever owned. I got it with two Sansui speakers too, can't remember what model they were, but the sound was just awesome. My neighbor played electric guitar, he loved to plug into my system, he'd have the walls shaking! I also had an Akai X300 10" reel to reel tape recorder, what a heavy beast that was. Man, I miss those days! Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
I have always loved Sansui. They were easy to repair and they had a nice look. You could feel the quality in the sound they produced. Too bad I didn't keep any.
When I started getting into hi-fi in the UK in the mid seventies, Sansui were highly respected - even their budget amps! I still have my turntable, a 222 mk2 that still looks classy 44 years later!
When I was working at an audio store in 1979-81, I used to deal with the Sansui representative all the and went many times to pick up special orders for customers. However, since I was a military dependent, I was able to purchase my own components through the military PX.
I bought a Sansui receiver from a pawn shop just outside of Fort Hood in 1978. That thing kicked ass and beat anyone’s system in our barracks. Had it for about ten years and it stopped working. Took it to a few repair shops but no one could fix it. Kept the Sansui speakers for another 20 years after that. Great audio
I am not a fan of Sansui speakers by any stretch but, I love their receivers/amps. I just got a Sansui Eight for a good deal and it has been such a joy to listen to for the past few weeks. I have a G-4700 that needs repair soon too.
Thanks for digging into this, I didn't know any of this. Sansui receivers were on the top of my dream receiver wish list when I was growing up in the 70s. I always wondered what the heck happened to this great company. Thanks for this video, great job!
I had a Sansui AUD-33 amplifier which included a Super Feedforward System for distortion reduction, which I bought in 1983. It was a wonderful amp which I kind of regret selling around 1999. I hope it's still in use somewhere.
I bought my first vintage reciever in 2013, a Sansui QRX-5500. I had it serviced and cleaned up, it's been Rocking in my garage ever since, with two sets of era correct Sansui Speakers. I just purchased my Dream Sansui, a G-7500... and it sounds Glorious. You can't go wrong with a Sansui from 1970-1979. Great Videos Sir. Cheers.
They were built like no others electronic product a solid frame my au-9500 must weight around 50-60 pounds and when you look inside you can really see that it was an electronic marvel of its time the perfection is outstanding each circuit were build to work for hundred years, i'm sure that a day someone else will receive my amp and discover the sound quality of the 1960-1970 !
In the late 80s, Sansui had some car audio amplifiers, too. Only they were made by Precision Power, Inc. (aka PPI). PPI was renowned for making some of the best sounding car audio amps, and the line they made for Sansui were excellent as well. It's a shame that some of these brands that were considered high-end back in the day have been whored out by conglomerates.
Never knew that. I had a PPI 2150 and that thing was bulletproof. Some of those 80s and early 90s car amps as well as some head units are going for a pretty penny.
@nickmrt2670 old school PPI amps were awesome. I built a sound system for my car, and I run PPI Power Class amps from the late 90's. Almost 30 years old and still sound amazing. You couldn't beat the USA made amps. And yeah, they're going for a pretty penny. Old school brands like Orion and Linear Power are crazy expensive right now.
Nice name drops coming over all fuzzy. I still have my sansui car amp. Monster!! The heat sink looked like it had been built from a battle ship. I must dust it off. I miss my 7909. My Phoenix gold eq230 is now doing some time in my home cinema.
I was the proud owner of a Sansui g-9000 receiver that I bought in Japan in 1978 while I was stationed there in the Marine Corps. That was the best sounding and most powerful amplifier I'd ever heard. I paid pretty big bucks for it-- over $1,000. But it was selling in the States for much much more than that. Then one time during a move it disappeared off the truck. My stuff was like 2 weeks late. Finally they told me they tracked it down still on the truck sitting on the side of Interstate 40. The driver just quit, grabbed my stereo (but did lock up the truck) and then just drove away.
Recently acquired a late 1980's AU X711 integrated, it was not cheap but what a nice unit. Part of the Alpha series which are considered as good as it gets. Also use a Sansui SR 525 turntable, fully manual direct drive.
@@TheKyotoKid they did indeed - the 711/911 are lovely amps. Interestingly, in Japan they made even bigger versions of those amps for the local market, including the big 33kg Alpha x-balanced 907 models. They are truly works of art.
I bought my Sansui 5000A receiver along with an Akai D355 reel to reel and a pair of Pioneer A30 speakers in 1973. I was in college at Oregon state. I found them on the buy sell board at the campus commons. A USAF person had purchased them shortly before while stationed in Japan. He was selling the system for tuition money. The best $250 purchase I have ever made! Still using to this day!
Wow....memories....I bought a Sansui 8080db receiver back in the late 70's from Crazy Eddie's in NY for $400 and that was considered a great deal. Loved that receiver. It could pump out volumes to any speaker at that time. Those were the good ol' days!!
In 1996 or 97, i happened to listen to a Sansui made CD player. It was for the first time I had listened to the CD sound. It sounded amazing. Even though I have heard systems costing much more, the sound of that Sansui CD player remains afresh in my mind.
One local audio dealer lamented the fact that many Veterans returning from SE Asia were picking up cheaper hifi gear on their way back to the US upon their separation from Military Obligations and it definitely impacted the US Stereo Market. Sansui was one of the major brands leading the market in the very late 60’s and early 1970s. The rest is audio history.
I have a popular 1970's solid-state amplifier that showed me you can definitely get the exact texture, harmonic content and warmth from transistors that we get from valves but most designs just don't do it. The Sansuis do. I am a guitarist and have a lot of tube amps and tube gear. Everyone claims to "emulate" valves but they never do not even close. My Sansui with a digital guitar modeler run through it sounds identical to valves. It's fizzy instead of raspy, zinging instead of buzzing, and the texture you hear in the treble is just unmistakable in terms of what truly is, *the valve sound.* Long story short, I went to college for the science of electrical=electronics engineering and have designed my own solid-state gear from the ground up. It's shockingly a very easy task to get the unmistakable valve sound from semiconductors but nobody bothers to do it!
I bought my G-7500 new in 1979, and it was incredible. About the 20 year point some solder joints needed re-done, and I got another 10 years out of it. It was incredible sounding, not to mention the memories that went with it. I won't part with it. I could have it gold-plated, but it really doesn't need it. It is beautiful as is.
Speaking of the great company, I still have my 1975 direct drive Sansui turntable, it cost me 1/3rd of my initial stereo which was 3 months wages. Things are so cheap these days as well as poorer quality. I used it daily until about 17 years ago when I "got together" with someone who had pretty much NO interest in perfect music reproduction. Shortly after I bought it, well years, the only thing I did to it was replace the head shell and cartridge with a unit that cost more than the entire thing, and then spent 1/3rd the cost again on an audiophile needle. The electronics is good and the drive motor phenomenal lasting so long and with it's precision speed still there. Oh yeah I had to replace one of the speed adjusting pots (as I constantly used it) in the late 90's. Nice to hear the brand Nakamichi mentioned here, wish I had one of their decks, but back then they cost 1.5 times what my entire initial separate component stereo did! A little off topic here but great video man.
