Thoughts on Hitachi?

[Flaminroids]

I picked up a Hitachi SR-603 receiver for $10 at my local thrift store the other day and I was pondering keeping it. It looks like a Pioneer and sounds like a Pioneer (my SX-680 at least) and it has a bit of power. Nobody here really talks about Hitachi and nothing of interest came up in the search either. Thoughts? Opinions? And yes, everything works and it's in pretty much perfect condition.

 

[MondoFanM]

I wasn't following this back then. I was a kid. But was it a highly regarded brand in the 70's? Then lost it's luster? That seems to be a common theme here. Will follow this thread with interest. Rocking The Clash on my SX 650 right now.

 

[fastbike]

An HMA-7500/8500 are two of the better vintage amps you can find.

The HCA-7500/8500 preamps as well. They were never highly distributed in the US.

You do hear lots of Hitachi though, great output transistors.

 

[jntit]

I have a Hitachi 7500 HMA, really nice amp, open & airy, good power 75 watts per, a really nice amp, VERY under the radar IMHO. I also have a 6500 HCA pre, not the equal of my Yamaha C4, but for the price it's tough to beat.

 

[JohnInICT]

I have a Hitachi SR 904 and it sounds really, really good.

There is some good info on this thread

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=446683

 

[Flaminroids]

I like the amp so far. Not quite a Sansui but it is very similar to the SX-680 I used to have. Seems like a decent unit. The lights dim when ever the bass hits (and it hits hard), is this an issue?

 

[Ruxman]

It's not an issue, it's just a voltage drop, which happens when you drag too much power out of it.

Recapping will not resolve this. You need a bigger transformer.

This is common on low budget units - transformers aren't cheap. Using a small one is the best way to cut costs. That doesn't mean that it is a bad amplifier. In fact, it often means the opposite, since those tend to use a smaller number of components. And in the audio world, less truly is more.

You just won't be able to play it very loud. Turn off the loudness, and tone controls at zero.

 

[bogle111]

They also made a tuner, think it was the FT-5500 which was/is still highly regarded in Europe. Think it is still in the Top 10 ever made.

Under the impression that they made components and cable used by other manufacturers but never separated their hi-fi side from the machinery side (earth moving equip. for example).

Pete

 

[Alex Hayes]

I have a cassette deck I picked up by Hitachi. It is a TOTL 3 head deck. It is currently not working but the build quality looks to be top notch and I have heard very good things about the deck. It seems to be a brand that is very solid but doesn't get much recognition because it doesn't carry one of the more well known names like Pioneer or Marantz.

 

[just dave]

Big time under the radar brand.Very good build quality.I have a sr-2004 receiver and I love it.Hitachi made a lot of the parts (ic's,semiconductor's,power supplies)for other brands as well so their gear is kinda like a purebred.

 

[bootheskin]

I have an SR-1100 and am pleased with it

 

[Wigwam Jones]

I don't think there is anything wrong with Hitachi. They were not well-represented in the US market back in the day, so there aren't as many of them out there. That's all.

 

[Silver Face]

Try their tape decks, especially the higher priced units--built like a tank! Pure heaven when you place a tape in one of these units. Years ago, an audio dealer told me about Hitachi and said they got no respect, but go with them, you'll never regret it. So I did, that was in the 1970's and I've been hooked ever since. Be sure to use a back brace when you pick up one of their units--they're heavy and well built.

 

[SFBayArch]

I believe Hitachi made the solid state Fisher branded receivers in the early 70s, such as the Futura line.

 

[aileenamegan]

Excellent receivers. Often underrated. I still have SR302, SR502, SR503L, SR603, SR802, SR804.

None of these units has a transformer that is too weak. Must be a different problem with your 603. My doesn't have - even if fully powered.

 

[cnh2]

Hitachi made some nice stuff, back in the day.

What I've been finding out is that, probably most of the early CDPs made for Realistic had Hitachi guts. And all their TOTL cassette decks from around the early 80s or so were rebranded Hitachis--including the very best deck they ever offered!

Should be good stuff!

cnh2

 

[1tumbleweed]

Hitachi did a lot of OEM work back in the '60s and '70s, never seemed to put a lot of effort into marketing their own brand in the US. Kind of like Kyocera.

Like Kyocera, Hitachi is a huge company with its fingers in a lot of pies. Not so much of a big deal these days, but Hitachi also owns Maxell - since long ago when they were just a battery company.

 

[bluesky]

I bought a Hitachi Mini-componet system back in 1983. It sounded outrageous. Really life-like.

Still have the amp and speakers. Sounds perfect.

Old Hitachi is good.

I have a new Hitachi, well 10 years old now, projection 65" TV... I LOVE IT!!

 

[Flaminroids]

Well so far the receiver isn't too bad. I wouldn't gush over it like I did my Sansui, but it's well built and functions great for a $10 receiver.

 

[Daunia 70]

A good quality brand,but never really marketed their higher end stuff in the UK (or if they did they didn't do it well).
I seem to recall back in the 70's/early 80's UK they distributed a lot of music centres and lower end stack systems which you could buy in a lot of high street electrical shops,also for example there's a big Currys chain of electrical shops here in the UK and back in the 70's they had their own Triumph brand name of budget hi-fi systems etc and some were made in Japan which Hitachi made of their behalf (Not to be confused with the older Triumph guitar amp etc brand).
As for the 80's it was mostly anything from 3D Super Woofer boomboxes to vacuum cleaners to TV & video to the Opus 1 & 2 updated music centres which looked a lot like the Bang & Olufsen beocentres at around the same time (i have an Opus 2 and it sounds excellent,although the speakers for it were actually made in the UK by Wharfedale which surprisingly didn't sound that good while the actual Opus 2 centre was made in good old Japan.