Stop calling the Sansui Eight Deluxe the "Engineer's Receiver"

[smurfer77]

Very interesting. How about a pic of the face of the receiver, and a shot of the set screw in the tone control knobs? Never seen this before. Only on the tuning knob.

The knobs on my Eight Deluxe are very thick aluminum, but do have a plastic insert inside to attach to the splined shaft.

Rob

I have two Eight Deluxes. Both have engraved faceplate lettering (although I know not all of them have engraving). The knobs do have plastic inserts though. A pic of my faceplate can be seen in my thread here.

 

[Trnsfmr]

A little fun I had with an image editing website (yes, I have too much time on my hands!) I own an Eight myself, so it made it all worthwhile
Hope there's no copyright infringement...

View attachment 841943

Wow!!! too cool. I knew Jughead would not be able to help himself. Lost in the Sansui universe forever.

 

[saunadog]

Thanks - I know it adds nothing to the conversation, but fun nonetheless. Honest story - I was actually working on this cartoon some time ago when this thread appeared. Seemed like the perfect place to put it. Finding a cartoon style font was the hardest part.

Jugheads a "real world" type of guy. Figured he be impressed with a Sansui!

 

[Robisme]

The knobs do have plastic inserts though. .

Yup.

My Eight Deluxe has the engraved faceplate as well. The only knob that ever had a set screw on the Eight Deluxe is the tuning knob. Mine does not however.

Rob

 

[smurfer77]

A little fun I had with an image editing website (yes, I have too much time on my hands!) I own an Eight myself, so it made it all worthwhile
Hope there's no copyright infringement...

View attachment 841943

Love it. If you have more, you should start a dedicated thread!

 

[LBPete]

I checked my Eight D and it definitely has an engraved face plate. The knobs have plastic inserts but are beefier than knobs produced later in the decade.

- Pete

 

[captouch]

Mine has a silk-screened face unfortunately, but still love it!

 

[smurfer77]

Quality of side grates that cover the transistor covers?

I finally got my hands on a Sansui Eight (sadly the wood case took a hit in shipping, bouncing around in the box packed by someone who cares not about amps). The side grills on my Eight are very rigid and heavy steel. Those on both of my Eight Deluxe are flimsy enough to bend with a single finger and light enough to be some kind of aluminium alloy - know because mine both came with 'damaged' grills and I straigtened them out. Still love my Eight D but curious to see what else I find along the lines of cost cutting.

Looking forward to getting this Eight working and having a shootout with the Eight D.

 

[DEAFASABAT]

Engineers' receiver? I know of this one, personally... " a design engineer's dream come true."

http://www.ohio.edu/people/postr/bapix/RBC1.htm

$2,400 in 1940 = $41,739 in 2017

A shortwave radio owner's dream come true. And nightmare, when it was stolen.

Sorry for the thread wander.

 

[smurfer77]

A

Engineers' receiver? I know of this one, personally... " a design engineer's dream come true."

http://www.ohio.edu/people/postr/bapix/RBC1.htm

$2,400 in 1940 = $41,739 in 2017

A shortwave radio owner's dream come true. And nightmare, when it was stolen.

Sorry for the thread wander.

A beautiful device for sure (I have seen this link recently elsewhere, maybe I saw a similar post on another thread?), but not a "receiver" in the sense of this thread (pre-amp, power-amp, tuner combo).

BTW, I've just made contact with a Sansui Engineer, and am asking him a bunch of questions about various sansui items, including whether engineers at Sansui were given a lot of freedom on the Eight, or if it was mostly marketing.

 

[superdog]

The Eight Deluxe is the better sounding, more advanced receiver. But, there was cost cutting.

Rob

Then the 8 Deluxe is the one for me.

 

[KingBubba]

Here were my feelings of the Model 8 back in 2006. I have both now and have had a difficult time saying one is better than the other. Right now the Deluxe is better because the Eight died about 3 month ago, or so. The G-8000 went in in its place.

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/3-days-with-my-sansui-model-8.84122/

 

[Audioo]

If they cut costs its not as good in my opinion. Because somewhere along the line the indides were compromised regardless the updates.

I dont believe the deluxe is better. Can you elaborate? Have you done aaside by side blind comparison?

The 8 has 16 ohm speaker capability i dont believe the 8d does. I observed all the functions on the rear of both and the 8 has more interesting adjustments and functions than the D.

 

[Audioo]

This post comes from ignorance. Not being rude, but it is the case.

The post is not my "opinion".
The ad I posted that can't be seen without a magnifying glass states, paraphrased, Sansui engineers were given a blank check to create the finest
receiver in the world. Put in all the details you would want in your own unit. And they produced the Eight.

Hence, the Eight IS the engineer's receiver.

I have both the Eight and the Eight Deluxe. I would keep the Eight Deluxe over the Eight, even though the Eight is the engineer's receiver.

Rob

Are you a technician Rob? Whats the number one reason why you would let go the 8? Id bet tho the 8 would last longer than the d

 

[Audioo]

I agree with Rob, the Eight is THE Engineers receiver. There can only be one. It is build with less compromise than the Deluxe, even if the deluxe sports a next gen amp topology.
However, what in my opinion really sets the Eight apart is the capability to balance the differential amp. So if anyone wonders why the Eight has 4 trimmers per channel vs all other amps 2 trim pots - it is because it was an engineer's amplifier, allowing adjustment to one of the most critical circuits for sound quality.

Strictly speaking of sonics, Id give a slight nod to the 8D. But the Eight is nevertheless the special and awesome one.

Notice the build and the 4 trimmers on the driver board.

View attachment 840419

Could you describe in what aspect the 8d sounds better? What speakets were you using to compare. Id bet if you hooked the 8 to pair 16 ohms speakers the 8 would sound better. The 8d doesnt have 16 ohm taps

 

[Robisme]

Are you a technician Rob? Whats the number one reason why you would let go the 8? Id bet tho the 8 would last longer than the d

Yes. I have gear I think sounds better. And you last statement just supports my point. The Eight is the engineers receiver, not the Eight Deluxe.

That said, why would one last longer than the other?

Rob

 

[Robisme]

. Id bet if you hooked the 8 to pair 16 ohms speakers the 8 would sound better. The 8d doesnt have 16 ohm taps

16 ohm taps? These do not have transformers at the outputs. From the Eight Deluxe specs: Load Impedance 4 to 16 ohms.

Rob

 

[stereofun]

These are always subjective calls. I listened to both the Eight and the Deluxe on same Wharfedale Diamond 8.4's - rated at 6 Ohm. To my ear the Deluxe is a tad more refined at the at the high freqs but perhaps the biggest difference is it seems faster and more "light footed" for a lively rhythmic presentation. My fully restored Eight weren't no slouch, so we are talking finer nuances.

 

[kevzep]

The Eight is one I haven't owned or heard, I need to experience one... They are cool looking receivers...

 

[stereofun]

The Eight is one I haven't owned or heard, I need to experience one... They are cool looking receivers...

Kev, I think you'll like it. Restored and carefully adjusted, It's pretty close to the 999.mod in terms of detail and separation, but with more in your face power and punch - this in turn for a bit dryer or less expansive mid than the "generous" 999. It can really rock though, and is one of the all time greats Imo.