My father was a real fan of the brand and he had a complete Sansui hifi system with big amp, a weird cassette deck with no door, a real-to-real tape deck, DSP and everything. Before that, he had a great integrated amp/tuner a bit like the one on the thumbnail. I remember I was amazed by the number of inputs and outputs, tape monitor switches and routing features. Left and right channels had their own tone controls on coaxial knobs and I remember that the potentiometers were super smooth and felt like there was some damping. It was also super heavy. You bring back good memories 🙂
I worked in the A/V retail industry from 1984 to 2008, and a bit here and there until 2014. No place I worked at ever sold Sansui, but I always heard great things about the brand. Mostly from ex-GI's, who told me they bought their Sansui products from their base PX's. Those early 70's receivers looked awesome, especially those massive 9000 series.
As a US Army guy I was stationed at Reese, in Augsburg Germany from 1977 to 1979. The PX had every conceivable thing of stereo gear. Sansui had a place there. I bought by Spec and owned a Sunsui amp and tuner, and several other Sansui pieces. Sansui was best by specs and price. All of my Sansui is gone now. I am now interested in top quality tube amps and tuners at the best price. Somersworth, NH
I was in Ansbach at the same time. Bamberg and Nuremberg were the bases we went for our equipment. We were absolute experts on drugs and stereo equipment.
I bought a Sausui S-X1200 in July 1989. I still have it and it still works. It had a processor switch and a Tape Mon 2 - so it could accommodate 2 equalizers using 2 separate inputs.
While serving with the 101st Airborne in Vietnam in 1968, I purchased and had shipped home, my SANSUI 3000A Receiver, pair of SANSUI 100w Speakers, TEAC A1200 Reel-to-Reel tape machine and a DUAL 1009SK Turntable....I gave all of this to a girlfriend who was leaving San Francisco to go to Columbia University for graduate school, and replaced with LUXMAN components in 1988. Loved the 1968 decisions I made, it was a great system.
I was in the Army, stationed in Germany in 1978. We were absolute experts on stereo equipment. JBL 100 speakers, Sansui 890db receiver, Teac tape deck and real to real tape.
I bought a lot of Sansui receivers when I was in Vietnam, Hong Kong and in the Akihabara district 1968-1972. Later, I was part owner of a Lafayette Electronics store and we sold Sansui hi-fi stuff. The receivers were every bit as good, if not better, than many other well known Japanese brands. Sometime in the 90's I bought a few Sansui TVs. Boy, does your video bring back memories!😊
Wow, great video. I always wondered what happened to Sansui. You did a great research and brought back memories. I bought my first stereo system, a 100 watt Sansui stereo rack system, back in early 80’s in Okinawa, Japan when I was in the Navy and had resupply stop/visit there. The turntable was direct drive with linear tracking arm that can select specific track via the track buttons. That was hi tech back then. The system was all black with this cool aqua colored lighting that looked awesome at night. I also bought their VHS VCR when I was getting into home theater. This was when they still make it Japan.
In 1974, I was a sophomore in High School. I worked a summer job to but a Pioneer Turntable and a Sansui receiver. I played the crap out of it! When I went into the Air Force, I gave to my father, who a.so loved music and played the crap out of it . Dad passed away in 2016, and I got my receiver back. It is now in my music room next to my Marshall amp and it still continues to kick butt!
Great vid, very well made and informative! I still own a pair of Sansui SP-Z7's that I bought in Germany when I was stationed there back in 1982, they are not in mint condition, but they are in very good condition and they still sound great. I remember going to disco parties before I went into the Army, and this one DJ had a 4 set of Sansui's, I believe there were SP X8000 or 9000, man they were blowing the place up! The Stereo Wars was a great period, definetely a great time for audio, because even the lesser known brands were also putting out some serious equipment for you to have. Now days, it's so sad to go to places that sell audio, because they really don't have anything. Most is focus on home theater with some decent offerings but really nothing like it used to be. That is why I kept my old school stereo equipment, which I still listen to and try to maintain in decent operation, they still sound great.
I purchased a Samsung 771 receiver in the mid seventies while a Marine stationed in Okinawa. I also had Sansui speakers, I don't remember the model. That setup lasted for at least 15 years. I eventually replaced it with a Pioneer receiver. I sold it at some point in a yard sale. It was a little sad because it had served me well for so many years.
My Sansui AU 7900 integrated amplifer I purchased in 1975 was completely rebuilt last year with all new capcitors and it powers my black laquer JBL 100T's. The system will never be sold. Thanks for the video. I enjoyed it.
I came to collecting hi-fi late. I was 10 at the beginning of the Stereo Wars. My uncle had a Superscope system and in ‘74 my cousin came home from college with a Pioneer SX-737 system. In later years he told me that he could’ve gotten a 1010 but, he wouldn’t have been able to get speakers or a turntable. When I was 15-17 mom shopped at the DAV often. They had a junk pile of broken audio gear. Gear we now lovingly refer to as vintage audio. There were receivers, turntables, 8 tracks, cassettes and amps. All broken and in need of some tlc. I once asked my mom if she would get me one. I’d had a burning desire to have one since I saw my cousins’. She said, “Does it work and if it doesn’t, who’s going to fix it? ” I plugged it in and it didn’t work. I put it back. Turns out at the time here in St. Louis there was an audio/video repair shop on almost every corner. Ok, not every corner, but you get the idea. My God, if I’d known then what I know now I would’ve bought the whole pile and saved them. I don’t know what else there was, but I do know that the one I picked was a Pioneer SX-434 which I did eventually get. We have just 2 audio repair shops left in town. I’ve got them repairing a Sansui 3000a and 2000x for me. I hope to come visit your shop in the near future. Thanks for all the great videos!
I just picked up an 8080DB and absolutely love it! Matches well with my vintage Frazier speakers. I have several pair of Sansui speakers (200, 1500, 2000) that I have reconditioned but have not listened to yet.
Sansui made some great decks back in the day. Their FR series tables were excellent! Also, their black face amps and receivers were monsters! You NAILED IT in this video!!! Good Stuff!!
In 1973 I owned a SANSUI 6500. Bought it in Germany while I was in the Army. Paired with a set of rectilinear floor speakers. The most awesome stereo I ever owned
I have two vintage receivers that I don't see me ever parting with. One is a 1969 Sansui 4000. Love the sound. I was fortunate enough to pick it up a few years ago locally.
In the mid 1980's I worked at Sansui in Lyndhurst NJ. I was the receiving manager/bench tech during this time. To this day I still own my AU-G90x spl800 d590 cassette players an a few others. I resigned and left just a few months before the east coast office closed. In a nutshell seeing our returns I would truly believe that venturing low end was one of our downfalls. We also had issues with somewhat questionable retailers such as crazy eddy. as a receiving manager I would inspect the returns and direct them to the proper technicians for repair. There were many occasions where our units were adulterated by our partners and sold under the guise of our name. As hard as we could try to stop them it just seemed a losing battle. Adding to that fact was internal US employment issues within the company. Even so with these issue I was and still am honored to have worked with a great group of people, Including but not limited to Mister Omikawa San, Mister Ito, Mister Soda, and Mister Matsumoto. I have always believed that Sansui like the Phoenix will once again rise from the ashes. You just can't match the level and commitment they put into their products.
@@LennyFlorentine Sure I'd love to answer any questions just looking for a new home now but thanks for that memory even now I fondly remember my times there.
