😲 OMG Thank You so much Conor I'm Speechless ! I just can't believe the labor of Love/Passion you put into Audio in General ' You went way beyond Expectations ' I love how your so meticulous and thorough -Its been a true Honor One thing I have learned from being a Vintage Enthusiast is Techs on your level of knowledge and Craftsmanship are a dying breed Hate to be so harsh but its the Truth ! ' Speechless ' Wowizers' 🎉
@@brianhammer5107 Ohh Yeah Marantz 6100 is ready , Can't wait to Spin some Vinyl Conor took amp to a crazy level what I call Master Resto (Hot Roded) Video Coming Soon ' B4/After. But me looking for a Reel to Reel player because music starts out ANALOG ' 😆
@@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120 No idea who that is. Try out something like a 1965 Coltrane album, or King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, mid-period Yes, classic Grand Funk ...
Thank you Thomas for the kind words! If you ever need anything, please reach out to me via the email on my page. I’d be more than happy to help you out. Thanks again!
Looks to have more inductance and capacitance than many modern amps costing north of 5k. Amazing the quality of the "budget" gear of old. Clean and simple.
My Adcom 555 amplifier that I owned in the eighties had this kind of power supply and then some( I thought that it could do short-term 2ohm bursts of 900 watts) for I think six hundred bucks and change. The person who purchased it from me still owns it and told me he has no issues with it. Find that hard to believe but hey, he's not a fanatical audiophile and if it's working, that's good enough.
I owned a Sansui AUG99X Integrated Amplifier and I loved it. I let it to my stepson and he "blew it up" I asked him to give it back so I could get it fixed and he had thrown it out. I don't talk to him much any more.
Very comprehensive! Thank you for going over the finer details such as part numbers of tools and concentrations of suitable isopropyl alcohols. The demonstration of how to re-finish the RCA sockets was genius! I'm going to grab some simichrome now! Thank you mate!
This is simply phenomenal work! This is the first time I have seen a person who does his job so meticulously and efficiently. I really regret that you and I live on different continents. I would really like to use your services. You are truly a hero!
Man, this is great. I have an AU-717 that was given to me as a gift 46 years ago!! Not in as great of cosmetic shape, and unfortunately got a less-than-stellar repair job several years back...in fact, they actually butchered the case a bit while it was in the shop. Nothing awful, just a disregard for an amp that was with me literally all my life. These things were $375 when I got mine. Obviously, a great design for its time.
That was an absolute masterclass, you are a wizard. That AU-717 is an absolute UNIT! You do fabulous work, thanks for sharing your tips. I have a TU-517 and TU-717 that I use nearly daily and wow is it a musical combination. The Pre-Power switch on the back was sketchy on mine and it took a week of giving it a daily spray of Deoix and and actuating the switch a dozen times while the sat on it's left side one day, and it's right side the next back and forth for about a week and now years later it is still preforming wonderfully.
I've got an AU-717, TU-717 and an AU-919. I don't use either one anymore, but they are cosmetically perfect and at some point, I'm going to go through them. Both are wonderful sounding integrated amps and the tuner was superb for it's time.
WOW!!!. This is the most amazing restoration video I have seen. Beautiful, clean, lovely and meticulous work demonstration. I loved, how clean your workbench is. I have a restored AU-717. Not as clean from the inside as you have some the work. As someone said, there are very few people left who really knows the vintage gears and has so much depth of knowledge. Keep up the good work.
Your standards are high and I see that you care. You really enjoy this work and it shows in your work ethic. I also restore vintage amplifiers in the UK and Im always looking what other engineers are doing to improve my game. I really enjoyed watching this 717 restore and I know you must have alot of happy customers.
SANSUI AU 717 probably the best integrated amplifier 100 watts and under ever made. Recently had mine re capped (SANSUI glue damage) cost me around £550 and well well worth every penny. Serious piece of amp.
I can tell that you take great care and pride with this type of Stereo HI FI Restoration. This Sansui Amplifier Sounds & Looks Fantastic!! I would have thought it was Brand New. Keep going 👌🇬🇧
Again, great video, keep up the greate work and effort to get outstanding results, you seem to love this hobby very much, thanks for sharing it, looking forward to the next video.
my friend and I both got ourselves the 717 amplifiers this month. They both are in good cosmetic shape but the insides needed work. He sent me this link and I must say this is the best vdo for the amp. Impressive work and vdo . I have sansui 919, and several others too. I think 717 is a keeper.
