What receiver to concentrate on?

[n8nagel]

Hi all,

I have three, yes three, different quad receivers. All need work. Trying to decide what to concentrate on fixing.

1) Sansui QRX-7001. This one mostly works, need to clean the mode switch and figure out why the front channels are swapped - I'm thinking I messed something up when I replaced the relay.

2) Marantz 4270. Friend of mine gave it to me, and I managed to track down a CD-400 and also a SQA-2B board. Unfortunately this one has been in the shop more than an old Triumph. I had high hopes for this because I was thinking of adding a two channel power amp to build a higher powered quad system than the 7001.

3) and the dark horse. A Kenwood KR-9940. This one I've had for years kicking around in the back of a closet. Two dead channels. I'm thinking in the years since I've acquired it though, I might have a stab at fixing it as my skill level has improved.

Of those three, knowing that all three need repair, which would you use? The 7001 works OK, but the front speakers in the quad system are Infinity RS-5bs and I can't help but think that they'd open up better with more power than I'm getting out of the 7001.

 

[Circular Vibes]

Of the three units you list, I would work on the Sansui first. There is more info out there and more people to ask for help along the way. That way you can listen to it while working on the other two. The Sansui has the better QS decoder, SQ is listenable. The Marantz will have better SQ, but QS will suffer. The Kenwood likely has poor matrix decoders but the CD4 should be okay. Perhaps make your decision on what matrix albums you have the most of or listen to most. If you put DSOTM in SQ on repeat but have 300 QS records, I'd go for the better SQ decoder. I think they are all worth saving, but only you can decide which sounds best to you. I have a few quad receivers, the Sansui is my backup to a JVC 5456X. A Sylvania RQ3748 is in my garage waiting for possible restoration. I also have an Akai in the garage that works well, but has no tone controls for the rears and it takes DIN style plugs. It is always okay to have more than one useful quad receiver as older equipment goes on holidays and need to see the doctor on a regular basis.

 

[n8nagel]

I actually mostly use it for watching TV through an interesting lashup of an Oppo 105 and a HDMI switch. The Oppo downmixes whatever I feed it to 4.0 and outputs analog audio to the aux in of the receiver. I can't really decide what sounds best as only the Sansui is basically functional

 

[hobie1dog]

Fix the issues with the Sansui.

 

[rawmacias]

I a big fan of Sansui quad hardware , so my vote is the 7001. If you match up the receivers spec's to a matching set of speakers , you should get very good sound. I am using a 7001 with SP1200's (Sansui's) and I can't turn the volume more than half way. The sound is clear .

 

[leevitalone1]

Don't know who is working on the stuff-but there is a national company that is factory auth. to do most of them, United Radio. They charge is flat rate no matter what is wrong with the unit. May be worth checking?

 

[M-D-Z]

I do not have anything useful to say to help you decide which of those three models to go with, other than to confess that I am prejudicially partial to the Sansui brand in general.

Before spending time and money on the restoration of one of your lovely vintage quad pieces, you might consider a whole different path.

I have found an alternative route by choosing one really good standalone quad decoder, there are several good models to pick from, and then to pair up two relatively equal vintage stereo receivers.

My vintage quad setup has a QSD-1 feeding into a Sansui G-9000 rcvr up front, and G-801 in the rear to four vintage Allison Two & Eight speakers.

Some advantages going this route that might be of interest to you:
• More latitude in your choices for selecting a high quality quad decoder/processor.
• More choices for affordable or plentiful, or more powerful amps/receivers.
• Four discrete radio inputs.
• Any isolated component failure won’t require you to send off the whole sha-bang in the mail for repairs.

Disadvantages, of course you would have to completely start over with your system buildup.

Perhaps, go for broke and sell all three quad receivers as they are, for a project funding head start.

Why I went this route?, I felt I could shape my final results with pieces that don’t confine the system to a single branded assemblage of decoder/amplifier/FM/AM/preamp/etc., I can use whatever combo I like - such as mixing freely between Sansui, Denon, SurroundMaster, Tate, Pioneer, Marantz, Crown, Sony, you get my drift.

Mind you, I have never owned even one quad receiver, despite always having wanted to purchase a nice clean QRX-9001- just to compare and play with, it’s just that after building my old school quad setup using dual matching stereo receivers, buying a unitized quad receiver just didn’t seem cost effective for what I’d be likely to get in return in sound quality.

If you give this approach some thoughtful consideration, and you decide it’s simply not for you, at least you can say later down the road that you’ve considered it before shelling out for the restoration process ahead.

If this response above seems way out in left field or absurdly off topic, it truly wasn’t meant to be, it’s just that I was thinking how for me, having a good plan that promises to best satisfy achieving the objectives and goals should begin with deciding what not to do with as much care as arriving at what direction to move toward.

