Technics Seperates - Info Required

[admin_exported]

I've acquired the following system, probably from around the late eighties and early nineties. I wondered if anyone has any info, reviews, ratings etc?

SL-PS900 CD Player

http://www.futuretrek.neostrada.pl/Galeria/TECHNICS-SL-PS900.jpg

SU-V900 Amp

http://www.pluto.dti.ne.jp/~lusye/odio/tecni/amp/su_v900.jpg

RS-B965 Cassette Deck

http://www.vintagecassette.com/srv/images/49954

ST-GT560 Tuner

Web searches have shown that the amp in particular is something of a rarity.

Any info would be much appreciated.

Cheers

 

[Anonymous]

Pretty good kit I would say! I love the 80s and 90s stuff - but for quality they sadly can't compete with today's goods. I know the ST-GT550 tuner (introduced in 1993) I guess the GT560 is very similar. What speakers are you using?

 

[Anonymous]

My previous system was a Technics SU-A600 and Marantz CD-53, bought around 1994. I'd always enjoyed the sound but wanted to upgrade to something better. I thought it would be interesting to assemble a system of high end Technics kit from around the same time, the logic being that it should be a major improvement on a relative basis (which it undoubtedly is). Using e-bay and the like, it isn't possible to test so you have to trust to luck. More (flawed perhaps) logic, this time that buying from the same manufacturer should mean that the kit works in harmony.

Speakers are Monitor Audio BR2's, which were a great improvement when bought for the old system, but I can't help feeling that they are somewhat dwarfed by the amp.

Maybe it'll be demoted to a second system when I finally move into the 21st century, but for now I'm well pleased with it!

Is there anywhere where you can find copies of the ratings pages and reviews from years ago. I've rummaged around in the loft for copies of WHF bought in the early nineties when I bought the first system without joy. An archive, subscription or not, would be a great idea for second hand buyers.

 

[Anonymous]

Last try... anyone???

 

[Anonymous]

EBAY.

 

[Anonymous]

hi stuart i finally got my hands on a technics se-a2000 pre power cple of years back which completed my all technics system but stupidly sold for my new audiolab set up. My advice would be dont worry to much about the old ratings from years ago too much as most of the hi end technics stuff sounds very good indeed and trust your ears and heart more than anything. when i bought my technics stuff i tended to look on the vintage technics site and just type in what ever particular model number i was going to buy ( ie the se-a 2000 ) to get a good idea on it's price ( the more expensive and hi end the better ) and any particular reviews from previous owners . Technice have always been a fave brand of mine and you wont go far wrong

 

[cj_random]

The Technics gear from around this era was pretty good in its day! The models to look out for are the SUA900Mkii integrated amplifier which retailed for around £450 given a 4 star WHF rating and also the SL-PS770d cd player which retailed for around £300 - also 4 stars which were Technics flagship models in their day.

I sold my SUA900Mkii to a mate years ago and he punished it at uni he tells me but is still working to this day. Its about 13 years old now. Im still running my SL-PS770d which is around the same age and still works beautifully and makes an adequate sound.

Technics also did some pre and power amps at this time to which were more expensive than the SUA900Mkii - they were the ones that had the left and right channel power needles on the front of them - looked very pukka. Same 4 star rating from WHF.

There is even some idiot on an auction site we all know and love trying to flog some of these models and some I havent mentioned at extremely high prices in some cases well above RRP of 13 years ago and even has the cheek to call the 'ex display'!! This company wont answer any of my questions regarding their pricing of their ludicrous claims of power ratings and 'audiophile sound quality' etc - muppets!

 

[Anonymous]

Are you talking about a certain company in the Manchester region? If you are.. then... yeah.. I noticed them a while back. I paid less than their price when I bought my original Technics gear back in 1991.

In answer to the original post, I have an SL-PG400A CD player, and it's still one of my favourite sounding players of all time. I have no idea how they achieved the sound for so little money, but Technics have worked wonders. It's a really 'organic' sound, that I can't really describe, sort of analoguey and warm.. if you get my.. ohh it's impossible to describe.. but anyway.. I think the PS range had the same DAC and oversampler as the PG400 - and it got 5 stars in a hifi review in the 90's.. hence why I bought it.

You know, it's such a shame that Technics are leaving the UK domestic market this year. They have brought some fine machines to the people over the years - really under rated IMO - but they state 'economic' reasons for their departure. I actually spoke to one of their R&D guys at an electronics conference in March, who told me that they will still be shipping to the US for the time being, and to find a good dealer over there if we need to buy any new products because the Japanese and Asian market models will have different specs and not covered by European warranties. Also, he let me in a a little secret.. well, probably not so secret... but anyway, he said that they will probably be winding down their hifi separates division totally within 3 to 5 years as it is no longer proving so profitable. He said they are aiming to develop new OEM MOLED TV matrices, personal music players, docks, and concentrate on multi channel receivers.

Which left me feeling rather sad, in a way.. Like an end of an era.. (

 

[Anonymous]

yep ive seen that company selling su 909 pre power amps and others for nearly 900 quid they werent no where that price when they were new . best to look on ebay you can get good technics pre powers for maybe cple hundred aslong as you get one with all the lights working on them they should last for yonks. i did sell my sea 2000 pre power cple years back to make way for my new audiolab set up which id kept all the technics stuff now - gutted .

 

[Anonymous]

I am using a su-a900mk2 with a SL-PS7 cd player running into a pair of Q acoustics 1050i and in all honesty I cant fault the sound. Ok sometimes it can sound a little bright but since I bought the Chord Carnival silver screen that has helped tame the top end. Dont get me wrong im sure there are much better systems out there but I feel the technics stuff was a little less fussy with what it was being paired up with.

 

[matthewpiano]

The Technics gear was good. I had an SU-A600MkII for a while with one of the higher model CD players (SLP-S670A) and it was a perfectly decent combination. I think their CD players were particularly good. The MASH D/A Conversion always seemed to be very musical both in the Technics players and in the Sansui CD-X111 (which was part of the award winning Sansui/Mission system in the early 90s).

As far as I was aware they withdrew from the UK market several years ago, only offering the turntables/DJ gear and one or two all-in-one systems lately. How a seller can be describing items as ex-display when they haven't been available in the UK for a good number of years is beyond me. Something fishy going on there.

It would, of course, be wonderful if the budget market could be re-invigorated by the return of Technics, Kenwood, and Sony to making affordable seperates, and even better if someone could salvage the great old Sansui name and do something worthwhile with it. The last of those wishes will probably never happen, the name having been cheapened by years of licensing out the brand for all manner of cheap goods in the USA and eastern markets. I certainly think Sony could very easily pull an exciting range out of the bag. After all they've never stopepd developing the audio side and have lots of technology that could be trickled down to a decent budget level seperates range. Something along the lines of the old QS series could do very well IMO, but I've seen no sign of it emerging.

I've always liked the Japanese approach to hi-fi and its great that Marantz, Denon, TEAC/Esoteric, Yamaha and Pioneer still carry the torch very capably. Its just such a shame that there is no longer the variety and range of choice that there once was.