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Posted (edited)

Item: Sansui TU-X1, extensively enhanced by Stereo Surgeons USA
Location: Sydney East
Price: EOI in vicinity of AU$3200
Item Condition: Excellent condition, phenomenal FM performance, AM system about to be reconditioned
Reason for selling: Currently having another TU-X1 enhanced to my specific requirements
Payment Method: PayPal, COD, Cash on Pickup
Extra Info: Happy to ship internationally - this will be EXPENSIVE as the tuner alone is 17kg and, double boxed, will be 21kg or 22kg

 

In a recent ASoN meeting, this specific TU-X1 was compared to an Accuphase T-1100 (retail > $10,000) and a Magnum Dynalab MD 106 Triode (recent replacement, MD 107 Triode, is currently $5,400).. About half the audience preferred this TU-X1 to those two outstanding current model or near-current-model super-tuners.

 

Several people came up to me after the shoot-out saying they had no idea that FM could sound that good.

 

This tuner is in beautiful cosmetic condition - hard to believe it is almost 35 years old.

 

Ken Bernacky of Stereo Surgeons in Connecticut USA did a full recondition of it about 8 years ago, upgrading capacitors to Black Gates and reworking many aspects of the tuner for optimum performance. I have heard one stock TU-X1 and there is simply no comparison! As good as that tuner sounded, this is on a completely different level.

 

Unfortunately, when the tuner arrived in my hands a few weeks ago, the AM was faulty. This is a huge shame as this tuner has the best AM section ever built! So I'm about to have the AM repaired. Two lights are also out. They will be replaced at the same time.

 

To buy a similarly enhanced TU-X1 from Europe or the USA would cost you a LOT of money. There is a Joseph-Chow-modified TU-X1 available by a US seller for US$3200 + US$600 shipping to Oz (about AU$4200). Once it gets here, it would be assessed for Import duty/GST and you would pay a further AU$650 or so on top - getting up around $5000!!! 

 

Why am I selling: I am in the process of having another TU-X1 enhanced by Joseph Chow of Audio Horizons in California, including specific changes I want done. I need to sell this tuner to pay for most of the next one (I know - I'm crazy).

 

I'm happy to audition the tuner at my home in Bronte. 

 

Manufacture information: Serial Number 239050056 so manufactured in May 1979 - number 56 off production line 23.

 

My understanding is that a few hundred of these were produced, but most went into the hands of Sansui executives, and most of those would have ended up as scrap in due course! Relatively few TU-X1s actually made it onto the market, and of course most of those would now be dead and buried. How many in Australia? I've seen only one apart from this one, but I'm sure there are more out there somewhere.

 

Forgot to mention that the 3 fuses have been replaced by audiophile-quality fuses, with a commensurate improvement in just about every aspect of performance. This happened AFTER the shoot-out, as they had not yet arrived from overseas at that stage. I frankly have no idea how changing a fuse can have that dramatic an effect.

 

post-105517-0-39816700-1402120189_thumb.

Sansui TU-X1 Brochure A.pdf

Edited by Warren M.
  • Like 3

Posted

Hi.

 

Is this 240V and using Australian de-emphasis (50 micro-seconds)?

 

Regards, david.

Posted

Fantastic tuner, good luck with the sale

Re the de-emphasis, it is internally switchable, and I'll bet that this is a multi voltage model.

Cheers

John

Posted (edited)

Fantastic tuner, good luck with the sale

Re the de-emphasis, it is internally switchable, and I'll bet that this is a multi voltage model.

Cheers

John

 

Yes you are both right. Switched to 240V, 50µS deemphasis, but switchable to 75µS and to any of the 4 standard international voltages.

 

I forgot to mention I'm happy to audition the tuner at my home in Bronte. 

Edited by Warren M.
Posted

Forgot to mention that the 3 fuses have been replaced by audiophile-quality fuses, with a commensurate improvement in just about every aspect of performance. This happened AFTER the shoot-out, as they had not yet arrived from overseas at that stage. I frankly have no idea how changing a fuse can have that dramatic an effect.

  • 1 month later...
Posted

Hi Warren,

 

yep, I have one too.... unfortunately it needs a full re-fit (from US).

But that will have to wait until I get the AU-X1 done.

You can just see the bucks turning to cinders & flying away on the breeze, can't you??

 

the things we do to give our ears a thrill...

 

cheers,

ray

  • 2 months later...
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