RECEIVERS (this page is being constructed daily)

Project/One Mark 800

receiver ('78-'81) 80 WPC $500

Designed and built in Japan during the 70's, this rare, attractive and well built Project/One Mark 800 receiver is cloaked in mystery due to the many *rumors about the origins of the brand itself. The receiver's original MSRP was about $599 in 1978.

Suffice to say that when viewed in person, the Mark 800 appears to be a closely designed Pioneer-style copy but it's not; while the cosmetics may look similar to Pioneer, the internals are more closely aligned with Hitachi.
There is easy access to the boards featuring neat wiring assemblies and generous high quality caps along with Alps switches. Good stuff! *NOTE: (for accurate info about the origins and background see the section below "About Project/One").

On this Mark 800, a simple spin of the heavily weighted tuning knob is like a smooth flywheel that glides the dial pointer along across and behind the crystal clear glass. The heavy solid metal knobs and switches are also of top shelf design.

This is a large receiver in comparison to most of the mid-level units of the era. It measures 21" wide x 20" deep x 7" high and weighs about 42 lbs. The real walnut veneer case is sculpted on both front sides. The heavy aluminum faceplate is pristine. There are pre-out / amp jumpers on the back so it can be used as a standalone amp or preamp.

Bias is set and all the functions on this unit are working perfectly. Although the Mark 800 is rated at 80 WPC (8 ohms) and 95 WPC (4 ohms) actual measured output is about 92 watts per channel in 8 ohms and close to 100 watts per channel in 4 ohms.

The Mark 800 has connections for two turntables, three pairs of speakers, aux and two tape inputs.

Unfortunately, as in almost all Project/One units, the meters are sketchy (defective) at best. We solved that problem by using a modern set of backlit power meters sitting on top of the case.
NOTE: The Project/One audio designers sourced all their meters from another Japanese company that subsequently went out of business in the early 80's. In a pinch, it's been claimed that meters from the Pioneer SX-XX80 series have been known to work as replacements with a little "minor surgery".

Note: This Project/One Mark 800 receiver is identical to the Telefunken TR-800 receiver that appeared in Germany during the same era with the only difference being the black faceplate on the Telefunken. This only added more mystery to the history of Project/One units.

Specs:
Power Output: 80 WPC w/ 8 Ohm, 20 Hz to 20 kHz (95 WPC w/ 4-ohm)
Rated THD: 0.1%
Frequency Response: Phono, RIA±1 dB
HighLevel 10Hz to 35kHz, ±0.5 dB.
High 8 or 12 kHz (12dB/octave)
Low 15 or 30 Hz (12dB/octave)
Original MSRP: $599.00 (1978)

About Project/One and Playback Electronics...
Around 1969, Radio Shack's parent company Tandy Corporation purchased Allied Electronics. A few years later the courts made Tandy divest itself of Allied and it was sold to Shaak Electronics. One of Allied's main players, Shelby Young and a group of his top management people left and started the Playback store chain in 1972. At the time, Playback was just another division of Hydro Metals, a company that owned GC Electronics, a manufacturer of electronic parts and accessories that was a major supplier to Allied. When Tandy took over Allied they replaced most of the GC inventory with the Radio Shack brand. However, Playback used GC for most of their accessories.

According to some of the people who actually worked at Playback, rumors that the Project One receivers were made by Pioneer was started by someone at Playback. Salesmen were telling customers that it was Pioneer and corporate would neither confirm or deny the rumors. However, according to the actual technicians at Playback (the guys that actually opened them up and worked on them) the Project/One line looked to have been manufactured by Matsushita (Technics). It's no secret that Matsushita was the largest Japanese manufacturer of electronics at that time anyway. Even today in 2021, when nosing around inside the Project/One gear (especially the receivers) there's nothing remotely connected to Pioneer. The bottom line regarding Project/One was that they were reliable performers. As with most Japanese Audio of the day, they did exhibit that tell-tale upper-midrange edginess, so difficult to eliminate in even the best audio of that time, and even today.

