Can I date a Sansui by serial number?

Yes, to the year digit: on a nine-digit number the third digit is the last digit of the year (the second on older eight-digit ones), verified against 5,381 dated records with zero mismatches.

Why does the archive ask for the model on a Sansui?

The digit does not distinguish decades — 6 can be 1966 or 1976; the model's own production years close it.

Is there a Sansui date stamp besides the serial?

A paper M.D. stamp on the back of the front panel (a Showa year: 53 = 1978) on roughly mid-1970s to early-1980s units.

Sansui serial numbers & dating

Series	Years	Rows
1000A	1966–1975	4
1000X	1971–1972	3
1010	1978	1
200	1970	1
2000	1967–1969	3
2000A	1969–1977	5
2000X	1970–1973	8
210	1971–1974	9
220	1971–1976	2
250	1968	2
300	1970	1
3000	1967–1968	3
3000A	1967–1968	5
310	1972	2
3300	1972	1
3300S	1972	2
350	1968–1969	2
350A	1970–1974	5
3900Z	1980–1981	5
4000	1969–1976	3
441	1975	1
4900Z	1980–1981	3
5000	1968–1969	5
5000A	1969–1972	7
5000LA	1978	1
5000X	1971–1972	6
500A	1967–1968	2
5050	1976–1977	3
5500	1969–1973	5
551	1976	1
5900Z	1980–1981	2
600L	1970	1
6060	1976–1978	6
661	1970–1976	6
7000	1971–1972	3
7070	1976–1980	7
771	1974–1977	8
790	1986	1
7900Z	1980–1982	5
800	1969–1971	2
8080	1974–1976	3
8080DB	1975–1978	5
881	1971–1976	7
890	1975–1976	2
8900ZDB	1980–1988	4
890DB	1976–1977	2
9010	1974–1975	2
9090	1975–1983	10
9090DB	1976–1978	8
990	1975–1976	2
9900Z	1980–1984	4
990DB	1976–1978	4
A-1001	1984	1
A-1010	1983	1
A-1100	1994	1
A-1100P	1985	3
A-1110	1984–1985	3
A-1200	1985–1986	2
A-1200R	1986	1
A-1500R	1986	1
A-2000	1998	1
A-40	1980	1
A-5	1982	1
A-500	1994	1
A-505	1982–1983	2
A-550	1982–1984	2
A-60	1979–1980	3
A-7	1980–1981	2
A-707	1982–1988	5
A-710	1984	1
A-80	1979–1980	5
A-9	1981	2
A-900	1982–1984	2
A-900P	1985	2
A-909	1983	4
A-910	1984	1
A-990	1983	1
A-M90	1985	2
AS-200	1971	1
AT-202	1982–1983	3
AT-210	1984	1
AT-700	1985–1988	2
AT-F1	1974	1
AU-101	1971–1974	10
AU-11000	1975–1980	5
AU-11000A	1977	1
AU-111	1966–1970	6
AU-117	1977–1978	4
AU-117II	1979	1
AU-20000	1975–1977	4
AU-217	1975–1983	9
AU-217II	1978–1980	4
AU-2200	1985–1986	5
AU-222	1969–1971	6
AU-2900	1976–1977	5
AU-307	1978	1
AU-317	1976–1983	10
AU-317II	1979	1
AU-3300	1975	1
AU-3900	1976–1985	5
AU-417	1979	2
AU-4400	1974–1975	2
AU-4900	1975–1977	6
AU-505	1972–1974	8
AU-517	1977–1986	9
AU-519	1979–1980	4
AU-5500	1974–1981	6
AU-555	1968–1971	9
AU-555A	1969–1974	11
AU-5900	1976–1977	6
AU-607	1977–1982	3
AU-6500	1972–1975	6
AU-6600	1974–1976	5
AU-666	1971	1
