# Looking for speakers to match with oldskool sansui AU-217??



## XC-C30

Hi,

I recently bought a nice '78-'79 oldskool sansui AU217 and TU-217 combo. The amp is currently driving some HT front set, and though it doesn't sound THAT bad (surprisingly) I am looking to build some nice set for it, but I'm not sure which drivers to use. Looks like the amp is particularly mid-boost, but I'm not sure since I'm not sure on the sound of the speakers. I do notice a huge difference in dynamics turning on the loudness switch. It doesn't get boomy or bassy or anything, but actually the response is very smooth in comparisson with the loudness switched off, which gives a very boosted mid, as I said before. The amp doesn't seem to be the most analythic either, but rather has a slightly warmer sound.

So this gives me 2 options on combinations:

1. Using the loudness and get some neutral or even slightly colder drivers.
2. Not use the loudness and get some drivers that rather lack in mid-reproduction.

I like a very detailed, yet layedback sound. I won't be using a sub, but rather looking for a 2/3-way setup that can handle the lower frequencies, since I don't really have the space either to put a sub and I don't have the extra amp to feed it(and won't be building an active sub either). Doesn't have to handle the -40Hz frequencies nesseseraly, but it would be a plus though.

As far as the budget goes..... just not too sickening  

I was personally looking at the HDS tweet And for the low end doubting between HDS exclusives, vifa PL, scanspeak revelator..... Though the revelators are pretty expensive, so I'm not sure.

Edit: yes I know the drivers are all totally different in characteristics, but since I'm not sure what the amp actually does, I'd like some input. 

Grtz Xenia


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## Spasticteapot

The AU-217 was very good for its day, and is still quite a lot better than most of what you'll find sold for less than $300. 

I'm guessing that you might have relatively old speakers - all the "loudness" setting does is increase the output at very high frequencies and very low frequencies. The "Warmth" of old solid-state equipment is usually a combination of decreased power and increased distortion at high frequencies - some people like it (usually tube-amp owners), while I can't stand it.

A pair of three-ways with a cheap tweeter (hi-vi K1), inexpensive mid, and some great big woofers would likely suit you quite well, especially if you like subwoofer-less bass. If you can find them, I'd reccomend buying a pair of Pioneer HPM-100s or older Yamaha speakers from before they started making rubbish.


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## XC-C30

Spasticteapot said:


> The AU-217 was very good for its day, and is still quite a lot better than most of what you'll find sold for less than $300.


couldn't agee more! It's my 3rd sansui and I owned A mid '80's technics too (which wasn't all that great, but hey..... I got it for free) 




> I'm guessing that you might have relatively old speakers


Nope, they're just crappy all-in-one home theatre speakers:blush::blush::blush:




> all the "loudness" setting does is increase the output at very high frequencies and very low frequencies.


Yeah, I know. That's why it was leading me to think the amp is pretty boosted in the mid-region when the loudness is turned off, but does sound pretty linear when loudness is turned on.




> The "Warmth" of old solid-state equipment is usually a combination of decreased power and increased distortion at high frequencies - some people like it (usually tube-amp owners), while I can't stand it.


It's not tubeamp-like, it's just not pure cleanlyness either




> A pair of three-ways with a cheap tweeter (hi-vi K1), inexpensive mid, and some great big woofers would likely suit you quite well, especially if you like subwoofer-less bass. If you can find them, I'd reccomend buying a pair of Pioneer HPM-100s or older Yamaha speakers from before they started making rubbish.


Yeah, I was thinking of 3-way also. But why would you go with cheap gear? the amp isn't great (compared to my 2 previous sansui's that were pure PORN), and indeed better than many things you can find nowadays. But that doesn't justifies the choice for cheap speakers I think. I've read the tests on the K1 on zaph, and according to that test it SUCKS (and other hi-vi tweeters aren't THAT great either. I'm pretty sure on the peerless HDS which is pretty laidback, although I might go for something a little brighter like a vifa XT or something. I totally love the scanspeak 21w, but it's pretty expensive and I'm afraid it'll sound boomy with this amp, although it isn't overly warm sounding. Too bad a 12M does cost alot too.

I was also looking into testing some tangband drivers (28-847s, W6-623c).Any thoughts on those and maybe some other recommendations?

As far as subless bass goes: can live with it, can live without it..... The scab 21W does both though


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## Spasticteapot

XC-C30 said:


> Yeah, I was thinking of 3-way also. But why would you go with cheap gear? the amp isn't great (compared to my 2 previous sansui's that were pure PORN), and indeed better than many things you can find nowadays. But that doesn't justifies the choice for cheap speakers I think. I've read the tests on the K1 on zaph, and according to that test it SUCKS (and other hi-vi tweeters aren't THAT great either. I'm pretty sure on the peerless HDS which is pretty laidback, although I might go for something a little brighter like a vifa XT or something. I totally love the scanspeak 21w, but it's pretty expensive and I'm afraid it'll sound boomy with this amp, although it isn't overly warm sounding. Too bad a 12M does cost alot too.
> D


The Hi-Vi K1 - used with the right crossover - can be very good indeed. (You're thinking of the X1R, which really was awful.)