About "house brands"...
In earlier days, it was simple to regard stereo receivers as being in two distinct classes: Those manufactured by major, well known companies and those manufactured by lesser known makers under contract to retail chain stores. Today, it is almost impossible to distinguish between these two receiver categories, as some of the retail chains of audio dealerships had grown to the point where they could hire the engineering and production facilities of highly qualified high-fidelity component manufacturers. In fact, it was rumored that many of the "name brand" manufacturers also produced "private label" sets for such retail outlets. The Project/One brand is one that was developed for the Playback, Inc., retail outlets based in and around the Chicago area.

At one time, during the 70's and 80's, there were many HiFi shops and electronics chain stores all over the country. The West Coast was dominated by three large chain stores (and we worked at two of them back in the day). There was Pacific Stereo (Concept and Reference models) and University Stereo and, finally, Federated Electronics.

There were a few other smaller outfits while the Midwest (mostly Chicago) was covered by the "Playback" chain of stores (their motto was "the electronics playground"). Besides the usual big names (Pioneer, Sansui, Yamaha, etc) Pacific Stereo, University Stereo, Federated and Playback also had their own house brands. At Playback, Project/One was their top tier line (followed by the Skanda, and Kingsway models).

Most of the very early Project/One receivers were built by Matsushita (Panasonic/Technics) and rebranded by Playback. Hence, today, some of the better receivers like the Mark IV and Mark IIIB and others are now considered very collectible and are beginning to command high prices. As the mid-70's rolled out and the competition became fierce, Project/One equipment (tape decks, turntables, etc) were eventually sourced to other Japanese suppliers Often confused with the other "ProJect" brand are the high end turntables currently made in Czechoslovakia. Project/One however is a completely different brand with no connection whatsoever.

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Luxman R-1050

('77-'79) 55 WPC $900 (recapped, fully restored)

In absolutely excellent cosmetic condition and fully operational, this gorgeous Luxman R-1050 receiver is hard to find in such remarkable condition.. They are generally considered "keepers" so when one of these becomes available...it's a good thing indeed! Besides the essential recapped boards, additional full servicing and testing assures that every input, output, switch, knob and lamp is functioning perfectly.

How best to describe this Luxman R-1050? We'd say it was all about the obvious connection to their name: luxurious looks and extremely high quality interior build. Luxman was very conservative by rating the R-1050 at 55 watts per channel (8 ohms) while also having an outstanding frequency response of 10Hz to 50kHz and THD 0.05%.

The amp section features Direct-coupled DC output circuitry that uses dual rail power supply to guarantee the best possible bass, the smallest distortion and very low noise. The cleverly designed speaker protection is in the form of a time-delay muting circuit that eliminates unwanted "switch-on" thumps.

Hidden by that refined yet elegant exterior design are a 4-gang tuner with dual-gate Mos-Fets, PLL MPX, linear phase ceramic and block filters, DC-coupled amp with dual-rail power supply, output muting circuit, NF type tone controls, constant voltage supply and a few eye-catching peak level and power output LEDs.

The distinctive front panel has heavy, fluted, solid-metal knobs, a muted grey sub-frame with discreet push buttons and switches running along the top of the panel, soft lighting with all new lamps and a brushed aluminum outer frame enveloping the entire front of the receiver.

The Luxman R-1050 is very good looking in its genuine rosewood enclosure. That's what attracted those who were looking for the highly respected Luxman elegance and top notch interior build quality. Luxman always impressed the discriminating audiophiles with their mid-to-high end components.

Basic specs:
Power output: 55 watts per channel into 8 ohms
Frequency response: 10Hz to 50kHz
THD: 0.05%
Dimensions: 19.3"W x 14"D x 7"H
Weight: 30 lbs

About Luxman...(from Luxman's home page)
The history of the Luxman audio brand began in 1925, at the birth of radio broadcasting. They paid particular attention to the world of audio and gained a high reputation as a quality brand of high-end audio products both domestically and internationally.

