Sansui AU-919 On The Way!

I've always wanted the TOTL AU/TU-919 set so I justified selling my AU/TU-717 set, which I regret. Happily, the new owner is extremely happy and in fact he is having a $450 restoration being done by a very good local tech. Over coffee this morning, this Sansui AU-919 showed up on the Bay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=190262202194

The AU-919 is interesting because it has a copnventional AND a toroidal transformer, which is a departure from the AU-717's more tradional dual conventional transformer setup. The 717 is definitely a dual mono design but I am not sure how the 919 works or if it is even a dual mono design. Should be fun.

This post has been edited by socal sam on October 26, 2008 08:30 am

There is no justification for selling an AU/TU717 set!

Since you technically upgraded, though, we'll let it go this time.

That's a classic, congrats and enjoy.

There is no justification for selling an AU/TU717 set!

Since you technically upgraded, though, we'll let it go this time.

We'll see if the 919 is an upgrade over the 717. My tech tested my 717 using square waves and the reproduction was excellent. This translates to great sound that is musical and nuanced like few others. When the 919 arrives, I'll submit it to the square wave test.

This post has been edited by socal sam on October 26, 2008 12:12 pm

Who's your tech, by the way. My Sansui pieces are all virgins and probably need checkups. There's no one around here that I know of who I'd send them to.

PM sent...

I was after a matching TU-919 today but I got SNIPERED! I guess the economy isn't that bad for some.

Some people get so tied up in the auction they don't always use good sense in how much they will bid, paying much more than something is worth, let em have it and keep watching I say.

Jim

The tuner sold for $637!

I heard from the seller and got a tracking number. It is within my state so I should have the 919 within a day or two.

Sweet. Hope he knows how to pack.

A friend of mine has a 919. Great piece of equipment!

cubdog

The box with my AU-919 is sitting outside my door. As usual for ebay stuff, the box looks to be a size TOO SMALL...

The box with my AU-919 is sitting outside my door. As usual for ebay stuff, the box looks to be a size TOO SMALL...

Let us know.

cubdog

The box with my AU-919 is sitting outside my door. As usual for ebay stuff, the box looks to be a size TOO SMALL...

Rats! Keeping my fingers crossed.

I opened the box last night and even by my low expectations of ebay packaging, this was the worst packing job I have ever seen. It was stuffed with packing paper and the pack panel had no padding whatsover so the binding posts rested against the box. The sides were padded with water bottles which actually had some water inside! (Actually, water bottles with top on can take a beating so I thought this was kind of innovative but I'll NEVER so this.) To my amazement, the AU-919 didn't suffer any damage. I guess buying within California has benefits.

I listened to the AU-919 and while it is nice, it is not as enthralling as the 717. I got a better measure of the 919 better by focusing on what the 717 has and the 919 does not have. I've found the 717 so be very accurate and smooth, a combo that is rarely achieved. Sometimes you get detail but it is shrill. Sometimes you get smoothness but it is dull. The 717 delivers a nuanced sound that gives a sense of discovery, especially with revealing speakers like the Yamaha NS-M series.

The 919 is certainly very smooth but I didn't get the sense that it is as detailed or nuanced as the 717. It is more like the G-8000 than the 717 and while that is not a bad thing, I'd rather the TOTL 919 have more separates goodness. Like the G-8000, the 919 has a toroid and those oval filters, while the 717 is a true dual mono design. While I don't know the exact technical details yet, I think the 717's symmetrical design pays dividends. Too bad Sansui didn't build upon the 717 to make the 919.