Sansui AU-101 - mixed opinions.

[docstocker]

Two salient points from all this (to me anyway!).
2/ VFM in hi fi, and I guess all electronic products, has increased exponentially over time! If prices in the hi fi yearbook and the bank of Englands inflation calculator can both be trusted,
Those older than my 54 years will be able to put things in better perspective but it seems likely that even the cheapest car stereo or early mono "ghetto blasters" could have been a weeks wages for a 20 year old back then!

I am just about to receive my first lot of old age pension at 65 and nearly three months.
My first speaks, Acoustic Research AR7 bought January 1974 would now be costing £614!

Equally astonishing to remember, is that my first LP record, 'With the Beatles' bought in December 1963 for 27/6d (bought between myself and my two older sisters, but safely retained in my record collection) would now equal something like £27.50.
(27/6d is £1.35.5p)
This why most of us took a while to compile a record collection and a HiFi because each record and each component was a significant investment,
Also, there were no records 'we didn't like', having bought one it was played until we 'jolly well did enjoy it'.

 

[docstocker]

annual manual worker income in 1963 was about £900. About £17 per week.
average gross wage for manual worker January 1974 £38.10 so my AR7 speakers would have been the best part of two weeks wages at £59.

 

[Marchbanks]

(27/6d is £1.35.5p)

A pedant writes:
£1.37.5p

 

[ian r]

I once spent my entire terms grant on a portable Sony taperecorder.... the TC 152 WITH dolby for heavens sake....that was 1975 and I had a job waiting for me so reckoned my wife and I would make it throught the next 3 months....

The remarks about buying vinyl back in the day are so true.

 

[Martyn Miles]

Amstrad really were shockingly bad and shouldn’t ever be mentioned on an audio forum, let alone on a Sansui thread!

I cannot abide Alan Sugar, and I refuse to call him ‘Sir.’

 

[Tony L]

I refuse to call anyone ‘Sir’!

 

[Stunsworth]

I cannot abide Alan Sugar, and I refuse to call him ‘Sir.’

Just as well, he’s a lord

 

[Martyn Miles]

Just as well, he’s a lord

In that case I wouldn’t call him ‘Lord’ either.

 

[Craig B]

I was misfortunate enough to own an Amstrad TP12D as a callow youth.... I find it hard to believe that Rega had anything to do with it... it was utter shite! Ran at the wrong speed, obvious wow and flutter, rumble, about 2mm play in the arm.... Mind you IIRC it was only about £25 new! An SP25 completely thrashed it in every way...

I imagine that the only A.M.S. Trading (Amstrad) Ltd. TP12D that ever saw the inside of Rega's factory was a 'WTF is this?' sample.

Amstrad even had the gall to do a version in the same black laminate as Rega.

If one were to have a closer look at the Amstrad knock off, they'd discover that only the power switch, hinges and dustcover are the same as Rega's parts. I suspect that 'is 'ordship Sugar directed his minions to track down Rega's suppliers of same. Everything else is different parts, and the location of the main bits wrt the plinth are all way off in left field relative to those of the Planet.

To fully appreciate how shite the design was, just have a look from above during record play; now imagine putting the dustcover down...

 

[ian r]

I imagine that the only A.M.S. Trading (Amstrad) Ltd. TP12D that ever saw the inside of Rega's original Rochdale factory was a 'WTF is this?' sample.

Amstrad even had the gall to do a version in the same black laminate as Rega.

If one were to have a closer look at the Amstrad knock off, they'd discover that only the power switch, hinges and dustcover are the same as Rega's parts. I suspect that 'is 'ordship Sugar directed his minions to track down Rega's suppliers of same. Everything else is different parts, and the location of the main bits wrt the plinth are all way off in left field relative to those of the Planet.

To fully appreciate how shite the design was, just have a look from above during record play; now imagine putting the dustcover down...

brill

 

[Arkless Electronics]

Mine was indeed "Rega black".... but I don't recall there being any issue with putting the lid down with a record playing!

 

[Craig B]

Getting back on topic, unusually, the AU-101 service manual doesn't cover setting quiescence current/bias. Apparently, the earliest version of the amplifier board lacks the variable resistor trim pots of the two later versions (hence the service manual omission of adjustment instructions?). The linked to service manual refers to amplifier board F-1301-2 which includes the adjustment pots, as does the presumed to be final version F-1301-3.