AU-6900	1976–1977	2
AU-707	1977	1
AU-710	1977–1983	5
AU-717	1975–1983	19
AU-719	1979–1980	5
AU-7500	1973–1974	5
AU-7700	1974–1975	4
AU-777	1967–1969	4
AU-777A	1969–1970	4
AU-7900	1974–1978	8
AU-819	1979	1
AU-8500	1974	1
AU-888	1970–1971	3
AU-919	1976–1980	7
AU-9500	1973–1975	5
AU-9900	1975–1981	6
AU-9900A	1977	2
AU-999	1970–1972	12
AU-D11	1980–1984	6
AU-D11II	1983–1984	5
AU-D33	1981–1984	3
AU-D55X	1981–1983	2
AU-D5S	1980	1
AU-D7	1981–1983	5
AU-D707	1990	1
AU-D707F-extra	1992	1
AU-D77X	1983–1985	4
AU-D9	1980–1987	8
AU-D907	1989–1990	2
AU-D907X	1984	1
AU-D99X	1985	1
AU-G11X	1986	1
AU-G55X	1984–1985	3
AU-G77X	1984–1985	5
AU-G77XII	1987	2
AU-G90X	1984–1986	3
AU-G99X	1984–1986	7
AU-X1	1978–1980	5
AU-X1111MOS	1992	1
AU-X301	1987	1
AU-X501	1987–1988	4
AU-X611AV	1989	1
AU-X619R	1995	1
AU-X701	1987–1988	4
AU-X911DG	1990–1992	2
AU-alpha607Lextra	1998–1999	2
AU-alpha607MRX	1999	1
AU-alpha707Extra	1989	1
AV-77	1974–1975	4
AV-99	1975–1976	2
AV-C10	1976	1
AX-7	1976–1983	9
B-1	1979	1
B-1000	1988–1989	2
B-2101	1984–1986	9
B-2102	1987	1
B-2301	1983–1986	3
B-3000	1987–1990	6
B-55	1981	1
B-77	1980–1983	7
BA-2000	1976–1980	9
BA-3000	1975–1984	5
BA-5000	1975–1977	6
BA-60	1969–1971	3
BA-90	1969	1
BA-F1	1979–1980	4
C-1000	1987–1989	3
C-2101	1984–1986	6
C-2102	1986–1987	3
C-2301	1986	1
C-55	1981–1988	2
C-77	1980–1981	3
CA-2000	1977–1986	8
CA-3000	1975–1976	6
CA-303	1968	1
CA-F1	1979–1980	2
CD-190	1986	1
CD-270	1982	1
CD-5	1969–1973	3
CD-M12	1989	1
CD-X501i	1988	1
CD-X510M	1988	1
CD-X701	1987	2
CD-X701i	1987–1988	2
CD-X711	1989	1
CD-alpha607	1989	1
CD-alpha607i	1988	1
CD-alpha717D Extra	1980	1
CD-alpha907	1986	1
CD-alpha917XR	1984	1
Classique A-1000	1983	1
Classique A-1130	1985	1
Classique A-700	1986–1992	3
Classique A-701	1984	1
Classique A-710	1985	1
Classique A-770	1992	1
Classique A-910	1994	1
Classique T-470	1980	1
Classique T-550	1974	1
Classique T-700	1985–1994	7
Classique T-710	1994	1
Classique T-730	1985	2
Classique T-900	1985–1991	3
Classique T-901	1984	3
Classique T-990	1983	3
D-100	1970	1
D-1000W	1977	1
D-300M	1971	1
D-350M	1970	1
D-35BF	1975	1
D-370	1972	1
D-55M	1973–1979	6
D-570	1972	1
D-590R	1973–1975	2
D-59M	1974	1
D-65BW	1975	1
D-69C	1974	1
D-75BW	1975	1
D-770R	1972	1
D-77F	1972–1973	2
D-77R	1972	1
D-79R	1974	1
D-90	1970–1979	2
D-95M	1970–1971	2
D-970	1972	1
D-990R	1974	1
D-99D	1973–1974	3
D-99MW	1973–1974	2
D-W10	1975	2
D-X311WR	1970	1
DA-P500	1973	1
DA-P550	1973–1975	2
DS-77	1975–1977	3
ECA-3	1970	1
EG-900R	1975	1
Eight	1970–1972	4
