Integrated Amp Advice?

[admin_exported]

So from the previous threads I deduced that I would really like a sansui AU-217 ii amp...but it seems after trying for a week to track one down Im not sure that I will have the patience to wait till one comes along. Ive had a look at some other second hane amps and found a couple that I would like peoples opinion on:

Cambridge P40

Arcam Delta 60

Personally I like the sound of the arcam delta 60..maybe just because of the 60 watts. Anyone have any experience with these musically or know how much I should expect to be paying for them second hand?

If the sansui is that much better I may hold out for one to come my way.

Cheers

 

[the record spot]

Can't recall your budget offhand David, however there is a 417 on a certain well known site just now. The Buy It Now is £250, but the seller will take offers. Onlly downside is it appears a little dusty in the shots, which may mean it requires a service under the lid. Allow for that as well given the age of the amp (probably late 1970s).

 

[matthewpiano]

A 417 that hasn't been serviced might need quite a bit of attention. There is an issue with the glue Sansui used to help secure capacitors in the power sections of some of their bigger amps - over time it leaks over the circuit board and causes a slow breakdown of other components. Having a 417 fully serviced, including recapping and cleaning away of the stupid glue, would be essential for longer term use IMO.

I've found the smaller Sansui amps don't seem to suffer from this issue and I actually prefer the sound of them as well. I'd hold out for an AU-217, AU-217ii, AU2900 or AU3900. It will be well worth it - they are beautiful sounding amps.

 

[the record spot]

Must admit, and for what it's worth, I'm pretty well sold on the 217 - really can't rate it highly enough for what it is. Either the mark 1 or the 2, you might have to wait for a couple of weeks but it's well worth it.

Any joy with gumtree? That sometimes turns up the older kit too.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Yeah wasnt planning on spending that much, but I did email that site your talking about and he said he will keep an eye out for a 217 for me...maybe I will just hold out then....Im just impatient 😛

Cheers

 

[Anonymous]

Oh yeah and there was a guy/girl on gumtree but it was a months old ad and collection only up north 🙁

 

[Anonymous]

Ok guys...you may be disappointed to know that Ive bought the arcam delta 60!

I read up on it a bit and apparently it has a really warm sound not quite as clinical as others, but very well suited to the rock side of things which I suppose is what I mainly listen to and also its the opposite to my m-audio monitors which is what I wanted. Im willing to pick up a sansui still one day when I find one though, will see how this arcam goes!

Ive just purchaed a matching Arcam delta 70.3 CD player too for 68 pounds....I sort of went in not knowing anything about it, but got it purely because it matches the amp..so was wondering, have I got a deal or have I been robbed!?

Thanks for all your help

🙂

 

[the record spot]

Sounds like a decent price David, so I wouldn't be too put off. From memory, the Delta range was a step up from the Alpha kit, plus, should you not like it, you can always sell on and make some of your cash back again. I've noticed Delta kit enjoying better prices of late. Plus Arcam gear always had a nice sound to it IMO (former Alpha 5 owner here), so sit back and enjoy!

 

[Anonymous]

Cheers! Just had a look now and the 70.3 was very expensive back in the day!

Just got to get the cables and interconnects now and Im ready to go.

Was gonna ask a question actually:

Ive got bi-wireable speakers, but was just wondering which is the best way to wire them...

I can see that you can get cables with 2 to 4 connection...so 2 in the amp and the 4 in the speaker? ..but then you can also have 4 in the amp and 4 in the speaker cables? Which is the better way to do it and is there much difference?

Thanks for all the advice its greatly appreciated..hopefully ive learnt something from all this 😛

 

[Anonymous]

DavidGander:
Ok guys...you may be disappointed to know that Ive bought the arcam delta 60!

I read up on it a bit and apparently it has a really warm sound not quite as clinical as others, but very well suited to the rock side of things which I suppose is what I mainly listen to and also its the opposite to my m-audio monitors which is what I wanted. Im willing to pick up a sansui still one day when I find one though, will see how this arcam goes!

Ive just purchaed a matching Arcam delta 70.3 CD player too for 68 pounds....I sort of went in not knowing anything about it, but got it purely because it matches the amp..so was wondering, have I got a deal or have I been robbed!?

Thanks for all your help

🙂

Hiya,

I watch Arcam secondhand prices all the time... so I can tell you that you got the Delta 70.3 for a good price, you are at the lower ends of what classic Delta's go for. I went and looked at what you bought and I would advise you to change the CD drawer wheel, it was a common fault on these Arcam's up until the Alpha 5. For advice on where to get a suitable replacement talk to Arcam customer services (01223 203200 option 2).

The great thing about buying that CD is that if you want an easy upgrade you can match it to a Arcam Black Box DAC for a similar price.

I have long wanted to own a Delta 60... you can find out a bit more about your boxes here...

Arcam History

The general consensus is that the Delta 60 was not as distinguished as the A60... but I think that getting an amp which is not burdened with 5 pin din (i.e. can fit straight into a modern system set-up) plugs is worth it.

 

[Anonymous]

DavidGander:
Cheers! Just had a look now and the 70.3 was very expensive back in the day!

Just got to get the cables and interconnects now and Im ready to go.

Was gonna ask a question actually:

Ive got bi-wireable speakers, but was just wondering which is the best way to wire them...

I can see that you can get cables with 2 to 4 connection...so 2 in the amp and the 4 in the speaker? ..but then you can also have 4 in the amp and 4 in the speaker cables? Which is the better way to do it and is there much difference?

Thanks for all the advice its greatly appreciated..hopefully ive learnt something from all this 😛

Two in the amp and four in the speaker....

trying to find you a manual - Arcam have changed their website recently and it is hard to find the Delta stuff... if it is still there...

Here is some Gramophone stuff....

Delta 60

Delta 70.3

Manual to follow...

 

[Anonymous]

Arcam Delta 60 - Manual


Arcam Delta 70.3 - Manual is an A**** to find....

 

[tommyskins]

Just found one on Preloved website......Sansui Intergrated Amplifier AU-217iihttp://www.preloved.co.uk/fuseaction-adverts.showadvert/index-1031900779/69772585.html

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the manual! And all the other info, its handy to have.

Yeah that preloved link is the same person that was selling her stuff on gumtree a while back, its collection only and probably gone by now, but thanks anyways 🙂

 

[gpi]

Bi-wire in a 2-4 configuration. Twist the two positives together from either two runs of single cable or bi-wire cable and insert into one banana plug side entry hole and do the same with the negative wires into another plug. Or with thicker cable where you can't fit two into the plug hole, use the piggy-back banana plug method. Using two plugs at the amp end is called 'shotgunning'.

 

[the record spot]

DavidGander:
So from the previous threads I deduced that I would really like a sansui AU-217 ii amp...but it seems after trying for a week to track one down Im not sure that I will have the patience to wait till one comes along. Ive had a look at some other second hane amps and found a couple that I would like peoples opinion on:

Cambridge P40

Arcam Delta 60

Personally I like the sound of the arcam delta 60..maybe just because of the 60 watts. Anyone have any experience with these musically or know how much I should expect to be paying for them second hand?

If the sansui is that much better I may hold out for one to come my way.

Cheers

Hi David, now, I know you've just bought a Pioneer A400, however, you know that Sansui you wanted to appear on a certain site...well, err, you might want to do an amp search just now. Not the Mark II version, but I wouldn't lose sleep over that...!