Finally Landed A Goodwill Audio Unicorn!

For the past 18 years I have fruitlessly scoured the electronics shelves in the Portland area hoping to spot a piece of quality vintage gear. Unfortunately, the stockers are trained (if not bribed) to keep anything wood-sided or silver vintage off the showroom floor.

Well today, while searching for a small fridge for my classroom, on the bottom shelf I spied a Sansui AU-717 integrated amp. Not even bothering to test for power I sprinted to the register and plunked down the $25.

Just finished the first level of deep cleaning on the patio, including using a leaf blower to remove the Paleolithic dust buildup. Will use the Deoxit after dinner, then fire it up.
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Review Site_ (((AudioPursuit)))
Founder/Publisher Affordable$$Audio 2006-13.
Former Staff Member TONEAudio
2 Ch. System
Amplifiers: Parasound Halo P6 pre, Vista Audio i34, Peachtree amp500, Adcom GFP-565 GFA-535ii, 545ii, 555ii
Digital: SimAudio HAD230 DAC, iMac 20in/Amarra,
Speakers: Paradigm Performa F75, Magnepan .7, Totem Model 1's, ACI Emerald XL, Celestion Si Stands. Totem Dreamcatcher sub
Analog: Technics SL-J2 w/Pickering 3000D, SimAudio LP5.3 phono pre
Cable/Wires: Cardas, AudioArt, Shunyata Venom 3
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Comments

  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
    You...........suck!!!!!!!!


    B)
    Awesome find, dude.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,024
    youch... nice find.
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,784
    Nice, I wouldn't mind having one of those. Be sure to clean off all the original glue on the boards, highly acidic.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


    President of Club Polk

  • westmassguy
    westmassguy Posts: 6,850
    Very nice find!
    Home Theater/2 Channel:
    Front: SDA-2ATL forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/143984/my-2as-finally-finished-almost/p1
    Center: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/150760/my-center-channel-project/p1
    Surrounds & Rears: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/151647/my-surround-project/p1
    Sonicaps, Mills, RDO-194s-198s, Dynamat, Hurricane Nuts, Blackhole5
    Pioneer Elite VSX-72TXV, Carver PM-600, SVS PB2-Plus Subwoofer

    dhsspeakerservice.com/
  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,067
    For $25, dang man! The question is has it been worth 18 years of your time checking thrift stores for this find? ;)
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
  • tat
    tat Posts: 159
    Yeah the internet has put a big dent in scoring deals at local shops in many ways. But seems the cost of middle of the road used stuff has gone down bc of market saturation.
    When freedom is outlawed, only outlaws are free...
  • tat
    tat Posts: 159
    those are some fat trannies. How many watts is it?
    When freedom is outlawed, only outlaws are free...
  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
    tat wrote: »
    fat trannies.
    I'm offended.
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,527
    edited August 2016
    I'd try it on some cheapy speakers first before anything good...
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • markmarc
    markmarc Posts: 2,309
    Rated at 80wpc, but bench tested at just over 100 back in the day. Probably going to send it up to Gig Harbor audio in Seattle for a thorough check/update later this year.
    Review Site_ (((AudioPursuit)))
    Founder/Publisher Affordable$$Audio 2006-13.
    Former Staff Member TONEAudio
    2 Ch. System
    Amplifiers: Parasound Halo P6 pre, Vista Audio i34, Peachtree amp500, Adcom GFP-565 GFA-535ii, 545ii, 555ii
    Digital: SimAudio HAD230 DAC, iMac 20in/Amarra,
    Speakers: Paradigm Performa F75, Magnepan .7, Totem Model 1's, ACI Emerald XL, Celestion Si Stands. Totem Dreamcatcher sub
    Analog: Technics SL-J2 w/Pickering 3000D, SimAudio LP5.3 phono pre
    Cable/Wires: Cardas, AudioArt, Shunyata Venom 3
  • starkiller
    starkiller Posts: 2,723
    Wonder how they missed that? Last thing I found that was a score was a set of Vienna Acoustic Bach floorstanders for $35pr. Bit dinged up but sure sound nice...
    Computer room Hegeman 1 SpeakersM&K VX-80 subKenwood DP-7010Cambridge Audio CXC Transport Rega DACPrimaLuna Prologue Four AmpAric Audio Tube PreampGarage Jennings Research SquareCustom tube preampCrown XLS-1000Denon DCD-1500II Modded MSB Link DAC
  • kevhed72
    kevhed72 Posts: 4,958
    Nice...I have contemplated several times trying to buy off the Goodwill employees to call me when certain items came in....but most of the older ladies working there don't seem like they would play ball.
  • MrBuhl
    MrBuhl Posts: 2,419
    Great score!
    VA HT HK AVR20II, Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD, Polk Audio RC80i / Polk Audio CSi3, 60" Panasonic Plasma, Nordost / Signal Cable A2 / Wireworld / Pangea / Magic Power
    VA 2 Channel Focal Electra 926 speakers, Pass Labs X150.5 Amp, Eastern Electric MiniMax Preamp (Tutay mods), Eastern Electric Minimax CDP (Scott Nixon mods), Music Hall mmf 5.1 Turntable, Parks Audio Budgie Phono Pre , Audioengine B1 streamer, MIT S3 IC's / MIT Shotgun S3 Speaker Cables / PS Audio power cables
    Noggin Schiit Valhalla, Pangea, Phillips Fidelio X1, Polk UF8000