 

[furui_suterioo]

i have a kenwood 9940 its dusty but fully functioning, ive never tried cd-4, but i have about 50 matrix lps and lots of dvd-a and dts downloads from the internet which i play in discrete mode through a pair of 1980 sansui 3 way speakers which have 15 inch woofers for rear and a set of fishers of eqaul size for the front. It is capable of re-arranging my neighors furniture, but i dont . The matrix decoder works well especially qs lps, the sq works well when synthesizing quad from stereo, of course it has slightly less seperation than my 4 channel recordings decoded from tate or adobe audition(which i have mistaken for discrete at times on good recordings). I really want to clean out the dust its my house is full of smoke but i dont have a work station or any experience

 

[rawmacias]

i have a kenwood 9940 its dusty but fully functioning, ive never tried cd-4, but i have about 50 matrix lps and lots of dvd-a and dts downloads from the internet which i play in discrete mode through a pair of 1980 sansui 3 way speakers which have 15 inch woofers for rear and a set of fishers of eqaul size for the front. It is capable of re-arranging my neighors furniture, but i dont . The matrix decoder works well especially qs lps, the sq works well when synthesizing quad from stereo, of course it has slightly less seperation than my 4 channel recordings decoded from tate or adobe audition(which i have mistaken for discrete at times on good recordings). I really want to clean out the dust its my house is full of smoke but i dont have a work station or any experience

Now here's a workstation!

 

[KeithD]

The Sansui is the only one of those that is worth focusing on. I'm sure all of them could do discreet 4 channel just fine. But the Sansui is the only one that will take a two channel source and create a "synthesized" 4 channel sound field with any satisfaction. Your 7001 was the last iteration of Sansui's synthesized quad that gave the best channel separation. It just won't get any better than that.

As far as using two receivers, you can do that, but you already have the quad receiver, so why bother. Second, a QSD-1 are tough to come by, expensive, and lack anything but Sansui QS. A QSD-2 are even rarer, expensive, but do add SQ in addition to QS decoding. Third, two receivers plus and external decoder is going to be more expensive than repairing the 7001.

 

[rawmacias]

The Sansui is the only one of those that is worth focusing on. I'm sure all of them could do discreet 4 channel just fine. But the Sansui is the only one that will take a two channel source and create a "synthesized" 4 channel sound field with any satisfaction. Your 7001 was the last iteration of Sansui's synthesized quad that gave the best channel separation. It just won't get any better than that.

As far as using two receivers, you can do that, but you already have the quad receiver, so why bother. Second, a QSD-1 are tough to come by, expensive, and lack anything but Sansui QS. A QSD-2 are even rarer, expensive, but do add SQ in addition to QS decoding. Third, two receivers plus and external decoder is going to be more expensive than repairing the 7001.

I concur! That's my big word for today!

 

[Quadchuck]

This may sound strange but I have derived my best pleasure out of working on my receivers and associated hardware than actually using them.
Now I have a Quad set-up in both bedrooms and dining room and Den and Living room.....it is in word ridiculous, but each receiver has it's blessings and curses....just like different cars or even the same car in a different style

 

[n8nagel]

So an update. I never came back to this because I just didn't think about it.

The Marantz may be a total loss. I took it to two different techs, I swear it was working when I got it back from the first tech but I then found a SQA-2B for it and kicked it in quad mode and the rear channels worked all weird. 1st tech gave up, took it to another well regarded, slightly less local shop. Guy replaced volume control (unrelated) because he said it had dead spots, and also replaced balance controls and a handful of caps. Gave it back to me again, saying he couldn't fix it. Well not only did he not fix it, the tuner was messed up again (1st tech had fixed the tuner and it was working great.) Took back to 1st tech now tuner works but I am getting massive bleed over from any rear input to all other inputs (that is, if I hook up a CDP, I can hear it on every input. Only the tuner is isolated from the other inputs) and this bleedover is at a constant volume, unaffected by the volume control. Another day maybe.

So I took the QRX out to test the Marantz. Rather than just put it right back in I took it apart and sure enough some wanna be tech had screwed up the tacked-on wires on the bottom of the speaker relay even though he drew a diagram before starting and the diagram was correct. Wanna-be tech's initials are NJN. Might wanna stay away from that guy I also got some D5 into the 4 channel mode selector switches and amazingly now discrete mode reliably passes all four channels. I REALLY did not want to have to remove that board as it looked like a bit of a project. Put some F5 in the rest of the controls while I was in there and voila. It's now back in the bedroom but without Special Instructions.

Same tech #1 above still has the Kenwood. He's not sure if he can fix it but I let him take his time because when he does get motivated for a challenge he does fix some stuff. But hey right now I'm only in it for $20 so there's that.

 

[n8nagel]

Also: Quad receivers are HEAVY. Especially when the installed location is exactly at the opposite corner of the house from your work table.

 

[Quadchuck]

I've always wanted a Kenwood 9950? the biggest model but I don't need any more stuff now. I can barely move my QX949, but my Harmon
Kardon 800+ and Pioneer qx646 are ok in weight.
I have 2 Pioneers that have 5.1 direct inputs so I use them as quads and being newer designs they don't have the weight or worn out pot or transister/cap issues

 

[n8nagel]

9940 I believe. It's the one I have. Where are you? I'm in Rockville. I will have a hard decision to make if tech fixes it, I don't need three monster quads, the only one I deliberately bought was the Sui, the others fell into my lap.

 

[Quadchuck]

well you need at least 2 quads in case one fails, like a Transformer or major damage.