The Sansui 5000A receiver, introduced in 1969, was the top of the line Sansui receiver at the time. It produces 55 watts per channel at 8 ohms and retailed for about $400. The 5000A’s styling is elegant with a front face panel that is half brushed aluminum on the bottom half and black on the top half. The amber backlit dial face and green meters are appealing to the eye. With a wood case it really is a nice looking receiver.
Controls
Mode Selector Switch: This rotary switch allows the user to select between different operational modes, including stereo, mono, and channel selection options.
Bass and Treble Controls: There are bass and treble controls for both the left and right channels. There is no Mid frequency tone control on the 5000A.
Loudness Switch: This switch enhances bass and treble frequencies at low listening volumes, compensating for the human ear’s reduced sensitivity to these frequencies at lower sound levels.
Selector Switch (Input): This rotary control allows the user to select the audio input source, such as a tuner, phono, or auxiliary device.
Tape Monitor Switch: This toggle switch allows for the connection and monitoring of a tape deck. It enables the user to record or playback tapes, or monitor a recording in progress.
FM Muting Switch: This switch reduces noise between stations when tuning the FM band, providing a quieter tuning experience by filtering out weak or noisy signals.
The Reverse Switch on the Sansui 5000A allows the user to invert the stereo channels, swapping the left and right audio outputs. This can be useful when the listener’s speaker setup is not optimal, or when certain recordings require channel reversal for a better audio experience. By engaging this switch, the left channel audio is output to the right speaker and vice versa.
The F-1040 Board Issue
The Sansui 5000A was initially shipped with F-1040 driver boards, which later became a point of concern. These boards had a tendency to overheat, leading to potential failures or, in extreme cases, catastrophic damage to the amplifier circuits. As a result, Sansui issued a recall and replaced these with the improved F-6013 driver boards, which addressed the overheating issues and provided better reliability.
The main issue with the original F-1040 or F-1040-1 boards was inadequate bias control, which could cause the transistors to run hotter than intended. This not only compromised the longevity of the unit but also led to performance degradation over time. The upgraded F-6013 boards featured improved biasing circuits, allowing for better thermal stability and thus preventing overheating. For those who own older 5000A units, checking for this upgrade is very important.
Some audio technicians recommend replacing the original F-1040 or F-1040-1 boards with F-6013 boards but that requires some other modifications to be done to the 5000A besides just the board update. The F-6013 boards are also difficult to find though I have seen some ‘new’ boards being manufactured.
If the 5000A still has the original F-1040 or F-1040-1 boards in it and they have not already been modified there are upgrade kits that you can find on eBay to bring them up to spec.
Specifications
- Power output: 55 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)
- Frequency response: 20Hz to 30kHz
- Total harmonic distortion: 0.8%
- Damping factor: 15
- Input sensitivity: 2.5mV (MM), 200mV (DIN), 150mV (line)
- Signal to noise ratio: 65dB (MM), 70dB (line)
- Channel separation: 50dB (MM), 50dB (line)
- Output: 200mV (line), 40mV (DIN)
- Speaker load impedance: 4Ω to 16Ω
- Semiconductors: 52 x transistors, 3 x FET, 4 x IC, 33 x diodes, 3 x zener diodes
- Dimensions: 17-11/32 x 4-17/32 x 14-9/16 inches
- Weight: 29.1lbs
- Year: 1969
5000A vs 5000X
The Sansui 5000X and 5000A are both part of the same series of receivers, with the 5000X being a slightly upgraded version of the 5000A. Here are the key differences:
Driver Boards: The most significant difference lies in the driver boards. The Sansui 5000A originally came with F-1040 driver boards, which had issues with overheating. Most of the 5000X units were shipped with the upgraded F-6013 driver boards from the factory, which provided better thermal management and reliability. This upgrade made the 5000X more robust and safer for long-term use.
Power Output: The 5000X has a slightly higher power output than the 5000A. The 5000X is rated at 60 watts per channel into 8 ohms, while the 5000A is rated at 55 watts per channel. Though the difference is small, it does give the 5000X a slight edge in terms of driving power.
Tuner and FM Section: Both models have excellent tuners, but the 5000X has a slightly more advanced FM section, offering improved sensitivity and selectivity, which can result in better performance when tuning in weak stations.
The Sansui 5000X is essentially an improved version of the 5000A, offering slightly more power, better reliability with the updated driver boards, and a more refined tuner section. For vintage audio enthusiasts, the 5000X is generally considered the better choice due to its factory-installed updates.
Rear Panel
The 5000A can accommodate 3 sets of speakers and has two tape connections, a phono input and an Aux input. There are two 4A quick acting fuses to be aware of as well just above the antenna. These are in addition to the regular 5A fuse below the antenna. Two convenient outlets, one switched and one unswitched are available also.
From Sansui’s “golden era,” the 5000A exemplifies Japanese audio engineering of the time. It has a warm, detailed sound and, with the exception of the original F-1040 circuit board, good build quality. It also fills most audio needs very well with sufficient power and great styling. If you are looking for one just be sure to check the driver board.
