Question From New Sansui QRX 9001 Owner

[dr8track]

I just picked up a Sansui QRX 9001 and I'm checking out the functions to try to determine what is working and what is not working, since it's pretty common that the 9001's have issues without being worked on.

With a 4 CH reel hooked to the PLAY inputs on the rear I'm able to get playback on all 4 channels when the TAPE MONITOR switch is in the 4 CH TAPE position. So, all is good there. Even though I have a copy of an owners manual, what is confusing me is how to access the AUX modes. I know you are supposed to switch the AUX SELECTOR switch to the ON position to activate the AUX selector that allows you to choose between PHONO, FM AUTO, FM MONO & AM. Is the AUX ON switch supposed to cut the signal from the TAPE MONITOR INPUT? For instance, if I'm playing a 4 channel tape with the TAPE MONITOR switch selected to the 4 CH position and then if I flip on the AUX SELECTOR to the ON position, shouldn't that cut off the sound to the 4 channel tape?

I'm trying to figure out how to hear any of the modes you can choose using the AUX SELECTOR. When I have the AUX SELECTOR switch ON I can still hear the 4 Channel reel playing. With the AUX SELECTOR switch in the ON position, when selecting FM AUTO and tuning to a station I can see a meter reading on the SIGNAL meter and the TUNE meter, but I can't hear any sound out of the AUX SELECTOR mode.

With the AUX SELECTOR switch in the ON position and PHONO selected (and with my turntable plugged into the PHONO input in the rear, I hear nothing.

How do I hear those AUX SELECTOR sources, PHONO, FM AUTO, FM MONO, AM? I'm wondering if this is a case of operator error of if that whole AUX selector circuit just isn't functioning?

 

[quadsearcher]

I haven't used that model but Tape Monitor usually overides any other input. So, switch Tape Monitor off and see what it does?

 

[dr8track]

I'll post some pics tonight because even if you own one of these, my written explanation of the problem is probably confusing. @:

 

[Q8]

Does the tape monitor have an option for off? As long as the tape monitor is on, the output of the reel deck will trump everything, as it is monitoring the tape, just as it would if you were recording, if you were recording, you would hear the input to the aux, cause its recording that, and playing it back through the tape monitor. As long as tape monitor is on, you are only going to hear output from the reel deck. The key is turning the tape monitor off if you want to hear aux (unless you are recording aux). (I think my answer is as confusing as your question)

 

[quadsearcher]

Looked at the manual. Aux on/off overrides the selector, the front panel graphic is misleading. I would expect to usually see Aux as one of the settings on the Selector. Anyway, it looks like set both tape monitor switches to Source, Aux set to Off, Selector to FM, and you should have radio playing.

 

[dr8track]

Does the tape monitor have an option for off? As long as the tape monitor is on, the output of the reel deck will trump everything, as it is monitoring the tape, just as it would if you were recording, if you were recording, you would hear the input to the aux, cause its recording that, and playing it back through the tape monitor. As long as tape monitor is on, you are only going to hear output from the reel deck. The key is turning the tape monitor off if you want to hear aux (unless you are recording aux). (I think my answer is as confusing as your question)

I swiped a pic online to show the AUX SELECTOR section.

In answer to your question, yes, as you can see in the pic there is an ON and OFF switch for the AUX SELECTOR. Also, the 4 Channel input is not tied to this AUX selector. You select 4 Channel playback by flipping the TAPE MONITOR switch to the 4 CH position. So, with the TAPE MONITOR in the 4 CH position the 4 Channel plays out of all 4 speakers. And, the confusing part is that it continues to play out of all 4 speakers even when you flip the AUX SELECTOR switch to the ON position. Logically, is seems that flipping the AUX SELECTOR to ON would cut the sound to the 4 CH and would allow you to hear the AUX options which are FM radio, PHONO or AM radio.
But that's not how it's working.
If I stop the 4 Channel and just work on trying to get the various AUX functions to work I don't get much. With AUX SELECTOR ON and the selector set for FM radio... nothing. Set to PHONO with record playing... nothing. However, on the rear of the unit there is a 2 CH AUX input that allows you to took up an additional stereo feed that can run through that AUX mode. When I plug a stereo deck into that and when I flip the TAPE MONITOR switch to SOURCE (with the AUX SELECTOR switch still in the ON position) I get a left channel signal and a very faint signal in the right channel. That's the only sound I've been able to get out of the unit with the AUX SELECOTOR in the ON position.

 

[Q8]

Also, this picture shows the tape monitor switch, which in the picture, is set to middle, which I assume is off (between 2 channel and 4 channel). I have poorly circled the switch



Here it is without my cruddy circle

 

[Q8]

My guess, is that to hear radio and whatnot, tape monitor has to be set to source and aux has to be off, and the know has to be set to what you want it to be on (such as radio). Switching aux on, does not allow you to select radio functions, it switches it to the aux input on the back of the unit (like an aux input to connect your 8-track player or cd-4 demodulator or what have you). Aux is a whole other connection on the back. If you flip aux on, it wont allow you to hear the radio, phono and whatnot.

