Technics Hi-Fi - It could make a come back. The SE-R1 Amplifier

[Seth=L]

Personally, I'm more excited by the new turntables.

The rep at RMAF did indicate that it will be an audiophile TT as opposed to a DJ TT. But he also said it will come with a higher price tag...............

Considering the SL-1200 was one of the best selling if not the best selling turntables in the history of the world and was an excellent value for a home turntable I can just see the bean counters going "let's kill it, then bring something like it back 5 years later and hike the price up."

 

[Seth=L]

I'm probably gonna stir the pot with this statement, but for all of their ability to capture the electronics market, the Japanese have always had a difficult time in the speaker business. I though Technics were some of the better values in Japanese speakers back in the late 70's, but it was US or European speaker companies that had my ear!
I'm sure there are some exceptions, but aside from the Pioneer speakers designed by Andrew Jones, I can't remember a Japanese speaker being recommended on this forum.

A former member of expansive audio knowledge had said his praises of Technics for some of their high end speakers from the 70s. They were butt ugly, but he refuted they had excellent linearity on and off axis.

 

[slipperybidness]

Considering the SL-1200 was one of the best selling if not the best selling turntables in the history of the world and was an excellent value for a home turntable I can just see the bean counters going "let's kill it, then bring something like it back 5 years later and hike the price up."

I own the SL-1210. Basically I bought that model because it's black instead of silver. It has a couple other features that are a little different than the SL-1200, but for all practical purposes they are pretty much the same.

These TTs are built like a tank!

 

[Seth=L]

I own the SL-1210. Basically I bought that model because it's black instead of silver. It has a couple other features that are a little different than the SL-1200, but for all practical purposes they are pretty much the same.

These TTs are built like a tank!

We have an SL-1200MK2 here at my work that's got the box and everything, and I used to own one myself. They are tanks.

 

[auronihilist99]

"Technics is the brand name of hi-fi audio products owned by Panasonic Corporation."

 

[Assumer]

Remember having one of their receivers back in the late 70s early 80s..

 

[TLS Guy]

"LAPC (Load Adaptive Phase Calibration)"

I wonder if that is a gimmick or if it actually does something useful. If it was useful imagine that integrated into the rest of the audio market.

Edit: It's amazing that a class-D amplifier weighs 119 pounds. I'm sure it could shed half that weight and still house all the same electronics.

EDIT EDIT: It also appears that the amplifier can be connected to their preamplifier via Ethernet cables for the left and right channels independently for a more complete connection or perfect pairing between the two.

We will have to see what that is about. Class D amps have had the problem of measuring well on the test bench with resistive loads, but not done well with loudspeakers loads. The reason is they do not like varying impedance and above all inductive loads, where phase of voltage and current can separate by a mile. This is the major reason they can measure well on the bench and sound lousy.

They really hate passive crossovers. Their niche has been in active speakers and as sub amps, for this reason.

So if the LAPC is anything other then a gimmick, then I suspect it is another in a long line of attempts to solve this problem.

I have not been tempted to replace my Quad current dumpers with class D amps.

The other issue, is that they have given up a principle advantage of class D which is smaller size and weight and for that matter low cost.

Personally I see a bleak future for this amp, unless it is a real breakthrough solving the major issue that has dogged class D. Even then, you can do it with a small lighter unit with more conventional technology at less cost.

Buckmeister Fuller said you can asses man's progress by performance per pound. This unit fails right here.

To put that in perspective, the power output of that amp is pretty much exactly equivalent of one of my Quad 909s. The Quads are lighter with a much smaller foot print. Imagine if I had seven of those stacked up!

 

[3db]

Before I went PSB, I owned a pair of SB-T200 and they weren't all that bad. They had a surprising amount of bass but it wasn't the tightest. Mids were OK and highs were clear. What the pic doesn't show is another port in the back roughly where the tweeter is located.

 

[3db]

This isn't the same company. It went under long ago. This is a high end manufacturer that bought the name.

I think Seth is correct...Technics has always been owned by Panasonic..

 

[fmw]

I think Seth is correct...Technics has always been owned by Panasonic..

Thanks for the correction. It is a little hard for me to imagine Panasonic making $18000 amplifiers but I suppose they have the ability to do about anything in home audio they want to do.

 

[Seth=L]

Thanks for the correction. It is a little hard for me to imagine Panasonic making $18000 amplifiers but I suppose they have the ability to do about anything in home audio they want to do.

Panasonic is behaving like Sony often does.

 

[3db]

Thanks for the correction. It is a little hard for me to imagine Panasonic making $18000 amplifiers but I suppose they have the ability to do about anything in home audio they want to do.

Its hard for me to imagine anyone wanting to buy an $18000 amplifier. That's a whole lot of "scratch" that could be put to other uses.

 

[slipperybidness]

Thanks for the correction. It is a little hard for me to imagine Panasonic making $18000 amplifiers but I suppose they have the ability to do about anything in home audio they want to do.

Yup, Panasonic is a well respected company with a long history. When you are DIY, Panasonic capacitors are also very desirable.

SL-1200
Panasonic Plasma TVs
Panasonic Caps

All industry leading!

 

[slipperybidness]

Class D amps have had the problem of measuring well on the test bench with resistive loads, but not done well with loudspeakers loads. The reason is they do not like varying impedance and above all inductive loads, where phase of voltage and current can separate by a mile. This is the major reason they can measure well on the bench and sound lousy.

They really hate passive crossovers. Their niche has been in active speakers and as sub amps, for this reason.

So if the LAPC is anything other then a gimmick, then I suspect it is another in a long line of attempts to solve this problem.

Modern class D amps, most of the problems have been solved, I point to the Crown, QSC, etc Pro Amps as evidence of this.

But yeah, class D has inherent problems that must be engineered out of the design. Fortunately EEs tend to be very resourceful, so most problems have been solved.

BUT....If performance is my end goal, then I will stick to Class A or Class AB with linear PS.

If light weight and efficiency are my end goal, then I will choose Class D and accept SMPS too.

To put it another way---For a 2 channel rig, I will choose class A or AB every time. For a dedicated HT rig, efficient class D amps do make a lot of sense.

 

[fmw]

Its hard for me to imagine anyone wanting to buy an $18000 amplifier. That's a whole lot of "scratch" that could be put to other uses.

I would view it as ridiculous but there certainly people who will buy it.

 

[KEW]

It is a little hard for me to imagine Panasonic making $18000 amplifiers but I suppose they have the ability to do about anything in home audio they want to do.

The actual parent company was Matsushita, but Panasonic was the most dominant consumer name. In the last decade (I believe) they dropped Matsushita to use Panasonic as the parent company name.
For audio products, Technics was to Panasonic as Acura is to Honda (or Lexus to Toyota).
Panasonic also made decent (but not premium) bicycles as well as electric razors, and cordless tools.

Panasonic decided to drop Technics when they saw their future was in flat screen TV's.
Now they have lost the advantage in TV's and are looking at other areas of emphasis, although this line of audio gear is a bit extreme. I believe the $18,000 amp is partially designed to give them "street cred" for their lower priced components.

For audio, Panasonic products were always about on par with Sanyo or Sharp.

 

[KEW]

http://andreweverard.com/2014/09/03/technics-the-comeback/

This is a pretty informative glimpse of Panasonic and interesting reading too!