My family has had a Sansui QR-1500 since I was a child. My family raised me in SoCal listening to KMET and later KLOS. I remember when John Lennon passed and my mom, shocked by the news coming through that unit. My dad would listen to Chick Hearn on AM. Dad passed many years ago but Mom is still cruisin at 75 and every time I turn the power dial, I think of them both. I'm 52 now and that same 'ol receiver is now in my home with our same 'ol Audio Lab loudspeakers. Those 15 measly watts still sound so good.
@@LennyFlorentine Yeah, it was a beautiful receiver, I was running though a fantastic pair of Scott speakers, a matched pair with book-matched walnut veneers. Wish I still had that setup today.
I've still got Dad's Sansui 4000 that he bought at the PX in Vietnam back in 1970. I did have to get some capacitors replaced last year but, hey, what other equipment lasts 50+ years and can still be fixed?! I still love the sound in the man cave, superior to my more modern receiver in the living room. I grew up with this unit and it just seems like an old familiar friend. :-)
Bought my first stereo when I was 18, an AU-D9 amp togheter with the TU-S9 Tuner. Year later a SE-9 eq. I'm almost 60 now and still have the set............still working fine. The only thing that was done, was recapping the amp in 2022 due to a lack of punch. My dad has a AU-7700/ TU7700 set, amp is also reccapped and is playing every day. Build like a tank.
Sansui....the girl I dated. Mid-70;s, I'm stationed in WGermany w/ the USAF. Our "Costco" was the "BX"- base exchange, which was anything but a Costco. VERY limited selections/merch. EXCVEPT for stereo and camera gear- both out the ass. So I followed suit. I bought the Sansui Definition Series, an all component pre-amp, power amp, and tuner. 250RMS. I paired that w/ a TEAC 10" R-R, a DBX unit, a Thorens turntable, and a pair of ESS speakers. I was in heaven. Until stateside, in college- senior year, I HAD to sell it all to pay for tuition. Eighteen years later, via eBay, I re-acquired that complete set-up (copies)....mid-90's. STILL have it. Still ticks on....but I no longer rock out as I did in my 20's. Sansui= GREAT stuff. The 70's were the GOLDEN Age for incredible Japanese audio gear.
I was lucky enough and had a plan to go to Japan when I was in the Air Force. I was stationed there in 1975 and 1976 well you know how it goes. I intended to go to Japan to enjoy the HIFi which I sure did. The Yen exchange rate was 400 to 1 American Dollar!! Yes with that exchange rate I could buy lots of ear candy for next to nothing. I didn't fully appreciate what I was seeing with the HIFI but I did get a whale of a bite of it. I had probably 200 guys in a multi story apt. style barracks and yes everyone and I mean everyone had a stereo system. You could see it all and probably every brand. Good times and I miss that period a great deal, what an experience.
About 74 I was in the Philippines.. got lost at 3am at there was a Sansui sign at the base and walked towards it and got back to base ..Been a fan ever since.
For more of my content subscribe to TH-cam.com/@ThatGuyWithTheBeard
Many a returning Viet Nam veteran brought back a Sansui sound system they picked up on their way back during a stop over in Japan. If you owned a Sansui system back in the day you were one of a select few with bragging rights. Even today those Sansui systems are still very much a desired system.
Yep - we were stationed in Guam 68-71, dad came back from Japan with 350 around '70 and it was awesome, a lot of our neighbors on the base had Sansui systems.
Copy that. Still have a set of SP3500 speakers
As teenagers in the 90's, we used to jam out on my buddies dad's sansui stereo. His dad was a Vietnam vet too. Man those huge boxes with 12" woofers pounded! We used to pack them in their car and drive around blasting Metallica! Great speakers and great times!
I had my amp and SU-400 speakers shipped home from Nam in March of 69.Speakers were beautiful,heavy pieces of furniture with 15” woofer,2-6”midrange,and 2-2” tweeters.They would literally vibrate your bones.The intro to Joplin’s Ball and Chain was almost unbearable.Thanks for taking me back to those memorable times.
What about my Sansui 9090db..any thoughts??😂
A video on Akai History would be very interesting and I cast a vote for a future video on Akai. Anyone else interested?
Perhaps Aiwa as well👍🏼
Absolutely!
be nice to see a vid on Akai
I sure am! 👍
Yes! I'm interested!! I had 2 Akai reel to reels as well as several others from the likes of Teac, Pioneer and Sony. The Akais were always superior IMHO. The glass and crystal heads were bulletproof as well as sounding the best of all of them. Was always curious as to why they never seemed to float to the top of the industry.
Back in the 1970's, my father owned a Sansui Receiver 331 with the green back light. I remember that thing sounded fantastic and all of my friends thought I was so lucky to have a "cool father" for owning a Sansui. Although my father past away many years ago, I still have his Sansui 331 in 2023!
My father bought the 331 back in 1975...like you, people and my school friends came around to listen to it, the Sansui AA-3900 speakers with the FR-1080 turntable...people could not believe their ears; laughing and shaking their heads in disbelief!!! 12 watts per channel but it is SANSUI watts!!! Everything is still working perfectly to this day with normal maintenance. Cheers from sunny Australia!!!
@@Warpedsmac Nice!
Our neighbor returned from Viet Nam with what seemed like every Sansui component made. That was the first time I saw the Sansui reverb highlighted in a video earlier this year. As a 15-year-old, his setup was the coolest thing I had ever seen. It was a note of nostalgia seeing the reverb recently in the store. Thank you
We got that right or Subic......
Yeah, I saw that reverb, I had one of those too. Not that I ever went acid-trippin' with surround sound, no siree!
Bought a new Sansui G6000 receiver in NYC in 1979 for 360 bucks. it still works , and still sounds great. Sansui proved that all good things really do come to an end. I wish they would re-release the old stuff made new. It would be awesome. I just watched the video. running through all that gear was really fantastic. thanks for taking the time to make this. people that like music have no idea what they missed when this gear was out. It was a great time to be alive.
Such a nice receiver! Thanks for sharing!
Rerelease silver faced stereo component systems. They looked the best, better than black, that is a fact.
I loved my Sansui 5000 which lasted me 22 years of almost constant high power use. It had such a beautiful natural sound. I used it with my Akai GX-230D which, believe it or not I'm still using. I recorded almost 1,500 vinyl albums on it. There's just something about that pure, high end analogue sound that digital remasters can't duplicate. Surprisingly those tapes still sound great. I'm still using my analogue HK receiver I bought in 1991 when my Sansui died, and my top of the line Radio Shack speakers from 1972 and 1979. Five years ago I went to Best Buy to by a Sony TV that was on sale, and the sales rep wanted me to hear this super expensive sound system in their Magnolia Room. We selected a song I have in my collection so I'd know what it's supposed to sound like. I was prepared to be blown away, and I was. I was blown away by how bad it sounded. I could hear the sound of the plastic...yes plastic cabinets resonating, and the annoying boom in the muddy upper bass. I told him I couldn't even listen to the rest of the song, and told him since he lived near me to stop over and hear it on my old analogue system with acoustically sealed heavy wooden speaker cabinets, and he did. Once he heard it he asked how he was ever going to feel good about demoing that ten thousand dollar system again. As they say, they don't make them like they used to.
to flick on a stereo in a car or house +theater , store whatever and make an immediate opinion, and walk away is a bit narrow-minded. Most new 10k audio systems have more then bass treble and partical board cabinets .long story short being a person that there Playlist could go from zeppelin or Fleetwood mack or Gorge Thorogood to hozier,Struggle Jennings/jelly roll to slipknot then to boosie or Kevin gates that being said that 10k audio unit probably/obviously! wasn't turned to listen to your genre of music at that sec. we're not going backwards here,? except these 4 years and this senile administration....
yep, analog warmth…producers originally using studer, otari or mci ‘john henry’ rollers, CURSED the first sony 48 track. sure there was no real setup or qtipping needed, saving session start time, but a whole new set of sonic issues entered. little things like compressing the output, not the input. you wanted to take the whole mix thru a tube amp & mic the speakers. nowdays its tube amp plug-ins, tape sat simulator plug-ins, other helps…they help
i picked up a set of dumped home made spekers from side of the road.
didnt think much of them except they were like 50 kg each, kinda riduculous.
i dunno who on earth made them but they sound solid as....
lets just say i got rid of my KEF reference series soon after that LOL
still, the KEFs sounded infinitely better than the plasic home theater garbage thats filling every living room and dumpster these days.