People tend to open their mind to natural things and react negatively to the unnatural. Natural sound, without coloration, develops an intimacy between the music and the listener; naturally and purely reproduced music resonates with the listener’s imagination.

Luxman reflected this effect in their product development; music that features a performer's true passion and which a recording engineer has worked on precisely benefits from the fine nuances in sound which they aimed to reproduce, conveying the spirit of the artist and the enthusiasm of the performance. They strove to bring to the listener the experience of unlimited, pure music because composers, performers and recording engineers have poured their true feelings into our favorite pieces of music. Luxman would only be satisfied if the listener could experience those same passions through their products. They continue to discover new excitement through wonderful music and to continue to share that pleasure with everyone.

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Pioneer SX-550

('76-'78) 20 WPC $350

In excellent cosmetic condition, fully serviced and tested, this Pioneer SX-550 was one of the sx-xx50 series that many consider the very best of all the SX-series from Pioneer during the 70's. The SX-550 was designated as the successor to the Pioneer SX-535. While the SX-550 is not hard to find these days, to have one as clean and fully serviced like this one is, well...that's a bit rare!

Conservatively rated at 20 watts per channel, don't let that fool you, this mighty "little" receiver punches out what feels like a lot more. Introduced in 1977 , it has the very popular and great styling of the late 70's Pioneer SX line with the silver face, faceted knobs and real wood veneer side panels and walnut veneer metal top. Most owners of the SX-550 have agreed that it's powerful enough to drive even low 4 ohms impedance speakers at full volume with rich bass, mid-range and treble detail. This is due to Pioneer's decision to always use high quality components in a build design that results in transmitting a clean signal to the speakers

Among its many features are the weighted analog flywheel tuning, precision tuning meter, FM stereo signal indicator light, 3 gang tuning section, controls for bass, treble, and balance, loudness switch, stereo/mono switch, inputs for aux, tape deck, and phono, and more.

Basic specs:
Power output: 20 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)
Frequency response: 10Hz to 60kHz
THD: 0.3%
Speaker load impedance: 4Ω (minimum)
Dimensions: 17.5"W x 12"W x 6.75"H
Weight: 21 lbs

About Pioneer...
Not much needs to be said about Pioneer other than the simple fact that the name is known worldwide for above average quality and excellence in high fidelity component design. They were the unchallenged leader in stereo advertising and marketing in the 70's. Back in the day, Pioneer made it clear that if you didn't have a Pioneer stereo system in your house (or college dorm) you just didn't have the right stuff.

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Kenwood KR-4070

('78-'79) *52 WPC @ 8 ohms $450 (recapped and fully restored)

In pristine cosmetic condition, fully recapped & restored, this Kenwood KR-4070 has also cool blue frosted LEDs for the FM glass.
The KR-4070 was one of Kenwood's most popular receivers for a few reasons. It was designed with a strong tuner section and excellent phono stage.

All the boards have been recapped, including new filter caps..after the recap, what was already pretty good about the KR-4070 is now beyond great! The *actual power output is now about 52 watts per channel into 4 ohms and about 60 watts per channel into 4 ohms min. RMS both channels driven, 20 - 20,000 Hz, with no more than 0,05% THD.

The overall sound is sweet and transparent with many numerous great reviews on the web. Built to compete with comparable mid-sized Pioneer, Sansui, Yamaha, etc and, according to sales figures, outsold them all.

