Which sansui integrated amp?

[anewmission]

I am building a hifi system for my dad to go in his heritage style room full of antiques to replace his stereogram.

So aesthetics are just as important as sound in this case.

I really like the look of sansui amplifiers. They seem to get great reviews and they sell quite cheap used.

Planning on having this on top of a vinyl storage cabinet that i am building. Next to a tt and on an extra piece of timber that will be sitting on speaker spikes on top of the vinyl storage cabinet.

My question is, which sansui amps are generally considered the best? Needs to have a phono pre built in and preferably a pre out. As i never know what i will do with it in the future.

Thankyou

 

[anewmission]

I also love amplifiers with vu metres. Cant help but just stare at those needles as the music plays. I know this probably wont be possible in a sansui. So other recommendations are welcome

[pete_mac]

What's your budget, and which speakers will you be driving?

 

There are Sansuis that will fit the bill ranging from $200 to $2000

[pete_mac]

For meters, you're looking at something like the AU-20000 or BA/CA-F1 combo:

 

 

 

The A-80 also has meters, but avoid it IMHO - the construction quality is decidedly average.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 14, 2019 by pete_mac

[BATMAQN]

59 minutes ago, anewmission said:

they sell quite cheap used

Where'd you get this idea from?

 

I guess they do sell cheap if you consider what you actually get from one.

Edited January 14, 2019 by BATMAQN

[anewmission]

Where'd you get this idea from?

Ebay, gumtree...

[anewmission]

For meters, you're looking at something like the AU-20000 or BA/CA-F1 combo:
 

 

 
The A-80 also has meters, but avoid it IMHO - the construction quality is decidedly average.
 
 

 
 

Wow both the top photos you posted look fantastic. Now to find something in mint condition

[pete_mac]

On 14/01/2019 at 12:56 PM, anewmission said:

On 14/01/2019 at 12:03 PM, pete_mac said:

For meters, you're looking at something like the AU-20000 or BA/CA-F1 combo:
 

 

 
The A-80 also has meters, but avoid it IMHO - the construction quality is decidedly average.
 
 

 
 

Read more  

Wow both the top photos you posted look fantastic. Now to find something in mint condition

 

That's often the challenging part! Some units are cosmetically average which is always a shame.

 

Also, bear in mind that the amps in the above pics certainly won't be found at the affordable end of the spectrum - they command decent dollars. 

 

If you let us know your budget, I can suggest some amps at that that price point which might float your boat.

Edited January 15, 2019 by pete_mac

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

On 14/01/2019 at 12:03 PM, pete_mac said:

 

The A-80 also has meters, but avoid it IMHO - the construction quality is decidedly average.

 

 

 

 

"Decidedly average"? 

 

You're being WAY too generous. 

[pete_mac]

15 minutes ago, Zaphod Beeblebrox said:

"Decidedly average"? 

 

You're being WAY too generous. 

 

Hey, that’s vintage Japanese masonite on the bottom of those units! Ultra-rare and collectible, and gives the unit a sawdusty and gluey timbral quality.

 

Edit: it also helps them to burn faster when they inevitably catch on fire.  

Edited January 15, 2019 by pete_mac

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

10 hours ago, pete_mac said:

 

Hey, that’s vintage Japanese masonite on the bottom of those units! Ultra-rare and collectible, and gives the unit a sawdusty and gluey timbral quality.

 

Edit: it also helps them to burn faster when they inevitably catch on fire.  

Sure does. The flammable side cheeks assist in this process too. 

 

[ANECDOTE]

Back in the 1980s, I sold Sansui. The Sansui rep kept asking me to sell the cheap range, but I refused, explaining that I had repaired a few, so I knew how they were constructed. Anyway, as you probably know, Sansui thoughtfully made it very easy for lazy techs to bypass a failed transformer thermal fuse with a wire link, thus magnifying the fire risk dramatically. The transformers were of particularly poor quality and very large numbers of thermal fuses failed. I know, for my part, that I replaced a large number of thermal fuses in that range back in the day.

 

Anyway, one Saturday morning a mate called by to buy a system, but I was unavailable. Annoyed, he went into the city and purchased a complete Sansui system from DME Hi Fi. When he informed me of his decision, I declined to explain that he had purchased absolute junk, instead telling him that I did not stock that range of Sansui gear.

 

Fast forward 5 years and I happened across Russ at a party. I offered my condolences at the loss of his house in the fire. He then explained that the fire investigators had nominated that the fire started in his Sansui hi fi system and spread rapidly through his timber home. 

 

I didn't probe further, but I reckon the amp was probably repaired by a lazy tech, who bypassed the thermal fuse when it failed. The amp then overheated, caught fire and burned his house down.