Never happrened
>>There's just something about that pure, high end analogue sound that digital remasters can't duplicate.
Which, vinyl surface noise or tape hiss?
I purchased a 331 Sansui receiver along with speakers in 1975. I’m still using that system to this day. Best decision I’ve ever made
The 1 series was great! When you turn it off FM the tuner dial goes off so you could hide listening to music at night from your parents. Haha
i have the same receiver still here, bought new by my mother, together with a pair of Wharfedale Denton speakers and akai tape deck. Brilliant combination.. :)
I traded up to McIntosh! Best decision I've ever made.
I had a better deal.I got the Sansui 331 for free. It was totally dark and silent.
3 bulbs to led replacement + 2X 10uF couple caps (elco's) L + R channel.
Nice retro look and easy to use, for more than 10 year now..
Hi from Australia Did you match it with Sansui speakers and turntable? If so which models?
My nearly 50 year old AU517 (and TU717) gets used nearly every day, it sounds fantastic. I've only had it for the last 8 to 10 years and it is one of my favorites.
Same here. I have had various other sansui amps from the 70s - 317, 517, 717 and I think a 919 and many others, but I always came back to the first sui I bought - the 517. That warm sansui sound always gets me.
I too had Au and Tu 517 separates.
Picked them up in 1979 or 80 I think
Consistently used as primary and secondary systems until 3 years ago.
Sold them and they are still working just fine !
While in the Air Force I owed a QRX-9001. In the barracks this receiver would emit enough light to land a C5 in dense fog. While lighting up the room, I could also warm up leftovers. Great sounding machine. Looking at the used prices, wish I would have kept it.
How could you have known that the majority of the population would become brain damaged? I like this old gear but folks are driving up the prices. Why? It can't come close to competing with Modern Gear. What should be $5 is $5,000 now. Nevermind that a dollar is worth 1 cent too thx to low-lifes like the gov and Mr Pawn Shop youtube guy here.
I served too btw. Let's pretend to free.
I had a Sansui 60w receiver when I was in college in the mid to late seventies. I didn't know anything about the technical aspects, I just know it sounded great and looked super cool with that blue dial! When I was a freshman, I went into another guys dorm room to listen to music and he had a super cool looking Sansui receiver, I was high as a kite and right then decided I'd get one myself, and I did!
I worked in a couple of Hifi stores in the late 70's and I have to say that after hours of comparing the big 4 Japanese receiver lines through that time period I always preferred Yamaha. Looks only being a part of the equation. I recall that Yamaha was consistently the winner as far as musicality and sound. Yamaha was also the clear cut winner as far as reliability. They seldom showed up on the workbench. The company that gave Yamaha a run for the money music wise in our store was Tandberg. Those were fun days to be in Hifi sales.
I bet they were, someone had got to have some pictures of those days!
Totally agree. Sansui was great, but it was the era of GREAT hifi from an entire industry. Yamaha definitely sounded better to my ears as well. But there were so many others too. It was really the absolute golden age.
Yamaha has always had a warmness to their sound that I love, almost a tube like sound IMO.
It was the perfect storm of highly qualified engineers, favorable economics and a booming market.
They could produce high-end for the masses at affordable prices.
I like Yamaha also, but several of their products, we sold, had output transistor and/or power output problems.
It's really heartbreaking how such a legendary company went to shit. I"m going to upgrade my stereo next year and the AU series, (7700, 9500) and particularly the professional (9900, 11000) are first in the list with some Pioneer SA as contenders. it's a shame that those things went down after the 717. Fortunately they were built with such perfection that we'll be able to enjoy those pieces for many years to came. Thanks for the great video!
Thanks Frankie!
Yes, its indeed heartbreaking to see such a legendary audio manufacturing company like Sansui of Japan went to bankruptcy in this manner.
@@LennyFlorentine always a pleasure 😁
Sooo, in your opinion, is the au-717 worth getting a full restoration these days?🙏
@@Gpray75 As far as I know, if you have a qualified tech and the necessary parts, why not. Fact is that the 717 was a very innovative amp when launched if I'm not wrong. However I'd go for the professional series for sure.
Love a history lesson. What a shame what eventually happened to Sansui. I have my late fathers 441 receiver he purchased in the mid 70’s I believe. I was a young kid. Sounds good to this day.
Thank you for this video. I always wondered what became of Sansui. I had an AU-777 for many decades and when it was time to replace it the brand was nowhere to be found. I loved that amp.
I have a Sansui 6060 receiver/amplifier with a wonderfully dampened analog station dial that my father bought 50 years ago. It works perfectly and looks like new, it still resides in the original, dedicated stereo cabinet with a Pioneer direct drive turntable and an Akai cassette deck. I use it almost daily to listen the radio or to our old records, I love the sound coming from the big speakers with the deep bass.
My Dad bought his first Sansui in 1969 to replace The Fisher Model X 100b. Dad bought a very interesting Sansui 600L AM/FM and Short Wave Receiver, this receiver even had a integrated equalizer. In 1976 dad replaced that receiver with the AU5900 with Matching TU5900 tuner. We also purchase a Sansui front loading Tape deck the SC3110, other equipment paired with the AU5900 was a Thorens TD 124 that Dad bought in 1958 upgraded in 1964 with a grado labs wood tonearm, also a Sony Reel to Reel TC 377_2 , a pioneer equializer SG9500, and Sansui and Fisher speakers. To this day I have the AU5900, the TU5900, the Thorens td 124, and the pioneer equilizer in working order. I love the sound of that amplifer, my whole vinatage equipment is my pride and joy.
Sansui was by far the most amazing stereo system when I was in high school in 1972. I still remember the first time a friend invited me over to experience his new Sansui system. Sitting between two speakers while listening to The Beatles' "I Am the Walrus," it was as if I could hear every instrument distinctly. Even quality headphones couldn't duplicate the stunning fidelity of the Sansui system.
Sansui was the pinnacle of audio equipment of my teens and also very rare, expensive, and almost not obtainable due to international sanctions and embargoes. AKAI was also sought after, as was Kenwood and Pioneer. A history of AKAI would also be interesting.
Thanks, lots of requests coming for that one!
Depends on the places you audio-shopped. I was in high-end shops in the 70's that wouldn't carry Sansui, Kenwood, Sherwood, Scott and the like. Sansui had the best light show at night and they always seemed to be upping the ante on power/features.
