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Sanyo TP1012 vs. Sansui FR-D25

Sultan swing

Sultan swing

Active Member
Hi there!
I have a Sansui FR-D25. I bought it 2.5 years ago and am using it regulary. It has never failed me. It's a belt drive, pll-servo motor, pitch control, s-shaped arm. It's plastic so it's very light.

Yesterday I found out that there's a Sanyo TP 1012 UM on sale. It is about 230 miles from my town and the only way to buy it is without seeing it or having a chance to give it a spin. Also, I can't find any info on it!

Can someone tell me anything on this Sanyo?
Is it a step forward?
I believe it is, not a big step but a baby step.
On the photos it seems that it has better solution for anti-skating mechanism, it has better feet (those pointy ones) and possibly a better arm.

I'll post pics of my Sansui and this Sanyo that I'm trying to purchase, so please tell me if anyone owned one, was he satisfied? Is it a good turntable? Is that possibly a real wood veneer? And could that arm be better that the one I have on Sansui?

Thank you!

Oh, also, I'm from Croatia, so the market is very slim, there are some very expensive tt's and now and then something like this comes up. The price of the Sanyo is very similar to the price I payed for Sansui couple years back (around 60$), but that's because the market is very slow and slim, so the prices are bigger than in U.S. anywhere else.
 
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My Sansui FR-D25

My Sansui is belt drive, and Sanyo, according to certain eBay seller is direct drive. Is this true?
 

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Sanyo TP 1012 UM

First three pics are from the seller, and the last one I found on the web.
 

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Not a 1012 but.....

I have the TP825D which has the same arm and is a DD with auto return so should be somewhat similar.
it's my main table because it really is nice. Heavy, well made, dead on accurate, no rumble or noises, good cuing, overall very nice operation.
It sounds even better than all that with a Shure V15 IV w/JICO SAS on it. Very nice sounding table.
If decent used and vintage is that scarce there I believe this era Sanyo are decent decks but man that's a long way to drive!
 
Take a pass on the Sanyo. Most Sanyos are fairly decent CEC made tables, but this one was made for a low price point. The base is all cheap plastic and the woodgrain isn't even veneer, it's printed on the plastic. That neat looking tonearm gimbal is just a plastic cover over a rudimentary stamped metal gimbal and the lateral weight is for looks only. I actually liked the headshell with the graduated alignment markings on it... until I found out how flimsy and flexible it was.

Now, if you'd like to know how I really feel about this table.....
 
Well, I was aware that this isn't a high end tt, and also, that this was probably a imitation of wood printed on plastic (seller confirmed me today).
Main question is the quality of the arm. Is it better than my Sansui?

Seller told me that he mounted new feet and also changed the down plinth to mediapan (i believe that's MDF). Also he made it firmer on the inside.
 
Oh, I know there are better tt's... And I wasn't looking for a tt at all, but this came up, and I thought to step up a bit with my gear.
And don't look through the price I've written, prices here on Croatian second hand market are higher, for example, a Pioneer PL 518 few months back went for 200$.
Also, Sansui FR-D25 I bought for 60$ etc.
 
Too bad no one hasn't really owned, seen and listened to one. Really am interested if this tonearm is any better than mine.
 
:) Actually, I would do exactly that, but Sanyo is approximatelly 230miles from my town, soo...you guys are all I have, better yet, your knowledge and experience is everything I got.
 
They are pretty similar really. I’d say the tonearms would be much the same, although the anti-skating is definitely better on the Sanyo, and is adjustable, where the Sansui one probably is pre-set for a certain cartridge tracking weight. The Sanyo was certainly more expensive when they were new. I’m not sure it’s worth travelling 230miles for the Sanyo though – I’d say probably not.

Specifications:
Wow and flutter Sansui FR-D25 0.03%, Sanyo TP1012 0.04%
The Sansui is slightly better from the manufacturer’s specification for wow and flutter, but I doubt that it would have been if tested independently – I’d guess that the Sanyo would probably come out on top if they were tested.
Rumble Sansui unknown, Sanyo -70dB weighted
Cost AUD RRP Sansui FR-D25 $179 (1982), Sanyo $249 (1981)
Weight Sansui unknown, Sanyo 6kg

I’d take the Sanyo if I had the choice, but it’s not a great deal better. If you have an owners manual for the Sansui it may give a list of the specifications which you can check off against the Sanyo’s. Those that I gave above came from the turntable price lists in the Stereo Buyer’s Guide Turntables for 1981 and 1982 – the Sansui didn’t have complete specifications listed. I can tell you from seeing a few Sanyo turntables reviewed in the 1970's and 1980's that they often performed better than their price would suggest - like many CEC-made turntables, they were usually excellent value for money.
 
Sansui's weight is listed as 4.8 kg.
Don't have the manual, just for the FR-D35, and that's the direct drive, so, more similar to Sanyo.
Tracking force weight is adjustable also on Sansui, I have 3 marks on that bar, so I guess 1 to 3g.

Oh no, I wouldn't travel to buy it, friend of the seller lives in my town, so there's a possibility that he brings it to me.

The price difference here makes me wonder.

So, arms probably the same, better antiskating and direct drive. Also, 1kg heavier. Better feet. These are the pluses for Sanyo.
We'll just have to see...
 
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Still in a dilemma I've posted here...
Here are some photos of this Sanyo I'm considering to buy for 78$...

The current owner filled it with bitumen to make it sturdier and for silencing it. Also he changed the bottom and made one of MDF and mounted those pointy aluminium feet.

The cartridge is not included because I'm going to buy a AT95E for it.

Could those 2 screws on the 2nd photo be for the VTA adjustment?

There are a few more photos in my next post...
 

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More photos...

Thanks for any input on this...
 

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That arm has a very basic gymbal and I don't think it's worth $100 US? It's an OK table for your kids or something, but ...
 
It's 78$. The market here in Croatia is very slim and slow, so the prices are higher than in U.S.
It's supposed to have VTA, could someone confirm that based on that photo?
 
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