Clean treble and midrange; low frequency responce; super efficient.

Lack in midbass performance as compared to Sansui SP-3500

I just picked up my pair of SP-X8000's after borrowing my dad's SP-3500's. I loved the sound of his and figured that I'd try to find the largest pair of the era and manufacturer. These speakers are truly beautiful with their flat wood latice grills. They are extremely efficient with their 99dB rating. Only the SP-X9000's are better with their 100dB rating. I was lucky to find such a gorgeous mint conditon pair after 23 years. If you like speakers that are loud and clear, these are definately your pair. They will handle just about anything you could possibly give them as long as the signal is clean. Ive had mine running approximately 250 watts with no problems (except my hearing being damaged).

Similar Products Used:

Sansui SP-3500's; Bose 501's

Good build quality

Too many drivers, weak bass, midbass missing

My parents have these speakers which are over 20 yrs old now. And when i hooked them up for a listen first thing i notice is WEAK bass ive heard much better out of a 10"..and these things are 16's!!..waaayy too many drivers for the upper end of the spectrum midbass seems missing. Compared to my JBL's these sound like little mini sytem speakers ( really ) Gave me a headach because of the brightness. etc lol

in my opinion they basically suck. Sorry all you sansui lovers. Sansui shouldve stuck to making componets. They are much better at that.but i will give 5 stars anyway so these have a good ratin because i hate when ppl screw up the reviews.

Similar Products Used:

JBL ND310 others

For me, the greatest quality is without any doubt the general superb keeping of the membranes (medium and woofer).
Bass are very tight. Also, sharp and accurate highs.

The other side of the medal, I mean relatively dry medium and bass, but not cold at all.

First, don't blame me if my english suffers from some defaults. I am french speaking and thus writing.

After the reading of all your comments, I have thinked that I should absolutely find a pair.
It's done since only one week ago. I own now a pair of Sansui X8000 in nice condition.
At this time, and despite the unusual expansive price for me, I have really no regret.

First impressions :

The first thing I have noted is the great rigidity of its geant woofer membrane (try to push it with your fingers and you'll see).
Nothing to see with the most foam or rubber suspension ring. For me, this is one of its most remarkable quality but perhaps its biggest flaw for some.
I explain : some have said that they have heard deeper bass coming out from only 10 inches woofer (I suppose with foam or rubber suspension).
Ok at low level, but try to play for example "St-Germain" at high level with this sort of woofer : the membrane don't know more where she is after the first loud bass sound !
There is a lot of chance that you just get a infamous soup (like almost all these home-cinema active subwoofers).

It's right, the X8000 don't extend the deep bass as long as others because of its so rigid membrane, but I repeat that's a great and X-rare quality.
One of my brother is a percusionist. So I know very well the real sound of this rich instrumental family.
Believe me or not, but I have never heard before so accurate and realistic restitutions, it's almost perfect, like live sessions.
Just a little lack of depth (or of laxity ?) for the more slack of this family : the big kettledrum (it's always the same explanation).

I'll be back later for a more extended review on these amazing X8000. I must first let play them all sort of musics.
In the meantime, if you can find a pair of X8000 (or an equivalent) around or under $400 in a nice condition, don't hesitate one second : get them.

Philisophical conversation (but finally perhaps less that it seems...)

Like humans, cars and hi-fi gears, we know all here that they are bad, good and excellent speakers.
A Jeep and a Rolls can both give great satisfactions, but generally not in the same context.
In the same idea, I think that none speaker can play all perfectly (and this without talk about the subjective side of the thing).
I know people how have spent a lot of bucks to acquire "so called" top hi-fi gears.
They try to convince themselves that they have reached the "Audio Nirvana".
But, sorry men and women, none of these "monsters" make me feel enthousiast all the time (and sometimes not at all).
There are so many linked (and evolutive) factors that's practically impossible to get all from one orthodox installation.
Quality of recording , kind of music, room characterictics, levels, genetics, age, education, personal taste, mood, atmoshere, moment, circumstances, etc ..
Do you think that you can fine tune all these factors with just one pair of speakers (and without speaking about the others links) ?
Even the "Audio Nirvana" owners don't think that possible.
Otherwise, why most of them spent continiously others bucks in expansive accessories like high-end cables, filters, converters, and regularly change the position of their speakers when it is not downright the cover of walls or even their house.

You can certainly get great music with just one pair.
But not all the time and certainly not for all the music, all the spectrum and all the people (perhaps you in a few months of years).

In my case, all my gears and speakers are second hand and most often vintage models.
I have never bought new ones, it's against my modest wallet but, thanks, force me to try others roads (as often in that case...)
And nevertheless, I own more than 15 pairs of speakers (almost all bought between $5 and $100) and as much amplifiers, integrated or receivers.
I have tested, one by one, almost all the associations.
The results are very different. Some are bad, others just correct, certain good to beautiful and a few really amazing.
But never, I have found THE system, reached the (my) total satisfaction all the way.
I have also tried with two pairs on the same gear. Some results are very good and even best than with just one pair.
But you know the difficulty to erase or to balance the differences caused by the sensibility, the impedance and, when desired, the coloration.
I have speakers with very good and tight bass but wretched mids and highs and others rather with opposite qualities.
Playing together on the same gear, you get the best of each one, but unfortunately also the worse because you cannot equalize them separately.
Obviously, I could disassemble them and then reassemble the good parts together. But it's not so easy (filter and case problems), the results are uncertain and probably sometimes worse.
Moreover, I am not a speaker manufacturer and above all, I don't want to modify or disfigure these charming old babies.

