DENON POA-8000 / PRA-6000 (JAPAN 1981)
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State of the Art mono power amplifiers introduced in 1981 by DENON. I think the POA-8000 can easily compete for the best looking monoblocs ever. It is using an ultra-high stability and ultra-low noise construction with DENON's Non-NFB Class-A design (200W 20-20000Hz 8ohm). This design will prevent transient distortion and it will provide excellent dynamic characteristic. A high speed, high linearity 3-stage powerful darlington power stage is used while DENON's real bias circuit is enabling high efficiency Class A operation. Large VU meters and Digital display adds the final touch to this beautiful power amplifier. The POA-8000 set was partnered by the equally well designed and handsome DENON PRA-6000 preamplifier.
KENWOOD L-08M / L-08C (JAPAN 1980)
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Here is a unique, back-to-the basics amplifier design that considers every aspect of performance between the preamplifier input to the speaker input terminals. For the dedicated audiophile seeking perfection in sound reproduction, the ideal hi-fi setup includes separating the preamplifier's small-signal circuitry from the large-current using circuits of the power amplifier. Yet, in spite of all the recent improvements in amplifier performance, the perceptive listener is often left with the nagging feeling that the sound is still not at all as "total" as it should be by the time it emanates from the speakers. Breaking away from conventional "tunnel vision" in amplifier design, KENWOOD engineers intensively investigated this credibility gap between specification promises and actual results, to reach an amplifier design concept that takes into account every single stage of signal handling, including the link between the separate units, the power supply system, and even dynamic effects of the speakers themselves. The L-08 Sigma Direct Drive Amplifier System thus actually achieves what must become the primary objective in amplifier design - a stunning mirror image of the purity of the original music signal all the way to speaker system.
The L-08M is a single-channel power amplifier that "directly drives" the speaker to which it is connected. The concept of Direct Drive is based on the accepted theory that the shorter the speaker connecting cord, the better the sound quality. In the original Kenwood Direct Drive amplifier system, an excellent amplifier-speaker relationship was obtained through locating each single-channel amplifier a meter away from its speaker. However, the New Hi-Speed amplifier with Sigma Drive functions as a direct-drive amplifier in the same way, even when the L-08M is located at some distance from the speaker. As Kenwood data shows, the L-08M provides outstanding performance relative to any other amplifier setup. For example, Damping Factor at the end of the 3-meter Sigma cords is still 15,000, while even at 10-meters it is over 20,000, which is more than 100 times better than most other amplifier DFs measured at the amplifier output terminals. Moreover, such is the innate superiority of the L-08M's circuitry that even without using the Sigma cords and substituting conventional speaker cords instead (the L-08M can still be used as a " n o r m a l" amplifier), the tonal quality has a clear edge over others, as a comparative listening test will prove. Specifications L-08M: Power output 170 watts minimum, RMS at 8 ohms from 20Hz to 20kHz with no more than 0.003% total harmonic distortion. Frequency response DC - 600kHz +0, -3dB, Signal to Noise Ratio 116dB, Damping factor 15,000 at 55Hz. Accepts speaker impedance 4 ohms to 16 ohms, Dimensions 185 (W) x 235 (H) x 369 (D) mm, Weight 12.5kg.
The L-08M is a single-channel power amplifier that "directly drives" the speaker to which it is connected. The concept of Direct Drive is based on the accepted theory that the shorter the speaker connecting cord, the better the sound quality. In the original Kenwood Direct Drive amplifier system, an excellent amplifier-speaker relationship was obtained through locating each single-channel amplifier a meter away from its speaker. However, the New Hi-Speed amplifier with Sigma Drive functions as a direct-drive amplifier in the same way, even when the L-08M is located at some distance from the speaker. As Kenwood data shows, the L-08M provides outstanding performance relative to any other amplifier setup. For example, Damping Factor at the end of the 3-meter Sigma cords is still 15,000, while even at 10-meters it is over 20,000, which is more than 100 times better than most other amplifier DFs measured at the amplifier output terminals. Moreover, such is the innate superiority of the L-08M's circuitry that even without using the Sigma cords and substituting conventional speaker cords instead (the L-08M can still be used as a " n o r m a l" amplifier), the tonal quality has a clear edge over others, as a comparative listening test will prove. Specifications L-08M: Power output 170 watts minimum, RMS at 8 ohms from 20Hz to 20kHz with no more than 0.003% total harmonic distortion. Frequency response DC - 600kHz +0, -3dB, Signal to Noise Ratio 116dB, Damping factor 15,000 at 55Hz. Accepts speaker impedance 4 ohms to 16 ohms, Dimensions 185 (W) x 235 (H) x 369 (D) mm, Weight 12.5kg.
PIONEER M-Z1A / C-Z1A (JAPAN 1983)
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The PIONEER M-Z1a Class A mono power amplifier is part of the "Artistic Sound Series" that was only available in Japan from 1983. This is actually the second version of the M-Z1 introduced in 1980. Other components of this series were the C-Z1a pre amplifier, H-Z1 MC head amplifier, S-F1 CUSTOM speaker system, CT-A1 cassette deck, PL-L1 turntable and P-D1 CD player. Three pairs of LAPT devices (2SA1187 / 2SC2838) deliver some hot 60W (8 ohm, 20Hz-20kHz) of power in Class A mode. Two transformers are used in this high-end non-NFB construction using a Super Linear Circuit for the voltage amplifying stage. The power meter uses 20 LED's to display power from 0,001W up to 100W with peak hold capacity for easy reading. Dimensions of a PIONER M-Z1a mono power amplifier are 22(W) x 18,5(H) x 44(D) cm and it's weight is 19,1kg
