GTG #2 ... Gold Coast Clubhouse Sansui GTG ... 20.11

[GC Hifi]

After the previous Clubhouse GTG for the Fyne flagship F1-12's earlier in the month we decided this one would be a small gtg which was focussed on a vintage brand of amplifier that the Audiophile world is much the worse for it no longer being around.

 

So, yesterday we had a small gtg here with a number of Alpha 9 series Sansui Integrateds. Originally there was meant to be only three amps but it turned into five, in general, very different sounding models. I must admit seeing so many Sansui's together was extremely impressive to say the least, the quality of their builds and designs is just so impressive.

 

The impressive model line up included the Alpha 907 Limited, AU07 Anniversary, Alpha 907 NRA, Alpha 907 DR and the 2102 MOS Vintage. Seeing all five Sansui's together made us stop and ponder how often, if at all, such a line up of some of Sansui's flagship Integrated amps had been in the same room being compared back to back.

 

It was alway going to be interesting and possibly challenging comparing amplifiers from the 80's and 90's using a Mola Mola Makua/Tambaqui Dac and a Antipodes K50 front end and a pair  of very resolving Fyne F703's.

 

One excellent thing with the Sansui's is they all had XLR inputs so the same cables could be used in each comparison. These old amps are seriously well made and just sounded way beyond what one would expect from a amplifier that is of this age.

 

We hope to get another small GTG happening before Christmas, possibly a vinyl one, so if you are a Gold Coast local and would like to attend please pm me

 

Jeff (CAFAD) has writing a much more in detail report of the days proceedings and added a number of much better happy snaps. 

 

cheers,

Terry

Edited November 21, 2021 by GC HiFi

[Cafad]

 

 

A few weeks ago I bought the 907 NRA, that I imported into the country a few years ago, back from Roy (who bought it from me a while back).  He had replaced it in his system with an AU-07 Anniversary model (very nice!) so when I picked the NRA up from his place I had the chance to have a quick listen to one of the few Sansuis that I hadn't yet heard.  Not a long listen but long enough to give me an idea as to how it sounded.

 

When I left Roy's place I put the idea to him that we should have a Sansui get together, maybe early next year when the whole pandemic situation had calmed down (if that ever happens).  He agreed and that was great, we had a deal to meet up again at some time in the future long enough down the track that we didn't really have to think too much about it any time soon.

 

I told Terry about this idea the next time I spoke to him and he liked it too, partly because he has that 907 Limited that he's quite fond of.  He suggested that we step up the timetable and have our Sansui-a-thon earlier.  There are always hassles when trying to co-ordinate 3 people's spare time but the day we ended up deciding on was yesterday.  At Terry's place (or the GC HiFi Clubhouse as it is now known).

 

I had my heart set on hearing these Sansui amps on a pair of ATC SCM40 speakers (which I had played with to a limited degree weeks earlier and quite enjoyed) but they were not available as they had recently been shipped off to someone else  so we settled on the Fyne 703 speakers instead.  

 

In the few weeks leading up to yesterday Roy bagged himself another Sansui, as did I.  So, the challenge was on, just how many Sansuis could we managed to get into the one room?

 

As it turns out, the answer was 5.

 

 

From the top we have the 907 Limited, and from left to right underneath we have the AU-07 Anniversary model, a 907 DR (in 230 volt form, this was my latest acquisition), the 907 NRA (still a favourite of mine) and then Roy's latest purchase, a 2102 MOS VINTAGE power amp.

 

How do they sound, well actually not as similar as I was expecting them to.

 

The 907 Limited had tremendous bass grip.  It gave impressive depth and control while maintaining pleasantly textured mids and a well controlled top end.  Bass depth and control were its stand out characteristics.

 

The Au-07 Anniversary model was a bit of a shock after the 907 Limited.  It did not have the same bass presence (although it still had more than adequate bass levels) and was much more lightly textured, so much so that I had a hard time getting a feel for it.  My impression is that it focuses more on the upper frequencies and that it was not as good a match with the Fyne 703s.  It definitely has a more mild personality than the 907 Limited.  It sounded more open than the Limited or the NRA.

 

The 2102 MOS VINTAGE was quite a shock.  Powerful, warm and smooth it has a sound that is both similar to the Limited in bass volume and quality but very different in detail levels.  It reminds me of a more refined (and slightly less warm ) version of the sound of the 555 from the 70's.  I would quite happily listen to this amp for hours.   Warm bass and smooth delivery are my two take-aways from the sound of the 2102.

 

The 907 NRA was next.  Yep, there was that slight dose of mid range sugar that I have come to like so much.  It couldn't match the bass performance of the Limited or the 2102 but it was neck and neck with the AU-07.  I tried to get the NRA to display its hard sung vocal magic but in doing so I overpowered the 703s so instead of uplifting vocals that reach for the sky we heard some very hard vocals that I had to drop the volume on before the song was halfway done.  My mistake, too enthusiastic, Sansuis sometimes have that effect on me.  I still maintain that the strengths of the NRA are in its vocals and sweet mids.  