Incredibly meticulous work! Great to see someone with the passion to bring these vintage gems back to life. If I may make a suggestion? Perhaps you could try some sort of fixed mount for your camera? Sometimes the movement panning around is a slight distraction. Thanks, and keep up the great work!
Wow! What an amazing job! And no ICs! It takes a lot of patience to do what you do. I'm a tech head and have been told I'm a stickler for detail. To do what we do, we need to be sticklers for details!
Wow.. awesome work sir, thanks for sharing the video, i'm so speechless. It's really inspired me to restore my au-717, for its already 2 decade broken. I hope i can make my dream come true. Keep up the great job sir👍 & God bless 🙏
Nice work. Very thorough. I recently worked on a Rotel RTC 850 that had a ton of corrosion from the glue. Lots of components with leads that were so corroded they crumbled off of the components. Lots of time involved in that repair.
Bravo Connor ! Museum quality work ! I can only dream of ever obtaining 10% of your skills. I repair welding equipment for my meager living. I hope whoever you work for is rolling out the red carpet every morning for you. All the very best to you and yours, Kevin
Workmanship is beyond great! Wonderful! Wonderful job....rebuilt completely...I'd like to have some my stuff renewed. Keep up the fantastic work and keep these videos coming 👍👍
Extraordinary work. Very meticulous. Down to the last detail. Congratulations. You have a lot of patience. It would have been nice to be able to do a before and after AP analysis to see the improvement in objective terms. This Sansui is a perfect candidate for an ASR test.
Thank you for your kind words! I strive to achieve a fine level of attention to detail. The distortion measurements were a bit better after finishing the restoration. The self noise was however the biggest improvement. It would be interesting to see how it measures on Amir’s rig, but it likely wouldn’t be too inspiring and would likely not get a thumbs up from the ASR crowd. They don’t like any distortion at all.
Not sure if I mentioned this in one of my posts but I have a vintage (1987) original Sony GX10 ES receiver I purchased 1987 and, as all are aware receivers and amps back in the day ran very hot. The best solution I've ever found are cooling solutions from ACInifinity. My unit sits atop the GX10 and exhausts out the rear of my cabinet. One of the nicer features of vintage audio are ac outlets switched/unwitched and I have my cooling unit switched when the receiver turns on. Thanks again for all the great videos.
Che bellissimo apparecchio, un lavoro certosino e di competenza superiore. Capisco quanto lavoro c'è dietro aldilà del video, ma li ci vogliono tante settimane per pulire recappare e sostituire tutti i condensatori le resistenze i diodi, assolutamente con cognizione di causa e non a caso. Lavoro da gran Maestro 👍🏻💯 P. S. Ora mi iscrivo subito al tuo canale😂👍🏻💪🏻
You really have done a great job of restoring the AU717. It was the amplifier I almost purchase when it was first out, instead I settle for the AU317. Still a very good amp and I had to service it myself after several trips to where I bought it due to my sisters blowing one of channel by leaving the loudness switch on when they turn it on. lol. I ended up fixing it myself and it been working ever since. You gave good tips on on cleaning the the tools for removing the rivets. Good video and first time subscriber.
I bought one of these to use as a master Amp in my home recording studio back in 1990. In 2002 when it stopped working I threw it in a skip. Wish I hadn't done that now.
Hi there! This is fantastic. I was searching for a video on how to restore a Sansui AU-3900, which had been causing some trouble some time ago. Then I thought, 'Why not try to learn it myself?' So, over time, I gradually purchased more tools such as a soldering and desoldering iron, a multimeter, a tone generator, a lab power supply, and a scope. Now I've started to familiarize myself a bit with the theory. Since I know little about electricity, I began with a children's book. It works perfectly for me. It's not as intimidating as most other books I had found. Furthermore, I have a Sansui AU-719 that seems almost the same as this 717. Once I gain more experience, it seems enjoyable to recap that one as well. Greetings from Leon.
Excelente trabajo Prime HIFI. So lo te puedo decir que 100 puntos. Yo creo que valdría la pena instalarle un circuito de arranque suave para que el interruptor de encendido no se dañe con el tiempo, es circuito bastante simple con un relé.
@@stephencrozier396 I did suggest that to him actually but he said it's not his thing. He's done some fantastic work on some of my vintage CB radios. Anyway enjoy the rest of your evening bruva
Great job, work place is as pristine as job in amp done. Pleasure to watch . Future amp owner will have next 30 years trouble free and shoul keep this video.