Yamaha
Actually Sansui had alot of issues which kept them from Pioneer, Marantz kind of success and then Yamaha entered and it was a slow death after that. I sold Hi Fi in the late 70's early 80's
@@LennyFlorentine I can understand, especially if it's one of the tape recorders with the glass coated heads (like the GX-635D), aside from modern hard drives I don't think anyone else has done that with magnetic heads.
Had a 9090 as a teenager. Got in a lot of trouble with that. It was very loud let’s say. I even had a funeral home director come over and asked me to turn the music down. They were trying to have a funeral. But I have a 7070 today and it’s going strong I love it. Four Sansui speakers. I bought a 6060 for my son, and another friend. I guess you could say I’m a Sansui guy. Thanks so much for all the information. It’s some stuff I’ve always wondered about.
Those Sansui's were so good they were worried they'd wake the dead... haha
Still have my 8080!! As a young musician, i did a lot of woodsheding plugging my Bass into the mic input playing along with the radio and all my albums!! It was a real workhorse. Still works but needs work.
I have a Sansui TU-9900 tuner and a Sansui AU-D7 amp that I picked up when I was on active duty in Korea in 1983. It still sounds great and has more power than I'll ever use. Sansui definitely was good stuff back in the early years.
I have a bunch of Sansui gear and use it often. Some belonged to my military dad that he bought over seas and other stuff I have acquired. Love the warm full spacious sound. Hope to keep it in the family another generation.
The stories those systems could tell...
Long ago I had a Sansui 1000A Tube Type Receiver, Technically rated at 28 watts per channel, that receiver could pump out sound all day long like much much more powerful receivers. Old but awesome.
Those were great!
I still have my Sansui 1000a that i bought in the early 70s when i was 16. I loved that thing. Parents hated it. But i think it was 60 warrs per channel because it has 4 6L6 output tubes in push pull parallel. With 3 iron core transformers that thing is HEAVY! I plugged it in a couple years ago and when i turned it on it immediately blew the AC fuse :(
@@dreammix9430 Yeah I was quoting the RMS power at 8 ohms, that’s too bad it’s blowing the fuse, i would bet that like old TV’s that it needs the capacitor cans rebuilt. Wish I still had mine.
@@MysticFrequencies yeah those caps are probably dry as a bone. I just cant get rid of it though. Too many memories.
Edit: maybe ill rebuild it... when i retire :)
I was stationed in Okinawa in 1977 - 1978. I bought a Sansui 9090db on the Marine Corp birthday on sale for 305.00. It's still marked on the box. I still use it and sounds great with my Altec Valencia 846b speakers.
Thanks for an interesting education on Sansui!
Helped my friend pick out a stereo system at Circuit City in NC circa 1984. He ended up with a Sansui receiver powering some Micro Acoustics speakers (odd brand - not Boston Acoustics - but sounded good) and a Pioneer cassette deck with a Technics turntable and the ubiquitous Discwasher record cleaner. Even his wife liked it and didn't complain too much about his "hobby". Life was good. The AM/FM tuner on that Sansui was every bit the equal to my Pioneer.
😮
I got a '69 5000a a few months ago. Kinda the same thing at my house. In the first couple weeks, three times or so, the wife just stopped for a second, unprompted, and said " That sounds REALLY nice."
The guys at the store said Marantz was generally warm and mellow, while the "Sansui sound" is a little more lively. I love it!
Great video. My house is full of vintage Sansui from the golden age. Once I learned about the golden age of stereo just before the stereo wars I focused there and went through a bunch of Sansui gear. I grew up on Pioneer in the 70's but love vintage Sansui.
The Sansui 9090DB was the receiver that got me into HiFi back in 1976 when I was 12 years old. It belonged to my oldest brother who had it paired up with a pair of Technics SB7000A speakers.
About same age too!
Ouch. I followed Sansui's long, sad decline up until about 2000, then sort of forgot about it (and Kenwood, and Denon...it was getting all too depressing). Thanks for bringing me up to speed here, and definitely looking forward to more like this.
Yeah, everything gets kinda foggy around 90s and 00s, glad you enjoyed!
I own a Sansui 9090 that I bought for $100 maybe 15 years ago. Sounds incredible and whenever I get the itch to buy a new amp, I put that money into components instead and keep the 9090 as the core of my system. I've had it serviced a few times and one time the tech didn't do the best job. Wish I had some way to get it to Just Audio all the way from Chicago for some of your expert service work!
We can arrange a freight pickup and delivery at an additional cost.
Was it Deltronics by chance that did the bad work?
@@alexw890 No, I lived in NYC at the time and it was a place on Long Island called In House Audio Repair.... or something like that. It didn't help matters any that I was also ignorant about hifi at the time too.
I’ve been a Pioneer guy my whole life. I have a Pioneer SX-750 that I’ve been using for almost 20 years, and absolutely love everything about it. That being said, I always worried that it would crap out, and I’d be without a vintage 70’s receiver while it was in the shop.
Almost two years ago, my cousin passed away. He and I had a great connection through music, and talked about bands, songs, records and stereo equipment all the time. When he passed, his wife asked me to help sell all of his records and equipment, not knowing what to do with them. For helping, she said I could take whatever I wanted. He had a beautiful Sansui G3500 that cosmetically looked prestige, but wasn’t working. $300 in repairs later, I now have it running on a second stereo setup in my listening room.
I have to say, for such a small unit, that sucker packs a punch, delivering great sound and plenty of volume. Visually, it’s stunning like most great equipment from the 70’s. I love every time I turn it on, thinking of my cousin as if he’s there listening to me. I can see why there’s such a fan base for Sansui.
Needle Drop! Thanks for sharing that great story about you and your cousin!
@@LennyFlorentine thanks! Keep these great videos coming!
My very first integrated amp was a 301i Sansui. I always liked that it sounded very soothing and musical, although it lacked in the analytical department. Which, on the other hand, made listening to mediocre productions much easier.
You guys are remarkably affective at making me want to forage through my spare junk room (similar to a kitchen junk drawer) to get reacquainted with my retired gear. Most appreciated! New old found treasure.
Haha! That's great
Another terrific video! I bought a Sansui 9090 receiver a few years ago, and the build quality is first-rate. The quality of the switches and the heaviness of the large volume knob gives one the confidence this receiver will be working long after I'm dead. The sound has so much depth and comes on strongly if you let it. I use it all the time and love it. Please keep creating these videos, and Thank You!!
Since the mid 1970s, when I was buying my main stereo gear, and coincidentally got my start in radio as a disc jockey then engineer, I repeatedly saw two manufacturers names inside of every piece of equipment I ever opened up.. Toshiba and Matsushita. Unless I’m terribly mistaken, almost all Japanese audio equipment, during the 70s and early 80s, was built from components from those two companies, later including JVC (Japan Victor Corporation). I don’t remember ever needing to open up Sansui products from that era because they just worked so well for so long. This video makes me want to crack open a Sansui amplifier, tape deck or EQ and see who’s inside.
