After reading Nat's fine article lauding the sonic reverie of baby Sansui I was compelled to introduce one of my favorites, the Sansui G-8000!
This 60 pound behemoth from 1978 was technically the number two receiver right behind the flagship G-9000. Practically identical innards made up for the few less whistles and bells of the big dog.
While the 9000 was rated @ 165 wpc, Sansui down rated the 8000 to 125 wpc so as not to take market share from their flagship.
In reality both of these beasts put out an honest 200 wpc, measured, before any distortion set in.
A quick look under the hood will show all that marvelous engineering and that enormous toroidal transformer dominating the landscape. It also has a switch for the option of either capacitor or direct coupling.
At 22" x 17" x 8" and a sea of glistening chrome, glass, and rosewood cover, this is truly a sight! Just those volume knobs go for $50 now!
The sound was and still is some of the finest audio I've ever heard from a receiver.
After receiving the once over from Austin Stereo which included a dozen new caps and a few additional bypass caps, this beauty is singing through a set of refurbished JBL Jubals like none of those black boxes at Circuit City ever dreamt of!
True electronic art of a very high order that we will not see again, certainly not available for the middle class for which it was designed.
In 1978 this fabulous receiver sold for $990. When you convert just for inflation since then it equals $3,800.!! Even so, when inspected inside and out by engineering experts, the opinion was that to manufacture the same item today, including machining, parts, and labor, you would be looking at $5-6000 dollars!
What middle class family today could afford such luxury?
At the ridiculous price of $4-600. for this unit on the used market, it doesn't take a geneticist to realize, DEAL!
The superb construction of these great Sansuis will allow lifetimes of use with the periodic (20-30 years) maintenance that any fine machine requires.
Long Live Sansui! A great standard bearer from that golden age of receiver art from Japan, 1967-1982.
3 comments:
Nice! One of the best items from the Golden Age of Japanese audio...great write-up and photos. I may do a quick note on "little brother" G-701 soon.
This article has made me wonder if the monolith in 2001 was just a really large Sansui toroid.
I agree with Roger on all points.
I need to write up my very oldest Sansuis just to get some '50s and '60s action going to balance out the '70s.
I may be coming into possession of a G-8000 this week.
What I'd like to know is, who are the top restorers in the Houston or Austin area?
If I'm going to drop the bucks on the unit, I'm also going to have it professionally restored, all the way.
Thanks!
Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX
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