I'm stunned by this fantastic restoration, and excellent video. I was told about it in a comment by tee-jay, and thoroughly enjoyed watching this. I've now learned a lot about how to do it right. I've also read the excellent AudioKarma thread you've done on this. And yet you work full-time, and still manage to put the time and effort into these restorations, that is amazing. I recently purchased a partially restored AU-517, but it's nothing near this level. Great job!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the kind comments. TeeJay is the man. He’s loving this amp now. I’m very busy but still love to upload videos. More to come soon!
Excellent production merits on the video . That late 70s amp was from Sansui's Golden Age. About component upgrades , notably semiconductor devices such as regs, transistors. Unless you are sure the component was abused / is damaged, or measures out of spec ... semis DON'T wear out . And often, newer semis are built to lower quality standards than old/orig. This is one reason NOS, or used/good-cond semis are eBay'd at high prices.
Thanks for the kind comments! Replacing transistors can sometimes be necessary even when seemingly working. Transistors do indeed become noisy, lose gain, fail overtime depending on things like environmental factors. Corrosion is also a big issue. In this case, replacing the transistors lowered noise floor and distortion significantly. Usually I don’t replace every single transistor, but these Sansuis are well known to contain troublesome transistors. It’s best to get them all out while in there working anyway. Thanks again for commenting!
My late wife had one before I met her. It has outlived her and I use it every day. But sometime back in the early 2000s it developed a problem--it would not come out of protection mode when turned on. I eventually figured out that the goop used to secure large components such as power supply capacitors had become conductive enough to bridge traces on the PCB.
😲 OMG Thank You so much Conor I'm Speechless ! I just can't believe the labor of Love/Passion you put into Audio in General ' You went way beyond Expectations ' I love how your so meticulous and thorough -Its been a true Honor One thing I have learned from being a Vintage Enthusiast is Techs on your level of knowledge and Craftsmanship are a dying breed Hate to be so harsh but its the Truth ! ' Speechless ' Wowizers' 🎉
So happy to complete this restoration for you TJ! I’m very excited for you to get it set up in your system and take a listen.
@@PrimeHiFi You done an amazing Job I am super fired up !!
@@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120 I hope you have some records that will really push the amp when you test drive it post-refurb.
@@brianhammer5107 Ohh Yeah Marantz 6100 is ready , Can't wait to Spin some Vinyl Conor took amp to a crazy level what I call Master Resto (Hot Roded)
Video Coming Soon ' B4/After.
But me looking for a Reel to Reel player because music starts out ANALOG ' 😆
@@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120 No idea who that is. Try out something like a 1965 Coltrane album, or King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, mid-period Yes, classic Grand Funk ...
This is insanely well done. You are a grandmaster at this. I seriously wish you live close by.
Thank you Thomas for the kind words! If you ever need anything, please reach out to me via the email on my page. I’d be more than happy to help you out. Thanks again!
Glad to see you here Thomas. Missed you at Apoxna. Next year!
Looks to have more inductance and capacitance than many modern amps costing north of 5k. Amazing the quality of the "budget" gear of old. Clean and simple.
My Adcom 555 amplifier that I owned in the eighties had this kind of power supply and then some( I thought that it could do short-term 2ohm bursts of 900 watts) for I think six hundred bucks and change. The person who purchased it from me still owns it and told me he has no issues with it. Find that hard to believe but hey, he's not a fanatical audiophile and if it's working, that's good enough.
I owned a Sansui AUG99X Integrated Amplifier and I loved it. I let it to my stepson and he "blew it up" I asked him to give it back so I could get it fixed and he had thrown it out. I don't talk to him much any more.
😢
He probably sold it!
Very comprehensive! Thank you for going over the finer details such as part numbers of tools and concentrations of suitable isopropyl alcohols. The demonstration of how to re-finish the RCA sockets was genius! I'm going to grab some simichrome now! Thank you mate!
Thanks! Glad you liked it and found it helpful!
This is simply phenomenal work! This is the first time I have seen a person who does his job so meticulously and efficiently. I really regret that you and I live on different continents.
I would really like to use your services.
You are truly a hero!
Man, this is great. I have an AU-717 that was given to me as a gift 46 years ago!! Not in as great of cosmetic shape, and unfortunately got a less-than-stellar repair job several years back...in fact, they actually butchered the case a bit while it was in the shop. Nothing awful, just a disregard for an amp that was with me literally all my life. These things were $375 when I got mine. Obviously, a great design for its time.
