MISC: Sansui X-2 QS Decoder

[surround.sound.enthusiast]

Keeping in the spirit of Quad First and JonUrban, here's the Sansui X-2 that Quad First spoke of. This unit is not mine, but one that auctioned in January of 2013, and sold for nearly $238.00. I've only ever seen this one, which looks like it was either a demonstration sample or prototype. What struck me was how un-Sansui it looks.

Rarity: ULTRA RARE

Average Sale Price: $?????

 

[ChristopherLees]

yes but it's sansui on the inside!!!....especially since it was my auction

and in at least the last 12 years it's the only one we know of...older photos from a previous owner are from the same serial number

 

[surround.sound.enthusiast]

Well, that's neat tie-in! That means between you and Quad First, the QQ community knows of two of these units. Unless they actually won it from you, then there'd only be one known of - even more amusing!

I'm often trolling Ebay for such oddities and rarities, in between my regular searches, and save off history on these kind of auctions.

 

[ChristopherLees]

I bought it originally in 2004 and the next time it was offered on ebay was when I sold it with my auction in 2013..

ClarkNovak in 2004 stated..."IIRC, this was going to be one of the bits of the Sansui Quad FM system that was "adopted" in 1978. They were going to sell them to radio to decode QS discs in the studio. But they never got past a test run with the gear."


And Disclord in 2011 stated ....."and The X2 is Vario-Matrix - it's a "clone" of the D2 for the UK and European market and the unit the BBC modified for Matrix H decoding."

I haven't seen any quadfirst posts about this....another photo exists at one of Mark Anderson's discography pages http://www.surrounddiscography.com/quaddisc/quadQVM.htm and in google you will see the previous owner of my unit (same serial number) asking about it's heritage and value in April 26 2004 just before he listed it on ebay and sold it to me http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/38682-6-info-needed-sansui-channel-decoder

Now sound wise it is very good....comparing some of Cai's decodes from QSD-1 with my X-2 I couldn't really tell any difference...and in many cases I had not only the same title but also the same pressing most noticeably with Ram (as I have the same Gold Cd in my collection) it sounded the same...

 

[surround.sound.enthusiast]

Interesting backstory on this model, I never researched it after I saw it. And now I'll have to look over Disclord's older post, because I haven't heard of the D2 model either (still Sansui I assume).

Quad First mentioned the X-2 at the start of the thread for the X-1, which JonUrban started on his behalf. That prompted me to start a thread for the X-2 also. Perhaps Quad First can add a little more to the story on this model as he is an owner of one of these according to the X-1 thread and his profile.