Awesome video! I still own my Sansui 881. I bought it new in the mid 1970s. It's been in a closet for decades and I'll get it out soon and see how well it works.
thanks for answering my message I was grateful the last two months I began to appreciate vintage models of the 70's like this 881 or also the QRX-9001 hi-end top of the line are very good and with a good sound and build quality and I feel they clearly show that today no more made like as before today almost everything is plastic and where the mp3 gained fame in deterioration of the Hi-fi sound these hi-end devices are in fact to keep because they are unique I really like the chrome and backlights they have these 70s until the early 90s were the golden age of audio
Great video! I just recently acquired a Sansui 771 which seems to be pretty much the same as your 881. I think it's just a little less power. I learned quite a bit from your video. My 771 also had flickering in the lights, and a quick touch of the soldering iron soon fixed that. I look forward to your next video, especially how you will restore the aluminum on the face plate. Mine is also in need of some tlc. Thanks again for the great job!
I did get to fix a very early 'Sansui' amplifier, which had a lot of 'crackling', as if there was a persistent scratch on a record; tracked it down to several very noisy small signal transistors in the tone stages; the earliest of the silicon types (TO-92 case). Replaced them with BC559, BC557 varieties. The most pleasurable about it was the very small cost of these components, and the test out of circuit of the old devices (ohms) showed what could be mistaken as a signal on the needle of the analogue meter... they had so much noise...
Great video. I have caught a couple your vintage stereo repair videos, including the repair of the Pioneer SX-626 and find them very helpful. I am looking to upgrade the fuse lamps and selector bulbs with new LED lamps and was interested in the brand and part # of selector bulbs you ordered on Amazon. I am upgrading lamps on a Pioneer SX-727 unit. I checked the Fuse Lamps and they are 8V and I thinking the Selector bulbs would need 8V as well.
Actually I haven't replaced the other bulbs yet. Those are still the incandescent cartridge lamps behind the panel. The green comes from the painted coating on the backside of the panel. Sansui made a bold move going with green when many of the other manufacturers were choosing blue at the time.
Hi! I've got a mint condition Sansui 881; Everything works perfect, EXCEPT...there is a low-frequency hum, that goes on throughout every function (tuner, phono, aux, etc.). I haven't opened it up yet. All the lights, everything else is perfect. No noticeable flaws or damage to AC cord/plug. Tried different outlets, still the hum persists. What do you think?
roadrocket7 That is a common issue with this series. You will notice I had the same issue. Usually taking the grounding screws out of the main bottom board underneath and cleaning them off with deoxit, and the pads on the PCB as well then reinstall the screws and tighten them snugly should help. See 5:20 in my video where I point them out. Also could be the main filter caps going bad and letting some AC through.
roadrocket7 Thanks. That looks like what the hum problem most likely is. I'll give it a shot. Your explanations and video work are great. The 881 weighs a ton but cranks out clean power and the FM sensitivity is superb. Keep up your great work!
I would say this one is a bit cleaner of a sound, with the SX-626 designed to sound a bit like a tube amp. It certainly has more headroom thats for sure.
Thanks for this! How did you manage to get the faceplate off? I took off all the knobs and found the two small screws on the top and one on the bottom but the thing wont budge and i dont want to risk breaking anything by forcing it.
how do you get to the Pots?? I have a 771 that i'm taking apart right now and I have the manual but I can't figure out how to access the pots to apply deoxit
beefsupreme64 The construction of the 771 and 881 are nearly identical as far as disassembly is concerned. You will need to carefully remove all the knobs, then the faceplate, and then unscrew the nuts off the shaft of the pots and remove the other screws holding the board in place, then pull them backwards out of the frame. Best to have the bottom of the unit off for this process too. It is rather time consuming so best to deoxit when you are in there servicing for other reasons.
In non working or partially working condition they are worth a little bit. In fully restored condition this can fetch upwards of $500 if the cosmetics are good.
I would like to keep it but I won't make any decisions until I have completed the full restoration, which probably won't happen until the spring sometime.
Awesome video! I still own my Sansui 881. I bought it new in the mid 1970s. It's been in a closet for decades and I'll get it out soon and see how well it works.
The 881 is THE underdog of vintage sound. It is wonderful!
Thanks Adam to your reply. Sansui made some nice units as well as Pioneer during the receiver war back in the 70's. Thumbs up on your restoration.
thanks for answering my message I was grateful
the last two months I began to appreciate vintage models of the 70's like this 881 or also the QRX-9001 hi-end top of the line are very good and with a good sound and build quality and I feel they clearly show that today no more made like as before
today almost everything is plastic and where the mp3 gained fame in deterioration of the Hi-fi sound these hi-end devices are in fact to keep because they are unique I really like the chrome and backlights they have these 70s until the early 90s were the golden age of audio
Those vintage hi-fi machines are gems .