Features:
~Direct-coupled pure complementary amplifier circuit,
~Quietest phono section in its class: 83 dB S/N,
~3-gang tuning capacitor and FET front end for high FM sensitivity (2.0 µV ) with low distortion, PLL in FM Multiplex for improved stereo separation,
~Large signal strength and FM center-tune meter and FM Auto Muting.
~Wide band power with the same low distortion amplifier and high performance FM tuner you expect from Kenwood
~Easily capable of driving two pairs of speakers

Basic specs:
Power output: 52 watts per channel into 8Ω (after recap)
Frequency response: 15Hz to 70kHz
THD: 0.1%
Speaker load impedance: 4 ohms minimum
Dimensions: 18.5"W x 6"H x14"D
Weight: 21 lbs

About Kenwood (Trio)...
Established in 1946 as the Kasuga Radio Co. Ltd. in Komagane City, Japan, in 1960 the company was renamed Trio Corporation. In 1963 the first overseas office was founded in Los Angeles.

In the early 1960s, Trio's products were rebranded by the Lafayette Radio Co with a focus on CB radio.

An importer of Japanese-made electronics Radio Shack (Realistic, Tandy Corp) was A&A Trading Co., and a bilingual Japanese-speaking manager from there established a company that would be the exclusive importer of Trio products.

The name Kenwood was invented by Kasuga as being the combination of "Ken", a name common to Japan and North America that had been tested and proven acceptable to American consumers in the name of Kenmore appliance (Sears) \, and "Wood", referring to the durable substance as well as suggesting a relation to Hollywood. The brand recognition of Kenwood eventually surpassed that of Trio's, and in 1986 Trio bought Kenwood and renamed itself Kenwood. Eventually, Kenwood merged with JVC in 2008 as JVC/Kenwood.

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Yamaha CR-640

(1980) 40 WPC $450

Besides the fact that this CR-640 is simply beautiful, it's also very elegant and well-designed...

Yamaha's unique "Envoy" dark walnut veneer case is simply stunning. In pristine cosmetic condition, fully serviced and fully operational this CR-640 has been upgraded with the very desirable warm green LEDs for the meters and dial glass.

Something unique to Yamaha is the OTS (Optimum Tuning System), which is an easy-to-use feature that automatically locks in the exact center of the tuned channel - for the lowest possible distortion.Stereo Review magazine once said (and still applies today) "the muting and OST systems operated flawlessly and the harmonic distortion of the CR-640 was so low that without the most advanced test instruments it would have been impossible to measure it."

Among Yamaha's most significant features is the continuously variable loudness control. By using this control, the frequency balance and volume are adjusted simultaneously to compensate for the ear's insensitivity to high and low frequency sound at low volume settings. Thus, you can retain a natural-sounding balance regardless of listening level.

In summing up their reaction to the CR-640, Stereo review said, "Suffice it to say that Yamaha makes it possible for a moderate-price receiver to provide performance that would have been unimaginable only a short time ago (referring to the late 70's)." We have to agree that the CR-640 is certainly one stellar example of Yamaha's fine line of vintage receivers.

Basic specs:
Power output: 40 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)
Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz
THD: 0.02%
Speaker load impedance: 4Ω (minimum)
Dimensions: 20"W x 6.5"H x 15.25"D
Weight: 28 lbs

About Yamaha...
Yamaha is regarded as one of the largest manufacturers of audio and visual products in today’s Hi-Fi community. With their history brimming to the top of the historical timeline, here's a closer look at this manufacturer whose reputation has only grown stronger over their years of activity.

Yamaha’s creator, Mr. Torakusu Yamaha, originally started out as a manufacturer of reed organs in 1887. Back in that era Yamaha’s name was originally the Nippon Gakki Company, Ltd – translating into full English as ‘Japan Musical Instrument Manufacturing Corporation’. Yamaha’s intriguing and renowned logo features three tuning forks at alternating angles and still remains their corporation logo today. After the Second World War, Yamaha’s factories were re-commissioned to also manufacture motorcycles for easier travelling in the cities, and at prices people could afford – something that Yamaha is still good at doing now in all of their ventures. Their considerable lineup of high quality vintage amps, integrated systems, receivers, turntables and speaker systems remain some of the most desirable to own by serious audiophile collectors around the world.

