lebowski Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Nice pics Mark, new camera? Thanks Glen. Yes I had some time today to try out the new camera, a Nikon D5100 with the s/hand lens you put me onto. Very happy with it and thanks again for your advice along the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fez Posted June 23, 2014 Author Share Posted June 23, 2014 === Random Pic === The bruise brothers ..... :lol: 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasebass Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 === Random Pic === The bruise brothers ..... :lol: Picture 007.jpg Damn it!!!...when are we having this vintage GTG?? :o Tase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huxmut Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Instead of a Vintage GTG, can you guys make it a Vintage Roadshow ? First stop Brisbane ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Z Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Wow, amazing stuff fellas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasebass Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 (edited) With reference to the "SNA challenge $15K to spend on a system" would any of us vintage guys spend that much on vintage gear?... I reckon it would buy one hell of a system!!...certainly be able to punch way above its weight challenging products of today. On that bay auction site over in the States a Rotel RA/RB 5000 + RT 1024 is up for grabs at probably silly money though, but it would be on my list. Along with a Sansui G33000/G22000 and a pair of JBL 4355... ....should wake up the neighbors!!! ...and some pioneer SPEC suff.......oooh dear i'm off again..... Edited June 27, 2014 by Tasebass 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huxmut Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Vintage $15k would be killer system. What about a challenge to build the best $15k vintage system with gear solely from SNA for sale threads from last year (or three?) Would make for a few interesting setups i think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesco Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 With reference to the "SNA challenge $15K to spend on a system" would any of us vintage guys spend that much on vintage gear?... I reckon it would buy one hell of a system!!...certainly be able to punch way above its weight challenging products of today. On that bay auction site over in the States a Rotel RA/RB 5000 + RT 1024 is up for grabs at probably silly money though, but it would be on my list. Along with a Sansui G33000/G22000 and a pair of JBL 4355... ....should wake up the neighbors!!! ...and some pioneer SPEC suff.......oooh dear i'm off again..... I'd start with a Sansui AU111... that'd put a pretty good dent in that $15K 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Z Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 Classic Sony cuties: 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fez Posted June 30, 2014 Author Share Posted June 30, 2014 Very nice Sam...TA series...that's all early 70's gear?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Muon Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 Sweet Sony System Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blinky Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 What's the rack Sam? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huxmut Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 I'm not familiar with the older Sony gear. A breakdown of each component would be really good I can see the style elements they use in the current top end models draws from these older units. The scooped recess at the top of the facial is a dead give away. Love it. Please post more details Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Z Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 (edited) Yeah, very early 70's these components. In the photo there's a TA-2000F preamp, ST-5130 tuner, ASS-3335 system selector and TA-3200F power amp. Sound quality—good for its day, although not as good as their next gen gear: VFET. These were basically 60's designs updated in 1970 with some modern FETs and other devices. The 3200F is powerful, at 100W per channel it would've been one of the most powerful transistor stereo amps around. It hides it well—it doesn't try to look powerful like most later Japanese amps. Sony sold heaps of these worldwide but they're not so common in Australia—actually I'm not sure they were even sold here because every single piece I've collected in Australia over the years has/had international 2-prong AC plugs, and those I bought from the original owners came with a story about how they bought them overseas. So it took a few years to put together this little stack (including some not-pictured tape decks) because everything I found locally, except for the system selector, which is ridiculously rare. I can see the style elements they use in the current top end models draws from these older units. The scooped recess at the top of the facial is a dead give away.Love it. Please post more details Those recessed strips are a Sony trademark. They disappeared for a long time with the '74 range, Sony only brought them back with their ES units in around '86 and carried them through since. Another Sony design favourite is contrasting matte and gloss anodising. They paid a lot of attention to textures and so forth. Their components were never as spectacularly pretty as Lux and Accuphase, but when you look closely at them it becomes apparent they took a lot of care in that side of things. Most of the time, anyway. What's the rack Sam? Don't know what brand it is but it's a cheapass wobbly POS, I wouldn't recommend it anyway. Edited July 1, 2014 by Sam Z 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blinky Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 Don't know what brand it is but it's a cheapass wobbly POS, I wouldn't recommend it anyway. Ok thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-k-k-kenny Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 I'd start with a Sansui AU111... that'd put a pretty good dent in that $15K Praps not as much as you might think, if you were patient on yahoo Japan. If memory serves, 2 grand should see it out. The reissues from 99& 2001 are much more: $4-4.5K 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesco Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 Praps not as much as you might think, if you were patient on yahoo Japan. If memory serves, 2 grand should see it out. The reissues from 99& 2001 are much more: $4-4.5K $2K I could handle... all of the ones I've come across are $5-6K, is there some reason why the newer versions are more desirable? Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-k-k-kenny Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 I'm no expert on Sansui tube gear.. The originals were made 1965-69 or thereabouts, so could be a bit tired. Then in a final flickering before the lights went out at Sansui, they made 400 more in '99 & 200 with gold knobs in 2001. I think they may be a bit different internally. Haven't heard any of them, but I've read somewhere that when Sansui went over to solid state, they were often aiming at the sound of the AU-111. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mac Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 (edited) Some interesting anecdotal info re: the AU-111 and Sansui's efforts to replicate the sound via transistor amps. I heartily endorse the suggestion that Sansui finally started to get there with the AU-X701, although I might be just a tad biased http://www.sansui.us/issues_AU111vsAL907MR.ht AU-111 was the ultimate tube amp Sansui ever produced. This was the Sansui’s technical submit of its root – transformer production. Also, in circuit design, Sansui adopted the latest of many years of tube technology. As the result, sonically, I don’t think there is not much room to improve. Sansui has been a company that improves its products step by step. The early Sansui transistor amps, such as AU-999, AU-9500, AU-9900, AU-919, and AU-D11 all sounded like trying to be like tube amps, and never got there. Sansui stated to change that from AU-D11II, AU-G99X, and AU-X701(this was AU-Alpha607 in Japan (1988)). The high frequency of AU-X701 is so sensitive that Sansui has succeed to go to the root of tube technology; however, they were definitely weak in low compared with tube amps– this is nothing more than comparison, I still like the sound of AU-G99X and AU-X701 much better compared with today’s expensive transistor amps. By knowing this Sansui tradition, the astonishing resemblance in sound between 907MR and AU-111 tells me that Sansui might have been designing its amps to reach the ultimate sonic submit they have already reached thirty years ago. Even, they might have been using AU-111 as a reference amp for their goal – I can ask those questions to those Japanese engineers whom Mr. Motoki has introduced to me. This suspicion also coincides with what Sansui did. As I said, Sansui has been a company that always tried to improve the product by one step at a time. The last high-end integrated amp Sansui ever produced was AU-111G in 2000. This was AU-111 specifically redesigned on the pre-amp section for SACD and DVD Audio use. By considering the Sansui tradition, if AU-111G had not sounded equal or better than AU-Alpha907NRA, they would not have introduced AU-111G. This thought process and the result of my test also tell me that Sansui finally archived its goal before it ceased to exist in high-end audio market; to produce the ultimate transistor amp that is equal to the best tube amp Sansui ever produced. Edited July 2, 2014 by pete_mac 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fez Posted July 2, 2014 Author Share Posted July 2, 2014 Maybe Sansui never really moved away from their tube heritage? The majority of comments I have read over the years describe most of their amps and receivers as a classic warm sound. The tube is in the Sansui DNA!!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saggas Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 wow wow wow! where has this thread been! im totally in love with vintage gear (well vintage everything) I enjoy the challenge of sourcing something that cannot simply be purchased by walking into a store. this transfers to most parts of my life (die hard VW nut as well) im currently setting up to finally start the build on my bozak concert grands. A few years ago I was after a set to fill a large room with sound, but decided having speakers that weigh approx 100kgs each shipped from california not really viable. ive slowly been sourcing 2nd hand usable parts on ebay and shipping them over 2-4 drivers at a time. i also purchashed this book http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/product-gallery/0672205203/ref=cm_cr_dp_cust_img_see_all_img0 which has plans in the back for multiple types of speaker cabinets with wiring diagrams, eg bozak, klipche JBL. some say im a bit mad, but I take great pride in stuff like this and enjoy the fact of putting something together/rebuilding something to be useful again. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mac Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Maybe Sansui never really moved away from their tube heritage? The majority of comments I have read over the years describe most of their amps and receivers as a classic warm sound. The tube is in the Sansui DNA!!! Interestingly, the newer Sansui amps have much improved clarity over the older stuff, but with a hint of warmth. I think this where Sansui started really nailing it. Some of the older stuff is certainly warm, but with a hint of graininess to the sound vs the later stuff IMHO. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasebass Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 wow wow wow! where has this thread been! Saggas...er...where have you been??? :lol: Enjoy!! ATBTase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saggas Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 obviously not watching this thread mate! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huxmut Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I felt that way when i found this site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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