NAD/Sansui question

[metalbob]

Any thoughts on NAD products? I am hoping to get into some better (not ridiculously expensive) audio equipment over the next year and have read good reviews on the following preamp and was wondering what the general consesus was:

http://www.nadelectronics.com/PreAmp/C160.html

I am currently using a pretty unexciting Pioneer integrated amp w/a receiver, but have been using a Sansui AU-7900 to do LP transfers and I have been very happy with them. This amp is integrated, but also has a preamp output that I use with my soundcard. I used this years ago, before I realized what it was and had bad speakers etc. It was sitting in my parents basement and for some reason, the headphone jack doesn't work (which is a bit of a problem to do declicking on LP transfers) and some of the pots and switches are scratchy, which I am sure can be cleaned. But, I am currently thinking about tearing apart my whole system and rebuilding with this in it and seeing how it works out. I am currently using a Boston Acoustics 7 satellite (or bookshelf, not sure of exactly what series it is) system with a bass tube in the corner.

Several friends said this is a good piece, but my mother expects me to give this back at some point, but I can probably get away with it for a good year or so. Needless to say, it isn't worth it to have this fixed (at least it doesn't seem to be considering I actually have to give it back) and I may be without a receiver for a while (that's at the parent's too), unless I run my Pioneer integrated in for a radio signal.

BOB

[Larry]

I had some NAD equipment in my college days. For the money, I think
NAD and Adcom are hard to beat. The NAD endured several parties and probably more abuse from my roommates than I know about, but I never had any problems with it. I sold this to a friend of mine and as far as I know it is still in his system today.

Sansui - wow, haven't heard or thought about that name for a long time.

[stereo71]

Hi Bob:

I can't advise you concerning NAD...

But, I have some experience with Sansui gear. The
AU-7900 and it's close cousins are some of the best
transistor integrated units Sansui made. They were
very conservatively rated, quality engineered amps,
no junk parts inside. If it's original and still
working, I'd offer the folks $50.00 for it, spend
another $50 for a good tech to clean the pots and
switches, check for bad or drifting caps, touch-up
the solder joints in the power supply section, and
fix the headphone jack, and rock on for another
20 years. I've had a couple of these and they're
built like tanks! Pretty neutral sound too, when
they're working right.

Pick up a used tuner for FM if you need it, and you're
set.

--Roger

[metalbob]

Thanks for the tip! Actually, they have a "matching" Sansui receiver to go along with it! To be quite honest, they will probably forget about it and proably already have. But, offering them some $ will at least let them know I haven't forgot. It certainly needs some work and will probably not be worth the trouble to them.

[stereo71]

If by matching receiver you mean a TU-7900 tuner,
and it works also, I'd say you already have some
of the best. In my opinion, having owned and fixed
a lot of this vintage Sansui gear over the years,
it is well worth checking out, and worth keeping.
*Beware* that Sansui made a lot of stuff over the
years, some of which was, shall we say, of questionable
value. These units, though, were some of their best.

PM me if you want the long version.

--Roger

[metalbob]

I think the TU-9000 might be it. I haven't seen it in a while.

Thanks for the advice. I feel a bit awkward asking my mom to sell them to me, but I did buy her the new Paul McCartney CD and a new Sony CD Walkman for Christmas that she won't shut up about, so maybe now is a good time!

BOB

[stereo71]

Go for it! Hey, if it's the TU-9900, it's the
bad boy of tuners. The TU-7900 was its little
brother. Both damn good.

--Roger