Vintage audio amplifier collection

AMPLIFIERS 1981 - 1990
The 1001 Hi-Fi Collection

DUAL CV 1160 (1983)

The DUAL CV 1160 was a new model in the 1983 lineup. Small and flat with a 30 W/channel power output that was available in this brown finish or silver finish (called satin-metallic) - both made of plastic. Inputs are for turntable (PHONO), tuner and two tape recorders that can be selected via a rotary selector with LED status display. At the back there is a 14 V AC output to power the matching CT 1160 tuner, so this one can be used only if you have the amplifier too, or skills to power it up with an external source. The TAPE 2 input uses RCA plugs and you can use this input for a 3 head cassette deck like the DUAL C 824 from the same series. For monitoring the recorded material, you should depress the MONITOR switch on the amplifiers front panel.
Cover Photo Art: Slim and solid - Published 15th March 2014

GRUNDIG V35 (1985)

This is a unique compact hi-fi stereo amplifier, the heart of the Grundig HiFi-System 35 from 1985. It is a fully featured hi-fi stereo amplifier with the same construction as full-size components even though it's only 35cm wide. Several components can be connected to the V35, such as: phono, tape 1, tape 2 (or CD), and tuner. Both tape inputs have play and record connections but for monitoring a 3-head deck one has to connect this deck to the monitor socket for monitoring recording. For tone control and volume level the amplifier is using slider controls. There is also a Loudness circuit which is labelled LIN. When this switch is not depressed the Loudness circuit is ON, while pressing the LIN button the Loudness will be switched off for "linear" operation. There is also a large multifunction display that will show the selected source, the selected loudspeaker pair and it also has a decibel scale power level indicator. This super mini from Grundig was in production for several years and can be found with either yellow or blueish display. More details about the matching cassette deck you can find here. Technical data: Power 2x50W (DIN 4ohm) | THD: <0,015% | Bandwidth <5...>70000Hz | Size: 35x11x27 cm | Original price: 520 DM (Germany)
Cover Photo Art: It is Not All Black&White - Published 15th June 2022

JVC AX-E91 BK (1989)

Usually for a midi system you need all the components of the system in order to be functional. On the other hand, this JVC amplifier from the 1989 Top of the line JVC Stylistic Midi System W91 can be used as a standalone unit. It's a stereo amplifier with a power rating of 75 W/ch min. RMS both channels driven into 8 ohms from 40 Hz to 20 kHz with no more than 0.9% THD. As you can see at the front there is a large display. This is a JVC specialty, it's a "Spectro Peak Indicator" that pulsates at the rhythm of your music and the bass and treble has no effect on it, just shows the input signal. If you connect an external equalizer, the corrections made will show up on the display too. The "Compu Link Remote" is a JVC development for the remote control of an entire stereo system which is made up of COMPU LINK components. The amplifier receives signal from the remote and the signals are transmitted to other components via the "Compu Link" cables attached at the back. The volume is remote controllable (see picture # 4) via a motorized volume knob. There are two extra functions on this amplifier - the surround function that only act as additional effect to a stereo sound and it uses two loudspeakers (40 W) connected via RCA jacks but the sound is only mono. (They never told you that) The second is the DDRP (Digitalized Peak Detector & Recording Processor) that detects the peak level of each source and automatically sets the optimum recording level and memorizes it. The CD Direct enables easy recording of a CD on a cassette deck.
Cover Photo Art: The Control Center - Published May 15th 2014

KENWOOD M-3S (1985)

The Kenwood M-3S Midi system was introduced in 1985. The heart of this system was this unusual tuner-amplifier comprised of a T-3LS tuner and A-5S amplifier. It is unusual because even though the two units are housed in independent boxes they can be operated only together - the amplifier has the power plug but the power switch is located on the tuner. This is an early generation of midi component which means that the front panel is still aluminum just like the knobs and switches. The amplifier delivers 35 W/ch (Sinus DIN 8 ohm), it has electronically controlled input switch, tape monitor function, 3 band tone control (MTCS - Multi Tone Control System) for "Super Bass", bass and treble and a front panel microphone input with microphone mix function. As mentioned earlier the power switch is located on the tuner. The tuner section is a "Computer Controlled LW/MW/FM Stereo Synthesizer Tuner with 3x10 Memory locations (10 for each waveband) that also has a built-in clock. The tuner can be used to program (2 programs) the on/off time of the system and it also has a sleep timer function that allows the automatic switch off of the system. The M-3S model name was used for the European market while in Japan, where these type of midi systems were extremely popular were sold as Kenwood (or Trio) ROXY systems. This system was known in Japan as Kenwood Roxy D3TV and they were heavily promoted with dedicated brochures featuring well known artists from Japan. The Kenwood Roxy components were advertised by actress Yasuko Tomita. Interestingly the name ROXY was not featured on the front panel of the units itself, it was only used in promotional materials and user/service manuals.
Cover Photo Art: Roxy Music Station - Published April 15th 2020

KORTING A-100 (1983)

Small, mini sized amplifier from a German company named KÖRTING. The power rating of this small amplifier is 2 x 50 Watt. When used in "SERIE 100" system there was an extra power amplifier available for the setup. All the inputs and speaker outputs use DIN plugs. The LOUDNESS switch is incorporated in the volume knob. Just pull out, to switch off or push in, to switch on the circuit. The MONO switch works similarly. For mono operation pull out the balance knob or push in for stereo mode. In mono operation there is a warning red light above the balance. Another interesting feature of this amplifier is the fact that you can make a recording to your tape using as microphones the speakers connected to the amplifier.
Cover Phot Art: What Goes in Must Come Out

