27 March 2018

LUXMAN M-05 - Engineering Excellence

LUXMAN M-05

Over the years, Luxman's strength in engineering excellence has always been most evident in amplifier design. The M-05 represented the latest in electronic technology in 1982 from Luxman and it contains the most current circuit designs, including Duo-Beta with single-stage amplification and L.E.D. bias circuitry. The M-05 utilize discrete output transistors and maintain high dynamic power even into low impedance loads. 

The top-of-the-line M-05 is a pure class "A" configuration and sonically ranks with the finest amplifiers in the world. A slim but effective power transformer with outstanding regulation is newly designed for this high quality separates, which ensure longlasting, stabilized performance in combination with the select capacitors specially developed for audio use. Especially, the power transformer employed this time offers far better efficiency than those with the conventional EI core, which makes it possible to reproduce soild bass sound. 

Unprecedented speedy attack and decay are given in the actual auditory feelings thanks to our unique bias current circuit employing LED's in lieu of normal diodes. In fact, the LED provides very sharp rise and decay in the statics when compared with silicon diode, and therefore ensures stable bias power supply. In addition, it is possible to cope with even an unexpected, sudden fluctuation due to its inherent high-speed response. Furthermore, the inter-terminal voltage per LED is higher than that of diode in general, and to share the same voltage the smaller number of LED's will do in comparison with that of diode. Thus, the esponse speed as well as the decay and rise characteristics show multiple effect, providing conspicuous improvement in the auditory feelings. Unexperienced pure sound is now unveiled.


LUXMAN M-05

LUXMAN M-05

LUXMAN M-05

LUXMAN M-05

LUXMAN M-05

LUXMAN M-05

LUXMAN M-05

LUXMAN M-05

20 March 2018

YAMAHA MX-10000 - Limited Centennial Edition

YAMAHA MX-10000

This YAMAHA pre-power amplifier combo was part of the Limited Centennial Edition #10000 Series introduced in 1987. The Limited Centennial Edition line of stereo components included the MX-10000 Amplifier, the CX-10000 Control Amplifier, the CDX-10000 Compact Disc Player, the HX-10000 Phono Equalizer Amplifier, the NSX-10000 Speakers. The MX-10000 is Yamaha's finest ever pure Class A operation amplifier, with sound quality characteristics approaching perfection. This is the ultimate Class A, surpassing all performance limitations. The one serious drawback to Class A operation has been finally eliminated, thanks to Yamaha's HC Class A circuit. The HC Class A circuit is elegantly simple, consisting of just two dual transistor circuits.  The HC Class A circuit converts input current perfectly into positive and negative hyperbolic characteristics at a high speed. To put it briefly, the MX-10000 constantly delivers pure Class A operation without switching and without cut-off for all power domains and into all loads. Class A operation is assured in large current output operation with a superior dynamic power range. 

Rated output is at 300W x 2 into 6 ohms, and dynamic power is an awesome 1,200W x2 into 1 ohm. Eight high-power MOS FETs (four pairs of Toshiba 2SJ123 and 2SK442) are used in each channel in a quadruple push-pull arrangement in the output power stage to provide the HC circuit with low-load Class A operation. Developed exclusively for the MX-10000, these MOS FETs permit large-current high-speed operation. The power MOS FETs are controlled by multiple carrier control, resulting in excellent wide-range amplification characteristics, with none of the problems caused by switching distortion.  Although the awesome figure of 1,200 watts per channel of dynamic power into 1 ohm is impressive, the resulting music's overwhelmingly grand, yet smooth quality is even more so. In addition to the HC Class A circuit, there is a pre-drive voltage amp which amplifies the voltage of the very weak input signals that are directly connected to the input terminals and provides Class A operation the same as in the output stage. This means a high through-rate of 500 V/µsec at this stage and a gain of 30 dB, reducing negative effects due to noise. Moreover, with low impedance, the antinoise characteristics are improved remarkably. 