IIANM, the amplifier output is capacitor coupled, therefore, DC offset isn't an issue.

According to Sansui collector extraordinaire, John, aka skippy124 on both StereoNet Australia and Audiokarma, there are two ways to measure the bias in the AU101:

1) Remove the fuses at F002 and F003 and use a multimeter set to measure DC milliamps in place of the fuse, this will give the actual bias current.

-or-

2) Measure the voltage across either of the 0.5Ohm 2W emitter resistors (if present) in each channel (either R837 or R835 on LC, and either R836 or R838 on RC). Bias current is derived from the voltage measured divided by the resistance; for example, 9mV measured across either of the resistors would equate to a 18mA bias current (i.e 9 / .5 = 18).​

Although not published for this model, the general consensus is that bias voltage should be set to 20mA; adjustments being mede via the two variable 200 Ohm resistors (Q801 and Q802, if present).

WARNING: The usual warnings apply re: Electrical shock hazard. Do not open. No user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to a qualified service personnel.

AU101 amplifier board with emitter resistors but sans variable resistor adjustment pots (F-1302-1)...

AU101 amplifier board with emitter resistors and variable resistor adjustment pots (F-1302-2):

AU101 amplifier board with variable resistor adjustment pots but sans emitter resistors (F-1302-3):

 

[davidsrsb]

The old F-1302-1 is an odd mongrel, modern style plastic outputs and those lovely black and white signal transistors. I have not seen one of them for a very long time.

 

[smegger68]

This is one of those persistent hifi myths - the TP12D was made by Amstrad in their Hackney factory, it had nothing to do with Rega other than maybe some 'heavy inspiration'

 

[retrospective]

I'm really enjoying my Au-101 my christmas project purchased blind for £25 i had to replace a couple of transistors (common fault).
I wasn't expecting much to be fair certainly not in the drive/bass department..assume nothing!

I'm now on the hunt for the matching tuner

 

[lordsummit]

I imagine that the only A.M.S. Trading (Amstrad) Ltd. TP12D that ever saw the inside of Rega's original Rochdale factory was a 'WTF is this?' sample.

Wait!! Rega started manufacturing in Rochdale? Really? I never knew that.

 

[notevenclose]

... I've come across an inordinate amount of vintage stuff recently but this is my last - a low powered Sansui AU-101 in pristine original condition.

On the net there a mixed opinions - anyone here with experience good or bad?

I'd be in the camp which would say it's a very fine amp. The problem is that with anything from the 70s you can't be sure what sort of condition it's in internally, even though it looks in excellent nick externally.

It's not a powerhouse, but with something that's a relatively easy load, it can sound surprisingly decent. If it were me I'd be tempted to get a couple of quotes for a 'once-over' and service.

 

[Craig B]

Wait!! Rega started manufacturing in Rochdale? Really? I never knew that.

I don't know how the word 'Rochdale' got in there, TBH.

Perhaps it was the bloody iPad up to having its own mind WRT who is in charge of editing again?

 

[retrospective]

The old F-1302-1 is an odd mongrel, modern style plastic outputs and those lovely black and white signal transistors. I have not seen one of them for a very long time.

That's the one i have ..i think those transistors are refered to as 'flying Saucers' lol

 

[Alvarado]

This was the first amp my dad had and he gave it to me when he replaced it (with another Sansui amp, that's still at my mum's house and working). I ran it with Goodmans speakers and a Dual CS505, I have very fond memories of it, it would have been about 1980 though my dad had it before (perhaps from the mid 70s, I remember plugging a portable tape player into the front of it and recording the charts...).

I found the on off button particularly alluring, with its gradual movement from on to off and soft click, seems almost unique, and contrasts vividly with the speakers on/off switch, loudness and playback switches, which have a very 'binary' click (and feel) to indicate 'engagement'. I had it in my bedroom for a few years, didn't know anything else of course but listened to it for hours without questioning it. It's nice to see a picture of one again, and the first time I've seen inside one. Looking back, my memory might be playing tricks but I imagine it had more of a 'luxuriant' sound than the NAD 3020 I replaced it with, and less 'punchy'. I imagine it was lower powered as well. To my eyes it looks a lot more robust than a modern amp, and made better, with its fancy wooden sides (though I think it might be veneer, I might be wrong but I seem to remember a bit chipped off mine!)