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OT: Anyone remember this vintage audio amp?

Hi all,

Without venturing into 'stupid money territory' the best quality audio by far I've ever heard came from one particular solid state stereo amplifier I'd be interested in re-acquainting myself with. Unfortunately I can't recall the make or model number which is obviously a big barrier to the desired reunion. However, if I mention some scant details I *do* remember about it, maybe it will jog someone's memory. What I _do_ recall is the following:-

It wasn't a Technics branded amp but neither was it one of the budget brands. It wasn't of European manufacture (I'm pretty sure it was Japanese). It was the standard "separates" size of the late eighties/early nineties and I owned one briefly 16 years ago so it can't be any later than 2003 and probably much earlier. It had an all black finish. It was only 60W per channel but punched above its weight in this respect and produced _the_ most outstanding sound quality. It was massively heavy on one side so must have had a _very_ substantial transformer for such a relatively low power amp. It had an unusual (and very cool) feature I'd never seen before or since which hopefully will identify it: a quite small volume knob with a little red LED on one edge of it which lit-up and physically rotated whenever the remote control unit's volume button was activated.

Does that ring any bells with anyone? I wouldn't mind trying to find another one!

Reply to
Chris
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Pretty vague.

There were probably other companies but Yamaha had several in the "Natural Sound" series (that name is probably generic) that had motor driven mechanical remote-controled volume controls.

They also were lopsided with weight balance.

"produced _the_ most outstanding sound quality" is subjective and could apply to 1000's of receivers along with the power rating.

Thats the best I can come up with.

-bruce snipped-for-privacy@ripco.com

Reply to
bje

** Might it be a Proton AM30 or similar ??

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Lotsa weight on LH side, 80wpc, all black, simple, very good specs and almost a top name brand.

..... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

I still have my JVC amp/receiver/cassette with rotating & flashing volume control. But clearly not the same as your recollection!

Mike.

Reply to
Mike Coon

JVC certainly rings a bell... But this was only an amplifier.

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Reply to
Cursitor Doom

And on the one I had, the LED was a different colour (green IIRC).

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Reply to
Cursitor Doom

got to be a Pioneer shirley? They made some massive knobs with lights that wekt around but usually never in black.

Reply to
Al

Crown had made some low THD amps back in the 80's I had a summer gig at Picker, that used them to test position transducers.

Cheers

Reply to
Martin Riddle

---------------------

** Yeah: DC300As, D150 IIs, D75s, Microtechs, Macrotechs, PAS2 self analysing amps, M600s and others.

Saw a few of them across my bench, mostly PSA2s

The later Crown K1 and K2 class D amps get my vote however.

Totally sealed case, no fan and hard to tell they were class D by external testing. Exceptionally reliable.

.... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

Any other pointless reminiscences you'd care to share?

Reply to
Dan Green

  • Up to this point, that reminds me of a Sansui system i had ages ago.
  • Now major description departure; sorry.
Reply to
Robert Baer

No, it wasn't Sansui nor Sanyo nor Sharp nor Pioneer nor Proton as Phil suggested, none of those nor any of the earlier ones in the thread people said it might be. I guess I'll probably never know now it's just too long ago. :(

Thanks for trying to assist, anyway guys.

Reply to
Chris

Marantz?

Do a google for "Hifi year book", and start reading from the mid eighties.

Various publications online

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Adrian C
Reply to
Adrian Caspersz

Our amplifier at home has that feature, and it's black. but my memory is the volume knob is big. We bought it about 1993 or so. I assume that many amplifiers have an LED feature like that.

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 Thanks, 
    - Win
Reply to
Winfield Hill

Carver? TEAC? Onkyo?

Ring any bells...?

Reply to
mpm

OK, thanks to everyone who responded. I'd thought that volume feature would be unique to one manufacturer to be honest - I've never seen it on any other amp. I think now someone mentioned JVC and that *does* ring a bell. It's just that I'd never equated JVC with the best of the amps of that era. Looks like I may have to review my prejudices. The search goes on...

Reply to
Chris

None of them. The only one that does is JVC - but I've never really considered them seriously as hi-fi amp manufacturers. Maybe I've misjudged them.

Reply to
Chris

Marantz or Macintosh? But really in the end, you have to have a pretty poor amplifier for the speakers not to be the limiting factor.

IMHO, Mikek

Reply to
amdx

Too bad, actually quite a few amplifiers had that feature, my wife's parents had one in Florida.

--
 Thanks, 
    - Win
Reply to
Winfield Hill

My current amp has that feature.

Reply to
Lucifer

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