[Monsterzero]

Well folks, I'm in complete awe with my 1973 Sansui AU-101. I've always been intrigued by this thread , and finally took the plunge, going vintage.

I've been running a pair of HE560's , directly off the taps, from a Scott Nixon tube dac+ , w/3XAC power supply.

I really didn't know what to expect when I made the decision. I've had some pretty decent headphone amps over the years , but this Sansui is nothing short of STUNNING in sound. The realism , and power behind the notes is staggering! I've never heard bass reproduction on this level from anything I've previously owned. The soundstage , and imaging are the most holographic, and spacious thing I've heard to date. This thing just breathes music!
One of my main concerns, or should I say. Preconceived notions was that the sound would be dry, and the background would be filled with hiss. Man was I wrong! The background is dead quiet! The sound is far from dry.

What amazes me the most. Is I paid $60 bucks for this old amp. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole thing. It's freakishly good! There's no way I could ever go back to a headphone amp after this experience.

Un-freaking-believable!

I think i made this exact same post some two years ago when I bought a beat-up Sansui 881 for 110.00.A couple years later and 5 vintage receivers later,its hard to go back to dedicated gear.

Welcome to the club!

 

[OldRoadToad]

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[SpeakerBox]

They both sound great but I'd have to give the nod to the Pioneer SX-1080 as the best with the headphones, the Sansui next and the Marantz a close third.

Have you restored the 1080? The difference is stunning. I actually did not like my 1250 pre-restoration.

 

[SpeakerBox]

What amazes me the most. Is I paid $60 bucks for this old amp. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole thing. It's freakishly good! There's no way I could ever go back to a headphone amp after this experience.

Un-freaking-believable!

Similar experience with the SX-1250. Nothing drives my HD-600s like that amp!

 

[Guidostrunk]

Thanks man! It really is insane! I'm definitely a permanent convert.

I think i made this exact same post some two years ago when I bought a beat-up Sansui 881 for 110.00.A couple years later and 5 vintage receivers later,its hard to go back to dedicated gear.

Welcome to the club!

 

[Monsterzero]

It is too bad that makers of headphone dedicated amplifiers do not take a page from the Harley-Davidson playbook and pay homage to the past with a nod to the present and future. For that matter, stereo receivers could be made that pay stylistic homage to the 70s whilst being firmly planted in the here and now.

ORT

There is this product,which I rarely see discussed around this forum.No clue as to how good it actually is,but I think that if someone were to release a truly retro looking modern receiver that was good the price of true vintage would go even higher then they already are

 

[KG Jag]

There is this product,which I rarely see discussed around this forum.No clue as to how good it actually is,but I think that if someone were to release a truly retro looking modern receiver that was good the price of true vintage would go even higher then they already are

"this product" = 5.8 kg

1978-79 Sansui G-7500 = 17.2 kg

 

[OldRoadToad]

.

 

[richard51]

My Sansui AU 7700 is from the headphone out so amazing, that he drive my AKG K 340 to perfection with a 3 d holographic sound imaging.... After that how to go back to an headphone amplifier south to 1000 bucks ? By the way his sound is detailed and more tubelike smooth than my Ember amplifier...

After all that i have bought another amazing Sansui a kind of precaution.... the sansui AUx-701...

Vintage amplifier are the secret way to audiophile level listening at low cost, i read that here and learn my lesson here some years ago....My Sansui are so good that i dont look for ANY other amplifier...At any cost.... Why paying thousands bucks for perhaps a little better? If you look not only at his sound quality but at the incredible flexibility of the Sansui Au 7700, any other amplifier is a risk and a potential deception to buy, even another Sansui, i know because i have another one, and one of the best Sansui....

if you are filthy rich buy a TOTL amp at least of 10,000 dollars,but if you are ordinary folk like me, smile, buy a cheap Sansui and forget any other thing, the truth will be in the listening, with the bucks saved invite your wife in a great restaurant....

And remember: please do not speak about Sansui to anyone and delete all this thread if you can because price will be going to the roof if audiophile newbies awake of their Hype-new- headphone-amplifier- night- dream- walking crowd

 

[SirMarc]

Thanks man! It really is insane! I'm definitely a permanent convert.

Welcome my good man. Whatever you do, don't hook up a turntable and speakers to the Sansui, because like me all your headphones may start collecting dust lol

 

[richard51]

Welcome my good man. Whatever you do, don't hook up a turntable and speakers to the Sansui, because like me all your headphones may start collecting dust lol

Except if you buy an AKG K 340 headphone for your Sansui and damp it rightly, after that if your speakers are not TOTL, you will sell them...

 

[Rossliew]

I'm looking at picking up an unrestored AU555A and the ,Luxman R1050 ....

 

[richard51]

It seems like 2 amazing, and wise choices.... Go and report here your experience, it seems you cannot go wrong with these....but restoration, at least replacing electrolytic caps is mandatory on a 40 years old amp .... My restoration cost me the same price than the amp but the result for the last 2 years were astounding... Sansui madness is not a hype phenomenon but the resulting effect of ears nirvana that subsequently preach audio illumination at relatively low cost ......Anyway try it without restoration first, if the sound is amazing go without that....

 

[Rossliew]

I'm very keen except for the price which seems to be overly inflated and one does not know the exact condition on the inside. For the two it would cost approximately the equivalent to US$500...whatcha peeps think?

 

[richard51]

why do you want to buy two? and why a receiver? it seems for me that it is a bit pricey....they are not restored....