Score!

[Regis]

The only thing that's keeping me from dragging behind this morning is the super-stoked feeling I've got from the result of last night's 7 hour driving flog from the High Desert north of Los Angeles to the beaches of San Diego. It started out innocently enough with an inquiry to an on-line ad for furniture, exercycle and a Sansui stereo with four speakers for $275 as a casual add-on. No model specified, so I emailed and asked about it. After a couple of emails where the woman had to check what model, I finally got the response yesterday morning.

"RE: Performance Road Bike, Lifecycle, Massage Table, Stereo:"

"Hi Regis. The Stereo is a Sansui G22000 pure power DC Stereo reciever, huge amplifier, and 4 huge speakers 2.5 feet tall each. 950 watts 50/60 Hz . Serial # 238110086."

My jaw dropped. My tyrant father made me sell my G-22000 (as a condition of living at his home) more than 20 years ago and it still brings up memories of painful regret. The G-22000 is pretty rare and they're usually command the high dollar on Ebay, easily topping $1,000. I've only seen about a half dozen actually go up for sale in the last two years, so finding one for $275 was incredible. This is one of the very notable "Monster" recievers of the Japanese stereo wars back in the late 70's.

93 pounds of Solid State love and 220 WPC RMS. The amp has dual transformers as well and it's a dual chassis design that you can stack or attach back-to-back. It's over two feet wide and stacked it's almost 18 inches high. I got down there and I really toned myself down, not wanting to come off as a collector or somebody knowledgeable. But there it was and it was in nearly mint condition with only one small scratch on it that you wouldn't notice unless it was pointed out. I got four Kenwood speakers with it as well. Haven't tested it, but it did cycle through the power-on sequence, with the LED going green.

I believe this will be a fine match for the L-300's. Here is a represantive pic

[johnaec]

Kool! What were they replacing it with? Downsizing?

John

[Regis]

Definitely downsizing right out of audio. The guy was selling it because of girl friend pressure. His last girl friend only let him hook it up once about 10-15 years ago and it hasn't been plugged in for over ten years! The latest GF didn't want it in the house at all, so it sat in the garage for over a decade.

[louped garouv]

Definitely downsizing right out of audio. The guy was selling it because of girl friend pressure. His last girl friend only let him hook it up once about 10-15 years ago and it hasn't been plugged in for over ten years! The latest GF didn't want it in the house at all, so it sat in the garage for over a decade.


but great for you! :applaud:

now comes the healing....

[Audiokarma]

That's a big chunk of Sansuiness. Did you calculate the WPD? (watts/$) Nice score.

[mikebake]

Yes, that is a very nice unit....................cool beast! Imagine the price that would be on a similar unit today! Congrats on a neat score!

[pmakres1]

That's a gem! Sansui really made some nice stuff in the 70's. I still have my TU-717 Tuner boxed up in a closet. :)

[Audiokarma]

That's a gem! Sansui really made some nice stuff in the 70's. I still have my TU-717 Tuner boxed up in a closet. :)

The build quality of those was very, very nice. I used to have the matching AU-717. Even the insides were beautiful. Here's a pic from one on ebay right now:


http://xs28.xs.to/pics/05195/P5120623.JPG

[pmakres1]

:applaud: :applaud:

Yep! Here is an interior shot of my TU-717 from a few years ago when I was still using it in my office system. I had the cover off to replace a lamp. This was (is) a very nice performing tuner.

Peter :)

[evans224]

Check this out
http://www.craigslist.org/nby/ele/73269201.html
Worth it or not?

[Audiokarma]

Check this out
http://www.craigslist.org/nby/ele/73269201.html
Worth it or not?

The AU-888 is from an earlier generation circa '70. The top model then was the 999. The late 70's-early 80's Sansui integrated are considered the most desirable.

Here's a completed auction for reference:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=67785&item=5771638805&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Here's a minty one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=67785&item=5774289124&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

You might enjoy this site:

http://www.classicsansui.net/default.htm

this one has some interesting tidbits as well:

http://www.sansui.us/MySansui.htm

[Audiokarma]

Hey Regis, when you get a chance, it would be nice to see some pics with the case off....sure there's some goodies under there!

