Interesting Sansui products on Yahoo-auction-japan

GrisPato

GrisPato

Super Member
Always interesting equipment on Yahoo auction Japan.
This made me start this thread!


MODERATOR NOTICE from @dlucy :

This thread was started in the Sansui forum and has been an excellent source of information about Sansui models and oddities and atypical items. That has given additional value to the forum participants and AK more broadly.​
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This is a tricky thread in that the source of much of this information is auction sites. Links to auctions is prohibited by AK rules, so don’t post links. If you post content from an auction site or screenshots that include auction info, you should expect your post to be deleted.​
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At one time this thread was moved to Dollars and Sense because posts included dollar amounts and value statements such as “that’s a steal” or “no way you should pay that much”. Discussions of prices and value are prohibited by AK rules. If you post a dollar figure or price or refer to the relative value of something here, you should expect your post to be deleted.​
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If we, the fine Sansui forum members, honor the rules of AK, then this thread can remain in the Sansui forum… where it provides great value. If not, then it will be relegated, in its entirety, to the Dollars and Sense forum.​
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You may wish to discuss this "moderator's notice" snippet or other moderation activities. That is expressly prohibited by AK rules. If you want to talk about this, want to ask a question or comment in some way about this post, you are welcome to DM me or another mod and we’ll do our best to respond.​
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For now, I’ve moved this thread back to the Sansui forum, I’ve explained what behavior led to its temporary move to D&S, and how future posts will be treated.​
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If you have issues with this, start by reading the AK rules and then reach out via DM to a mod.​

And now back to this valuable thread:

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Is this for real!!

Looks like it is.
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I believe that is some well executed custom work. Meters look like they came from a Yamaha amp. Typeface for the legend "OUTPUT LEVEL" doesn't match the rest of the panel, and appears to be a decal.. Knobs may have been custom made, or could be stock knobs painted or somehow otherwise re-colored to black with natural skirts. Fairly nicely done, obviously someone missed the eye candy on the later Sansui amps, which went decidedly minimalist in their presentation.

Edit to add: some of the jacks on the rear panel have been replaced. The black JIS screw on the rear that partially obscures the model number is not factory, must be there to retain something internally. Meter driver circuit board perhaps?

One further addendum, doing an image search for an AU-a607MR reveals no factory original amps equipped with meters or these particular knobs. I've tried to find the source of the meters, Yamaha CA-1010/2010 integrated amps have very similarly styled meters, though with a different scale. The meters have had their stock lighting changed to blue LED on this Sansui.
 
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I'm a bit disappointed in the quality of the home-brew boards and wiring to implement those meters added to that amp in the first post. Yes, it apparently works, but more attention to detail and tidiness would be a big plus, after all it was an Alpha series amp and that demands a higher standard.

The QA Integrateds are an interesting line, there was also a QA-5000 and 7000. The 5000 and 6000 represent later offerings with the full Vario-Matrix system built in (as with QRX-6001-9001), and CD-4 support as well. The QA-7000 was styled like the AU-9500, and apprarently equipped with an older version of the quad decoder synthesizer, more akin to the QRX-3000 or 5500 models. Notably, the QA-5000 has a silver front panel, quite unusual for a Sansui integrated amp of that timeframe.

There was also a quad preamp version of the QA-7000 sans power amps, the QSC-9050. That may be the rarest Sansui quad model, bar none.
 
Sansuiman said:
I'm a bit disappointed in the quality of the home-brew boards and wiring to implement those meters added to that amp in the first post. Yes, it apparently works, but more attention to detail and tidiness would be a big plus, after all it was an Alpha series amp and that demands a higher standard.

The QA Integrateds are an interesting line, there was also a QA-5000 and 7000. The 5000 and 6000 represent later offerings with the full Vario-Matrix system built in (as with QRX-6001-9001), and CD-4 support as well. The QA-7000 was styled like the AU-9500, and apprarently equipped with an older version of the quad decoder synthesizer, more akin to the QRX-3000 or 5500 models. Notably, the QA-5000 has a silver front panel, quite unusual for a Sansui integrated amp of that timeframe.