Eight Deluxe	1973–1974	3
FR-1080	1976	1
FR-2060	1972	1
FR-3060	1973	1
FR-4060	1973	1
FR-5080	1976	1
FR-D25	1981	1
FR-D3	1970–1979	3
FR-Q5	1970	1
G-2000	1978	1
G-22000	1978–1986	2
G-3000	1977	1
G-301	1978	1
G-33000	1978	1
G-3500	1978–1979	3
G-401	1978	1
G-4500	1978–1979	5
G-4700	1979–1980	5
G-5000	1978–1979	2
G-5500	1978–1979	3
G-5700	1978–1980	8
G-6000	1978	3
G-6700	1979–1980	2
G-7000	1978	2
G-7500	1978–1979	3
G-7700	1979–1980	3
G-771	1989	3
G-8000	1977–1978	3
G-801	1978	2
G-8700DB	1979–1980	3
G-871DB	1979–1980	2
G-9000	1977–1978	2
G-9000DB	1978–1979	2
G-901	1978–1979	2
G-901DB	1978	1
G-9700	1979–1980	3
G-971	1979	1
G-M77	1983	1
GX-5	1978	1
LM-110	1975	1
LM-220	1976	1
LM-330	1975	1
MD-210	1983	1
MQ-2000	1972	1
MX-12	1989	1
P-D10	1982–1984	6
P-D11	1974	2
P-D20	1983	2
P-D31	1974	1
P-L35	1975	1
P-L40	1982	1
P-L41	1974	1
P-L45	1975	2
P-L50	1982–1983	3
P-L51	1974	2
P-L95R	1975–1976	2
P-M7	1972	1
P-M77	1973	2
P-M900	1965–1966	3
P-M90B	1975	1
PC-X11	1984	1
Q-55	1958	1
QA-7000	1973–1974	2
QBL-100	1983	1
QC-04	1974	2
QD-5500	1973–1974	2
QR-1500	1971–1973	5
QR-4500	1971–1972	3
QR-6500	1971–1972	3
QRX-3000	1973–1974	2
QRX-3500	1973–1974	3
QRX-4500	1973	1
QRX-5001	1976	1
QRX-5500	1973–1974	3
QRX-5500A	1975–1976	2
QRX-6001	1974–1975	3
QRX-6500	1972–1973	2
QRX-7001	1974–1976	5
QRX-7500	1973–1976	5
QRX-7500A	1975–1976	2
QRX-777	1975–1976	2
QRX-8001	1976–1977	2
QRX-9001	1976–1978	7
QRX-999	1976–1979	3
QS-1	1970–1971	6
QS-100	1971–1972	2
QS-500	1971–1973	3
QS-800	1972	1
QS-800A	1973	1
QSD-1	1974–1976	5
QSD-1000	1975–1976	2
QSD-2	1976	1
R-30	1980	2
R-410	1984	1
R-411	1995–1996	2
R-5	1982–1991	2
R-50	1979–1981	5
R-610	1985	1
R-7	1981–1982	2
R-70	1979–1980	2
R-99Z	1981	1
RA-1000	1986–1987	3
RA-500	1977–1986	31
RA-700	1977–1986	13
RA-900	1989–1990	4
RA-990	1982–1985	8
RG-7	1981–1983	4
RG-700	1975–1976	2
RG-707	1973	5
RG-710	1984–1987	4
RG-7X	1984–1993	3
RG-900R	1980–1986	5
RS-100	1985	1
RS-900R	1976	1
RZ-1000	1998	1
RZ-3000	1998	1
RZ-5500AV	1990	1
RZ-7500AV	1990	1
RZ-790	1994	1
RZ-9500AV	1990	1
S-3000U	1970	1
S-730	1973	1
S-X1050	1984	1
S-X1070	1984–1986	2
S-X1100	1984–1986	3
S-X1130	1984–1985	3
S-X1200	1988	1
S-X700	1986	1
S-X900	1987–1988	2
S-XV1000	1985	1
S-XV900	1987	1
SAX-200	1966	1
SC-1100	1978	1
SC-1110	1977–1978	3
SC-1200	1977	1
SC-1300	1970–1979	4
SC-1330	1979–1980	3
SC-2000	1976–1977	3
SC-2002	1976–1977	3
SC-2100	1977	2
SC-2110	1978	2
SC-3000	1977	1
SC-3003	1976–1977	2
SC-3100	1978	1
SC-3100G	1978	1
SC-3110	1977–1980	5
SC-3300	1979–1980	3
SC-3330	1979–1980	2
