I got an integrated for $20.

[Mr Peabody]

My daughter's boyfriend works for a thrift store and he showed me this Sansui AU-9500 they had in the back. It weighs about 50 lbs, looked great and had some cool features, so I told him to get it for me, employe discount. He paid like $5. for it, I gave him $20. because I want him to turn me on to other stuff that might come in. Anyway, it's only rated at 50wpc, it has bass, midrange and treble controls, bass and treble filter switching as well as turnover frequencies for each. I hooked a cdp into the AUX and all the tone controls and switches work great. This piece originally sold for $550. in 1974-76. I hooked it up to a pair of Dynaudio Audience 60's just to see if everything worked and how it sounded. I was impressed, it was clear within it's limits, not much bass slam, the bass did improve a great deal with the loudness on. This amp may do better with a more efficient speaker. Plus when I hooked it up it wasn't in the most ideal listening situation. Oh, it also has 2 microphone inputs on the back. The big 1/4 inch type. I thought that was an interesting feature but back then reel-to-reel was still strong. It also has something called a 4-track adaptor, I suppose again something to do with reel-to-reel, and a input a switch for some type of Dolby NR. It also has preamp ins & outs. Fun huh?

[dean_martin]

Congrats on your bargain. I've got the AU-5900. It may have came out right after your series. I use it for headphone listening at my office. The headphone amp on this thing is very powerful and crystal clear. I do all of my listening with the loudness switched in/on, however. Otherwise the sound is a little thin. Too bad we don't have a vintage forum anymore.

[piece-it pete]

Mr, Peabody,

Hello! GREAT find! This Sansui is actually the TOTL (top of the line) unit from the early '70s. See here:

http://www.sansui.us/AU-9500.htm

"Continuous RMS Power (both channels driven at rated distortion, 20 to 20,000Hz): 75/75W (8 ohms)"

- plus 115 w one channel at 8.

I'll bet at least $150 on eBay. The comments I found at AK and the like indicate rock-solid construction, a quality unit.

Congrats!

Pete

[Mr Peabody]

It's definitely rock solid, it weighs a ton and has high quality switches and knobs. It feels and looks remanissant of a Mac piece. After doing some additional listening the bass response is actually pretty good. This Sansui sounds better than a Luxman receiver from the era that I had. The Luxman sold for about $695. new. It is much much higher quality than a Yamaha amp from the era and about the same price. At $550. this piece was costly for back then but I can tell you it was a good value. The AU-9500 was advanced for it's time, it sounds so much better than most of the vintage gear I've played with. I would say it can still hold it's own against many of todays integrated amps.

[kexodusc]

I'm jealous!!!
The best I've ever found was beat up ol' NAD 3140 with no power switch for $12 or so (got that up and running quick )...That Sansui is a real gem.
I had an old, old early 70's Pioneer integrated that weighed a ton in my office for awhile...bright silver, 40 wpc (if memory serves) it was a real discussion piece with the big VU meters on the front.
Played awesome. Paid $30 for that though. Vintage gear is fun!!!
Congrats on the find!

[Mr Peabody]

You know, I said something about this piece being ahead of it's time, the 70's was the age of silver but this Sansui is black with silver trim, black knobs trimmed in silver.