Lo-D MX-W01 (JAPAN 1986)
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The MX-W01 is a simple & stylish stereo cassette receiver/ compact disc player that was introduced to the Japanese market in 1986 under the Lo-D brand name. The same model was available worldwide as Hitachi Opus 1. The system features a fully programmable top loading CD player, dual top loading cassette section with Tape 1 for playback and Tape 2 for playback and recording (normal/chrome/Metal | Dolby B), Digital AM-FM Stereo radio with 16 presets and a 30W/ch stereo amplifier. The Japanese market model came with a 3-way loudspeaker (MX-W1) with 16cm woofer, 6.6cm midrange and a 1.6cm tweeter (Made in Denmark). The international Hitachi version had market dependent, mostly locally built loudspeakers. Main unit dimensions: 590x81x311mm (WxHxD) | Weight: 6kg. The system was available in black or white with an original sale price of 1700 DM in Germany.
Victor FF-700 (JAPAN 1976)
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While strictly speaking this not a music center, it is so unique that this is the closest category where It can be presented. The FF-700 is a unique Hi-Fi system created in 1976 by Victor (JVC - Japan Victor Company). One can clearly see the design ideas "borrowed" from Bang & Olufsen (see Beomaster 6000) and JBL (see JBL Paragon). The FF-700 consists of a 22W/ch FM-AM stereo receiver, a belt-drive turntable and two back-loaded 2-way loudspeakers featuring a 16cm paper cone woofer manufactured by Hawley in the USA. Placing the two loudspeakers on their side (and adding a custom stand) creates a visual reference to the JBL Paragon loudspeaker system even if they are technically more simple but still follow the same backloaded principle.
WEGA Concept 51K (GERMANY 1979)
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WEGA (Wuerttembergische Radio-Gesellschaft mbh) was a prestigious German company founded in 1923 that was acquired by SONY Corporation in 1975. It was in these early years that Sony had plans on launching unique "WEGA styled" hifi systems based on Sony electronics. The WEGA Concept 51K seen here was one of their more ambitious projects of this kind. Responsible for the unique design of this music centre was long time WEGA designer Hartmut Esslinger. Early designs created by Esslinger Design (later frog Design inc.) in 1976 show a prototype named "Skywalker" that featured needle type VU meters and slider controls that later developed into the final product known as the Concept 51K. While earlier WEGA music centers featured DUAL turntable this time it was used a SONY turntable with BSL Direct-Drive motor and S-shaped tonearm fitted with a Sony XL-15 cartridge. To the left of the fully covered turntable (featuring only an arch shaped window) we can find distinct "vertical segments" for the cassette recorder, digital tuner and amplifier. The cassette recorder section features Ferrite&Ferrite heads, normal, Fe-Cr and Chrome tape compatibility, Dolby noise reduction and LED VU meters. The tuner section is an analog tuner with digital grafic display, FM, AM and LW wavelength and 7 FM presets. On the amplifier section we will find the usual controls such as: input selector, two pairs of loudspeakers, bass, mid and treble control, low and high filter and loudness control. The power rating is 50 W/ch sinus DIN 4 ohm. There was a dedicated stand designed for this system as well as visually matching loudspeakers, the WEGA Direct model range. The system was available in black and white (in German this was called light grey). Size: 845xx133x401 mm | Original sale price: 2198 DM (Germany)
