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This is an excellent receiver. I own a SA202 and SA505 in addition to a SA400. They all have the same basic specs except for power output and the 202 only has 1 tape input, auxiliary and phono input, whereas the other models have two tape inputs.
They all have the same sound-very clean with fantastic tone definition compared to other receivers of the same and greater output with \"better\" reputations than Technics. I have personally owned within the past 2 years a wide range of mid 70s to early 80s receivers and amps by Sansui, Pioneer, Yamaha and Marantz. This line of late 70s to early 80s Technics receivers outperforms all of those brands as far as sound stage is concerned in my opinion.
I have read criticism about the cabinets of this line of Technics receivers. They aren\'t quite as good as the other more expensive brands, but cabinets do not affect sound quality. Pioneer actually attacked this line of receivers for their cabinet quality back in 1980! What they couldn\'t attack them for was the sound quality of the receiver itself because it is/was superior.
I actually think the fact that the base is wood composite and not metal is a good thing for cooling. Heat is a enemy of electronics. The amps do get warm on these receivers. I cleaned out the dust on the inside of each. Then I bought a $18 external fan used for cooling lap tops and other electrical equipment. I set it on top of the cabinet over the amp and let it pull the heat out. It works well!
Another thing I like about them is that at low volumes you can clearly hear the music and various tones. Some brands like Yamaha, Marantz and Pioneer, I had to turn them up so I could hear what the receivers were outputting. In other words the Technics aren\'t limp wristed when it comes to volume and tone definition. Each model pulls really well as far as I have wanted to take each respective receiver. About half volume was enough for me. I run vintage Polk Audio Monitor 7 and 5 speakers with them and play Technics turntables of the same vintage (late 70s to early 80s).
These are very affordable receivers for someone on a budget or who is just a tightwad. You can pick these up all day long for well under $100. As a matter of fact I paid less than $70 each for the 202 and 505 and $90 for the 400 with shipping!
These are fantastic values and will deliver great sound, far better than other more coveted brands and models. They are just as reliable and sturdy as other vintage Technics electronics are. No reason to shy away from this generation of SA-X0X receivers!
Rating:  [5 of 5 Stars!] |
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