There was also a quad preamp version of the QA-7000 sans power amps, the QSC-9050. That may be the rarest Sansui quad model, bar none.
Click to expand...
Ok, didn't know they had a whole line of that QA.
This on was on auction today. It closed just when I woke up from my nightshift so I missed it. The QSC-9050 was in my watchlist 2 times this year. I decided in the end not to do it. Always difficult decisions. Just won a second BA-F1, one channel not working. Got it a lot cheaper then my first one.
Luckily I have replacement NOS Sanken for the outputs if necessary ;).
Two weeks ago there was a Q-3535

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that went to high for me. Yesterday some monaurol set pre/power, comparable to what I have went for double what I paid for mine.
 
The Q-3535 is one I'd love to add to my collection eventually, as are the CA/BA-303, but the cost of those rarities keeps me from seriously considering a run at them now. I have enough quad hardware not to feel a need for any of the QA or QS models, but I'll confess I would kind of like a QA-5000 just because it so ususual. It is styled in much the same manner as the AU-4400, silver panel with white engraved lettering. Functionally, its quad capabilities are the same as the QRX-9001, just without a tuner and having a much less powerful output stage.
 
Sansuiman said:
the CA/BA-303,
Click to expand...
Yes they are rare and come seldom.
Although there was one BA-303 just a few weeks ago with some small damage, still went for double that I paid for my BA-202 which is mint. I think I got away nicely with that.
My experience is that often there is just one other bidder.
I developed some tactics lately that helps to discourage the other one that seems to work, but not always.
I would love to get me some Sansui loudspeakers but shipping is crazy especially because in the EU you also have to pay 21% VAT over the shipping ( ? yes).
Especially interested in bi/Tri ampable speakers with a CD-5 or 10.
Still not sure about it.
 
Indeed. There is a BA-303 on eBay now (being sold out of Japan) at almost $5800 USD. As badly as I want that amp, I just can't justify the outlay. Especially now with building concerns over other more critical expenditures, I cannot entertain such frivolity.

You mention the CD-5, I'd like to have a CD-5A to go with my "1971-72 stack". Alas, those are rare, and the only such units presently on offer are asking $850 plus, which is far too much when a CD-10 isn't all that much more at typical asking prices. I foolishly passed on one a couple of years ago at around $400, which I consider a touch high, but not outrageous.
 
Fantastic Site.

Been checking out Yahoo Japan almost daily for 15 years. Probably have 8,000+ photos from the site.

Saw a few Sansui items I would have liked to buy, especially the 'tall black '70s wooded speaker stands'. Alpha amps sure have come way down in price! Some 'really rare' Sansui gear comes up for sale sometimes and sometimes sells for cheap!

They have all the Sansui gear sooner or later. It's a history lesson for sure.


Used to also check out Biglobe Image but they quit the images and now just use Google. What a wealth of information that site used to be, it was seriously UNREAL and so easy to use.
 
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bluesky said:
Fantastic Site.

Been checking out Yahoo Japan almost daily for 15 years. Probably have 8,000+ photos from the site.

Saw a few Sansui items I would have liked to buy, especially the 'tall black '70s wooded speaker stands'. Alpha amps sure have come way down in price! Some 'really rare' Sansui gear comes up for sale sometimes and sometimes sells for cheap!

They have all the Sansui gear sooner or later. It's a history lesson for sure.


Used to also check out Biglobe Image but they quit the images and now just use Google. What a wealth of information that site used to be, it was seriously UNREAL and so easy to use.
Click to expand...

Yes it is!
Something from Sansui, just for fun:

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Another fun thing, although I didn't buy it:

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A sticker from a Dutch shop selling Sansui. How it ever ended up in Japan?
 
GrisPato said:
Yes it is!
Something from Sansui, just for fun:

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Click to expand...

I saw THAT PS-2P! I really do regret not buying it.

I collect the 1980 "High-Efficiency Series" accessories and I don't have that specific coupling. :dunno: Should have bought it for my 'collection'. First time I've EVER seen one for sale. SUPER BEYOND RARE.

Another 'seller' sold 5 pairs of "High-Efficiency Cords" (interconnects) in really good shape in one sale about a year ago. All 5 pairs sold for like $17.50 or something close to that. Couldn't believe it. All looked like 'Gold' RCAs too. Unreal. I have 2 NOS pairs still in the boxes so I really didn't need them but I would have just bought them anyway if it wasn't so darn hard to purchase from Japan but that's ok -- shipping would have been $$ for 5 pairs anyway.
 
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