 

Roy had to leave before the 907 DR could be set up.  As did several of the guys who had dropped in from the QAC GTG down the road.  I hope they all enjoyed what they heard.  I know Didi did, he asked me to take his picture next to the Au-07 Anniversary.  I have to admit, it is a stunning amp to behold.  (I'm sure it's good to listen to as well, we just have to find the speakers it works well with.  On Roys Sonys it beats out the NRA so I know it has the capabilities.)

 

Sorry, yes, 907 DR.  Sansui must have had a quality control division that ensured that the bass delivery was always above a certain level as the bass of the DR was very, very similar to the NRA and the AU-07.  But the sound was completely different, there is space everywhere around everything.  It's a bit strange really but it had me feeling nostalgic about the way things used to sound way back in my teens so I guess it could be called a late 80's sound.  I haven't had enough time with it to really get to know it yet so I'm going to have to sum it up as uncoloured but also a bit empty sounding.  Yes, that sounds like a bad thing but it isn't necessarily, just quite different to the later Alphas.  I'll try to remember to update this thread once I've gotten in some serious listening time with the DR.

 

So there we have it, my take on our 'Sansui Saturday' event.  Hopefully with more to follow.

 

A couple more pics below.  I didn't take as many as I should have, too distracted by Sansui goodness.

 

 

 

 

 

[Cafad]

Almost forgot.  We had someone looking at (listening at?) the Sansuis from a different angle.  Sharn had come along with the intention of finding out just how good the Sansui headphone amps were.  He brought along some very good looking vintage headphones (which I can't remember the model of) and was very interested in determining just how the Sansui headphone stages were compared to his 90's Accuphase that he uses at home.

 

I was a bit taken aback, I know all the Sansuis have headphone jacks but I've never thought much about just how they sound as I've never had the occasion to use any of them.  

 

Here he is, hard at work.

 

From what I can recall of his head phone comments our new expert thought that the 907 Limited was the pick of head phone stages on offer.   He also rather liked the mid range performance of the 907 NRA through the Fyne 703s.

 

So there you go, new Sansui related information.  Not too often that happens.

[crtexcnndrm99]

Looks like a fun afternoon! Do enjoy the nostalgic appearance of those wood-cheeked models.

 

What size iso transformer do you use there?

 

Cheers

[Cafad]

  On 21/11/2021 at 2:42 AM, crtexcnndrm99 said:

Looks like a fun afternoon! Do enjoy the nostalgic appearance of those wood-cheeked models.

 

What size iso transformer do you use there?

 

Cheers

Expand  

It was fun, I know I had an absolute ball.

 

We had two 1000VA rated step down transformers to choose from.  

[Sansui77]

Nice write up guys (Jeff)

 

I'm not on SNA as much anymore, life's just too busy with family commitments and projects but i always like a good Sansui gtg read & review.

 

My AU-1111 Mos Vintage & restored AU-111 Tube would of been great to add into the mix. I agree with your thoughts on both the Limited and NRA as I own both and know these very well also. So...., is the NRA still your sweet spot integrated? It's funny because for some reason my 907 NRA always ends up back in primetime. The AU-1111 mos vintage also has that midrange sweetness like the NRA but with the 907 limited's bottom end punch. Also has an awesome 3D image. It's a very special amp.

 

They all sound great in their own way. Happy listening

Edited November 29, 2021 by Sansui77

[Cafad]

That would be great, the only thing better than a Sansui GTG is a Sansui GTG with more Sansuis in attendance.   One of these days I hope that will happen, I still daydream of getting an AU-111 Tube model of my own.  

 

The NRA is still my favourite on my Lenehan speakers, that mid range sweetness (happiness? enthusiasm? call it what you will, I like it!) really shines in my system.

 

I'm hoping we can work out an annual Sansui GTG in SE Queensland.  That would be pretty damn cool I think.

[GC Hifi]

This is what our (Gold Coast HiFi Clubhouse) monthly GTGers are all about, having the opportunity to listen to some great sounding hifi equipment with other audiphiles.

I have very much enjoyed the two Sansui GTG days we have hosted here, great Hifi isn't always and doesn't have to always be about what is the latest and greatest.

Sansui Amplifiers keep proving that one can build an excellent sounding system around a quality forty something year old amplifier. 

 

And I look forward to our next Sansui GTG sometime next year.

 

cheers,

Terry

Edited November 30, 2021 by GC HiFi

[TerryO]

Well it’s finally a new year and as things eventually settle down in 2022 we will be once again looking forward to planning and having a number of Gold Coast Clubhouse GTG’s with various new brands and components in action including Aries Cerat DAC’s and Pre-amps, more than likely first up will be the truly impressive Mola Mola Kaluga mono-blocks, plus we are looking at possibly a new brand of speakers being added into the equation during the year.

 

So happy New Year to everyone and please keep an eye out here on our page for announcements on our upcoming Gold Coast Clubhouse GTG’s. 
 

cheers,

Terry