SC-5100	1977–1978	2
SC-5110	1978–1979	2
SC-5300	1979–1980	2
SC-5330	1980	1
SC-700	1972	1
SD-5000	1972	1
SD-5050	1972–1974	2
SD-7000	1970–1973	4
SE-1000	1987–1988	2
SE-300	1985–1988	2
SE-5	1979	1
SE-510	1984	1
SE-7	1979–1988	15
SE-77	1984	1
SE-8	1981–1983	4
SE-80	1987	1
SE-800	1994	1
SE-88	1985–1988	3
SE-8X	1983–1985	5
SE-9	1981–1984	7
SE-99	1986–1995	2
SE-M1	1994	1
SF-1	1972	1
SF-2	1972–1973	2
SP-10	1971	1
SP-100	1967–1968	2
SP-100i	1987–1988	2
SP-1200	1980–1983	2
SP-1500	1979–1981	4
SP-1700	1971–1972	2
SP-200	1969	1
SP-2000	1969–1970	2
SP-2500	1971–1975	3
SP-2500X	1977	1
SP-2700A	1974	1
SP-30	1970–1972	4
SP-300	1968	1
SP-3000	1980–1989	3
SP-3005	1980–1981	2
SP-3200	1973	1
SP-35	1972	1
SP-3500	1981–1983	4
SP-3700A	1984	1
SP-50	1969–1971	2
SP-5000	1980	1
SP-5000A	1987	1
SP-70	1981	1
SP-7500X	1985–1987	4
SP-L800	1987	1
SP-X6700	1979–1980	2
SP-X7	1981–1982	3
SP-X7700	1979	1
SP-X8000	1978–1987	2
SP-X9	1982	1
SP-X9000	1978–1987	2
SP-X9700	1979	1
SP-X9900	1981	1
SP-Z7	1984	1
SR-2050C	1970–1972	5
SR-212	1974–1975	3
SR-222	1975–1978	4
SR-222II	1976	1
SR-232	1977	1
SR-3030BC	1979	1
SR-4050A	1972	1
SR-525	1975–1977	3
SR-636	1977–1978	2
SR-717	1974–1975	2
SR-737	1977	1
SR-838	1977–1978	2
SR-929	1977–1980	4
SR-B200	1979	1
Seven	1972–1974	4
Six	1972–1973	4
T-1000	1980–1989	4
T-1110	1994–1995	3
T-5	1981–1982	2
T-505	1973	4
T-60	1980–1989	3
T-7	1981–1982	3
T-700	1975–1976	6
T-707	1973	1
T-77	1970–1972	4
T-80	1970–1979	3
T-9	1981	1
T-909	1972–1973	3
T-910	1983–1984	2
T-M50B	1974	1
T-M77	1973–1974	2
TA-300	1979	1
TR-707A	1966–1967	3
TU-217	1977–1982	6
TU-317	1978–1980	2
TU-3900	1977–1986	3
TU-417	1978–1984	4
TU-4400	1984–1985	2
TU-505	1974–1983	5
TU-517	1978–1983	4
TU-519	1979	2
TU-5500	1984–1985	3
TU-555	1968–1971	7
TU-5900	1976–1980	3
TU-666	1970–1972	3
TU-710	1977–1978	2
TU-717	1977–1982	11
TU-719	1979–1988	5
TU-7500	1974–1983	6
TU-7700	1974–1975	3
TU-777	1968–1973	7
TU-7900	1986	2
TU-888	1972	1
TU-919	1979–1985	4
TU-9500	1973–1975	7
TU-9900	1974–1978	13
TU-999	1970–1972	7
TU-D33X	1985	1
TU-D55X	1984	1
TU-D99AMX	1985	1
TU-D99X	1985–1994	11
TU-S33	1991–1992	2
TU-S5	1981	1
TU-S55X	1984–1987	2
TU-S7	1981–1983	4
TU-S77X	1983–1984	4
TU-S9	1980–1984	7
TU-X1	1979–1985	5
TU-X111	1990	1
TU-X301	1997	1
TU-X501	1997	1
TU-X701	1987	1
TU-X711	1989	1
VX-99	1977	1
WS-X1	1988	1
XL-300	1986	1
XP-99	1984	1
XR-Q5	1982–1984	2
XR-Q7	1983	1
XR-Q9	1980	1
Z-3000	1982–1983	2
Z-3000X	1983	1
Z-5000X	1983–1984	5
Z-7000	1982–1983	2
Z-7000X	1981–1983	2
Z-9000	1982–1983	2
Z-9000X	1983–1984	3