Back in the 80’s & 90’s, my grandmother worked for the Hect Co. department stores as a sales person in their electronics department. This was back in the day when most of America purchased their stereos, televisions, appliances, etc. in department stores. Sansui, even back then, was positioned as a top-brand line…above brands like Fisher, Sanyo, Sony, RCA, etc. For many, hi-fi meant a “rack system” of plug-and-play components that included matching speakers. In hindsight, pretty much every system coming out of department stores from this era was probably made by the same Chinese or Taiwan factories…they just had different branding and faceplates. One thing I’d like to mention is that there was a clear brand that was really different that you could find in the department stores back then: Philips/Magnevox. Of course, they had that European difference to them, but beyond that, they were built to a higher state and had better performance. Those first CD players from Magnevox are still considered the best performing and sounding players ever…would’ve been great to see if the rest of Philips/Magnevox gear could have matched the Technics/Kenwood/Pioneer/Onkyo gear of that day. Great history lesson, Lenny!
Awesome share! Everyone should read this! Phillips also made pretty much every cd mech for 90% of the cd players ever made regardless of who made them.
Back in the day I had an AU-777, it was by far the best sound amp I've ever owned. I got it with two Sansui speakers too, can't remember what model they were, but the sound was just awesome. My neighbor played electric guitar, he loved to plug into my system, he'd have the walls shaking! I also had an Akai X300 10" reel to reel tape recorder, what a heavy beast that was. Man, I miss those days! Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Thanks for sharing!
I have always loved Sansui. They were easy to repair and they had a nice look. You could feel the quality in the sound they produced. Too bad I didn't keep any.
Totally agree!
When I started getting into hi-fi in the UK in the mid seventies, Sansui were highly respected - even their budget amps! I still have my turntable, a 222 mk2 that still looks classy 44 years later!
When I was working at an audio store in 1979-81, I used to deal with the Sansui representative all the and went many times to pick up special orders for customers. However, since I was a military dependent, I was able to purchase my own components through the military PX.
I bought a Sansui receiver from a pawn shop just outside of Fort Hood in 1978. That thing kicked ass and beat anyone’s system in our barracks. Had it for about ten years and it stopped working. Took it to a few repair shops but no one could fix it. Kept the Sansui speakers for another 20 years after that. Great audio
I am not a fan of Sansui speakers by any stretch but, I love their receivers/amps. I just got a Sansui Eight for a good deal and it has been such a joy to listen to for the past few weeks. I have a G-4700 that needs repair soon too.
The eight is great! Ship it in to us for restoration!
Thanks for digging into this, I didn't know any of this. Sansui receivers were on the top of my dream receiver wish list when I was growing up in the 70s. I always wondered what the heck happened to this great company. Thanks for this video, great job!
As an owner 3 9090DB's , I agree with the greatness of Sansui!!
Now you need some G Series just because. Thanks Dan!
@@LennyFlorentine Well......maybe, not really my style.....but about that 1980!!! Take a Monster Kenwood on partial trade???
I have an 881 for more than 50 trouble free years and still love it. I enjoyed you sharing your knowledge. Thank You.
Great to hear!
Its a shame, I always thought it was some of the best equipment on the market, however a lot of the good companies have disappeared.
But the crappy companies are still around? 😮
Bought an AU-417 in 1971, still going strong today. Listening to this utube channel with it and a pair of Sansui speakers.
I had a Sansui AUD-33 amplifier which included a Super Feedforward System for distortion reduction, which I bought in 1983. It was a wonderful amp which I kind of regret selling around 1999. I hope it's still in use somewhere.
Sansui my all time favourite audio brand. Love my never-selling AU-d11/TU-s9, AU-8500 & G-8000. Looking for some 8080/9090, AU-9900.
Great video!
Sansui until end of 70s made music machine, which were build lile tank, reliable... Wish to have Sansui Quadraphonic receiver 😊
Yeah their QRX quads rocked! Thanks for sharing.
I bought my first vintage reciever in 2013, a Sansui QRX-5500. I had it serviced and cleaned up, it's been Rocking in my garage ever since, with two sets of era correct Sansui Speakers.
I just purchased my Dream Sansui, a G-7500... and it sounds Glorious.
You can't go wrong with a Sansui from 1970-1979.
Great Videos Sir.
Cheers.
They were built like no others electronic product a solid frame my au-9500 must weight around 50-60 pounds and when you look inside you can really see that it was an electronic marvel of its time the perfection is outstanding each circuit were build to work for hundred years, i'm sure that a day someone else will receive my amp and discover the sound quality of the 1960-1970 !
I bought the Sansui G-4700 in about 1981...still have it and it sounds and looks awesome. Still has the emblems attached to the front.
In the late 80s, Sansui had some car audio amplifiers, too. Only they were made by Precision Power, Inc. (aka PPI). PPI was renowned for making some of the best sounding car audio amps, and the line they made for Sansui were excellent as well. It's a shame that some of these brands that were considered high-end back in the day have been whored out by conglomerates.
Yeah a shame!
@JustAudioHiFi correction, I meant late 80's. Lol
Never knew that.
I had a PPI 2150 and that thing was bulletproof.
Some of those 80s and early 90s car amps as well as some head units are going for a pretty penny.
@nickmrt2670 old school PPI amps were awesome. I built a sound system for my car, and I run PPI Power Class amps from the late 90's. Almost 30 years old and still sound amazing. You couldn't beat the USA made amps. And yeah, they're going for a pretty penny. Old school brands like Orion and Linear Power are crazy expensive right now.
Nice name drops coming over all fuzzy. I still have my sansui car amp. Monster!! The heat sink looked like it had been built from a battle ship. I must dust it off. I miss my 7909. My Phoenix gold eq230 is now doing some time in my home cinema.
I was the proud owner of a Sansui g-9000 receiver that I bought in Japan in 1978 while I was stationed there in the Marine Corps. That was the best sounding and most powerful amplifier I'd ever heard. I paid pretty big bucks for it-- over $1,000. But it was selling in the States for much much more than that.
Then one time during a move it disappeared off the truck. My stuff was like 2 weeks late. Finally they told me they tracked it down still on the truck sitting on the side of Interstate 40. The driver just quit, grabbed my stereo (but did lock up the truck) and then just drove away.
Recently acquired a late 1980's AU X711 integrated, it was not cheap but what a nice unit. Part of the Alpha series which are considered as good as it gets. Also use a Sansui SR 525 turntable, fully manual direct drive.
Too bad you skipped that time frame, there were a few highly regarded models produced such as the X711 and X911 culminating into those final years.
@@TheKyotoKid they did indeed - the 711/911 are lovely amps. Interestingly, in Japan they made even bigger versions of those amps for the local market, including the big 33kg Alpha x-balanced 907 models. They are truly works of art.
I bought my Sansui 5000A receiver along with an Akai D355 reel to reel and a pair of Pioneer A30 speakers in 1973. I was in college at Oregon state. I found them on the buy sell board at the campus commons. A USAF person had purchased them shortly before while stationed in Japan. He was selling the system for tuition money. The best $250 purchase I have ever made! Still using to this day!
That is really sad, A Tragic ending of a great company.
Wow....memories....I bought a Sansui 8080db receiver back in the late 70's from Crazy Eddie's in NY for $400 and that was considered a great deal. Loved that receiver. It could pump out volumes to any speaker at that time. Those were the good ol' days!!
In 1996 or 97, i happened to listen to a Sansui made CD player. It was for the first time I had listened to the CD sound. It sounded amazing. Even though I have heard systems costing much more, the sound of that Sansui CD player remains afresh in my mind.