Unlike car speakers, where drivers are always in less-than-optimal positions and getting a flat frequency response is a nightmare, home-audio speakers have it relatively easy. With a suitably clever crossover, excellent sound can be had from less than stellar drivers. 

I'd reccomend building a pair of Wolf's MN-14s. 
(scroll to the bottom)
http://home.mchsi.com/~iowadiy2007/superbudget.html

I don't have the plans, but you can often find him in the chatroom at speakchat.net.


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## XC-C30

Thanks spastic. I'll be measuring out the space where they need to fit in a couple of weeks (small trailer/caravan, stuffed with some nice gear soon hopefully  ). Yes indeed, audio is more important to me than having a nice home, so I just bought the beat up thing to restore and go live in it  and left my apartment today.


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## XC-C30

UPDATE: I've hooked up the amp to a set of sony speakers that I previously hooked up at a marantz PM7200KI, which is already a pretty warm sounding amp.... Well, with the marantz it sounded pretty fine.... Now with the sansui in place, it still sounds way too warm for me.... so...... Probably attempting a search for some alu or glassfiber drivers soon.


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## Spasticteapot

XC-C30 said:


> UPDATE: I've hooked up the amp to a set of sony speakers that I previously hooked up at a marantz PM7200KI, which is already a pretty warm sounding amp.... Well, with the marantz it sounded pretty fine.... Now with the sansui in place, it still sounds way too warm for me.... so...... Probably attempting a search for some alu or glassfiber drivers soon.


A pair of these might work:
http://www.partsexpress.com/projectshowcase/indexn.cfm?project=Daylum


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## coke

Look for a set of Dynaco A25 or A35 speakers.

My dad had the A35 with close to top of the line Sansui receiver back in the 70s and said it's one of the best setups he's ever heard. We are still using the Sansui, but i can't remember the model right now. lol, that thing has to weigh over 50 pounds. Planning on replacing the old SEAS drivers in the Dynaco speakers soon to bring his old system back to life.


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## XC-C30

And we're back..... Just an update. Haven't bought any drivers yet, but I have found an old pair of techics speakers for 15euros D)..... Immediatly opened them up because the woofer looked familiar..... According to the model number, it could very well be a vifa unot, and it does sound in that direction. The fullrange speaker that is being used I'm clueless about, but it sucks anyway.

So I'm thinking of going active since I'm picking up another amp on wednesday (not gonna say which one...... I'm leaving this one for you to guess in chad's "amp goodies" thread ).

And I got a marantz 2270 receiver at hand too (yes, I do collect goodies ) that I can use for now (it's a different color so it will have to go again in time )


amp setup gonna be as follows

new amp 2x30watts: low-end (looking at some 10" or 12" units that can handle, reggae, dub, ska, roots.... 350/400 a pair or less would be nice..... I was even looking at some monacor units that where about 240 a pair...... Doens't have to be expensive..... And as I said before, the scan 21w's are pretty expensive and they go for about 400, and will sure sound boomy on the amp they will be hooked up on!)

sansui au-217 2x30watts: mids (anybody has any experience with the hi-vi M3N?)

yarland fc34cIIISA 2x10watts tweets (since I can kiss the HDS tweets goodbye, I'm looking for a smoot, bright tweeter that doesn't get muffled by the amp..... horn? vifa xt19?.....fostex ft17h?.... anyway, around €150 or less a pair

Mind you the yarland is a tube-amp, so the HDS tweeters probably won't work very well

And one last question, for a 2-way though...... anybody has any idea if the SS 21w/8554.00 is suitable for 2-way application? On BMM-Electronics it sais recommended frequency range: 23-4000Hz...... So I'd think it should work, if I crossed at.... let's say 2.5K or something, or maybe even 3K with a less steep slope?.....

If this is the case, I'd probably go with those + a nice tweeter and I can add a mid lateron eventually (gives me the time to save up some money, because I got other costs too, you know..... It's not all about audio )


And now I'll stop, before you guys think I can't make up my mind and start beating me up or something


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## ca90ss

XC-C30 said:


> So I'm thinking of going active since I'm picking up another amp on wednesday (not gonna say which one...... I'm leaving this one for you to guess in chad's "amp goodies" thread ).


right click>properties>ftw
http://www.classicaudio.com/value/san/AU555A.html


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## XC-C30

haha, yeah. Iwas too lazy to put it on a webspace or something.


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