WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO SANSUI

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At one time considered the Best Receiver manufacturer during the Stereo Wars. Does Sansui Still Exist? Is Sansui a good brand or not? Who is the owner of Sansui Electronics? I investigate the biggest disappearance in the history of HiFi!

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00:00 Intro
00:29 Sansui History
03:09 The Stereo Wars Years
04:22 Sansui 9090 Series
05:10 Sansui G Series
06:58 Sansui On The Brink
08:55 Sansui is SOLD
10:09 The San-Sewer Years
11:18 Sansui in the 1990's
12:35 Does Sansui Still Exist?

[solin]

Many a returning Viet Nam veteran brought back a Sansui sound system they picked up on their way back during a stop over in Japan. If you owned a Sansui system back in the day you were one of a select few with bragging rights. Even today those Sansui systems are still very much a desired system.

[frozentundra]

Back in the 1970's, my father owned a Sansui Receiver 331 with the green back light. I remember that thing sounded fantastic and all of my friends thought I was so lucky to have a "cool father" for owning a Sansui. Although my father past away many years ago, I still have his Sansui 331 in 2023!

[Aswaguespack]

A video on Akai History would be very interesting and I cast a vote for a future video on Akai. Anyone else interested?

[NeedleDropRules]

I’ve been a Pioneer guy my whole life. I have a Pioneer SX-750 that I’ve been using for almost 20 years, and absolutely love everything about it. That being said, I always worried that it would crap out, and I’d be without a vintage 70’s receiver while it was in the shop.
Almost two years ago, my cousin passed away. He and I had a great connection through music, and talked about bands, songs, records and stereo equipment all the time. When he passed, his wife asked me to help sell all of his records and equipment, not knowing what to do with them. For helping, she said I could take whatever I wanted. He had a beautiful Sansui G3500 that cosmetically looked prestige, but wasn’t working. $300 in repairs later, I now have it running on a second stereo setup in my listening room.
I have to say, for such a small unit, that sucker packs a punch, delivering great sound and plenty of volume. Visually, it’s stunning like most great equipment from the 70’s. I love every time I turn it on, thinking of my cousin as if he’s there listening to me. I can see why there’s such a fan base for Sansui.

[bigd]

Bought a new Sansui G6000 receiver in NYC in 1979 for 360 bucks. it still works, and still sounds great. Sansui proved that all good things really do come to an end. I wish they would re-release the old stuff made new. It would be awesome. I just watched the video. running through all that gear was really fantastic. thanks for taking the time to make this. people that like music have no idea what they missed when this gear was out. It was a great time to be alive.

[TonyTruth-sz]

After I got my first real job in the early 80s, a Sansui receiver became the heart of my audio system. Over the years it has had many attachments but it is still a vital piece of my audio experience.

[mutantplants]

I loved my Sansui 5000 which lasted me 22 years of almost constant high power use. It had such a beautiful natural sound. I used it with my Akai GX-230D which, believe it or not I'm still using. I recorded almost 1, 500 vinyl albums on it. There's just something about that pure, high end analogue sound that digital remasters can't duplicate. Surprisingly those tapes still sound great. I'm still using my analogue HK receiver I bought in 1991 when my Sansui died, and my top of the line Radio Shack speakers from 1972 and 1979. Five years ago I went to Best Buy to by a Sony TV that was on sale, and the sales rep wanted me to hear this super expensive sound system in their Magnolia Room. We selected a song I have in my collection so I'd know what it's supposed to sound like. I was prepared to be blown away, and I was. I was blown away by how bad it sounded. I could hear the sound of the plastic...yes plastic cabinets resonating, and the annoying boom in the muddy upper bass. I told him I couldn't even listen to the rest of the song, and told him since he lived near me to stop over and hear it on my old analogue system with acoustically sealed heavy wooden speaker cabinets, and he did. Once he heard it he asked how he was ever going to feel good about demoing that ten thousand dollar system again. As they say, they don't make them like they used to.

