Sansui Thrift Store Find

[dr8track]

For years I've enjoyed listening to my quad recordings through Sansui SP 3500 speakers. They are a fantastic sounding vintage quad era speaker. I bought them from a friend back in about 75. They came out the same time Sansui was manufacturing their qrx series quad receivers.
Just last week I got a call at work from my wife. She was at the local St. Vincent DePaul Thrift Store and wondered if I'd be interested in a really huge pair of speakers that looked just like my 3500's. I asked her to check the model number on the back panel and they were Sansui SP 5500's. I was not familiar with the 5500's, but told her to make them an offer. They wanted $250 for the pair. While I had her on the phone I checked a few Ebay auctions to see what these sell for. The last pair went for $537. The pair before that sold for $895. Then they still had to ship the things!! They must weigh a hundred pounds each. The thrift store came down to $198!!
We have a PT Cruiser and my wife told me they were too big to fit in the back with the seats down. She said I'd have to pick them up on my way home in our pickup. I figured she was exaggerating, but when I stopped by on my way home I couldn't believe it. These things are huge!! My 3500's are dwarfed by them. It's almost comical how large they are. They have a 15 inch woofer and the cabinets stand almost three feet high. I assured her I wouldn't set them up in the family room where I have my quad system w/ the 3500's. I said I could use them for a "second" system in another room with less traffic. But I did want to hook them up to give them a listen.
I had my Nilsson Schmillson Quad reel already threaded up so I played Jump Into the Fire. These speakers are incredible!! At that point I was sold. No matter how ridiculously large they are, they're staying in my family room and will replace my front pair of 3500's. We spent the evening listening to sound surroud dvd's; Moody Blues at Royal Albert Hall and Eagles, Hell Freezes OVer.
So, though my wife sometimes complains about my quad music, I will be forever grateful for her excellent find.

 

[JonUrban]

You, my friend, have an EXCELLENT wife!!!

:wave

 

[GaryP]

Agreed: you've a fantastic wife!

And congrat's on your find!

 

[fdrennen]

Agreed: you've a fantastic wife!

And congrat's on your find!

Yes, My wife has told me that if I bring home any more electronics from the good will she would put me and all of my electronics outside. As a joke I said "are you going to throw out an extension cord" She did not speak to me again that evening.

 

[Obbop]

Yes, My wife has told me that if I bring home any more electronics from the good will she would put me and all of my electronics outside. As a joke I said "are you going to throw out an extension cord" She did not speak to me again that evening.

Reading the old audio magazine in the depth's of the library's dungeon I read an article written around 1977 about quad's demise. The writer included a quote from an audio salesman who stated it was his opinion that wives and girl friend's were a major contributor to quad's death. The salesman said that he heard many females gripe bitch and moan about there being another pair of speakers in the living room..... griping, complaining moaning and groaning until the male walked away from the quad gear and returned to the stereo section.

Sigh......... the wimpification of the American male.

Asking the local audio repair store owner around 8 years ago why he believed quad died (he has since retired) he told of remembering well the neat quad stuff he used to see but that over the years he saw fewer and fewer quad units. It was his opinion also that females griping about the expense of quad and the extra speakers that curtailed the amount of quad goodies sold. He told me this without my mentioning what I had read in that old magazine.

So...... if ye have a female-type human that tolerates or even endorses your quad stuff treasure her for surely she is a rare breed!!!!!!!

:banana:

 

[MacDaddy]

I have four of the SP 5500X speakers. They are the speakers I bought when I first got into quad back in 70s. If I remeber correctly I paid $1200 Canadian for all four , back then the Canadian and American dollars were close par. You can't go wrong with SP 5500, they sound great.

 

[soesbeout]

I as I hang my head in shame, I also admit to keeping the peace by stashing those extra two speakers away beacuse there's JUST NOT ROOM IN THIS LIVINGROOM and THAT RECIEVER DOESN"T FIT IN ANYTHING.But the fire never died and the last kid finally moved OUT,I have the whole dang kids room to myself.I'll never turn it down and who cares if the cops show up,I outlasted them all. Haha. :51banana:

Ken

 

[bizmopeen]

My wife tolerates my multichannel jones (poiltely rolling her eyes and muttering "that's nice, dear" when I gleefully played her a few of my favorite selections), but is not fond of it herself. She always cites the time, soon after I had hooked up the ProLogic setup in the living room, that she was watching a scary movie alone and heard keys jingling behind her. She practically shot through the roof, thinking that some maniacal stalker had invaded our living room.

Turns out it was a sound effect in the rears. Boy, did I hear about that one for a long time...

 

[dr8track]

I have four of the SP 5500X speakers. They are the speakers I bought when I first got into quad back in 70s. If I remeber correctly I paid $1200 Canadian for all four , back then the Canadian and American dollars were close par. You can't go wrong with SP 5500, they sound great.

I've seen many of the X series Sansui speakers on Ebay. My speakers are actually the sp3500 and sp5500 series, not the X series. The grills are the major cosmetic difference, but I believe the speaker set up isn't identical either. I've always assumed that the X series of speakers were an earlier series than the plain SP series. Something about the X design speaker grills that look like they're from an earlier era to me. I think my original two pair of SP 3500's were purchased around 1974 or 75.

 

[GaryP]

Huh. Looks like being a quad or surround fan can be dangerous....

Well, one cannot let that slide, can one? Maybe I'll bring in 12 speakers, live in H. for a while, and cut it down to 5.1 or something. That sould win me some points....

Anyone wanna try this one out first?

 

[The Quadfather]

My wife can't complain. I had just purchased my Audionics Space and Image Composer back in 1979 when I met her. I was already a quadraholic. Since I was just getting into it, I was very enthusiastic at the time. However, except for a few arguements about speaker placements in apartments, she has generally been supportive. Oh, and she wouldn't let me get the Altec Lansing "Voice of the Theater" speakers a friend once tried to sell me. (could you imagine four speakers each 4X4X4feet?) Instead I settled on JBL 4311's. I still use them today. I remember those Sansui speakers and I do recall that their sound was extraordinary! She is still supportive, and it makes it much nicer. And she has no interest in sitting in the sweet spot. You don't want 'em to be TOO supportive.

The Quadfather

Huh. Looks like being a quad or surround fan can be dangerous....

Well, one cannot let that slide, can one? Maybe I'll bring in 12 speakers, live in H. for a while, and cut it down to 5.1 or something. That sould win me some points....

Anyone wanna try this one out first?

 

[moeszizlak69]

I recently purchased a pair of SP X9000 for Aus$167.50 off eBay.

The seller lived about 5 streets away and he delivered them.
I'm still really happy about that.
moe

 

[Scottmoose]

Those were great speakers, nice warm ballance and actually posessing some bass. I keep thinking about it whenever I see some on Ebay. My own setup changes depending upon which speaker prototypes I'm running. At the moment, it's got 4 rear-loaded corner tractrix horns based on a Terry Cain design, fed from a hybrid Sansui reciever / Nelson Pass Son of Zen power-amps. They're not small... 70"x9"x18" (HxWxD) Sounds good though!

Best
Scott

 

[Sansui Louie]

SPX2500's, SPX7500's, SP2000's, SP1500's (2 pr), AS-200's here...

 

[JimIsbell]

I found a pair of these SP-5500s in a thrift store a year ago for $20 each. I didn't have the slightest idea if they were any good or not but they weighed like they were worth at least $20 each so I bought them. I am glad to hear I didn't make a bad bargain.