Technics and Class A amplifiers

 Another crazy discussion, this was debated many, many times, no harm in presenting my experience with Technics amps that claim Class A in one form or another.

 First of all, No… Technics did not manufacture any Real Class A amplifiers (I never saw or heard about one), but they had a unique design that was quite good.

Technics used a variable biasing circuit that will somewhat modify the class of operation based on the input level.  Simple explanation: first few Watts are delivered in a Class A operation. Increasing the volume will switch the amp to class AB, and the rest of the power will be offered as a Class AB amplifier.

  Does it work?  Yes, although Technics did not focus on high-end, some of their equipment is very good. And they also have a few rare high-end series that are more Matsushita Signatures than Technics/ Panasonic consumer units.

One of the favourite amplifiers here at Audiophile Repairs is the Technics SU-V707, or for other markets the SU-V7, a 90W/ch tank that has all you ever need, sounds amazing and will drive anything. I can already hear the purists screaming about someone liking Technics, I should be hanged, right? 

Not all Technics units marked with a form of Class A operation are the same; the SU-V707 is an amp that I highly recommend to any beginner and even advanced audiophile. They require a service due to age, but the results are amazing. 

-        The unit has a small CPU that will read the speaker impedance, will preheat the output transistors and control the bias.

-        The first 10-15W  are purely amazing, it gives you the feeling that is so powerful it will blow your speakers, but once you go past that point, it just cools down and behaves normally.

The amp was the main listening and test amp for 1 year, and sometimes I miss the sound of that unit. The first time it arrived, everybody was a bit  “meh”, just another Technics. After it was recapped and calibrated … WOW,  that Technics can sing. The smaller brothers SU-V303/505 ( as above, in some markets it might be V3 or V5)  are also amazing.