    Polk SDA1c modded
    Polk CRS+ 4.1TL modded (need veneer)
    Polk SDA2BTL (fully modded)
    A/L 1000VA Dreadnought Canare 4s11 SDA cable
    SACD Marantz DV8300
    Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD
    Yamaha YP-D6
    Soundcraftsmen PCR800
    Audible Illusions L1 Preamp
    Vincent MFA based Cocci Tube Preamp
    Pho-700 Phono Pre
    Signal Cable Silver Resolution IC's






  • markmarc
    markmarc Posts: 2,309
    Update #2- the right channel is dead, thankfully the culprit is a bad fuse (hopefully that is it). The left channel sounds good.
    Review Site_ (((AudioPursuit)))
    Founder/Publisher Affordable$$Audio 2006-13.
    Former Staff Member TONEAudio
    2 Ch. System
    Amplifiers: Parasound Halo P6 pre, Vista Audio i34, Peachtree amp500, Adcom GFP-565 GFA-535ii, 545ii, 555ii
    Digital: SimAudio HAD230 DAC, iMac 20in/Amarra,
    Speakers: Paradigm Performa F75, Magnepan .7, Totem Model 1's, ACI Emerald XL, Celestion Si Stands. Totem Dreamcatcher sub
    Analog: Technics SL-J2 w/Pickering 3000D, SimAudio LP5.3 phono pre
    Cable/Wires: Cardas, AudioArt, Shunyata Venom 3
  • 02guy
    02guy Posts: 21
    excellent find. have the old Sansui jones myself!
  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,647
    lightman1 wrote: »
    tat wrote: »
    fat trannies.
    I'm offended.

    That takes a lot. There should be a vanilla badge ...
  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
    lightman1 wrote: »
    tat wrote: »
    fat trannies.
    I'm offended.

    That takes a lot. There should be a vanilla badge ...

    Hadn't seen you around in a while. Just figured I would carry on your tradition.
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,090
    kevhed72 wrote: »
    Nice...I have contemplated several times trying to buy off the Goodwill employees to call me when certain items came in....but most of the older ladies working there don't seem like they would play ball.
    I am sure those old ladies would LOVE to play ball, but I am not so certain you are... >:)
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,906
    Sweet find, and she doesn't look half bad at all. Been wanting one myself but around these parts they sell for 400 all day long. Nice score dude.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • oldrocker
    oldrocker Posts: 2,590
    Nice find for sure..
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,313
    Sweet find! They were good sounding units!
    Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
  • markmarc
    markmarc Posts: 2,309
    Update #3- Replacement fuses blew as well. A friend threw $200 cash in my lap, and is taking it up to Gig Harbor Audio in the greater Seattle area for an overhaul. I do get to borrow it once it is retooled.
    Review Site_ (((AudioPursuit)))
    Founder/Publisher Affordable$$Audio 2006-13.
    Former Staff Member TONEAudio
    2 Ch. System
    Amplifiers: Parasound Halo P6 pre, Vista Audio i34, Peachtree amp500, Adcom GFP-565 GFA-535ii, 545ii, 555ii
    Digital: SimAudio HAD230 DAC, iMac 20in/Amarra,
    Speakers: Paradigm Performa F75, Magnepan .7, Totem Model 1's, ACI Emerald XL, Celestion Si Stands. Totem Dreamcatcher sub
    Analog: Technics SL-J2 w/Pickering 3000D, SimAudio LP5.3 phono pre
    Cable/Wires: Cardas, AudioArt, Shunyata Venom 3
  • warren
    warren Posts: 756
    YIPPY on your quest!!!
    Some final words,
    "If you keep banging your head against the wall,
    you're going to have headaches."
    Warren
  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,067
    $175 / 18 years of going into Goodwill once a week for an hour = 18 cents an hour
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,090
    la2vegas wrote: »
    Well that didn't last long. The money will soon be gone as well, all you'll have is another 18 years of frustration. Lol.

    See if you can get your money back and fix it yourself. I scored an AU-20000 and Tu-9900 along with some pioneer ldp's and a B&O Beocenter in a single trip to Goodwill. All for 40 bucks. I flipped it all for over 3k, but I wish I had tha Sansui stuff back today.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 10,871
    edited August 2016
    lightman1 wrote: »
    tat wrote: »
    fat trannies.
    I'm offended.

    I bet... You resemble that remark?
  • markmarc
    markmarc Posts: 2,309
    Nah, with my hand tremors and sausage fingers working on electronics is nothing more than endless frustration. Took nearly 10 minutes to replace one of the fuses.

    As for the 18 cents, I've picked up plenty of good vinyl. Plus, half the fun is in the hunt!
    Review Site_ (((AudioPursuit)))
    Founder/Publisher Affordable$$Audio 2006-13.
    Former Staff Member TONEAudio
    2 Ch. System
    Amplifiers: Parasound Halo P6 pre, Vista Audio i34, Peachtree amp500, Adcom GFP-565 GFA-535ii, 545ii, 555ii
    Digital: SimAudio HAD230 DAC, iMac 20in/Amarra,
    Speakers: Paradigm Performa F75, Magnepan .7, Totem Model 1's, ACI Emerald XL, Celestion Si Stands. Totem Dreamcatcher sub
    Analog: Technics SL-J2 w/Pickering 3000D, SimAudio LP5.3 phono pre
    Cable/Wires: Cardas, AudioArt, Shunyata Venom 3