I bought a Sansui integrated amp in Japan in 1978. It was AWESOME
I bought a Sansui 661 receiver at a tag sale about 20 years ago for a dollar. It's what I'm listening to this video with. A dollar well spent.
One local audio dealer lamented the fact that many Veterans returning from SE Asia were picking up cheaper hifi gear on their way back to the US upon their separation from Military Obligations and it definitely impacted the US Stereo Market. Sansui was one of the major brands leading the market in the very late 60’s and early 1970s. The rest is audio history.
Very true
I have a popular 1970's solid-state amplifier that showed me you can definitely get the exact texture, harmonic content and warmth from transistors that we get from valves but most designs just don't do it.
The Sansuis do.
I am a guitarist and have a lot of tube amps and tube gear. Everyone claims to "emulate" valves but they never do not even close. My Sansui with a digital guitar modeler run through it sounds identical to valves. It's fizzy instead of raspy, zinging instead of buzzing, and the texture you hear in the treble is just unmistakable in terms of what truly is, *the valve sound.*
Long story short, I went to college for the science of electrical=electronics engineering and have designed my own solid-state gear from the ground up. It's shockingly a very easy task to get the unmistakable valve sound from semiconductors but nobody bothers to do it!
I bought my G-7500 new in 1979, and it was incredible. About the 20 year point some solder joints needed re-done, and I got another 10 years out of it. It was incredible sounding, not to mention the memories that went with it. I won't part with it. I could have it gold-plated, but it really doesn't need it. It is beautiful as is.
When my uncle, a Viet Nam vet, passed away over 30 years ago, my family got his belongings. Included was his Sansui G-8000, that I still have.
I own a Sansui AU-G99X, purchased back in 1986 and it still sounds beautifully, paired with Bode 901 V6
I just bought an AU-G77X on eBay for $192 + $60 shipping at an auction. I was the second bidder.
Speaking of the great company, I still have my 1975 direct drive Sansui turntable, it cost me 1/3rd of my initial stereo which was 3 months wages. Things are so cheap these days as well as poorer quality. I used it daily until about 17 years ago when I "got together" with someone who had pretty much NO interest in perfect music reproduction. Shortly after I bought it, well years, the only thing I did to it was replace the head shell and cartridge with a unit that cost more than the entire thing, and then spent 1/3rd the cost again on an audiophile needle. The electronics is good and the drive motor phenomenal lasting so long and with it's precision speed still there. Oh yeah I had to replace one of the speed adjusting pots (as I constantly used it) in the late 90's. Nice to hear the brand Nakamichi mentioned here, wish I had one of their decks, but back then they cost 1.5 times what my entire initial separate component stereo did! A little off topic here but great video man.
I was there in the 70s and it was heady times for HiFi. This video brought those old feelings back to me. Thanks.
My father was a real fan of the brand and he had a complete Sansui hifi system with big amp, a weird cassette deck with no door, a real-to-real tape deck, DSP and everything. Before that, he had a great integrated amp/tuner a bit like the one on the thumbnail. I remember I was amazed by the number of inputs and outputs, tape monitor switches and routing features. Left and right channels had their own tone controls on coaxial knobs and I remember that the potentiometers were super smooth and felt like there was some damping. It was also super heavy. You bring back good memories 🙂
I worked in the A/V retail industry from 1984 to 2008, and a bit here and there until 2014. No place I worked at ever sold Sansui, but I always heard great things about the brand. Mostly from ex-GI's, who told me they bought their Sansui products from their base PX's. Those early 70's receivers looked awesome, especially those massive 9000 series.
Thanks for sharing!
In the late 70's I had an 8080DB... Loved it!!!
As a US Army guy I was stationed at Reese, in Augsburg Germany from 1977 to 1979. The PX had every conceivable thing of stereo gear. Sansui had a place there. I bought by Spec and owned a Sunsui amp and tuner, and several other Sansui pieces. Sansui was best by specs and price. All of my Sansui is gone now. I am now interested in top quality tube amps and tuners at the best price. Somersworth, NH
I was in Ansbach at the same time. Bamberg and Nuremberg were the bases we went for our equipment. We were absolute experts on drugs and stereo equipment.
Nice tutorial. I bought an 881 in 1976 and it's still with me, working perfectly.
I bought a Sausui S-X1200 in July 1989. I still have it and it still works. It had a processor switch and a Tape Mon 2 - so it could accommodate 2 equalizers using 2 separate inputs.
While serving with the 101st Airborne in Vietnam in 1968, I purchased and had shipped home, my SANSUI 3000A Receiver, pair of SANSUI 100w Speakers, TEAC A1200 Reel-to-Reel tape machine and a DUAL 1009SK Turntable....I gave all of this to a girlfriend who was leaving San Francisco to go to Columbia University for graduate school, and replaced with LUXMAN components in 1988. Loved the 1968 decisions I made, it was a great system.
I was in the Army, stationed in Germany in 1978. We were absolute experts on stereo equipment. JBL 100 speakers, Sansui 890db receiver, Teac tape deck and real to real tape.
I bought a lot of Sansui receivers when I was in Vietnam, Hong Kong and in the Akihabara district 1968-1972. Later, I was part owner of a Lafayette Electronics store and we sold Sansui hi-fi stuff. The receivers were every bit as good, if not better, than many other well known Japanese brands. Sometime in the 90's I bought a few Sansui TVs. Boy, does your video bring back memories!😊
Wow, great video. I always wondered what happened to Sansui. You did a great research and brought back memories. I bought my first stereo system, a 100 watt Sansui stereo rack system, back in early 80’s in Okinawa, Japan when I was in the Navy and had resupply stop/visit there. The turntable was direct drive with linear tracking arm that can select specific track via the track buttons. That was hi tech back then. The system was all black with this cool aqua colored lighting that looked awesome at night. I also bought their VHS VCR when I was getting into home theater. This was when they still make it Japan.
Thank you very much!
In 1974, I was a sophomore in High School. I worked a summer job to but a Pioneer Turntable and a Sansui receiver. I played the crap out of it! When I went into the Air Force, I gave to my father, who a.so loved music and played the crap out of it . Dad passed away in 2016, and I got my receiver back. It is now in my music room next to my Marshall amp and it still continues to kick butt!
In 1978 I drove from NW PA to Crazy Eddies in NYC to buy my Sansui receiver. Fantastic piece of equipment. Worked flawlessly and sounded great.
Great vid, very well made and informative! I still own a pair of Sansui SP-Z7's that I bought in Germany when I was stationed there back in 1982, they are not in mint condition, but they are in very good condition and they still sound great. I remember going to disco parties before I went into the Army, and this one DJ had a 4 set of Sansui's, I believe there were SP X8000 or 9000, man they were blowing the place up! The Stereo Wars was a great period, definetely a great time for audio, because even the lesser known brands were also putting out some serious equipment for you to have. Now days, it's so sad to go to places that sell audio, because they really don't have anything. Most is focus on home theater with some decent offerings but really nothing like it used to be. That is why I kept my old school stereo equipment, which I still listen to and try to maintain in decent operation, they still sound great.
I purchased a Samsung 771 receiver in the mid seventies while a Marine stationed in Okinawa. I also had Sansui speakers, I don't remember the model. That setup lasted for at least 15 years. I eventually replaced it with a Pioneer receiver. I sold it at some point in a yard sale. It was a little sad because it had served me well for so many years.
