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Sansui AU-X1

Are there any other vintage Sansui enthusiasts out there who might own this integrated amp or knows someone who does or is just particularly familiar with the model?

I am trying to get more background information regarding the stability of its circuit design. It was THE top line model when it first came out in 1979. 160 Watts. Matching tuner was the highly regarded TU-X1. The amp is VERY sophisticated. In fact, I think too sophisticated for its own good. The problem being its tendency to blow up alot of components on the Driver Board and take out all the power output transistors as well when it suddenly goes into Oscillation. (I was told some models by Phase Linear exhibit this unpleasant tendency too- even worse).

If anyone knows if this was/is a common problem with the AU-X1 or has any other information- Please let me know either here or via email: purepower@nyc.rr.com

Thanks, Fred (New York).
beatlefred
green_lantern
1 posts
 
Excellent post; I've owned the Sansui integrate GU99X for almost 20 years now and it is an absolute workhorse! Originally bought it in Japan in 83'. Whenever my finicky 'high end' gear goes down this bad boor stands in to pitch hit. Frequent moves in the military subjected it to the 'torture' test and after many nicks, scratches and bent top cover she 'still' cranks out good tunes! I had her hooked up to my 4ohm'd Magnapan 1.6qr's recently while waiting for a new preamp and she drove them with " ease ". I considered selling her now and then but she now pumps her 400 watts into my HT sub.. thanks again for the post!
mcampo
1 posts
 
My AU-X1 blew up twice. Once at home and then again on the repairman's bench just after he had spent several month "overhauling" it and was in the process of testing his handy work (it was a huge bummer for him). Now neither one of us want anything to do with it. All of my other Sansui gear has been wonderful: AU-G99X, TU-X1(needs repair but works), AU-D7, and SS-20 headphones.
valken22dc29
1 posts
 
I too have this excellent piece of equipment and it has worked wonderfully for 20 plus years, but now I have a problem and was wondering if anyone out there knows how to remedy it. The problem: just recently purchased a low-end DVD player (Magnavox) and wanted to hook it up to the GU-99x, but there are only two input slots for the three that come on the DVD Player. The two slots on the back of the GU only have in/out. How can this work! Do I need an adapter of some sort or can I just hook up in and out and be done with it?
rar1's avatar
rar1
1,769 posts
 
Valken:

You will have two sets of connections: DVD player to Receiver and DVD player to TV. The DVD player will be an audio input to your Sansui and so you will connect the Sansui's AUX IN to the DVD player's Audio Out jacks. You would then need to hook up the DVD player to the TV for the picture ... how you do that will depend on the age & jacks on the back of your TV.

Regards, Rich
ihatespamtfr066a
1 posts
 
Fortunately I had no problems yet with my two Sansui AU-X1. The first I have owned for almost 10, the second for seven years now. And I change loudspeakers, switch on/off even without a load – no problem at all. Maybe I am a lucky guy or the European versions are more rugged. A German Sansui sales representative didn't have those problems neither. I ran both in a vertical passive bi-amping configuration which some years ago I explained also to Beatle Fred. So one loudspeaker/channel is driven by one AU-X1 alone, in terms of channel separation almost similar to a monoblock but bi-amped. Think he now uses two BA-5000 instead. But the sound of AU-X1 is absolutely outstanding and marvelous. Because this beast is as fast and strong. I will use them as long as possible together with its aligned, restored and improved mate TU-X1 and three BA-F1 in my homecinema.

Tom Frantzen, STEREO magazine, Germany
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