That was an absolute masterclass, you are a wizard. That AU-717 is an absolute UNIT! You do fabulous work, thanks for sharing your tips. I have a TU-517 and TU-717 that I use nearly daily and wow is it a musical combination. The Pre-Power switch on the back was sketchy on mine and it took a week of giving it a daily spray of Deoix and and actuating the switch a dozen times while the sat on it's left side one day, and it's right side the next back and forth for about a week and now years later it is still preforming wonderfully.
I've got an AU-717, TU-717 and an AU-919. I don't use either one anymore, but they are cosmetically perfect and at some point, I'm going to go through them. Both are wonderful sounding integrated amps and the tuner was superb for it's time.
Which one sounds better 919 or 717 ? Have you compared with the 11000?
WOW!!!. This is the most amazing restoration video I have seen. Beautiful, clean, lovely and meticulous work demonstration. I loved, how clean your workbench is. I have a restored AU-717. Not as clean from the inside as you have some the work. As someone said, there are very few people left who really knows the vintage gears and has so much depth of knowledge. Keep up the good work.
Thanks so much for the kind words! I really appreciate it. I’m glad you enjoyed the video and the restoration process. More to come soon!
Another restoration done beautifully. Keep up the great work 🙏
Thanks homie 🤌🏼
Your standards are high and I see that you care. You really enjoy this work and it shows in your work ethic. I also restore vintage amplifiers in the UK and Im always looking what other engineers are doing to improve my game. I really enjoyed watching this 717 restore and I know you must have alot of happy customers.
Great video highlighting your very meticulous work and obvious love for these units.
SANSUI AU 717 probably the best integrated amplifier 100 watts and under ever made. Recently had mine re capped (SANSUI glue damage) cost me around £550 and well well worth every penny. Serious piece of amp.
Looks like you maybe in the UK, in which case, who did you use to do the work please?
New subscriber; exceptional work, I love the old vintage gear, build quality is unmatched.
Beautiful job. It was like watching Rembrandt paint one of his masterpieces.
Another amazing job,i wish to find in my country one repair guy to work like you.....Congrats !!!
Thank you!
This video has just killed the vintage audio market. Amazing work. Well done
I could watch these kinds of videos all day long. Nice work - the technical and the video. Thanks.
Marvelous restoration, well done 👍
Amazing job!!!! great to see everything being done and it turned out looking like new 😀😀👍👍
Well done injoyed watching this restoration great job beautiful out come !!
Hour long videos are fine. They're very informative and it doesn't feel like an hour
The phrase concourse restoration comes to mind. Very nice work indeed. 👍😊
I can tell that you take great care and pride with this type of Stereo HI FI Restoration. This Sansui Amplifier Sounds & Looks Fantastic!! I would have thought it was Brand New. Keep going 👌🇬🇧
Many thanks!
So cool that Sanusi comes with wheels! - could use that when moving my AW-250R
Amazing restoration
What an awesome, all-encompassing video. Great job!
Fantastic restoration, Conor!
Thank you Sean! I also really appreciate the shout out on your stream last night! If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to shoot me an email!
Amazing work!
Again, great video, keep up the greate work and effort to get outstanding results, you seem to love this hobby very much, thanks for sharing it, looking forward to the next video.
Thank you for the support! More videos to come soon!
A great moment of restoration !!!!! Very good job !!!!! Congratulations !!!!! 👍👍👍👍🙂
Best restoration video I have seen. Everything done with so much love, attention and care. THANK YOU.
I have never seen a restoration like this before , Appreciate your patience and dedication ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you! Cheers! More to come soon!
I have three of these units. Two were restored by a guy who did a nice job.
Stunning restoration.
my friend and I both got ourselves the 717 amplifiers this month. They both are in good cosmetic shape but the insides needed work. He sent me this link and I must say this is the best vdo for the amp. Impressive work and vdo .
I have sansui 919, and several others too. I think 717 is a keeper.
Very nice! Thanks for watching!
My parents had the AU 117, I love this old amplifier.
Very impressive restoration and helpful commentary
Incredibly meticulous work! Great to see someone with the passion to bring these vintage gems back to life. If I may make a suggestion? Perhaps you could try some sort of fixed mount for your camera? Sometimes the movement panning around is a slight distraction. Thanks, and keep up the great work!
