If you are a vintage sound lover, you must know about Sansui’s popular speakers and amps and the Sansui SP series.
To check if their popularity is consistent with their quality or is it just a sham, our team conducted their detailed testing and identified the best out of them.
In this post, you’ll go through a detailed review of the best 3 Sansui SP Vintage Speakers, their features, pros, cons, a buying guide, and a lot more.
Winner
If you’re looking for a wide tonal range and a classical design, they’re your go. They’ve great bass and sharp highs. Also, they have quite a durable design and loud audio.
Runner Up
They have a modern design and several nice features. Most distinguishably, they have Bluetooth connectivity. The design is compact and loud for the size. The materials are also durable.
Also Great
If you’re looking for classical-design bookshelf speakers, it is a great choice. It has a clear and sharp sound. It can be controlled via remote control. The design is also compact.
These were our top picked guitar speakers and now we will give detailed descriptions about their features and specifications.
Best Sansui Speaker - Top 3 Reviews
Sansui sp speakers are known for their vintage sound and classical look. Coupled with Sansui amps, they are used by modern-day musicians to give a classical tone to music.
#1: Best Bass Speaker - Sansui SP 2000 Speaker Review
Sansui SP 2000 speakers, usually, come in pairs. They have a large-room audio system. The body of the speaker consists of an outer wooden frame with a wooden grille on the front. Beyond the grille are the channels of a 16-inch woofer, two 6-½ and 5-inch mid-range speakers, and a 1-⅜ inch horn tweeter.
Each of the speakers has a weight of nearly 20 kg. A large part of this weight comes from the Alnico magnet fitted within the speaker. Talking about loudness, the speakers has a power of 70 watts max and a sensitivity of 101 dB which makes them quite efficient. As a result, the speakers have a loud volume that can fill in a large hall.
As for the sound quality, the speaker has a wide range of frequency response ranging from 25 Hz to 20 kHz. This allows the speaker to perform well at all frequency levels. It has bassy lows and sharp highs. The mids are also great in all terms.
The sound has a vintage, natural, and soothing tone. The wood, magnet, and electrical system of the speaker all are durable enough to last many years. The major problem we faced with the speaker were the crossovers. They didn’t work as great as other parts of the speaker did.
Features of JX2 Sansui E19
- Dimensions: 15x25x13 inches
- Weight: 20 kg each
- Frequency response: 25 Hz – 20 kHz
- Sensitivity: 101 dB
- Power: 70 watts
- Wooder body and grille
- 12-inch woofer
- Two 6-½ and 5-inch mid-range speakers
- 1-⅜ inch horn tweeter
- Loud volume
- Great bass
- Sharp mids
- Durable material
- Clear sound
- Wide frequency range
- Highly efficient
- Heavyweight
- Messy crossover
Overall, they can be a good choice if you’re looking for clear sound and great bass speakers.
Best Bass Speaker
The best bass speaker is Sansui SP 2000 speaker because of its great sound quality and rich bass.
#2: Best Compact Speaker - Sansui Edifier R1850DB Speaker Review
Edifier R1850DB has a modern design with a bookshelf size. The body of the speaker is designed to provide a vintage sound while taking less space. It has a decent subwoofer of more than 10 inches. Right downit is a 4-inch mid-range speaker and a 1-inch tweeter.
The speaker has a power of 70 watts and a signal-to-noise ratio of 85 dB. Both of these features make it surprisingly loud for the given price. It can respond to frequencies ranging from 60 Hz to 20 kHz. Resultantly, the mids and highs are sharp and warm. The bass is also great but could have been better.
Sound-wise, the audio is clear and loud. Above 80% volume level, you may observe some distortion in sound but that isn’t a big problem. It can be a great choice if you’re looking for classical-sounding speakers. It also works great for musicians.
Given its modern design, the speaker has many features that usually classical speakers don’t have. You can connect to the sound source via aux cable, pc cable, or Bluetooth. Also, you can control the bass and treble in the audio. Remote control comes with the speaker. You can control most of the functions of the speaker using it.
Features of Edifier R1850DB Speakers
- Dimensions: 6.1in x 8.8in x 10in
- Weight: 16.8 pounds
- Power: 70 watts
- Subwoofer, mid-range speaker, and a tweeter
- Frequency response: 60 Hz – 20 kHz
- Bluetooth V 40
- Remote control
- Clear sound
- Great bass
- Sharp highs
- Very durable
- Compact in size
- Bluetooth connectable
- Somewhat pricey
- Not great remote control
Overall, the speakers are a great choice if you’re looking for a compact size and clear audio speaker.
Best Compact Speaker
The best compact speaker is the Edifier R1850DB Speaker because of its compact size and great sound quality.
#3: Best Sound-Quality Speaker - Sansui Edifier R1280T Speaker Review
Edifier R1280T Speaker is the classically-designed compact speaker in Edifier’s loudspeaker bookshelf speaker series. It consists of a 4-inch woofer on the lower part, a mid-range speaker on the right, and a small tweeter on the upper left of the speaker.
The speaker has a compact size making it apt for small rooms. It has an RMS power of 42 watts with a signal-to-noise ratio of 85 dB which renders it quite efficient. For its size, it gives a sound loud enough to fill a small room.
Sound-wise, it has got fine highs and mids. The bass is great. You can also vary the bass using the bass-control switch. The best thing about the speaker is the remote control feature. You can control almost all functions using the remote control that comes in the package.
