The beginnings of a quad obsession!

I won on eBay a Panasonic SA-507 receiver, which apparently will decode CD4 and SQ. Woo-hoo! Granted I own 20-some SQ and only 6 or 7 CD4...

Any opinions on it?

Hmmm. I don't remember this receiver. It's got to be a good starting point at any rate.

I suspect that it won't actually decode CD-4, but rather has four channels of inputs to connect to a CD-4 decoder. But I could be wrong.

J. D.

It has a CD-4 indicator light on the front... here's the link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=280256299244

It's between the radio dial and the microphone jack on the far right hand side.

On the back it says PHONO - SQ Cartridge Only!! What's that all about?

JonUrban said:

On the back it says PHONO - SQ Cartridge Only!! What's that all about?

Click to expand...

Could it have to do with the fact that Panasonic sold a CD-4 semiconductor cartridge versus a standard moving magnet?

Quadzilla said:

Could it have to do with the fact that Panasonic sold a CD-4 semiconductor cartridge versus a standard moving magnet?

Click to expand...

Um... what does that mean? Will a standard MM cartridge work with it?

CircleSky73 said:

Um... what does that mean? Will a standard MM cartridge work with it?

Click to expand...

Yes, I would expect so.

CircleSky73 said:

Um... what does that mean? Will a standard MM cartridge work with it?

Click to expand...

No. A MM cartridge will not work with it.

Panasonic/Technics outboard CD-4 demodulators had a switch to select either MM or their own SemiConductor (SC) cartridge for CD-4.

This unit doesn't have the switch, and from the labeling it appears that it will work ONLY with Panasonic's SC CD-4 cartridge.

Brings back memories! My FIRST quad system was a Panasonic "44" series receiver with built-in Q8 and a BIC turntable built-in on top!!

QB

Wonderful. What options would I have? I suppose I could connect my table to the phono input on my current receiver and hook it to the tape inputs on the Panasonic. Sounds like a PITA to do. Or I could slap it back up on eBay.

Crap!

Well, I looked through all of my quad cataologs from the '70s, and all I could find was a Panasonic SE-5070. It seems there are no Panasonic Receivers, just Panasonic systems that came with a receiver and a matched turntable. The SA-507 is probably one of these, and it's missing the turntable/CD-4 circuitry, which was actually IN the turntable.

Can anyone verify this???

Is the Semi-Conductor cartridge 'related' to a Moving Coil cartridge, by chance?

I did a google on this "Panasonic Semi Conductor cartridge" and came up wth some info from these very archives........ QuadJoe was asking the question back in 2004. (May not be searchable directly from this site now due to the age.....) That will identify the cartridge you might try to fine for this model, or take the other advise and find a stand alone demodulator which will work much better for CD4 and with a variety of cartridges. Don't think a moving coil type cartridge has much to do with this. John S.

See post # 483 in the Lou Dorren new CD-4 demdulator thread, that has info about what a semicondutor cartridge is.

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9035&page=20

vinylguy4

Grrr. Makes me wish I'd posted this question before I bid. @:

Got the Panasonic quad receiver. In stereo, it sounds awesome- kills the Kenwood I'm using now.

When I hook up my turntable directly to the phono input and play a CD-4 disc, it detects the signal but doesn't decode it properly. Basically the rear sounds the same, pretty much, as the front.

(I should add, with the phono section being meant for a different type of cartridge, it sounds thin and tinny. But it detects the CD-4 carrier signal. Oddly enough, when I tried my AT-3482 cartridge which is folded down to mono, it still detects the carrier signal.)

It sounds good- and the headphone section sounds much better than the headphone section on my Kenwood receiver.

I ran my Kenwood receiver thru it, and it sounds pretty good but the Matrix settings on the rear are near useless- double stereo, all phasey, and no frequency range to speak of.

@:

Grrr.

Is it possible to transplant another phono input? I'd need one with a wide frequency range too, wouldn't I, for the CD-4 signal?

Have you got at least a proper cart/stylus to play with?
If you can hear correctly sound from your TT connected to the cd-4 phono input you're ok with it, I think, but any cart/styli can play a quadradisc and detect the carrier signal, you still need a shibata/microline stylus to properly decode it.

Oh. That explains it. My main cart is an AT-15Sa, which detected it and is meticulously aligned and has a shibata stylus, as well as an AT3482 for mono lps, which also detected it. The phono input is for one of Panasonic's superconductor carts, so it's not set for a MM cart.

Paperweight, anyone?

Um, you don't want to connect a regular MM cartridge to a phono input meant for a semiconductor cartridge because there is a voltage put out to operate the semiconductor cartridge and this could damage the regular MM cartridge.

It may not damage it but it could.

Doug

I realize that this post should go in the marketplace section of the forum, but the information may be useful to anyone who finds this thread in the future. Mods, please move it if you feel it necessary.

My local used book and record store has one of these systems for sale. Not only is it the SA-507 receiver, but the matched SL-507 turntable and four speakers. In addition to the discreet amp setting, there are selections for Matrix 1 and Matrix 2. The turntable only has two RCA cables, so I presume the CD-4 circuitry is in the receiver.

It's a consignment sale and the owner says it all works - make of that what you will. There's no price on the system, but the store would probably let it go for peanuts. The store is in Rockville, MD near Washington, D.C. If anyone is interested, I can put you in touch with them.

J. D.