Yeah, a fixed cam please!!!
Wow! What an amazing job! And no ICs! It takes a lot of patience to do what you do. I'm a tech head and have been told I'm a stickler for detail. To do what we do, we need to be sticklers for details!
Wow.. awesome work sir, thanks for sharing the video, i'm so speechless. It's really inspired me to restore my au-717, for its already 2 decade broken. I hope i can make my dream come true.
Keep up the great job sir👍 & God bless 🙏
Nice work. Very thorough. I recently worked on a Rotel RTC 850 that had a ton of corrosion from the glue. Lots of components with leads that were so corroded they crumbled off of the components. Lots of time involved in that repair.
Super job on this, thanks for sharing all this!
Great job. Well done. Keep it up.
Incredible work as always man. Great work on the documentation as well 🤌🤌🤌
Appreciate it brother 🤌🏼🤌🏼
I really liked your work!
All I can say is wow, you are great at this,
Congrats!! Great job!!!!
Great job again. That's quality equipment now.
Awesome video…excellent work!!!!!
Bravo Connor ! Museum quality work ! I can only dream of ever obtaining 10% of your skills. I repair welding equipment for my meager living. I hope whoever you work for is rolling out the red carpet every morning for you.
All the very best to you and yours, Kevin
Thanks Kevin! Really appreciate the support! Cheers
That's a superb job!
Great job you made!
Workmanship is beyond great! Wonderful! Wonderful job....rebuilt completely...I'd like to have some my stuff renewed. Keep up the fantastic work and keep these videos coming 👍👍
Thanks! Will do!
A Sansui AU717 is a beauty already, but what you did here is outstanding. Wow!
Don't make'm like this anymore
Thanks!
Beautiful work!!
Thank you! Cheers!
Nice work on one of my favorite integrateds of all time.
Well done bro, this is amazing 👏.
Perfect job, congratulations
God bless you bro, you're a true angel for this lovely Sansui.
The best repairs i've ever seen. So much details and knowledge always showing passion and love. Keep going. Congratulation !!!!
Extraordinary work. Very meticulous. Down to the last detail. Congratulations. You have a lot of patience.
It would have been nice to be able to do a before and after AP analysis to see the improvement in objective terms. This Sansui is a perfect candidate for an ASR test.
I will have a subjective video I listened unrestored for 2 years 😃
Thank you for your kind words! I strive to achieve a fine level of attention to detail. The distortion measurements were a bit better after finishing the restoration. The self noise was however the biggest improvement. It would be interesting to see how it measures on Amir’s rig, but it likely wouldn’t be too inspiring and would likely not get a thumbs up from the ASR crowd. They don’t like any distortion at all.
Not sure if I mentioned this in one of my posts but I have a vintage (1987) original Sony GX10 ES receiver I purchased 1987 and, as all are aware receivers and amps back in the day ran very hot. The best solution I've ever found are cooling solutions from ACInifinity. My unit sits atop the GX10 and exhausts out the rear of my cabinet. One of the nicer features of vintage audio are ac outlets switched/unwitched and I have my cooling unit switched when the receiver turns on. Thanks again for all the great videos.
Great work buddy!
Thanks Tim!
Great video, love the detail.
Glad you enjoyed it! Cheers
Che bellissimo apparecchio, un lavoro certosino e di competenza superiore.
Capisco quanto lavoro c'è dietro aldilà del video, ma li ci vogliono tante settimane per pulire recappare e sostituire tutti i condensatori le resistenze i diodi, assolutamente con cognizione di causa e non a caso.
Lavoro da gran Maestro 👍🏻💯
P. S. Ora mi iscrivo subito al tuo canale😂👍🏻💪🏻
Excellent work 👌
Wow!! Pretty sure it is better than a brand new one!!!! Amazing work, a passion for sure!! 🙂
Beautiful work....
fab work!
Beautiful work .Subscribed .Your an electronic artist .
You really have done a great job of restoring the AU717. It was the amplifier I almost purchase when it was first out, instead I settle for the AU317. Still a very good amp and I had to service it myself after several trips to where I bought it due to my sisters blowing one of channel by leaving the loudness switch on when they turn it on. lol. I ended up fixing it myself and it been working ever since. You gave good tips on on cleaning the the tools for removing the rivets. Good video and first time subscriber.
Thank you! Cheers!
Great job
Just a show of support. Rock on!