[LE15-Thumper]

The build quality of those was very, very nice. I used to have the matching AU-717. Even the insides were beautiful. Here's a pic from one on ebay right now:




I owned a 717. I have been an audio-tech and freak for some 25 years now. I loved the great construction of the piece, but I actaully found it quite flat sounding. Not very punchy or dynamic. The Main caps were good. . . I don't know, maybe it needed very efficient speakers. Just My Opinion.
Very reliable stuff though.

One odd quirk on these for you Sansui owners out there. If you get intermittant dropping of channels and you have done all the usual suspects. I found this to be a problem, and it drove me nuts finding it. The slide switch on the rear panel that separates Pre/Power gets noisy. I was too busy checking the switches on the front and re-furbing the relay contacts.

Anyway, nice score ! Gotta score now and then right ?

[pmakres1]

I actaully found it quite flat sounding. Not very punchy or dynamic. The Main caps were good. . . I don't know, maybe it needed very efficient speakers. Just My Opinion.
Very reliable stuff though.

I don't know if I'd go so far as to say "very flat sounding", but my TU717 was very clean and smooth. As for dynamics, I didn't think it was bad, but maybe not stellar. When I upgraded to a McIntosh MR78, there was really no comparison, the MAC was much more lifelike and "punchy" if you will. But, look at the cost differential-the MAC retailed at a bit over 4 times the price. (I always felt that much of the audible difference was in the audio output circuitry). You get what you pay for, as they say. But, like you say, it was a very reliable tuner. I never had a single repair incident aside from light bulbs for the dial. And the build quality was very nice. :)

Peter

[Audiokarma]

I owned a 717. I have been an audio-tech and freak for some 25 years now. I loved the great construction of the piece, but I actaully found it quite flat sounding. Not very punchy or dynamic. The Main caps were good. . . I don't know, maybe it needed very efficient speakers. Just My Opinion.
Very reliable stuff though.

One odd quirk on these for you Sansui owners out there. If you get intermittant dropping of channels and you have done all the usual suspects. I found this to be a problem, and it drove me nuts finding it. The slide switch on the rear panel that separates Pre/Power gets noisy. I was too busy checking the switches on the front and re-furbing the relay contacts.



I had the same intermittant cutting out of one channel and it drove me friggin crazy. I finally gave up and took it in to my tech. I think he missed the back switch and ended up pinning it on an issue in the pre section. Whatever he did, he fixed it. I agree, it was not a stellar performer but it sure was easy on the eyes. I loved the black laquer finish on the inside chassis and power supplies, etc.

[LE15-Thumper]

I don't know if I'd go so far as to say "very flat sounding", but my TU717 was very clean and smooth. As for dynamics, I didn't think it was bad, but maybe not stellar. When I upgraded to a McIntosh MR78, there was really no comparison, the MAC was much more lifelike and "punchy" if you will. But, look at the cost differential-the MAC retailed at a bit over 4 times the price. (I always felt that much of the audible difference was in the audio output circuitry). You get what you pay for, as they say. But, like you say, it was a very reliable tuner. I never had a single repair incident aside from light bulbs for the dial. And the build quality was very nice. :)

Peter

Wasn't the "TU" a straight tuner ? I could be wrong....

[pmakres1]

Wasn't the "TU" a straight tuner ? I could be wrong....

Yes, the TU717 is (was) a straight Tuner. (AM/FM). It was the companion Tuner to the AU-717 Integrated Amp that Audiokarma posted a picture of. (That's why I felt it appropriate to post a pic of the TU-717's interior-to show that it also had a nice build quality). I did mention the Audio output circuitry in my post as being not as punchy and lifelike as the McIntosh-all tuners do have an audio output section, though it is not an "amplifier", as such. It contains the output level control, etc that is included in both the Sansui and McIntosh tuners.

Peter :)

[Stonehenge Man]

One odd quirk on these for you Sansui owners out there. If you get intermittant dropping of channels and you have done all the usual suspects. I found this to be a problem, and it drove me nuts finding it. The slide switch on the rear panel that separates Pre/Power gets noisy. I was too busy checking the switches on the front and re-furbing the relay contacts.

I'm still not sure if my Pioneer SX-6000 does that or something else. Luckily I have a QX-8000 chassis to swipe parts from and experiment.

Per the 22K, I would sleep in the street with it as a pillow before putting up with such crap. Fortunately, I am single and not in need of emergency shelter.

I own a 5050, 7070, SE-7 EQ and various minor 1980s things in various stages of decay. A 1/2 broken Sansui or Pioneer is way better than my DEAD Marantz...