Thanks for the good advice. I'd really like to give this quad thing a try. The Minimus are still standing by but Sansui warns not to include any 4 Ohm units when going A+B. The Stasis owners manuals state likewise. But yep, I wouldn't scoff at a good deal on a top of the line Nak SR-4A.

Back in the 70's I experienced a quartet of Big Advents positioned like compass points with the listeners corraled inside a central field. It was fascinating the one time I heard it. My practical side says just get another set of Minimus and get it over with. But since the a/d/s/ came along it would be heart breaking not to integrate them somehow.

Sansui made a rear channel amp that solves the overload problem and offers user selectable quad technology. On the plus side its got four needle meters which look like fun. But its chromey early 70's cosmetics are tough to take with what I've already got. Something will work out. Meanwhile I'll count my blessings until the right stuff comes along.

rockvirgo December 08, 2011 14:21

Before buying a second set of speakers, consider looking for some high quality speaker stands. Then position your speakers properly away from side and rear walls, if your room would allow it. Add a good subwoofer to fill in the lower register and will experience a and you will experience a lifelike soundstage, with a huge musical presentation that is deep and wide and tall.

If you are eventually going to all Nak look for an amp or receiver that has the 'Stasis' label on it. These are designed by designer Nelson Pass of the famed Threshold and Pass Labs amps. These are Nak's best sounding amps and receivers, and worth the hunt and extra cost for one.

mjcmt December 08, 2011 11:53

Thanks Mjcmt, for your kind words. The new Nak player pushed out an Adcom GCD filled with samey looking buttons and lights. For me the Nak is lots more user friendly.

My dream is to get two pair of a/d/s/ going at once but it looks like I'll need two amps. Dern their 4 Ohm impedance!

rockvirgo December 08, 2011 01:17

That is some good looking gear, and a really nicely assembled system. You must be proud of it. It would be fun to find a Nak pre and power from the same era, or add the matching Sanui tuner.

mjcmt December 06, 2011 23:56

System edited: New CD player! This week like magic, a Nakamichi CDP-2A appeared locally. It wasn't available long, haha. Like sister and brother, the delicate 1988 CR-3A cassette deck stacks well with the robust 1988 CDP-2A. The 2A blasts out an unadjustable 2.5 volts. Am pondering Rothwell or other input attenuators, or not, hmm...

rockvirgo December 04, 2011 18:35

I'll drink to that!!

linnie01 December 02, 2011 22:02

Cheers Linnie. My particular 1988 CR-3A appears to be more cleverly assembled than my 1987. It's a breeze to remove the belt and capstans without disturbing any wire ties. I'd like to think the techs became more elegant as time went by, but who can say why examples vary?

Surely we now live in a golden age where nice Nak's go for $100 and well produced cassette releases can be had for under a buck. While tape shopping I sometimes feel like a member of a secret cabal, haha. Fingers crossed our units keep on going for years to come!

rockvirgo November 29, 2011 17:21

Love seeing you're enjoying the Nakamichi CR-3A.

I bought mine brand new in 1988 and it still works perfectly (in fact I'm enjoying it as we speak).

I still have a ton of music on cassette so why not enjoy it?

Cheers!!

linnie01 November 23, 2011 14:09

System edited: New state, new room, new speakers.

rockvirgo November 22, 2011 17:47

Interesting. My first system in the early '70's was Advents (larger ones before they came out with the smaller version), Dynaco SCA80, Thorens TD150.

I only recently picked up the A25XL's last year and love them. Seems like a better SEAS woofer and tweeter than the Advents. If you buy another Dynaco a25 get the XL version. It is their latest mid '70s version w/ upgraded tweeter, upgraded x-pver, better woofer frame, detachable grill, and 3 position switch on back instead of the 5 position. Same smallish 20"h x 11.5w x10d dimentions.

mjcmt June 06, 2011 12:55

Sadly the Minimus lack the scale to allow the Sansui amp to shine as it did with the same generation, late seventies SP-X7000's.

It's cool you mention Dynaco. In 1970 my first ever real speakers were A-25's driven by the PAT4/Stereo 120 combo. After them came Big Advents. Yep, either would doubtless be a nice match with the AU-517.

rockvirgo June 03, 2011 01:02

Recently I had the AU717/AT717 combo so I can agree that your 517 is the basis for a really nice sounding system. I also had the Minimus, but not at the same time.

I can testify that the the Sansui paired w/ Dynaco A25xl speakers was a combination that had the synergy that audiophiles are after, so if you come across some A25's do not hesitate to make the purchase.

mjcmt June 02, 2011 21:08

I've run and enjoyed a pair of Minimus 7's on the outdoor deck off my main system for years. One of the classic high performance/high value audio products from Tandy/Radio Shack. Yes there were a few winners there over the years.....

mapman June 02, 2011 16:40

System edited: Real audiophiles are a vanishing breed :^)

rockvirgo June 02, 2011 14:13

With an upcoming cross country move in the works I sold off the big Sansui speakers for 85 clams. They will be missed. In their place a pair of bulletproof, black metal cabinet, made in Japan Realistic Minimus 7. Despite their size they're less efficient than the Sansui. And yep, the presentation is small scale. They're not bad though; small footprint, sparkling treble and the imaging is magical.

rockvirgo June 02, 2011 12:08

Thanks alot Lou. Today HomeDepot coughed up a couple of 8x16x4 cap cinder blocks @ $1.02 each. Now the whole 12 inches off the floor, the Sansui are even more flabbergasting.

Finding the X7000's was serendipity. The listing title was an hour old and read only: Large Speakers. The description was no more detailed, merely "large speakers for the speaker bug". Thankfully there was a small pic showing the telltale Sansui lattice. So for 20 bucks I agreed to take them, sight unseen and no questions asked other than "do they work?" I still can't believe how it went down. The next day I sold my precision, haha, JBL 4410 Studio Monitors. They went in one minute.

Here's a useful link that provides clues to Sansui speaker evolution:

www.sansui.us/SP_XSeries.htm

rockvirgo April 02, 2010 18:49

Love it Rockvirgo! I'll have to put the Sansui spkrs on my shortlist :)

In the last 2 years I've been on a quest to find the best sounding pair of spkrs for under $200 and lately have found some real sleepers for much less than that. I've been in the hobby almost 30 years and my systems keep getting cheaper and cheaper with = if not more enjoyment than my more expensive systems.

lou_setriodes April 02, 2010 03:50