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Need info on Kenwood KA-9800 (KA-8300)

lha1992

lha1992

Kenwood Collector
Subscriber
Okay, so I was about to buy a Kenwood Eleven Gx but it was sold yesterday, and then I was about to buy a Technics SA-800 but the owner does not want to email me back and now I found a real nice Kenwood KA-9800 which is the european version of the KA-8300.

I looked for info on the KA-9800 and the KA-8300 but I can't find hardly nothing on them. All I know is that it was the TOTL unit in 1976 for kenwood before the KA-9100. I also know is that it has IC's like the KA-9100.

So, I need some info on this amp? How does it compare to the KA-9100?
Any info is welcomed.

Here are some pics of the amp.
http://i20.ebayimg.com/06/i/001/29/87/a84a_3.JPG
http://i2.ebayimg.com/02/i/001/28/93/8419_3.JPG
http://i15.ebayimg.com/06/i/001/29/87/ef4d_3.JPG
 
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great I have both

Both amps are great except for the sometime scratchy controls:music:


lha1992 said:
Okay, so I was about to buy a Kenwood Eleven Gx but it was sold yesterday, and then I was about to buy a Technics SA-800 but the owner does not want to email me back and now I found a real nice Kenwood KA-9800 which is the european version of the KA-8300.

I looked for info on the KA-9800 and the KA-8300 but I can't find hardly nothing on them. All I know is that it was the TOTL unit in 1976 for kenwood before the KA-9100. I also know is that it has IC's like the KA-9100.

So, I need some info on this amp? How does it compare to the KA-9100?
Any info is welcomed.
Click to expand...
 
Ya, Wow, small world because both me and you are in Washington!

Can you believe that?

I did notice the color variation, but I didn't ask about it yet.
 
Sure is as I grew up on Whidbey Island and my sis is an admin assistant for the Everett DA. Pop lives in Arlington and my Mom is in Edmonds. Still have some relatives on the rock as well.

That KA-9800 is sure in nice condition. I just wish I could figure out the series as the 8300/9800 and 9100/9150 integrated seem to overlap in production years.

I'd like to have the amp match the tuner so question is would a 9150 match the 9900 better?

Regards,
TB
 
Wow, thats neat that you and your family are from over here in Western Washington. Small world.

Okay, let me tell you the story with the KA-8300/9800, KA-9100/9150, and the KT-8300/9900.

The KA-8300 was built in 1976 and was the TOTL unit in 1976. The KT-8300 tuner is the Kt-9900 tuner and was built at the same time as the KA-8300/9800. The KA-8300/9800 was built from 1976-1978.

Now for the KA-9100/9150, they were built in 1977. The Kt-8300 tuner was built in 1976, but was matched up to the KA-9100 since it was the TOTL unit now and the KA-8300/9800 was not anymore. KA-9100/9150 was built from 1977-1979.

I know what I said is very confusing but thats the way kenwood did it for some reason.

But ya, the KA-9150 would match more to the KA-9900 since they are both TOTL units and they are both european version units.
 
Thanks for the info there. That's what I had concluded by researching some info found here and there. The Orion/Used Price & AudiogoN guides sort of mire everything together so I could only speculate on the Euro components.

I have another question on the KA-9150. I would assume you have also seen the one listed on the Price is Right (eBay) here and also in Washington. Does it seem odd that some of the flip switches are black? It sort of detracts from the look of matching it to the KT-9900 I think. Is there a possibility that some have been replaced or is this the way the European version was released?

Getting back to the KA-9800, so what tuner would have been a match to it in the overseas version at that time. It sure looks to be Grey and not Bronze!

Regards,
TB
 
So for that KA-9150 you are talking about, someone did replace all of the toggle switches and the bass, treble, and selector knobs. I don't know why someone would do that! :nono:

Now the tuner that would have been matched to the KA-9800 overseas at that time would have been KT-9900/KT-8300 in 1976. The KA-9100/9150 in 1977 would have also been matched to KT-9900/KT-8300.

Really when the KA-9100/9150 came in, both the KA-8300/9800 and the KA-9100/9150 were matched to the KT-8300/9900 until the KA-8300/9800 went out of production in 1978.

