Sansui AU-919...What do you think?

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ghamilton

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What do you guys think of a (recapped) Sansui AU-919?
Performance wise when matched to the right speakers??
Thanks
 
Much of the vintage gear is over priced in my opinion, going for more thanit was new originally. If looking to by I'd prefer something current.

With that being said I used to have a Sansui A9500 whose performance stunned me how good it was. The build was top notch with knobs & switched like test gear. I bought it for almost nothing knowing a guy who offered it to me who worked at a thrift. I bought it out of curiosity. I'd say it would hold its own against mid-fi stuff like Arcam or NAD. I ended up selling it to a friend who is still using it. It did have some cool features amps today don't have like selectable turnover frequency and a midrange tone control.

I'm not sure how the 919 would compare to the 9500. If comparable it will sound nice with a decent set of speakers. I'd keep with something 8 ohm and fairly efficient keeping in mind the type of speakers around the time that amp was sold.
 
I guess I should have worded this differently.
I have a AU-919 that I recapped and I am very impressed with how good it works with my new Vandersteen 2Ce Sig lll.
Just wondering if one of the newer Luxmans would be an improvement? The 919 has plenty of power for my new vandys.
 
i would bet money on it, better power supplies, better volume control, better everything etc there's more to sound/performance than caps
 
ghamilton said:
I'm sure the Luxman is awesome.
But would it be better than my 919?
Click to expand...

Hey Greg - welcome to the forum.

When asking what is "better", it's so subjective and a wide ranging definition that it's tough to answer.

I personally have owned a lot of separated and amps over the years and LOVE my Luxman 509X. But I don't know what sound you like - or can hear so it's tough to say.

My suggestion is build a relationship with a dealer who will let you bring home a Luxman to try and compare. Honestly, if you have the speakers not set up right, in an acoustically challenged room and are running lamp cord for speaker wire it may be tough to tell a differences. If on the other hand you have a proper room, cables and gear then you may be more apt to hear differences.

Is there something you are trying to "fix" on the sound?
 
ghamilton said:
What do you guys think of a (recapped) Sansui AU-919?
Performance wise when matched to the right speakers??
Thanks
Click to expand...

The only way to give the AU-919 a fair shake against current production integrated amps would be to have a complete refurbishment and not just replacing capacitors. What speakers do you have?
 
mep said:
The only way to give the AU-919 a fair shake against current production integrated amps would be to have a complete refurbishment and not just replacing capacitors. What speakers do you have?
Click to expand...

from above

Vandersteen 2Ce Sig lll
 
My room is 12x14x9 and I listen with the volume setting about 9 to 10 o'clock. Plenty of power in this room with my 919. I may not benefit to spend the money.
The 919 is very neutral.
 
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