The result is exceedingly pure high-power amplification, featuring 0.0005% distortion and an S/N ratio of 132 dB. The MX-10000 incorporates power buffer amplifiers which supply the power required for the Class A output stages with power MOS FETs. This Class A configuration using Yamaha original dual amplifiers solves the heat-radiation problems that can occur during Class A operation. To supply a large power output promptly to the output stage, the power buffer amplifiers use high ft power transistors with superb audio characteristics in a sextuple push-pull configuration, six for N CH and six for P CH, i.e. 12 in each channel (Sanken's 2SA1216 and 2SC2922). Since this dual-amplifier Class A configuration adopts non-current grounding which is used only for determining the ground potential, amplifier operation instability due to current flow into the ground is eliminated. The MX-10000 is constructed of highly-rigid, non-magnetic material. The front panel of extruded aluminum is half an inch thick. Even the weight and design of the screws have been carefully analyzed, in order to ensure that rigidity is uniformly applied throughout. 

The partnering CX-10000 is not a pre-amp in the conventional sense. Nor is it a conventional analog pre-amp in any sense. Instead, the CX-10000 is a tru control amplifier because it offers vastly more control over the final sounds you hear than was possible with any of its predecessors. And it is a true digital control amplifier here Digital input is received directly without analog conversion. Signal is digitally processed with the help of Digital Parametric Equalization and Digital Sound Field Processing.


YAMAHA MX-10000

YAMAHA MX-10000

YAMAHA MX-10000

YAMAHA MX-10000

YAMAHA MX-10000

YAMAHA MX-10000

YAMAHA MX-10000

13 March 2018

PIONEER RT-909 - A True Classic

reel to reel

A true classic. This is the PIONEER RT-909 reel to reel tape recorder introduced in 1978. When PIONEER designed the RT-909 open-reel tape deck they made certain it had every conceivable feature an audiophile could expect. This tape recorder has a specially designed closed-loop dual capstan system that isolates the tape at the heads from any external interference. So, you get constant tape-to-head contact and constant, clear, accurate sound. The main motor is an accurate DC motor that generates its own frequency to correct any variations in tape speed, and keeps wow and flutter down to an unheard of 0.04% at 19 cm/s. 

The RT-909 also has a logic control system that ensures smooth, accurate speed change while also offering automatic reverse, automatic repeat, and timer controllable mechanism that lets you reord a midnight concert even if you can't stay awake for it. The playback heads, for example, have a new "contourless" design that makes them more sensitive. They increase frequency response upwards to 28,000 hertz and extend it all the way down to 20 hertz. The RT-909 also has a Fluroscan metering system that gives you an instantaneous picture of what you're listening to. A pitch control that lets you listen to music in perfect pitch even if it was far from perfectly recorded. 

Four different bias/equalization selection will allow you to use many tapes brands / formulations and get maximum performance from them all. The cabinet is seized for rack mounting on the EIA 19" standards such as the PIONEER JA-R2S.

reel to reel

reel to reel

reel to reel

reel to reel




05 March 2018

AKAI GX-650D - GX Head and Dual Capstan

reel to reel

The AKAI GX-650D was introduced in 1976. It's a 3 Head, 3 Motor stereo tape deck featuring an efficient Closed Loop Double Capstan AC Servo Motor system. The recording and playback heads of this model are AKAI's famous GX (glass and crystal ferrite) heads. The special construction of this head eliminates sound drop-out, improves head sensitivity, and minimizes high range loss for a more dynamic range with vastly improved high range frequency characteristics. Also signal-to-noise ratio is improved and distortion minimized. The GX-650D operates on 15, 7-1/2, and 3-3/4 ips tape speed. AKAI's exclusive CPG (center pole generated) system inner-rotor AC Servo Motor is employed in this model for double capstan drive. With this system, the voltage supplied to the stator winding is pulse detected and precisely controlled for stabilized motor revolutions and constant tape speed. Two oil circulating mechanisms with cellulose fibers are installed within the interior of the motor. This oil-circulating system assures smooth and stable shaft revolutions. Two 6-pole eddy current anti-vibration outer rotor reel drive motors complete the perfect drive system of this model. Technical data: Track system - 4 track 2 channel stereo/mono system, Reel capacity up to 10-1/2", Wow/Flutter less than 0.04% RMS at 15 ips, Frequency response 30 to 30,000 Hz +/- 3 dB at 15 ips, Signal-to-noise ratio better than 58 dB, Dimensions 524 (H) x 442 (W) x 258 (D) mm, Weight 26.2 kg.

reel to reel

reel to reel

reel to reel

reel to reel