So for the bronze or gun metal color, you could get either color you wanted overseas. If you got a gun metal color KA-9800, you could choose what color KT-9900 you wanted.
 
Tower Boss said:
Thanks for the info there. That's what I had concluded by researching some info found here and there. The Orion/Used Price & AudiogoN guides sort of mire everything together so I could only speculate on the Euro components.

I have another question on the KA-9150. I would assume you have also seen the one listed on the Price is Right (eBay) here and also in Washington. Does it seem odd that some of the flip switches are black? It sort of detracts from the look of matching it to the KT-9900 I think. Is there a possibility that some have been replaced or is this the way the European version was released?

Getting back to the KA-9800, so what tuner would have been a match to it in the overseas version at that time. It sure looks to be Grey and not Bronze!

Regards,
TB
Click to expand...
The KT-9900 would match the KA-9800. They both have the same dark anodization (same color). I know these Euro models are listed as "Bronze" but I've never seen one that isn't dark, gunmetal grey. I have the little brothers to these, the KA-8150 and the KT-7550. I have been looking for the matching cassette deck but what few that own them don't want to break up the set.
BTW, that would be a sweet set, the KA-9800 and the KT-9900. The gunmetal grey is really classy.
 
westend said:
The KT-9900 would match the KA-9800. They both have the same dark anodization (same color). I know these Euro models are listed as "Bronze" but I've never seen one that isn't dark, gunmetal grey.
Click to expand...

I wish they did, as this is what lha1992 and I have been tossing around. Apparently, they did come in two color variations.

Here are the pics of the two together courtesy lha1992 links above.

lha1992 said:
Here are some pics of the amp.
http://i20.ebayimg.com/06/i/001/29/87/a84a_3.JPG
http://i2.ebayimg.com/02/i/001/28/93/8419_3.JPG
http://i15.ebayimg.com/06/i/001/29/87/ef4d_3.JPG
Click to expand...

westend said:
BTW, that would be a sweet set, the KA-9800 and the KT-9900. The gunmetal grey is really classy.
Click to expand...

I agree and both appear in nice cosmetic condition. Just to bad they are different shades.

lha1992 said:
Tower Boss, Here is what a matched Kenwood KA-9100 and KT-8300 looks like.
Go to post #2
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=203351
Click to expand...

Yea I have seen the thread and have had the 9100/8300 combo on radar! I am piecing together series from many brands, which sometimes makes it hard to prioritize an acquisition. That is why those Euro Kenny’s jumped to the top of my long list since they seemed promising.

lha1992 said:
So for that KA-9150 you are talking about, someone did replace all of the toggle switches and the bass, treble, and selector knobs. I don't know why someone would do that! :nono:
Click to expand...

That's what I thought. Its in much rougher shape than the KA-9800, but does seem to match the KT-9900 listed.

I guess I have some thinking to do concerning the set now. :scratch2:

Regards,
TB
 
You do know you could have a KT-7500/7550 tuner matched up to a KA-9100/9150 or a KA-8300/9800.

Theirs a KT-7550 listed on that auction site right now I think.

I have a KA-9100 and a KT-7500 tuner that my mom bought brand new back in 1979 and it sounds great!
 
I've seen that KT-7550 which looks to been in great shape! It appears to be a true bronze face like the 9900.

That KA-9150 makes me wary as it seems to have been through the ringer. I noticed that besides the toggle switches, the power cord is not original as well.

Probably not going to even bid on the 9150. Might pass on the 9800 or 9900 and look for a mate for either down the road. I just don't know which I'm going to pursue now.

Regards,
TB
 
Does anybody know of the power of the Ka-8300/9800?

And how does it compare to the KA-9100?
 
Well the Amp sold about where I had pegged at $410.00. I was aiming for $400.00 plus early on. Curious if it was an AKer in the end?

I would assume that the KT-9900 is going to fetch about the same. The last one I had seen recently sold for $353.00 on the 3rd of January.

Again those were nice Kenny's, just to bad they did not match for my purposes.

Regards,
TB
 
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