KRAUS MINIPACK 50A (1981)

This mini component power amplifier was available on the german market as KRAUS MINIPACK 50A. It is a 30 W / channel (RMS 8 ohm) power amplifier by "Kraus System Elektronic gmbh u. co" who was in fact only the importer of this product. The real manufacturer was the Japanese Cybernet company. This State-of-The-Art mini system was called MINIPACK 50 and was also available with Cybernet, Lenco and Realistic logo. Here at 1001 Hi-Fi, the stereo museum we have the matching cassette deck that is branded Lenco ITALIA. Just connect this power amplifier to any pre-amplifier and you're a rock star, right on the stage.
Cover Photo Art: Rock Star - Published on 15 February 2014

PHILIPS 22 AH 798 (1981)

This is the PHILIPS 22 AH 798 Digital Hi-Fi Receiver, part of the "482 System" as it was presented in the 1981 catalog. The 482 is in fact the width of the units in millimeters, with glued plastic decorative side "ears" that are missing from my units. It is rated 2x40 W sinus power (identical with the 22 AH 799) and it can be remote controlled. It can be used with two pairs of speakers and there is also an output for PHILIPS MFB active loudspeakers.
Read more about the partnering N2552 cassette deck.

SAMSUNG K600AR (1989)

Most people know Samsung for their TV sets and smartphones but they started manufacturing electronics much earlier, building audio products first (...after noodle manufacturing). Their products were mainly based on Japanese components/technology and this model is no exception, with several Toshiba and Sanyo ICs and a Sanyo STK4191V power module. The reason you won't see many Samsung branded amplifiers is that they were mainly sold under various brand names, mostly by big electronics chains under their house brand. Chances are that you will find this amplifier under the Universum V 4682 brand name used by Quelle mail order company from Germany ... or even a Siemens branded one. The K600AR is 50 W/ch Stereo amplifier with a twist. This amplifier has an extra set of RCA connectors for Surround speakers. Even though there is a left and a right channel out, the fact that it requires 16-ohm loudspeakers is a giveaway that this is only a mono surround channel with two loudspeakers. This so-called Surround is nothing more than a Wide-Ambience-Stereo effect (not true surround) that you can experience even with the main set of speakers only while the Surround button is depressed.

The amplifier has inputs for Phono, Tuner, CD, TV and Tape in/out connectors. There are also four AC outlets at the back (3 switched, 1 unswitched) for easy connection of the other components to be used in the system. Matching components have dedicated remote control connectors and the whole system can be remote controlled (Easy Control System) with the amplifiers infrared hand-held unit. As a result of the remote-control system the volume setting is carried out via a pushbutton type volume control. Unfortunately, there is no visual feedback for the volume setting so you can only adjust this blindly. The amplifier also features a 5-band equalizer, front microphone input with adjustable level and a large function display panel with LED power level indicator. Performance wise is nothing spectacular but not bad either, just OK. Interested in more? Check out the best ever Samsung Emperor High-End stereo system here.
Cover Photo Art: Three Star Technology - Published November 15th 2020

SHARP SM-7700HMK2 (1988)

Big and powerful SHARP power amplifier. (130 W/channel @ 8 ohm) It was part of a complete system (SC7700CDHMK2) with remote control. As you can see on the front plate, this amplifier was DIGITAL...................because the system had a digital player (CD), digital tuner and remote control. There were different versions of this model. This one has surround speaker outputs too. In the pictures you can see a power switch that is not an original one. Linked to this added power switch there is an additional switch at the back that allows the amplifier to be used with any preamplifier or with the original SHARP system. Ten years later SHARP made a few real 1-Bit DIGITAL amplifiers considered by some the best amplifiers ever.

SONY STR-AV260L (1986)

Tuner and amplifier in one box. This is the SONY STR-AV 260L receiver built in the typical 43 cm wide format. The amplifier is a 28 Watt / channel stereo amplifier with a total harmonic distortion of 0.08%. You can connect up to four external units to this amplifier, a vinyl player (PHONO), a CD player, a VIDEO and a TAPE recorder. (There are both input and output connectors for VIDEO and TAPE) The selected source name will be displayed on the alphanumeric display of the unit. The tuner is a Quarz Lock Digital Synthesizer tuner with 10 memory presets. For multiroom listening you can connect two pair of speakers to the unit.
Cover Photo Art: In the Beginning - Published on 15 December 2013

TENSAI TM-2260 (1981)

"Tensai International was a Swiss audio and electronics distributor. It was AKAI's exclusive distributor for the Swiss and Western Europe." Based on these facts some people presume that this amplifier was made by AKAI. The amplifier was indeed Made in Japan, but the only thing that looks to me like AKAI are the LED's that are white (when they are off). Just like on the AKAI GX-F25 cassette recorder, for example. The previous (identical model) with needle power meters, the TM-2250 for example, was sold as PHILIPS in Australia, so I highly doubt that this is an AKAI. This is a high quality dual mono power amplifier. It has two transformers mounted in the middle for the dual mono configuration. The two circuit boards have symmetrical layout at the left and right of the transformers. The power output is 50 watts per channel and it has a very good sound too.