Overview

Sansui (Sansui Electric) is a Japanese audio equipment manufacturer founded in Tokyo in 1947. Under founder Kousaku Kikuchi’s philosophy of “creating high-quality products even at high prices,” the company gained fame for high-quality amplifiers and receivers from the 1950s to 1980s. They led technological innovation with products like the AU-111 released in 1965, featuring the distinctive black faceplate AU series amplifiers, proprietary α-X circuit technology, and the development of the quadraphonic QS system in 1971. However, from the late 1980s onward, they were overtaken by competitors, went bankrupt in 2014, and have currently ceased new product development.

Scientific Validity

\[\Large \text{0.1}\]

Current Sansui has ceased new product development, and no products exist that can be evaluated by modern measurement standards. Past representative products, including tube amplifiers and analog circuits, demonstrate overwhelmingly inferior measurement performance compared to modern digital amplifiers. Tube amplifiers typically show THD+N of 0.1% or higher and a S/N ratio around 90dB, which are problematic levels. Compared to modern high-performance DAC amplifiers achieving THD+N below 0.01% and a S/N ratio above 120dB, they are scientifically inferior. While they may be valued as vintage equipment, they fall far short of modern products under the sole evaluation criterion of fidelity to master sources.

Technology Level

\[\Large \text{0.5}\]

Sansui developed numerous proprietary technologies from the 1960s to 1980s. They adopted advanced designs for their time, including α-X circuits, double diamond differential circuits, and feedforward servo systems. Models like the AU-D101 and AU-D33 implemented a servo system that significantly reduced second-harmonic distortion and were technically acclaimed. However, new technology development has currently ceased, with no adaptation to modern core technologies such as digital signal processing, Class-D amplifiers, and the latest DAC chips. While past technical achievements are recognized, they are outdated by current industry standards.

Cost-Performance

\[\Large \text{0.2}\]

Currently, new Sansui brand products are virtually non-existent in the market, with trading centered on the used/vintage market. For example, a used AU-607MOS PREMIUM sells for around 96,184 JPY. In contrast, a modern amplifier with superior measurement performance, such as the Fosi Audio V3, is available for around 15,000 JPY. The cost-performance score is derived from the price ratio of these products (15,000 JPY ÷ 96,184 JPY ≈ 0.16). Since vintage value and rarity are not included in a pure performance evaluation, the objective performance-to-price ratio is significantly inferior to modern products.

Reliability & Support

\[\Large \text{0.1}\]

Since the 2014 bankruptcy, no official support exists from the original Sansui Electric company. Currently in Japan, Doshisha holds the Sansui brand license, but these are products unrelated to the original Sansui Electric, and no support is provided for vintage Sansui products. While specialized repair shops may handle vintage equipment, cases of irreparable damage due to parts unavailability frequently occur. With no new products, warranty periods and firmware updates are non-existent, placing reliability and support at the industry’s lowest level. They are overwhelmingly inferior compared to manufacturers with current products.

Rationality of Design Philosophy

\[\Large \text{0.2}\]

The founding commitment to “high quality” is commendable, but the adherence to analog circuits and tube technology is irrational from a modern scientific perspective. The tendency to prioritize vintage value and “musicality” over measurable performance improvement prevented adaptation to the trend of achieving low-cost, high-performance through digital technology and software signal processing. With new product development now ceased, there is no response to modern needs such as IoT functionality, app integration, or streaming support. As specialized equipment that can be replaced by general-purpose devices (e.g., a smartphone + external DAC), its significance has diminished, making its design philosophy’s rationality extremely low.

Advice

Those considering Sansui should first clarify their purchasing purpose. For pure sound quality performance, modern high-performance DAC amplifiers (from brands like Fosi Audio, Aiyima, SMSL, etc.) provide overwhelmingly superior measurement performance within the same budget. Only consider purchasing used Sansui products if you prioritize the hobbyist aspect of vintage audio or its historical value. However, with no repair support available, purchase decisions must be made with a full understanding of the failure risks. For practical use, we definitively recommend choosing modern products. For new purchases, products from modern manufacturers are superior in all aspects, including measurement performance, cost-performance, and support systems.

(2025.7.21)