Top job!
I'm a glazier and there's a liquid that we use called Aluma Black and I do vintage audio restoration and works really good on black faceplates.
I bought one of these to use as a master Amp in my home recording studio back in 1990. In 2002 when it stopped working I threw it in a skip. Wish I hadn't done that now.
That’s a shame!
It's a shame that this brand has disappeared. It made very good quality, well-built, ultra-reliable and very musical appliances ! 🥲
So professional !
Es maravilloso el trabajo hecho en este amplificador Sansui, quedo hipnotizado viéndolo, enhorabuena, buen trabajo
Hi there! This is fantastic. I was searching for a video on how to restore a Sansui AU-3900, which had been causing some trouble some time ago. Then I thought, 'Why not try to learn it myself?' So, over time, I gradually purchased more tools such as a soldering and desoldering iron, a multimeter, a tone generator, a lab power supply, and a scope. Now I've started to familiarize myself a bit with the theory. Since I know little about electricity, I began with a children's book. It works perfectly for me. It's not as intimidating as most other books I had found. Furthermore, I have a Sansui AU-719 that seems almost the same as this 717. Once I gain more experience, it seems enjoyable to recap that one as well. Greetings from Leon.
Thank you! Good luck and have fun with your journey in electronics!
beautifull restoration work, congrats
Excelente trabajo Prime HIFI. So lo te puedo decir que 100 puntos. Yo creo que valdría la pena instalarle un circuito de arranque suave para que el interruptor de encendido no se dañe con el tiempo, es circuito bastante simple con un relé.
Masterful work. Your attention to detail and dedication is commendable. And I thought Mend it Mark was good… I will explore your other videos now
Amazing amounts of work and such a joy to watch as usual! Wish you lived in the UK 🇬🇧
Plenty of brilliant tecs on these shores mate🌚 I'd put my guy here in North London up against this guy all day long. Great work by the way mate
@zukispur5493 I don't doubt it mate! But will he start a UA-cam channel lol
@@stephencrozier396 I did suggest that to him actually but he said it's not his thing. He's done some fantastic work on some of my vintage CB radios. Anyway enjoy the rest of your evening bruva
Magnificent work
Great job, work place is as pristine as job in amp done. Pleasure to watch . Future amp owner will have next 30 years trouble free and shoul keep this video.
Thanks!
This was very cool.
Man, you do some really nice work.
Thanks Danny
It took me me a week or two to rebuild mine and its tuner. I wish I had a video years ago when I did mine.
looks like you take your time and do good work i have a AU -517 i may want you to rebuild for me
This is cool. I have a 717 that needs to be rebuilt.
Bravissimo....complimenti!!!
This amplifier has a good panel layout design
Wonderfull work, so much effort.
That is a beast ! 💙
Bravo. Travail magnifique par un maitre sur un ampli sérieux.
I'm stunned by this fantastic restoration, and excellent video.
I was told about it in a comment by tee-jay, and thoroughly enjoyed watching this. I've now learned a lot about how to do it right.
I've also read the excellent AudioKarma thread you've done on this.
And yet you work full-time, and still manage to put the time and effort into these restorations, that is amazing.
I recently purchased a partially restored AU-517, but it's nothing near this level.
Great job!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the kind comments. TeeJay is the man. He’s loving this amp now. I’m very busy but still love to upload videos. More to come soon!
Excellent production merits on the video . That late 70s amp was from Sansui's Golden Age. About component upgrades , notably semiconductor devices such as regs, transistors. Unless you are sure the component was abused / is damaged, or measures out of spec ... semis DON'T wear out . And often, newer semis are built to lower quality standards than old/orig. This is one reason NOS, or used/good-cond semis are eBay'd at high prices.
Thanks for the kind comments! Replacing transistors can sometimes be necessary even when seemingly working. Transistors do indeed become noisy, lose gain, fail overtime depending on things like environmental factors. Corrosion is also a big issue. In this case, replacing the transistors lowered noise floor and distortion significantly. Usually I don’t replace every single transistor, but these Sansuis are well known to contain troublesome transistors. It’s best to get them all out while in there working anyway. Thanks again for commenting!
My late wife had one before I met her. It has outlived her and I use it every day. But sometime back in the early 2000s it developed a problem--it would not come out of protection mode when turned on. I eventually figured out that the goop used to secure large components such as power supply capacitors had become conductive enough to bridge traces on the PCB.