 

[dr8track]

Looked at the manual. Aux on/off overrides the selector, the front panel graphic is misleading. I would expect to usually see Aux as one of the settings on the Selector. Anyway, it looks like set both tape monitor switches to Source, Aux set to Off, Selector to FM, and you should have radio playing.

Hmmm.... OK, not sure I've tried it in that particular configuration. I'll play around with it a bit more when I get home. I do have to say, after having a Pioneer QX-949 for decades, the Sansui inputs and selectors and knobs make very little sense. Pioneer is WAY more logical. Not to mention the fact that the Sansui has less inputs in the rear than the Pioneer. You can hook up three 4 Channel components on the Pioneer. As far as I can tell on the Sansui you can hook up one.

 

[dr8track]

My guess, is that to hear radio and whatnot, tape monitor has to be set to source and aux has to be off, and the know has to be set to what you want it to be on (such as radio). Switching aux on, does not allow you to select radio functions, it switches it to the aux input on the back of the unit (like an aux input to connect your 8-track player or cd-4 demodulator or what have you). Aux is a whole other connection on the back. If you flip aux on, it wont allow you to hear the radio, phono and whatnot.

Ahhh.. you could be right. Maybe the only function of that switch is to select that stereo AUX input in the rear. It's only turning that AUX input off and on, not the sources of FM, PHONO or AM. Not a real logical design, but I think you are right. Will test more tonight.

 

[Q8]

And congrats on snagging a 9001!

 

[dr8track]

And congrats on snagging a 9001!

Thanks. It's still TBD on whether is will be a blessing or a curse. That will depend of course on how many more dollars I have to shell out to get it running properly. I know one thing for certain, I'm finding someone local to work on it. Not sending it off with the chance of it never returning. Been there, done that.
By the way, bought it off Craigslist from a guy in Texas. He originally bought it from a guy in Oregon. I'm in Washington. So, it's back home in the NW now.

 

[Doug G.]

Sure is pretty. Just like almost all quad equipment. But Q8 is correct. The AUX switch selects the AUX inputs in the "ON" position and lets you select the other inputs in the "OFF" position.

If the tape monitors are set to "SOURCE" you will hear whatever source you select on the input select (PHONO, FM, etc.). If you switch the tape monitors to the other positions (4 CHANNEL TAPE, 2 CHANNEL TAPE) you will hear the tape output from the tape deck(s).

Doug

 

[dr8track]

The AUX switch selects the AUX inputs in the "ON" position and lets you select the other inputs in the "OFF" position.

Yes, thats the part that threw me. Now I'm anxiously watching the clock so I can go home and fiddle with it some more.

 

[Doug G.]

You should leave work NOW, go home, and fiddle with it NOW. Priorities.



Doug

 

[Doug G.]

Quadsearcher is right too. Normally, you would see AUX as one of the positions on the selector along with PHONO, FM, and the others. Why Sansui did it the way they did, I don't know. There may be a specific reason or they couldn't source a rotary switch with more positions.

Doug

 

[dr8track]

Quadsearcher is right too. Normally, you would see AUX as one of the positions on the selector along with PHONO, FM, and the others. Why Sansui did it the way they did, I don't know. There may be a specific reason or they couldn't source a rotary switch with more positions.

Doug

Yes, that's how the Pioneer QX-949 is set up, with the AUX as a selection on the Selector knob. So, it was confusing. Tick tock. Only an hour and 45 minutes to go.

 

[Q8]

I agree that it would have made a whole lot more sense putting AUX on the rotory selector switch. Like 99% of other audio gear with a rotary selector switch.

One possiblity I could think of was that maybe the AUX doesn't pass through the matrix/CD-4 circuitry at all, and that you can't select between QS/CD-4/4-Channel stereo (or whatever options) for the AUX. It could possibly be completely seperate from the other stuff.

Maybe they thought it would look cooler with more lever switches.

 

[dr8track]

OK, with all the info you helpful folks gave me I got it figured out finally. Everything works to some degree. I can hear the PHONO input now, not completely in all surround modes. The only one that works completely is the HALL mode. I can hear front and rear channels in that mode. In HALL, QS, SQ I only hear the rear channels. In CD-4 I hear the rear channels and the R front channel. So, I'm pretty certain that most of the issues will be resolved by cleaning all the switches and buttons. I gave the quad selector push buttons a couple doses of DeOxit and worked them many, many times hoping that would clean up the dirty connections. Unfortunately, the SELECTOR rotary knob is under a circuit board and not as easily accessible. Same with the TAPE selector switches. No easy access. I think those are dirty and causing some problems too. 2 CH AUX input worked on one channel last night and now both have dropped out. FM radio can be heard faintly when selected.
Unfortunately, my quad selector push button cleaning made no difference at all. I was hoping that some of those would start working after using the DeOxit. I will just plan to take it in and have it checked out since I need some bulbs changed and have zero technical skills in this area.
So, all in all, it's looking promising. Nothing seems to be completely dead.

 

[Doug G.]

OK, good deal. Keep at it and all four channels will reawaken.

Doug