Technics Trash or treasure ???

[Plitron]

"Is this Technics a good amp chip amplifier, or is it Trash?:scratch2:

TECHNICS MODEL: SA-GX470

 

[M Jarve]

Not one of their best efforts. Not exactly trash, either, in that condition. Take a listen and see if you like it.

 

[similost]

I had one, or at least one in that series.... They came as complete rack systems. trash in my book.. .had all kinds of issues with the volume know, and had to use the remote to turn it up.. Give it volume for a bit, and it would go into thermal protection... That was from day one when I bought it.. even sent it in for warranty several times. It would work for a while after I got it back...

I ended up selling the complete system I had bought in 1990 for $1800 at a yard sale for $50.. all 5 speakers and all the cables and all... Every single piece of that system had issues except for the speakers, other than they weren't the best..

 

[Plitron]

Both of your replies seem to be very correct with what I just heard 5 minutes ago. Great stereo separation keyboards sound good, vocals not so good. A different sound than my other amps. The bass was a little boomy until I realized that I had it in surround. I switched to stereo mode and it cleaned up. Not a bad sounding little unit. Unfortunately, it went into overload within 30 seconds of playing it in stereo mode. I had the volume on 8 and it goes to 20. I thought that maybe I was giving it too much from my pre-amp. I switched to the tuner and it was fine. Mind you, I never had to turn the volume up much as I was using bi amped speakers. I think I'll go back to using the Denon.

 

[lha1992]

Technics made crap in the late 80s and just went down hill from there.

 

[Plitron]

Technics made crap in the late 80s and just went down hill from there.

Looks like I got one from that era.

 

[Dr. Music]

I had a few from that series as well - maybe even that particular model, it looks just like one I owned - and they were no better than functional. To me that was the period when BPC reared its cheap, black, ugly head! Seemed like every model on the shelves looked identical and performed the same, little in the way of dynamics, all touting FAR more power than they could produce.

 

[Isotonic]

It's probably ok till it breaks. Then it is probably unfixable. I vote on the LCD failing first.

 

[soundboy]

I am still using my GX670 as a headphone amp....sounds sweet when used with a pair of Grado SR60s. As surround sound amps, they're kind of noisy in their surround channels. However, when used as a 2 channel amp, they are quiet and do provide a lot of power. Don't know why Technics don't provide more vents on top since these models, especially those with the Class H+ circuit, run very hot. At least the fan in the back isn't noisy.

 

[similost]

It's probably ok till it breaks. Then it is probably unfixable. I vote on the LCD failing first.

I got money on the volume...

 

[tomt]

Technics made crap in the late 80s and just went down hill from there.

they have made some truly good equipment,

just not seen as often as it/they should be in the usa -

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=95910

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=124488


raw drivers -

http://audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/unit/index.html


flat panel stuff --


http://audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/speaker/sb-afp10.html

http://audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/speaker/sb-afp1000.html


http://audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/index.html

````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

 

[Isotonic]

Point taken TomT. I guess they don't market their good stuff to the US. I have a friend who has been a tech for 20 plus years. He speaks of the Matsushita name with great reverence. Their capacitors are first rate. And i guess it all starts with parts doesn't it?

 

[Z4N5H1N]

Point taken TomT. I guess they don't market their good stuff to the US. I have a friend who has been a tech for 20 plus years. He speaks of the Matsushita name with great reverence. Their capacitors are first rate. And i guess it all starts with parts doesn't it?

All the Matsu stuff from the 70s and early 80s is good stuff, and Technics was the better end of the spectrum.The lower-end stuff was generally sold under the Panasonic brand name.

 

[Plitron]

This has been a real education for me.:scratch2:

Thank You Everyone

 

[AnalogDigit]

Try it out and see if it sound good.

 

[Plitron]

It say's class H on the front, whatever that means.:scratch2:

 

[TAGO MAGO]

Not one of Technics best moments. Not to be harsh but:

Classic Technics:

Later Technics:

 

[dkelley]

heh heh, there is some absolutely wonderful technics. My RA-340 receiver is one (black version of the RA-300). it is one of the best receivers I've ever used. great sounding preamp, tone controls are actually useful, tuner is OUTSTANDING (best I've owned ever, better than most digitals), and the power amp with it's misleading specs (which make it sound light in the PSU department) is also outstanding, delivering a continous 52 or so wpc into 8 ohms with very low thd. And how does it sound? modern yet retro, best of both. modern in that it's bass is defined and tight, not emphasized as with some vintage units, highs are present and pristine, not muffled like with many vintage units. retro in that it's bass is warm and musical, it's treble is never piercing or ugly, and it's infinitely listenable and musical imho.

However that unit you have there OP.... sorry but it's probably going to end up being serviceable but ultimately quite average. Technics was the high end line of panasonic originally. then it was a marketers dream and got stuck on everything to sell more products. suddenly technics was crap. all changed in the mid to late eighties. late 70s up to mid eighties saw technics improving all the time and always making great gear. however their SA-X00 receivers are their greatest achievements imho. The even hundred numbered ones (and their twins with different colors like my 340). There are lots of numbers in between that aren't nearly in the same league as the x00 series, although if you like digital tuners you will put up with poorer performance than the x00 had in their tuners.