So, no simple solution ? Maybe this time, this way ...(and ... sorry for the purist).
I have linked all my sources on one gear and then linked this first to another (and sometimes even more) thru monitors input/output (line level).
Then, you have understand, I can now link different speakers to different gears with the obvious consequence that I can also equalize them separately.
Ok, I cannot totally erase some defaults, but I promise that you can now reach unbelievable and varied summits with a tiny investment.
Just one word about equalization. I know men who the less there is of buttons on a gear, the more they are ready to pay dearly.
I call this a non-sense, a purist attitude. Do they imagine how much the sounds they hear thru their "high-end equipment" are so far from the reality they want, they search and they pay for ?
The reality (here of the music) has nothing to see with the money and the principes.
Why do we must get the music with all the modifications (or defaults) accumulated from the mike to the speakers : mike quality and specificity, sound taking, mixage, studio equalization (yes they do it), mastering. And then at home : your sources, amplifier, preamplifier and finally your speakers (aah yes, I forgot all the wires).
And I don't speak about all these old "remasterized" recording.
I like Jazz and have a lot of exatcly the same recording on vinyl and on CD. I let you guess which are mostly the best.
Fortunately on these old good gears there is a lot of buttons and filters which help us to recreate "our originals sounds" in function of our memories, our taste, our being.
Note that once my tuning is done, I listen to the music, not to my walls, gears, sources, cables, speakers and whatever else...like many (but not all) more fortunated.
In one of these reviews, someone complaints about the too many drivers in the X8000.
Honestly, has it concluded this with just his ears ? I really doubt about...
Sometimes I let play up to six speakers pairs toghether.
And, if I can easely hear the difference when I switch them on-off in all the combinations, I can never exactly say how many drivers are playing.
Oohh dear, there is really very happy wedding ... and not only to my ears.

It's just my experience and I share it. If you have at least two pairs of speakers give them (and you) a chance to play in duet.
I'ts authorized, amusing, indeed even exciting and absolutely free (I use standard electrical wires for my tests).

When one has too much money (or in more general, too much means), one often loses a part of its imagination and its personality.
Simply because one uses them less or because the others "use" that one more.
At your speakers, humans ....

Similar Products Used:

A lot of vintage speakers from Kef, B&W, Philips, Jamo, Canton, AR, etc...

Truly an amazing loudspeaker from its time. My father purchased a pair of these with a Sansui G-7500 reciever, Audio Reflex Graphic EQ, and Sony Tape Deck. The Sansui Amp and speakers still run strong, clear, and dynamic. The speakers are very clear. They are well suited for rock, jazz, and anything with alot of instrumental. If anyone has any more information on Sansui around this era please post it or email me at corvettetire@hotmail.com. Please post anything on Sansui in this time. Thanks!

The Sansui SP-X8000's were great sounding speakers. They would take about anything you threw at them. Rated at 165 Watts they would rock on, take a lickin and keep on ticking. Their counterpart SP-X9000's were even better. They were rated at 210 watts. Retailed for around $600 in 78. They will still rival anything on the market.

efficient, great sound

none I can hear, for the price

I bought a pair of these at a garage sale a few years ago, and they looked like someone had used them for jack stands under a car. But for the $5 price, I bought them out of curiousity. I have used them hooked up A/B with other speakers and can honestly say I have heard no speakers for under $1200 each that comes close to them. They are remarkably efficient, producing almost twice the volume when switching A/B from newer speakers. I can crank my Pioneer SA 8800 to half volume and they will run you out of the house. Talk all you want about the tower speakers with the small woofers, but it is hard to beat the bass these huge woofers produce. Overall great sound, and at the prices these can be found for, they are truly a bargain. Mine have a very low SAF (spouse approval factor) so they stay in the garage most the time now, but I still sneak them in sometimes, put in some stevie ray, and let them wail..mmmmm

Incredible Bass Excellent Speaker, No Match

These are too heavy to move.

My speakers are SP7500X Sansui's. I'm not sure whatthe difference is between them and the SP8000's but the speakers are the same size, and they also include the "tweeter dial". A friend of mine came back from Vietnam with a pair, and I couldn't believe how good they sounded. I bought this pair in 1978, and still have them. I have gone through about 6 amps and countless other Peripherals, and the Sansui's just keep on keepin' on. They sound as good as the day I bought them, and do an excellent job with my weakness: good old rock n roll. I highly recommend these, if you are lucky enough to find a pair.. You can contact me on nayab_h@yahoo.com

Has mine since 1978 and still keeps pumpin. Very nice sounding speakers. I wonder how much they are worth now?

Incredible Bass, Excellent Speaker!

These babies are heavy!

My speakers are SP7500X Sansui's. I'm not sure what the difference is between them and the SP8000's but the speakers are the same size, and they also include the "tweeter dial". A friend of mine came back from Vietnam with a pair, and I couldn't believe how good they sounded. I bought this pair in 1978, and still have them. I have gone through about 6 amps and countless other peripherals, and the Sansui's just keep on keepin' on. They sound as good as the day I bought them, and do an excellent job with my weakness: good old rock n roll. I highly recommend these, if you are lucky enough to find a pair..