[robertlehman]

Our neighbor returned from Viet Nam with what seemed like every Sansui component made. That was the first time I saw the Sansui reverb highlighted in a video earlier this year. As a 15-year-old, his setup was the coolest thing I had ever seen. It was a note of nostalgia seeing the reverb recently in the store. Thank you

[frankierodriguez]

It's really heartbreaking how such a legendary company went to shit. I"m going to upgrade my stereo next year and the AU series, (7700, 9500) and particularly the professional (9900, 11000) are first in the list with some Pioneer SA as contenders. it's a shame that those things went down after the 717. Fortunately they were built with such perfection that we'll be able to enjoy those pieces for many years to came. Thanks for the great video!

[obibaddad]

I worked in a couple of Hifi stores in the late 70's and I have to say that after hours of comparing the big 4 Japanese receiver lines through that time period I always preferred Yamaha. Looks only being a part of the equation. I recall that Yamaha was consistently the winner as far as musicality and sound. Yamaha was also the clear cut winner as far as reliability. They seldom showed up on the workbench. The company that gave Yamaha a run for the money music wise in our store was Tandberg. Those were fun days to be in Hifi sales.

[work]

While in the Air Force I owed a QRX-9001. In the barracks this receiver would emit enough light to land a C5 in dense fog. While lighting up the room, I could also warm up leftovers. Great sounding machine. Looking at the used prices, wish I would have kept it.

[twofromthetrunk]

I purchased a 331 Sansui receiver along with speakers in 1975. I’m still using that system to this day. Best decision I’ve ever made

[Simon_Hawkshaw]

Sansui was the pinnacle of audio equipment of my teens and also very rare, expensive, and almost not obtainable due to international sanctions and embargoes. AKAI was also sought after, as was Kenwood and Pioneer. A history of AKAI would also be interesting.

[kens.]

Sansui was by far the most amazing stereo system when I was in high school in 1972. I still remember the first time a friend invited me over to experience his new Sansui system. Sitting between two speakers while listening to The Beatles' "I Am the Walrus, " it was as if I could hear every instrument distinctly. Even quality headphones couldn't duplicate the stunning fidelity of the Sansui system.

[yiorgos-theo]

I have a Sansui 6060 receiver/amplifier with a wonderfully dampened analog station dial that my father bought 50 years ago. It works perfectly and looks like new, it still resides in the original, dedicated stereo cabinet with a Pioneer direct drive turntable and an Akai cassette deck. I use it almost daily to listen the radio or to our old records, I love the sound coming from the big speakers with the deep bass.

[bigme]

My nearly 50 year old AU517 (and TU717) gets used nearly every day, it sounds fantastic. I've only had it for the last 8 to 10 years and it is one of my favorites.

[Yes_Jorge_Yes]

My Dad bought his first Sansui in 1969 to replace The Fisher Model X 100b. Dad bought a very interesting Sansui 600L AM/FM and Short Wave Receiver, this receiver even had a integrated equalizer. In 1976 dad replaced that receiver with the AU5900 with Matching TU5900 tuner. We also purchase a Sansui front loading Tape deck the SC3110, other equipment paired with the AU5900 was a Thorens TD 124 that Dad bought in 1958 upgraded in 1964 with a grado labs wood tonearm, also a Sony Reel to Reel TC 377_2, a pioneer equializer SG9500, and Sansui and Fisher speakers. To this day I have the AU5900, the TU5900, the Thorens td 124, and the pioneer equilizer in working order. I love the sound of that amplifer, my whole vinatage equipment is my pride and joy.

[tusk]

I was stationed in Okinawa in 1977 - 1978. I bought a Sansui 9090db on the Marine Corp birthday on sale for 305.00. It's still marked on the box. I still use it and sounds great with my Altec Valencia 846b speakers.
Thanks for an interesting education on Sansui!

[adsph]

Love a history lesson. What a shame what eventually happened to Sansui. I have my late fathers 441 receiver he purchased in the mid 70’s I believe. I was a young kid. Sounds good to this day.

[Bo-hbeo]

Had a 9090 as a teenager. Got in a lot of trouble with that. It was very loud let’s say. I even had a funeral home director come over and asked me to turn the music down. They were trying to have a funeral. But I have a 7070 today and it’s going strong I love it. Four Sansui speakers. I bought a 6060 for my son, and another friend. I guess you could say I’m a Sansui guy. Thanks so much for all the information. It’s some stuff I’ve always wondered about.