My Sansui AU 7900 integrated amplifer I purchased in 1975 was completely rebuilt last year with all new capcitors and it powers my black laquer JBL 100T's. The system will never be sold. Thanks for the video. I enjoyed it.
I came to collecting hi-fi late. I was 10 at the beginning of the Stereo Wars. My uncle had a Superscope system and in ‘74 my cousin came home from college with a Pioneer SX-737 system. In later years he told me that he could’ve gotten a 1010 but, he wouldn’t have been able to get speakers or a turntable.
When I was 15-17 mom shopped at the DAV often. They had a junk pile of broken audio gear. Gear we now lovingly refer to as vintage audio. There were receivers, turntables, 8 tracks, cassettes and amps. All broken and in need of some tlc. I once asked my mom if she would get me one. I’d had a burning desire to have one since I saw my cousins’. She said, “Does it work and if it doesn’t, who’s going to fix it? ” I plugged it in and it didn’t work. I put it back. Turns out at the time here in St. Louis there was an audio/video repair shop on almost every corner. Ok, not every corner, but you get the idea. My God, if I’d known then what I know now I would’ve bought the whole pile and saved them. I don’t know what else there was, but I do know that the one I picked was a Pioneer SX-434 which I did eventually get. We have just 2 audio repair shops left in town. I’ve got them repairing a Sansui 3000a and 2000x for me. I hope to come visit your shop in the near future. Thanks for all the great videos!
I just picked up an 8080DB and absolutely love it! Matches well with my vintage Frazier speakers. I have several pair of Sansui speakers (200, 1500, 2000) that I have reconditioned but have not listened to yet.
Bought a Sansui AU-G77X integrated amp in the 80's and still use it today in my analog listening room. 110 watts / channel still sounding good.
Sansui made some great decks back in the day. Their FR series tables were excellent! Also, their black face amps and receivers were monsters! You NAILED IT in this video!!! Good Stuff!!
My 1982 Sansui PL-51 programmable, direct drive, linear tracking turntable still has pride of place atop my component system.
I bought a Sansui 8080db in 1977 while stationed in Korea. Brought it back to Fort Ord. Rocked the Casba for real
In 1973 I owned a SANSUI 6500. Bought it in Germany while I was in the Army. Paired with a set of rectilinear floor speakers. The most awesome stereo I ever owned
I still have a qrx 6500 from 1973 had it gone over a couple of times since then. Still runs good!
Great stuff, thanks. I was a speaker rep in the 80's, military bases in Europe. Sansui rep was making bank.....
Nice! I need to find pictures from those bases!
They would be Polaroids, hahaha
I have two vintage receivers that I don't see me ever parting with. One is a 1969 Sansui 4000. Love the sound. I was fortunate enough to pick it up a few years ago locally.
In the mid 1980's I worked at Sansui in Lyndhurst NJ. I was the receiving manager/bench tech during this time. To this day I still own my AU-G90x spl800 d590 cassette players an a few others. I resigned and left just a few months before the east coast office closed. In a nutshell seeing our returns I would truly believe that venturing low end was one of our downfalls. We also had issues with somewhat questionable retailers such as crazy eddy. as a receiving manager I would inspect the returns and direct them to the proper technicians for repair. There were many occasions where our units were adulterated by our partners and sold under the guise of our name. As hard as we could try to stop them it just seemed a losing battle. Adding to that fact was internal US employment issues within the company. Even so with these issue I was and still am honored to have worked with a great group of people, Including but not limited to Mister Omikawa San, Mister Ito, Mister Soda, and Mister Matsumoto. I have always believed that Sansui like the Phoenix will once again rise from the ashes. You just can't match the level and commitment they put into their products.
That’s amazing, I’d love to hear more!!
@@LennyFlorentine Sure I'd love to answer any questions just looking for a new home now but thanks for that memory even now I fondly remember my times there.
I purchased a Sansui music system in Dubai in 1979.
I still have it .
Great sound.
My family has had a Sansui QR-1500 since I was a child. My family raised me in SoCal listening to KMET and later KLOS. I remember when John Lennon passed and my mom, shocked by the news coming through that unit. My dad would listen to Chick Hearn on AM. Dad passed many years ago but Mom is still cruisin at 75 and every time I turn the power dial, I think of them both. I'm 52 now and that same 'ol receiver is now in my home with our same 'ol Audio Lab loudspeakers. Those 15 measly watts still sound so good.
Still have my AU-517 and TU-717. Bought while in college in the 1970's. Look great and still sound great.
In 1979 I purchased a Sansui G-8000 Stereo Receiver as my High School Graduation Gift, it was awesome.
I used it until the early 1990s.
Wow!
@@LennyFlorentine Yeah, it was a beautiful receiver, I was running though a fantastic pair of Scott speakers, a matched pair with book-matched walnut veneers.
Wish I still had that setup today.
I've still got Dad's Sansui 4000 that he bought at the PX in Vietnam back in 1970. I did have to get some capacitors replaced last year but, hey, what other equipment lasts 50+ years and can still be fixed?! I still love the sound in the man cave, superior to my more modern receiver in the living room. I grew up with this unit and it just seems like an old familiar friend. :-)
Bought my first stereo when I was 18, an AU-D9 amp togheter with the TU-S9 Tuner.
Year later a SE-9 eq.
I'm almost 60 now and still have the set............still working fine.
The only thing that was done, was recapping the amp in 2022 due to a lack of punch.
My dad has a AU-7700/ TU7700 set, amp is also reccapped and is playing every day.
Build like a tank.
Sansui....the girl I dated. Mid-70;s, I'm stationed in WGermany w/ the USAF. Our "Costco" was the "BX"- base exchange, which was anything but a Costco. VERY limited selections/merch. EXCVEPT for stereo and camera gear- both out the ass. So I followed suit. I bought the Sansui Definition Series, an all component pre-amp, power amp, and tuner. 250RMS. I paired that w/ a TEAC 10" R-R, a DBX unit, a Thorens turntable, and a pair of ESS speakers. I was in heaven. Until stateside, in college- senior year, I HAD to sell it all to pay for tuition. Eighteen years later, via eBay, I re-acquired that complete set-up (copies)....mid-90's. STILL have it. Still ticks on....but I no longer rock out as I did in my 20's. Sansui= GREAT stuff. The 70's were the GOLDEN Age for incredible Japanese audio gear.
I was lucky enough and had a plan to go to Japan when I was in the Air Force. I was stationed there in 1975 and 1976 well you know how it goes. I intended to go to Japan to enjoy the HIFi which I sure did. The Yen exchange rate was 400 to 1 American Dollar!! Yes with that exchange rate I could buy lots of ear candy for next to nothing. I didn't fully appreciate what I was seeing with the HIFI but I did get a whale of a bite of it. I had probably 200 guys in a multi story apt. style barracks and yes everyone and I mean everyone had a stereo system. You could see it all and probably every brand. Good times and I miss that period a great deal, what an experience.
Wow!
My father had the Sansui SM-80 Receiver. I remember, I think, it had 2 sets of speaker connections. It did sound very powerful and clear.
About 74 I was in the Philippines.. got lost at 3am at there was a Sansui sign at the base and walked towards it and got back to base ..Been a fan ever since.