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Quality Issue
It's the well known observation that Sansui product peaked its quality at about end of the 1970's, and declined ever after. Products being regarded as the best built are Definition and Professional Series, AU-717 and AU-919 in the international 07 Series, and G-9090DB, G-30000(including G-9000, G-9000DB, and G-20000, and G-9700 in receivers. Even G-9700 Series used some plastics on switches and knobs. With careful observation, it's evident that previous models used more metal parts.
This situation gets worse when close look at the generation of AU-D11 and AU-G99X Series. The side panels of AU-G77X is mere thin plastic, and back side is thin metal. AU-G99X Series was introduced in 1984. This was the time, less and less Sansui products were sold in the U.S.
If anybody could have a chance to take look at AU-G77X II; however, he/she will start doubting the common brief that Sansui went down in quality forever. AU-G77XII was introduced in 1986, and this unit is much bigger and better built than AU-G77X. Click this line to see the comparison.
The next generation of international version of the 07 got even better. AU-X901 Series have the beautiful piano black finish. The following AU-X711 and AU-911DG have the similar appearances. They were introduced in 1987 and 1989. Since less and less Sansui were sold internationally, later models became less visible even they were better built than those of in the early 1980's.
Therefore, the conclusion on the quality issue is that Sansui products went down the hill in quality from the early 1980's to mid 1980's. Then they made the efforts to come back; however, the various factors that will be discussed in the next section prevented the chance of Sansui's comeback.