Sansui M.D. date stamp on the back of the front panel (Showa calendar)mid-1970s to early 1980s (the source's own limit) · 1 rows · Medium confidence

Sansui serial number: the year digit position (rule only, not a range table)1960s-1980s · 2 rows · Medium confidence

Sansui 07 Series generations and their international renames1976-1986 · 9 rows · Medium confidence

Sansui driver-board F numbers as an introduction-year table1970-1989 · 16 rows · Medium confidence

Sansui has no official reference today (brand discontinued)1960s-1990s · 2 rows · Medium confidence

Japanese capacitor date codes - pointer to the universal layerwhole vintage period · 0 rows · Medium confidence

Hunts capacitor date code (WHITSUNDAY)1950s-1969 (Hunts taken over by Erie in the late 1960s, probably 1969) · 25 rows · Medium confidence

British year-letter date codes (TCC, Dubilier, Radiospares, Woden, Welwyn)1950s-1960s · 4 rows · Medium confidence

Mullard 'mustard' capacitor date codelate 1963 onwards (used occasionally in late 1963, more frequently from mid 1964) · 3 rows · Medium confidence

Egen potentiometer date code1960-1964 (year letters documented by the source) · 2 rows · Medium confidence

EIA component source/date codeswhole vintage period · 1 rows · High confidence

Safety warnings that apply to any vintage valve hi-fiwhole vintage period · 4 rows · High confidence

Japanese electrolytic capacitor date codes - the shared YYWW mechanicdocumented samples 1993-2023; no maker states when a format started or ended · 0 rows · Medium confidence

Nippon Chemi-Con date code (year digit + bracketed character)2000s production (the repair page was published November 2005) · 2 rows · Low confidence

Nichicon date code (plant letter + YYWW)1990s-2010s (documented 1993 and 2013 samples, same format) · 4 rows · Medium confidence

ELNA date code (four digits, YYWW)1990s-2000s (documented 2000 and 2003 samples) · 2 rows · Medium confidence

Rubycon date code (plant letter + YYWW)1990s-2000s (documented 2002 and 2008 samples) · 3 rows · Medium confidence

Matsushita / Panasonic lot-code date (xYMD), SMD parts2020s SMD parts (documented example decoded as April 2023) · 1 rows · Low confidence

Nichicon month letters J-Z (official notice, power capacitors and reactors)2004 production numbers; the notice itself is dated 2022-04-01 · 4 rows · High confidence

Class A heat, bias and the dating trap - safety notes for this wavewhole Class A vintage period (1967-present) · 3 rows · High confidence

14 Sansui Electric models are catalogued with their production years, specs and safety notes.

Sansui Electric hi-fi.