Hello friends!
I have a probably pretty oddball question, but it is a true and strange dilemma. I am blessed to have a Sansui 9001 that’s been restored. I am also blessed to have an unrestored Marantz 4400 with the SQA 2B card, and even its hardwired remote, which I don’t really use, but love having. So recently I switched out the 9001 to play the Marantz more. Hence the need to downsize – I can only play one system at a time and really don’t have that much space. So I’m just keeping one quad system with an extra Q8 deck and an extra demodulator. I have the techniques SH- 400 demodulator as well as the Marantz one and I will periodically switch them out. I also have my favorite turntable to Marantz 6300 with an AT20SS cart. So here’s the deal:
I actually feel like I love the sound of the Marantz in it’s on restored state. Now there’s probably one bulb out or something, but may be just dim. I have heard some people have the opinion that once you restore them it changes the sound and I don’t want to invest in restoring it while I have a perfectly restored 9001. But I will consider that and it may be the answer. I am wide open as to what course of action to take. However I guess that could muddy the water and increase options.
Knowing that the 9001 should operate well for a long time to come, but also knowing the Marantz may or may not do the same, in its current state of never being touched by restoration, if this were your situation or if you’ve been through similar, which would you choose to keep? And more importantly, why?
And other relevant information is that I definitely know that Jim Showker’s family is carrying on and should be a ready reference for any future needs for the Sansui to keep working well, but I have not yet researched help in either restoring the Marantz or having it fixed at some point. I am on the East coast, so shipping to someone on this coast might make that more doable. And would you be someone that chooses to go ahead and restore the 4400 and sell the 9001, if I seem to prefer the sound of it with my particular system? And I can’t really articulate why I think it sounds better by a bit, but maybe it’s just the Marantz legacy. Of course the Sansui is also awesome as is its legacy. I did actually find that the Marantz, unrestored, did not have scratchiness in any of the volume controls or dials, even though it had been sitting for a while on a rack but unused for a year or so. The Sansui gets more use, and does have the holy grail demod situation, confirmed by Jim, and has new boards that I replaced with Jim Showker’s help, but yet will sometimes have scratchy knobs, which I just use deoxit on, but did love the Marantz needing nothing after sitting, even. I’ve had both units probably 20 years and don’t know their past so maybe the Sansui just was more finicky. And I live in a humid environment, but obviously they both do too. so, don’t limit yourself to either choice a or B, if you have any suggestions, across-the-board, no holds barred, and things I may not of thought of, please advise.
I don’t know why, but it is so very hard to part with these pieces of equipment that I love, but I am slowly pairing down to just one system and I need to stay on that path. I would sure appreciate any advice you may have from your personal experience, and hope you don’t mind sharing your own opinion. I haven’t found there to be haters on this site who would disparage you for caring to comment. I know people are passionate, and I actually love hearing from the impassioned because it can influence a person. So I hope you will share any relevant experiences or what you would do in such a situation. And I really would love to hear from experienced people who intimately know what this is about on many levels. Thanks in advance for participating! There’s no telling what I’m gonna do at this point, but I’m going to sell one or the other and maybe I’ll end up restoring the Marantz I don’t know. But I want to be informed.
Thanks for reading through this, thinking about it, and helping me with a great problem to have! Take care and stay well and enjoy that quad music! And by the way, the next question is do I let go of my Akai CR80-DSS or Technics RS 858? One is going and both are serviced and working well. Take that on, too, if you’re willing and able! Or just disregard. That will be an easier decision for me than this receiver situation. I bought the Sansui as the beast everyone knows it is and don’t know why I have such attachment to this unrestored 4400. You’d think the restored Sansui would win hands down, and maybe you do. So hopefully I’ll hear from him as many people as possible. Thanks again!
Laura
I have a probably pretty oddball question, but it is a true and strange dilemma. I am blessed to have a Sansui 9001 that’s been restored. I am also blessed to have an unrestored Marantz 4400 with the SQA 2B card, and even its hardwired remote, which I don’t really use, but love having. So recently I switched out the 9001 to play the Marantz more. Hence the need to downsize – I can only play one system at a time and really don’t have that much space. So I’m just keeping one quad system with an extra Q8 deck and an extra demodulator. I have the techniques SH- 400 demodulator as well as the Marantz one and I will periodically switch them out. I also have my favorite turntable to Marantz 6300 with an AT20SS cart. So here’s the deal:
I actually feel like I love the sound of the Marantz in it’s on restored state. Now there’s probably one bulb out or something, but may be just dim. I have heard some people have the opinion that once you restore them it changes the sound and I don’t want to invest in restoring it while I have a perfectly restored 9001. But I will consider that and it may be the answer. I am wide open as to what course of action to take. However I guess that could muddy the water and increase options.
Knowing that the 9001 should operate well for a long time to come, but also knowing the Marantz may or may not do the same, in its current state of never being touched by restoration, if this were your situation or if you’ve been through similar, which would you choose to keep? And more importantly, why?
And other relevant information is that I definitely know that Jim Showker’s family is carrying on and should be a ready reference for any future needs for the Sansui to keep working well, but I have not yet researched help in either restoring the Marantz or having it fixed at some point. I am on the East coast, so shipping to someone on this coast might make that more doable. And would you be someone that chooses to go ahead and restore the 4400 and sell the 9001, if I seem to prefer the sound of it with my particular system? And I can’t really articulate why I think it sounds better by a bit, but maybe it’s just the Marantz legacy. Of course the Sansui is also awesome as is its legacy. I did actually find that the Marantz, unrestored, did not have scratchiness in any of the volume controls or dials, even though it had been sitting for a while on a rack but unused for a year or so. The Sansui gets more use, and does have the holy grail demod situation, confirmed by Jim, and has new boards that I replaced with Jim Showker’s help, but yet will sometimes have scratchy knobs, which I just use deoxit on, but did love the Marantz needing nothing after sitting, even. I’ve had both units probably 20 years and don’t know their past so maybe the Sansui just was more finicky. And I live in a humid environment, but obviously they both do too. so, don’t limit yourself to either choice a or B, if you have any suggestions, across-the-board, no holds barred, and things I may not of thought of, please advise.
I don’t know why, but it is so very hard to part with these pieces of equipment that I love, but I am slowly pairing down to just one system and I need to stay on that path. I would sure appreciate any advice you may have from your personal experience, and hope you don’t mind sharing your own opinion. I haven’t found there to be haters on this site who would disparage you for caring to comment. I know people are passionate, and I actually love hearing from the impassioned because it can influence a person. So I hope you will share any relevant experiences or what you would do in such a situation. And I really would love to hear from experienced people who intimately know what this is about on many levels. Thanks in advance for participating! There’s no telling what I’m gonna do at this point, but I’m going to sell one or the other and maybe I’ll end up restoring the Marantz I don’t know. But I want to be informed.
Thanks for reading through this, thinking about it, and helping me with a great problem to have! Take care and stay well and enjoy that quad music! And by the way, the next question is do I let go of my Akai CR80-DSS or Technics RS 858? One is going and both are serviced and working well. Take that on, too, if you’re willing and able! Or just disregard. That will be an easier decision for me than this receiver situation. I bought the Sansui as the beast everyone knows it is and don’t know why I have such attachment to this unrestored 4400. You’d think the restored Sansui would win hands down, and maybe you do. So hopefully I’ll hear from him as many people as possible. Thanks again!
Laura
