Should I try a AU-X711 ?

[Dom123]

Hello Everyone,

I've currently got about 10 or so Sansui's from the early to mid-late 70'. I find the xx00, x900 series have the same house sound as well as my 771 and 881. The 777 and 517 are a little different, but not fundamentally better sounding to my 63yo ear. I sold my 517 because I thought the AU-6900 and 7900 sound nicer (trying to free up shelf space).

I am thinking of trying an AU-X711 that is selling locally. The seller has had no interest and had dropped the price quite considerably. He says it works perfectly.

Apart from the cosmectics, is there anything I should be paying attention to ?
I don't like bright sounding amps, so how would this amp sound very bright compared to an AU-7900 for example ?

Many thanks

 

[quadmatrix82]

I have a AU7900 and X911DG - they are both great amps but very different, the 7900 has a punchy fast sound to it, back to back you’ll tell quickly the 7900 is the more analogue coloured sounding amp. The 911DG which is very similar to a X711 is clean and dynamic and overall more balanced and neutral across the range - you’ll notice a lower noise floor as well. I would certainly give it a go I think it will grow on you but be aware its not the romantic coloured sounding amp like a 7900 hope that helps

 

[Hyperion]

In a word, YES!

I don't think you'll find the AU-X711 bright sounding, it will be much more resolving/detailed, than some of your other amplifiers, and with good bass reproduction.

 

[petesui]

I'd give it a go. I prefer the tone of the early 70s amps and receivers and lean heavily in that direction with the 222/555A/777/999, 8500, 5000A/7000 as my favorites. I have a couple of the punchier models like the 217/317 and a 4900 which I enjoy from time to time. Moving into the 80s, I have a D9, D907X, and an X701 which I understand to be the predecessor to the X711 you are considering. I've been enjoying these more lately. I think @quadmatrix82 gives a good description. The X701 is cleaner, faster, more detailed, and transparent (cliched adjectives, I know), more refined overall. I think the soundstage and imaging are more easily achieved, defined. Lately, I've been enjoying it for mellower more detailed music like live jazz - you can hear the din of conversation and glasses clinking in the background of the club. I've also been using it more for CDs. Somehow it's a period and sonically correct pairing to my way of thinking. If it's blues, classic or outlaw country, or crunchy rock guitars, I'm listening to, then I'm probably powering up one of the older amps. The X701 mostly scratches that Alpha itch for me. I say go for it.

 

[petesui]

In a word, YES!

I don't think you'll find the AU-X711 bright sounding, it will be much more resolving/detailed, than some of your other amplifiers, and with good bass reproduction.

My X701 has excellent bass and I agree that I wouldn't call it bright.

 

[Dom123]

Many thanks. I'm going to go for it ! It has some scratches on the case, but price is reasonable. The guy selling it seems to know what he is talking about.
Will finance it by selling my pristine Pioneer SX7730, which is a real looker but just sits on the shelf !

I'm a bit ashamed to say my speakers are vintage era also, so how would it sound with my B&W DM2a's, Kefs 104ab of Celef speakers I have ? All recapped and pretty nice, but vintage.

I've read the old B&W2a really sing with good amplification capable of high current delivery.

 

[Dom123]

Not sure I'm allowed to mention cost, but the owner is concerned about the low price he is asking ! Am I allowed to ask this forum what would be a reasonable ballpark figure in Europe/UK of an original unrestored version of a an Au-X711 from a private buyer ?

Don't mind paying a fair price, but don't want to over pay as it will probably need recapping. Did I understand there are also issues with some dodgy black flag capacitors it it also ?

 

[petesui]

Not sure I'm allowed to mention cost, but the owner is concerned about the low price he is asking ! Am I allowed to ask this forum what would be a reasonable ballpark figure in Europe/UK of an original unrestored version of a an Au-X711 from a private buyer ?

Don't mind paying a fair price, but don't want to over pay as it will probably need recapping. Did I understand there are also issues with some dodgy black flag capacitors it it also ?

You have to start a thread in the Dollars and Sense forum to discuss price and value.
I don't know about black flags in this model, seems like it's after that era but I'm not sure.

 

[Hyperion]

Did I understand there are also issues with some dodgy black flag capacitors it it also ?

No 'Black Flags' in the AU-X711.

(sorry, I didn't document the full restore I did on one).

This is all I have

Thread 'Sansui AU-X711 for reconditioning.'

Oct 14, 2020

I had a request from Glenn, an AK member, to recondition his very recently acquired AU-X711, with a 'pull out all the stops' approach to making it sound as good as possible.

Here is a picture of the finished beauty



And a picture of the body count.



Which totals:-

64 Electrolytic Capacitors, (including the main filter capacitors).
16 Resistors.
10 Trimmers.
8 Ceramic Capacitors.
7 Rectifiers.
7 Zener Diodes.
2 Relays.
1 EU mains plug.

• Hyperion
• au-x711
• Replies: 16
• Forum: Exclusively Sansui

• 

 

[jefferylhenr]

That’s a beautiful piece. Looks like the 907 alpha at first glance. The layout is quite elegant as well

 

[jefferylhenr]

 

[JimEGR]

Not sure I'm allowed to mention cost, but the owner is concerned about the low price he is asking ! Am I allowed to ask this forum what would be a reasonable ballpark figure in Europe/UK of an original unrestored version of a an Au-X711 from a private buyer ?

Don't mind paying a fair price, but don't want to over pay as it will probably need recapping. Did I understand there are also issues with some dodgy black flag capacitors it it also ?

I hope you can put the deal together. Atleast to hear what everyone is describing for yourself (I agree with everyone, too). You have a good sense of what some of earlier periods were voiced like, so this at the least should be a fun research mission for you, as a Sansui aficionado . As far as values go you can do an eBay search for recent sales back 90 days to see what the current market is doing. No mentions of values, even statements like “pretty penny” in the forum here - (don’t) ask me how I know.

If you do end up with it, tuning is quite different from your other amps. No traditional ground and setting the adjustments can be like chasing a ghost.

Be sure to post a follow up! Hope this works out! Such a beautiful looking (and sounding) amplifier. That piano black face is gorgeous. Love the amber lights from this period too. And yes that sweet clean X-Balanced sound.

 

[Dom123]

The seller has gone quiet despite me increasing my offer. In a different vein, how would the AU-X711 compare to an AU-G90X ? Similar design topography or completely different ?

 

[JimEGR]

I don’t have any experience with the 1984 AU-G90X but it looks very much like the 1983 AU-D11ii which is probably my personal favorite Sansui integrated. This early mid 80’s X-Balanced voicing cleaned up the sound but still retained some of the heft of the early Sansui. The mid 80’s voicing is kind of a nice sweet spot.

If the price is good you should try it. At some point you could move ahead to an Alpha period amp like the 1987 AU-X701 or later and hear how that period compares. Seems that everyone has a different “sweet spot” for Sansui Sound. That exploration is so much fun

AU-G90X


AU-D11ii