Technics SU-A800D Amplifier

This two-unit good-looker intruded into that price category, where integral amplifiers were still dominated. SU-800D is a logical continuation of the series of two-unit amplifiers, supplied to the market by the company "Technics". This device takes the lowest price category in the series of two-unit amplifiers of the company. Appraising the amplifier's appearance we can note the design is almost unchanged in comparison with more expensive models, although from the point of realization there are the significant differences. So, for example, the pre-amp hasn't got its own power transformer and is powered through the cable from power unit on virtual battery, being made as the battery of electrolytic capacitors of large capacity. Such professional circuit technique solution initially supposes a significant reduction of the level of electromagnetic interference on the pre-amplifying circuits. New solutions have also found their implementationin the design of volume delay potentiometer where the traditional moving element is gilt and fixed and the resistor's "horseshoe" moves itself. As the result, the characteristics of the weakest mechanical link are improved. The company pays a significant attention to the normalization of the thermal regime of the power amplifier. A coolingfan, blowing powerful transistors of MOSFET type, is mounted for this purpose.

At the test it was discovered that the scheme of fan's turning on has two sensors: temperature and current, and the fan turns on at load current of more than 1A. The amplifier has 6 switchable inputs, equalizer with the opportunity to turn it off (Direct Source mode) and Tape Monitor button. The connection of magnet head (MM) for vinyl player is provided. Frequency response is 3 Hz - 80 kHz (0-3 dB), noise ratio from the linear input is 91 dB. The design of amplifier's units creates the image of a high class device. The complementary electrolytic capacitors of Master series with triple vibrating isolationare used for the power source of the amplifier. Chassis and the body are made by hybrid, three-layer technology that allowed the significantreduce the sensibility to vibrations. The switching of amplifier from StandBy mode into the operating mode happens with a help of pressing Power button on the one of the amplifier's units: pre-amp or power amp.

The listening to a two-unit Technics SU-800D included both analog and digital sources. I would like to especially note the sound of the amplifier at the using of DAT tape recorder with original recording. The sound had extremely correct transmission in the whole frequency spectrum. Particularly, chamber compositions were played, what, as a rule, is a stumbling block for many amplifiers; but here we heard perfectly transferable atmosphere of hall acoustics and there was the feeling of sound voyage in space with reproduction the finest nuances. The amplifier securely "chewed" musical material, being difficult from the view of playing that is especially noticeable in acoustic jazz, where the volume of playing should more or less correspond to the level of "live" playing. This variant of two-unit amplifier had the experience of communicating with jazz and left quite good impression. At playing vinyl the amplifier again successfully coped with the wholepalette of complex musical compositions, related to symphonic or ethnic music, pop rock or jazz. To sum up, I can say that only true Hi-Fi equipment can give such sound.