Great video! I just recently acquired a Sansui 771 which seems to be pretty much the same as your 881.
I think it's just a little less power.
I learned quite a bit from your video.
My 771 also had flickering in the lights, and a quick touch of the soldering iron soon fixed that.
I look forward to your next video, especially how you will restore the aluminum on the face plate. Mine is also in need of some tlc.
Thanks again for the great job!
I did get to fix a very early 'Sansui' amplifier, which had a lot of 'crackling', as if there was a persistent scratch on a record; tracked it down to several very noisy small signal transistors in the tone stages; the earliest of the silicon types (TO-92 case). Replaced them with BC559, BC557 varieties. The most pleasurable about it was the very small cost of these components, and the test out of circuit of the old devices (ohms) showed what could be mistaken as a signal on the needle of the analogue meter... they had so much noise...
Great video. I have caught a couple your vintage stereo repair videos, including the repair of the Pioneer SX-626 and find them very helpful. I am looking to upgrade the fuse lamps and selector bulbs with new LED lamps and was interested in the brand and part # of selector bulbs you ordered on Amazon. I am upgrading lamps on a Pioneer SX-727 unit. I checked the Fuse Lamps and they are 8V and I thinking the Selector bulbs would need 8V as well.
What happened to part 2? Cant seem to find it.. want to know how you restore those plastic & aluminum face plate.. thanks
Great Video. Looking forward for Part 2. Thanks
Thanks. I probably won't get to the recap/restoration phase until the spring sometime. I have a few other projects going on right now.
I picked up a Sansui at goodwill store, but it's a later model from the 1980's and the quality is not like these older units.
Awesome video! I'm trying to work on my 771 and this is very helpful.
Nice video those green led's ae very cool
Actually I haven't replaced the other bulbs yet. Those are still the incandescent cartridge lamps behind the panel. The green comes from the painted coating on the backside of the panel. Sansui made a bold move going with green when many of the other manufacturers were choosing blue at the time.
Hi! I've got a mint condition Sansui 881; Everything works perfect, EXCEPT...there is a low-frequency hum, that goes on throughout every function (tuner, phono, aux, etc.). I haven't opened it up yet. All the lights, everything else is perfect. No noticeable flaws or damage to AC cord/plug. Tried different outlets, still the hum persists. What do you think?
roadrocket7 That is a common issue with this series. You will notice I had the same issue. Usually taking the grounding screws out of the main bottom board underneath and cleaning them off with deoxit, and the pads on the PCB as well then reinstall the screws and tighten them snugly should help. See 5:20 in my video where I point them out. Also could be the main filter caps going bad and letting some AC through.
roadrocket7 Thanks. That looks like what the hum problem most likely is. I'll give it a shot. Your explanations and video work are great. The 881 weighs a ton but cranks out clean power and the FM sensitivity is superb. Keep up your great work!
How do you compare sound of the 881 to the sx-626? Nice thing keeping it in order.
I would say this one is a bit cleaner of a sound, with the SX-626 designed to sound a bit like a tube amp. It certainly has more headroom thats for sure.
Can you restore a 1970s soundesign tx 4372 receiver it has no sound from the speakers you turn the volume up it makes a crack sound
Thanks for this! How did you manage to get the faceplate off? I took off all the knobs and found the two small screws on the top and one on the bottom but the thing wont budge and i dont want to risk breaking anything by forcing it.
+M S. There is a nut around the shaft of several of the volume, bass, treble, etc controls that must be removed.
where's sansui 881 part 2? I need to recap mine.
Eliismydog It will be coming sometime this fall. I've already got a lot of the parts just need the time.
Masterpiece!
how do you get to the Pots?? I have a 771 that i'm taking apart right now and I have the manual but I can't figure out how to access the pots to apply deoxit
beefsupreme64 The construction of the 771 and 881 are nearly identical as far as disassembly is concerned. You will need to carefully remove all the knobs, then the faceplate, and then unscrew the nuts off the shaft of the pots and remove the other screws holding the board in place, then pull them backwards out of the frame. Best to have the bottom of the unit off for this process too. It is rather time consuming so best to deoxit when you are in there servicing for other reasons.
Are these units worth anything anymore? I have the same one.
In non working or partially working condition they are worth a little bit. In fully restored condition this can fetch upwards of $500 if the cosmetics are good.
I bought one for $5 and it works beautiful...I also bought the maranze direct drive turn table with advent 2 speakers for basically nothing.
Are you thinking on selling this one?thanks
I would like to keep it but I won't make any decisions until I have completed the full restoration, which probably won't happen until the spring sometime.