Edifier features 2–year warranty for the product, which could have been better. The speaker is durable and, if taken proper care of, can last for many years. The downside is that like other Edifier speakers, they don’t have Bluetooth. Also, the sound quality is fine but not of the top-notch tear.
Features of Edifier R1280T Speaker
- Dimensions: 6.9 x 9.5 x 5.8 inches
- Weight: 10.8 pounds
- Power: 42 watts
- Signal-to-noise ratio: 85 dB
- 4-inch subwoofer
- A mid-range and tweeter
- Remote control
- 2-year warranty
- Durable material
- Adjustable bass
- Easy to use
- Lightweight and compact
- Classy-looking
- Full tonal range
- Nice sound quality
- Doesn’t have Bluetooth
- Accessories aren’t of good quality
Overall, the speaker has a lightweight and compact design with a classy-look and decent vintage sound.
Best Sound-Quality Speaker
The best sound-quality speaker is the Sansui Edifier R1280T Speaker because of its great sound quality, wide tonal range, and deep bass.
Buyers’ Guide
Before buying a vintage speaker, there are some things you should always keep in consideration. Otherwise, you might end up with some thing that you’ll regret buying. Here, we’ve compiled all the necessary information you’ll need to get the best deal for yourself.
What are Vintage Speakers?
Vintage speakers usually refer to old-style wooden-bodied speakers with a woofer, mid-range, and a tweeter. They are popular to date because of their classic sound and affordable prices. Quality vintage speakers mostly have an Alnico magnet and a complicated circuit. If you’re an old-schooler and a fan of old music, they can be a great choice for you.
Qualities to Look for
Bass
For vintage speakers, the bass is an integral need for playing low-tone music. Check the lower limit of the frequency response. Also, check if the speakers are able to deliver the thump and clarity for low-frequency sounds.
Most of the Sansui speakers have good bass. They have bass ranges reaching as low as 25 Hz. Also, they have bass-control switches so you can change their bass as you want.
Tonal Response
Tonal response is the frequency range a speaker can play. Frequency response can be divided into three parts: lows, mids, and highs. The subwoofer delivers the lows, the mid-range speaker delivers the mids, and the highs are handled by the tweeter. Some speakers also have a subwoofer which helps to enhance the low mids. If all these components and the crossover to which they are attached are working great, you can expect a great tonal response.
As far as we have seen, most of the Sansui sp speakers don’t have subwoofers. But, still, with exception of a few, they give a great tonal response because of their well-synchronized audio system.
Volume
You’ll look for volume levels as per the needs of your place. If you’re searching for speakers for a large hall, you should look for extra-large speakers. On the other extreme, bookshelf speakers can do justice to small speakers. You can find almost all of the sizes in Sansui’s sp series.
Distortion
The worst thing possible in a speaker is distortion in its audio. Although most of the speakers deliver a distorted sound at higher volumes, you should look for the lowest distortion possible. The distortion also depends on the magnet used – Alnico magnets give a better performance. Some of Sansui sp speakers show some distortion at 80% volume.
Desirable Features
Bluetooth
Although most of the vintage speakers do not feature Bluetooth, some of the modern-touch classical speakers have Bluetooth. You can look for it if you want it.
Design
With a classical sound, a classical design will double the glory of the speaker. Old-school speakers mostly have a brown wooden body with a silky or wooden grille on the front. Beyond the removable grille are the channels of the speaker. Check for the design if it fits your taste or not.
Materials
An important factor in determining the quality of a speaker is its durability. Check if the speaker is made of quality materials or not. To get an idea about it, you can have a passing view of buyers’ reviews. Also, check if the company gives a warranty for the speaker or not.
Magnet
The thing that matters most for giving a vintage sound to a speaker is the magnet used. Before the 1970s, most of the hi-fi speakers used to have Alnico magnets. Alnico magnets give a clear, soft, and classical tone. Most of the modern speakers, on the other hand, use ceramic speakers. Ceramic speakers are quite cheaper than Alnico speakers but their sound quality isn’t great.
Summing It All
We can say that the quality of a speaker depends on multiple factors like the tone, volume, distortion, and the components of the speaker used. Also, you should look for long-lasting and elegant-looking speakers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are Vintage Sansui speakers any good?
Maybe yes, maybe not! It wholly depends on your taste. If you love old-school music and enjoy the classical tones of audio, definitely you’ll love to have a vintage speaker.
What are Bookshelf speakers?
Bookshelf speakers are named after their size which is short enough to fit in a bookshelf. They’re the most compact kind of loudspeakers in the market. Bookshelf speakers can be a great choice for small rooms and areas.
Do magnets matter in sound quality?
Yes! There are basically three types of magnets: Alnico, Ceramic, and Neodymium. Every magnet has its unique effect on the tone of the speaker. Ceramic speakers are quite cheaper than the other two. Although speakers with Alnico magnet costs a fair bit, they give quality and a classical tone.
Are Vintage Sansui speakers affordable?
Sansui loudspeakers are neither very costly nor affordable. They fall just in the middle range. Given their efficient audio system and diversified sound quality, they are a great buy for the given price.
Final Thoughts
After analyzing all the Sansui speakers in detail, we’ve come to the conclusion that Sansui SP 2000 Speakers are the best Sansui speaker available in the Sansui Sp series. It has a loud voice that doesn’t distort up to quite a high volume. The sound is classical and sharp. Overall, it serves great for its price.
