AMP: Technics SU-3404

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Quad Linda

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DROP YOUR WAD ON QUAD Chicago, Illinois
Technics SU-3404 AMP

Vintage: 1973
Raririty: Scarce


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just out of interest QL, did you sell Technics' components like this in the Quad era?

I'd imagine this unit would've sounded quite nice, Technics gear was usually pretty good.
 
Yes, but only on special order. We stocked Marantz, JVC, Pioneer and Sansui Quad receivers and amps. We stocked Panasonic Q8 decks, scopes and turntables, but none of their Quad receivers and amps. Technics Quad amps and receivers weren't very popular in Chicago, since they had only generic decoders. The JVC's did, too, but they had graphic equalizers in them. The amp depicted had no CD-4 demodulator either. It matches my SH-3433 Quad scope. This amp was 35W IHF x 4, or 18W RMS x 4. Technics Quad receivers and amps were well built and sounded nice.

I sold lots of integrated amps and tuners, but never owned them. In the late '70's, I began to use preamp/power amps/tuner combinations and have used them for my main systems ever since. In the old days, equivalent power integrateds would yield 3x the dynamics of a receiver. Pre/power amps would yield 7 times the dynamics of an equivalent powered receiver. Separates cost far more and take up much more space than receivers, but they are the REAL DEAL!

In the late '70's, we sold Technics Pro Series. Mono block power amps, two piece cassette decks and turntables without tone arms. Great stuff. Kenwood Pro was even better.

Later in the 70's, Technics receivers used a high amount of negative feedback to achieve a low THD spec. This made them incredibly slow and mushy sounding. In addition, they began to use pressboard bottoms which made the phono sections succeptible to noise. We preferred to sell h/k and Concept, which was the best of our four proprietary (house) brands. Much faster amps with dual power supplies. We did sell loads of Technics SA-1000 receivers, which were 330 W RMS (165 x 2) and $1000 at list price. Since Panasonic wasn't selling many, we bought most of their inventory and sold them @ $499!! I just saw a guy selling one for $5000. Is he kidding??

just out of interest QL, did you sell Technics' components like this in the Quad era?

I'd imagine this unit would've sounded quite nice, Technics gear was usually pretty good.

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Ya gotta love the two sets of heat sinks for the four sets of output trannies for the four channels too.

Four of stuff in an amp. is good.

:D

Doug
 
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