sansui 500a
- September 18th, 2013
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THIS HAS BEEN CLAIMED. I’m getting some abandoned projects out the door. This is a big one: a Sansui 500A combination vacuum-tube amplifier and receiver. THIS HAS BEEN CLAIMED.
Sansui 500a
It’s collectable, it’s audiophile, all that. Unrebuilt but in good condition – like this one, which is all-original – these seem to go for about $150-180ish plus $100ish shipping. I got it for a lot less because nobody cared at the time. So if you are a fan, promise you mean to rebuild it, and can pick it up, I will give it to you, because I hate seeing things like this go to waste.
Last I fiddled with it (which was, um, six or seven years ago? Aheh) it actually powered up and tested pretty okay. BUT: those large-can capacitors are well past end of life and should be replaced before trying again. SERIOUSLY, THESE ANCIENT CAPS CAN EXPLODE, so re-cap it before powering it up. Also, any smaller electrolytic caps should get the same treatment.
It would make a really good first serious tube restoration project for somebody, particularly since I’m including an aftermarket service manual. It’s in very good cosmetic shape, as you can see. They have a really good reputation as project amps on Audiokarma, too – generally considered well worth restoring for personal use.
Smooth as a new doorknob
Also, honestly – you want to know how people could listen to AM radio? Listen to it on a machine actually built for that sometime, and meaning it. I do this demonstration occasionally, on vintage kit I’ve rebuilt, and people go, “…that’s radio? That’s AM radio?!” AM only sounds like garbage because nobody bothers making decent AM kit.
Perfect for KIXI
But for most purposes, it’d be a really nice serious starter vacuum tube project and amplifier for somebody. It has phono input, general-AUX input, and a tape monitor input, so you have some options. It’s not a small project, but it’s not a particularly brutal one, either, and – from all reports – well worth it.
I can say from my memory of tests that it had a really nice sound to it, even unrestored.
Many inputs!
I WILL NOT SHIP THIS. If a bunch of people want it, I’ll pick at random. Otherwise, I’ll… eBay it, I guess. There’s a vacuum tube community out there; someone will want it.
Where are you located? If in the Dallas area, I am interested.
@David O’Connor: Oh, all the way up in Seattle. Sorry! Also, I need to edit the post; the Sansui got claimed yesterday. Yay!
I would gladly pay the shipping. Where. Is this located? I personally had one way back in 1967 when I was in Vietnam, I sure do miss that quality sound it produced.
As above, it has already been claimed, a few months ago. I added a strike tag to make it more obvious.
I almost wish I had more than one to give away for restoration – it is a lovely device! I’d’ve been more likely to finish it if I didn’t have a Dynaco ST-70 and a Harmon Kardon Citation IV and an EICO ST-40 and… yeah. 😀
Hi there, by any chance would you happen to have a PDF copy of the service manual or would you know where you obtained your copy from? I have a 500a I am restoring and it could be helpful.
Jeffrey: I don’t have a PDF, I only had the paper copy. But you can see in the first photo, on the cover of the service manual, the website I got it from (agtannenbaum). And I just checked – they’re still around and selling aftermarket service manuals.
Good luck with yours!