Sansui AU-X901 - is it any good?

[simonthesaint]

 

[simonthesaint]

I see that the body of the text is missing, strange.

What I would like to now if there's anyone here who have owned or listened to vintage Sansui amp's from the eighties in general and AU-X901 in particular and tell me whether or not this is a good product?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers!

 

[ayjaycee]

I don't really know anything about the AU-X901 but around 1972 or 73 I had a Sansui AU101 which was my first venture into 'proper' hifi. I bought it from Laskys in Tottenham Court Road along with a pair of Wharfedales and a Goldring record deck. I can't remember how much it all cost back then but I do remember that I saved for a fair while to buy it and thought it was the mutts nuts at the time (as, indeed, did some very jealous fellow teenagers!). I would really like to hear the same system now to hear how it compares to modern kit. What memories that brings back.

 

[simonthesaint]

Thanks for your input. I was offered to buy a fully working 1988 second hand Sansui AU-X901 for what I guess would be equivalent of £550. The problem is that the seller is too far away so I cannot go there for a demo. I feel rather tempted but I would like to hear other peoples opinion about the sound before I do anything else.

I have a Advance Acoustic MAP-105 and a pair of Tangent Clarity 8 floor speakers at the moment but the sound lacks a bit detail and air. Also the MAP-105 lacks a phones jack so I cannot listen with my headphones.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Apparently good amp but too expensive by a mile IMO.

 

[chebby]

Apparently good amp but too expensive by a mile IMO.

Yes, a good one sold for £290 recently.

 

[simonthesaint]

Thanks both of you.

I take it that the asking price of ~£550 is a bit hefty then. Although it should be noted that the seller is a specialised vintage hifi shop, hence a higher price compared to a private seller.

Can you recommend any other, new or vintage, stereo amp below the aforementioned price? As mentioned earlier in this thread I would like more detail and "air" soundwise, but can't afford high-end stuff. I realise that the speakers play their part here as well, but since money's a bit tight at the moment I'll take one thing at a time.

I play all sorts of music; ranging from Jazz to modern house; ELO, Stones, Oasis, Marvin Gaye, ABBA, Avicii, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Guns'n'Roses, Bond soundtracks and even some classical when I'm in that sort of mood. I stream WAV and FLAC from my NAS and sometimes explores music on Spotify but I'm also playing on my cd and turntable.

I'm also using my amp to enhance the experience of watching film, but that's second priority.

 

[Frank Harvey]

I don't really know anything about the AU-X901 but around 1972 or 73 I had a Sansui AU101 which was my first venture into 'proper' hifi.

My first exposure to separates was also an AU101 which was my father's (with Pioneer PL12D and JR149s), and I went on to own an AU317 and later on an AUG11X MkII. All were good sounding amps and pretty powerful in practice, but how they'd hold up today, I really don't know.

 

[matt49]

Can you recommend any other, new or vintage, stereo amp below the aforementioned price? As mentioned earlier in this thread I would like more detail and "air" soundwise, but can't afford high-end stuff. I realise that the speakers play their part here as well, but since money's a bit tight at the moment I'll take one thing at a time.

PFM is a good place for S/H kit, likewise Hifi Wigwam. There's a constant circulation of good quality kit at sensible prices, and the likelihood of getting conned is, I think, lower than on eBay.

I recently bought a S/H Sugden A21a for £500 through the PFM classifieds. Five years old, serviced last year by Sugden, it sounds beautiful. It would have been £1200 new, and the current model is £1650. It has bags of air and detail, plus great 3D imaging.

 

[simonthesaint]

PFM is a good place for S/H kit, likewise Hifi Wigwam. There's a constant circulation of good quality kit at sensible prices, and the likelihood of getting conned is, I think, lower than on eBay.

I recently bought a S/H Sugden A21a for £500 through the PFM classifieds. Five years old, serviced last year by Sugden, it sounds beautiful. It would have been £1200 new, and the current model is £1650. It has bags of air and detail, plus great 3D imaging.

[/quote]

Thanks. I live in Sweden but I'm sure there are some dedicated hifi trade forums here as well. According to pricespy.co.uk the a21a costs £1,639 new, so at £500 it seems like quite a steal.

 

[matt49]

Thanks. I live in Sweden but I'm sure there are some dedicated hifi trade forums here as well. According to pricespy.co.uk the a21a costs £1,639 new, so at £500 it seems like quite a steal.

Ah, then my suggestion wasn't particularly helpful. But maybe, as you say, there are also enthusiasts' forums in Sweden.

 

[simonthesaint]

[/quote]

Ah, then my suggestion wasn't particularly helpful. But maybe, as you say, there are also enthusiasts' forums in Sweden.

[/quote]

That's alright, I'm thankful for every piece of information I can get.

 

[Garryntaylor]

I've got one. Mint condition and still boxed with manual if anyone wants to buy it.

Its here with me here in Manila but I can probably get it back to the UK if necessary. I bought it from Superfi in 1986 if I remember correctly. Used originally with Rogers LS7s and a Marantz CD85 (which I also have, boxed with manual) and then with TDL Monitor and then TDL Reference Standards (still got 'em). It's wonderfully sweet with plenty of power for the average lounge. It can also be used in a sort of "direct power amp" mode that bypasses most of the pre-amp from balanced inputs (I used Audioquest Diamonds with a Meridian 508 CD eventually this way).

I've progressed a lot through the HiFi world but the Sansui still holds sentimental value for me. I've still got a TUX301 tuner as well. Maybe I just can't let go!! My dad was a big fan of Sansui in the 70s and I guess I got hooked at a young age.

 

[Garryntaylor]

I've got one. Mint condition and still boxed with manual if anyone wants to buy it.

Its here with me here in Manila but I can probably get it back to the UK if necessary. I bought it from Superfi in 1986 if I remember correctly. Used originally with Rogers LS7s and a Marantz CD85 (which I also have, boxed with manual) and then with TDL Monitor and then TDL Reference Standards (still got 'em). It's wonderfully sweet with plenty of power for the average lounge. It can also be used in a sort of "direct power amp" mode that bypasses most of the pre-amp from balanced inputs (I used Audioquest Diamonds with a Meridian 508 CD eventually this way).

I've progressed a lot through the HiFi world but the Sansui still holds sentimental value for me. I've still got a TUX301 tuner as well. Maybe I just can't let go!! My dad was a big fan of Sansui in the 70s and I guess I got hooked at a young age.

 

[Al ears]

I've got one. Mint condition and still boxed with manual if anyone wants to buy it.

Its here with me here in Manila but I can probably get it back to the UK if necessary. I bought it from Superfi in 1986 if I remember correctly. Used originally with Rogers LS7s and a Marantz CD85 (which I also have, boxed with manual) and then with TDL Monitor and then TDL Reference Standards (still got 'em). It's wonderfully sweet with plenty of power for the average lounge. It can also be used in a sort of "direct power amp" mode that bypasses most of the pre-amp from balanced inputs (I used Audioquest Diamonds with a Meridian 508 CD eventually this way).

I've progressed a lot through the HiFi world but the Sansui still holds sentimental value for me. I've still got a TUX301 tuner as well. Maybe I just can't let go!! My dad was a big fan of Sansui in the 70s and I guess I got hooked at a young age.

That sounds a bit like trading which is not allowed on this forum.

Read the 'house rules'. :read: