Dear forum,
I have some Sansui AA3900 speakers that I think may be worth some TLC and experimentation. Think they date back to c1979 and cabinets and drivers appear to be very good condition. I haven't fired them up at all as I want to gen myself up first. Can anyone give me any first hand experience of their merits or otherwise?
cheers,
Beachcomber
I have some Sansui AA3900 speakers that I think may be worth some TLC and experimentation. Think they date back to c1979 and cabinets and drivers appear to be very good condition. I haven't fired them up at all as I want to gen myself up first. Can anyone give me any first hand experience of their merits or otherwise?
cheers,
Beachcomber
Not sure if these will appear as images?
/Users/chrisward/Desktop/Sansui front.jpg
/Users/chrisward/Desktop/Sansui AA3900.jpg
/Users/chrisward/Desktop/Sansui back 2.jpg
/Users/chrisward/Desktop/Sansui AA3900 back.jpg
/Users/chrisward/Desktop/Sansui tweeter control.jpg
/Users/chrisward/Desktop/Sansui front.jpg
/Users/chrisward/Desktop/Sansui AA3900.jpg
/Users/chrisward/Desktop/Sansui back 2.jpg
/Users/chrisward/Desktop/Sansui AA3900 back.jpg
/Users/chrisward/Desktop/Sansui tweeter control.jpg
You need to use the manage attachments button below and link to your pics and upload to post them here.
EH! I think I caught the right pic from the web: Sansui AA3900 corresponds to a
two drive unit, fairly big for today's standards....maybe not- considering the floorstander speaker type.
Being this a freestanding one, it has a huge baffle. The port is also huge.
Tweeter's huge 😛
And the woofer : the inverted surround is a good thing
The metal rings are for cosmetics, but (should) harm the sound
Talkin' about sound...check tweeter's extension >16 kHz
A good mod ( after checking the crossover 🙄 ) would be a supertweeter
or change the tw to a performing one
or put a big ( same as woofer's diameter) waveguide to a strong dome ( Al) tweeter, given the fact that a 8" requires a low crossover freq.
BTW what's TLC ?
Waterfalls? 😀
two drive unit, fairly big for today's standards....maybe not- considering the floorstander speaker type.
Being this a freestanding one, it has a huge baffle. The port is also huge.
Tweeter's huge 😛
And the woofer : the inverted surround is a good thing
The metal rings are for cosmetics, but (should) harm the sound
Talkin' about sound...check tweeter's extension >16 kHz
A good mod ( after checking the crossover 🙄 ) would be a supertweeter
or change the tw to a performing one
or put a big ( same as woofer's diameter) waveguide to a strong dome ( Al) tweeter, given the fact that a 8" requires a low crossover freq.
BTW what's TLC ?
Waterfalls? 😀
The white one seems rather intriguing !
SEOS-8? for domes DIY Sound Group
Just to for example...of how nowadays you make a 8 " with a tweeter.
You can also take some inspiration from
for keeping the cone tweeter.
SEOS-8? for domes DIY Sound Group
Just to for example...of how nowadays you make a 8 " with a tweeter.
You can also take some inspiration from
for keeping the cone tweeter.
Just testing if this link to my gallery works, otherwise people may just have to look at my gallery...assuming that is as easy as it sounds? 🙂
Dear Pico wall speaker,
You've described the AA3900 exactly right. I picked up these speakers a year or so ago, and never quite got around to the point of testing them, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the wide baffle and generous paper woofer could create some magic. Recently heard some incredible Snell A's and a brand new german speaker called the Heco Direkt feeling a bit addicted to wide baffles! 🙂
TLC is short for 'tender loving care' in the UK 🙂
I've not yet played them. Would you recommend the crossover is looked over before any gentle signal is applied, or just start gently with small amp and keep fingers crossed? I've had them in a dry garage for several months, but brought them into the house to make them feel a bit more loved ahead of any testing.
cheers
Beachcomber
You've described the AA3900 exactly right. I picked up these speakers a year or so ago, and never quite got around to the point of testing them, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the wide baffle and generous paper woofer could create some magic. Recently heard some incredible Snell A's and a brand new german speaker called the Heco Direkt feeling a bit addicted to wide baffles! 🙂
TLC is short for 'tender loving care' in the UK 🙂
I've not yet played them. Would you recommend the crossover is looked over before any gentle signal is applied, or just start gently with small amp and keep fingers crossed? I've had them in a dry garage for several months, but brought them into the house to make them feel a bit more loved ahead of any testing.
cheers
Beachcomber
Sansui AA 3900, below.
Looks fun. These sort of speakers benefit from a proper 2nd/3rd order crossover rather than the usual single 3.3uF to the cone tweeter.
Can't see what the bass surround is, often tarred cloth, sometimes rubber roll, but condition is important. What is it? 8"?
Old Japanese speakers often had very good lively drive units.
Looks fun. These sort of speakers benefit from a proper 2nd/3rd order crossover rather than the usual single 3.3uF to the cone tweeter.
Can't see what the bass surround is, often tarred cloth, sometimes rubber roll, but condition is important. What is it? 8"?
Old Japanese speakers often had very good lively drive units.
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Sounds like some wisdom there Steve. Woofer is 8" to outer ring and surround appears to be tarred cloth. Surround is very tacky and drive unit seems to be quite free to move, so figuring all that sounds positive? Tweeter is relatively large. 56mm across to a casual measure. Assuming the crossover will be healthily low, avoiding seam in area where our hearing is most sensitive. But wonder how much upper frequencies it will muster. I've not fired them up as thought I'd get some gen from forum first. Great also to see that Hampshire is hotbed of hifi knowledge. You obviously talk with some authority of adjusting crossover. Was original crossover overly simplistic, or too complex, or do you just think this will suit modern tastes? best regards Beachcomber
Winchester, Hampshire, original capital of England, eh! 😎
I like those old tarred cloth bass units. Here's a sony one. I also like cone tweeters and proper crossovers. You can get a belting sound out of those Sansui AA 3900 units with a bit of modification.
I like those old tarred cloth bass units. Here's a sony one. I also like cone tweeters and proper crossovers. You can get a belting sound out of those Sansui AA 3900 units with a bit of modification.
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Hi Steve, OK you do sound officially knowledgable now 🙂. Are you the person wielding the soldering iron for this work? Am I right that tacky tar is a good thing then? i.e. hasn't dried out and become immobile. Should I just give them a few watts and see what happens or do you recommend I get someone to look at crossover first?
PS Winchester is still capital of England, but we've just let that new fangled London upstart have some PR exposure recently. 🙂
PPS Watched Pompey vs Accrington Stanley in a clash of the titans cup match the other weekend. My brother is a Pompey fan of 40 years and I appear to be some kind of lucky talisman. It was a 1-0 goalfest. 🙂
PS Winchester is still capital of England, but we've just let that new fangled London upstart have some PR exposure recently. 🙂
PPS Watched Pompey vs Accrington Stanley in a clash of the titans cup match the other weekend. My brother is a Pompey fan of 40 years and I appear to be some kind of lucky talisman. It was a 1-0 goalfest. 🙂
Accrington won the cup in 1890 IIRC. LOL
Yup, soldering is what I do.
Here's what I did to a Sony E44 much like yours. Good sound. 3kHz steep crossover.
You could probably use that circuit. I skipped the red components in the end.
Originally it just had a little blue 3.3uF electrolytic on the tweeter. Sounded a bit rough.
Yup, soldering is what I do.
Here's what I did to a Sony E44 much like yours. Good sound. 3kHz steep crossover.
You could probably use that circuit. I skipped the red components in the end.
Originally it just had a little blue 3.3uF electrolytic on the tweeter. Sounded a bit rough.
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