Yamaha progressed to even more musical instruments, including superb pianos, vibraphones, woodwind instruments, string instruments and drum kits. As their reputation in the music industry grew and grew stronger, their technological abilities followed suit. In more recent years Yamaha ventured into the world of synthesizers and samplers, setting an example to their peers in the studio environment. However, as they gained ideas within the digital sector, Yamaha established themself as a superpower in the Hi-Fi world as they engineered superb examples of Hi-Fi products; they were one of the first corporations to build a CD Recorder in 1989.

Today, in 2025, Yamaha audio is still owned by the Yamaha Corp.

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Nikko NR-819

('79-'84) 45 WPC @ 8 (75 WPC @ 4) $325

In excellent cosmetic condition and fully operational, this Nikko NR-819 is one of those beauties from Japan that's considered "under the radar". It has clean, uncluttered styling with its "champagne gold" front panel, rosewood veneer side panels and a beautiful textured gray stone finished top.

When the American "audiophile" thinks of Nikko they usually remember them as a high fidelity manufacturer with a reputation for lots of features at a modest price. That reputation had been somewhat obscured in the middle of the 70's by Nikko's with forays into high-performance separates, but the NR -819 receiver returned to tradition with a minimum 45 watts per channel at 8 ohms and a powerful 75 WPC with 4 ohm loads. Oh, it also has "T-Locked" tuning.

The T-lock was yet another name for the modern version of automatic frequency control: The receiver senses the frequency of the station it is receiving and aligns itself for (presumably) best reception. As exemplified in this model, the system works well; distortion (the best indicator of proper tuning) is low in both the stereo and mono modes. This is fortunate, since the T-Lock cannot be defeated on the NR-819. As soon as your hand moves away from the tuning knob, T -Lock takes control.

High Fidelity magazine in Oct '79 said during testing: "The 819 easily meets its power rating, and the dynamic headroom of 11/2 dB suggests a music capability of about 62 watts per channel. As usual, extra power in the neighborhood of 75 watts per channel is available with 4 ohm loads. Generally negligible harmonic distortion consists predominantly of the 'soft' second-order type with traces of fourth near the band edges. The measurements generally fell below an insignificant 0.02%; at 0 dBW (1 watt), they inch past 0.05% only at 20 kHz and remain near 0.01 % throughout most of the frequency range".

All in all, the Nikko 819 has balanced performance, features, and listed at about $370, was originally priced quite nicely when up against such giants like Pioneer, Sansui and the rest. Having only only one tape deck was quite common in its price range Most impressive was that Nikko decided against glitter for its own sake and put the design costs where they belong...into performance and sensible features.

Specifically, though there are no output -power meters or flashing LED displays, there are conventional signal-strength and tuning meters and an accurate, useful tuning lock. They are more useful than most of the five LED indicators that were in vogue as digital was looming on the horizon. The separate (included) phono preamp elicits excellent response and is as quiet as one could ask. Essentially, the Nikko NR -8 19 is a receiver for "sensible audiophiles".

Basic specs:
Power output: 45 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)
Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz
Total harmonic distortion: 0.05%
Dimensions: 19.5"W x 6.5" x 12.75"D
Weight: 23 lbs

About Nikko Audio...
Nikko Audio was a division of the Japanese company Nikko Electric Works that specialised in manufacturing electric and communications equipment, established in 1948, the audio division was closed in the early 1990's.
Their line of hi-fi was noted for excellent value for money and in particular their electronics (i.e. amps and tuners) were considered extremely impressive on a value basis, however the company never got the hang of the glittery marketing tactics that other Japanese brands used and only gained limited distribution, mostly confined to North America and Australasia, the audio division was also know as ASTI Pacific. There is an highly unusual twist to the company's history, so unusual that it's included here even it happened after the company left the audio business.

When the Asian markets started to slump due to the "Asian Flu" of the mid 90's, Nikko's chairman and principal shareholder Goto Tsunemoto was one of the first Japanese CEO's to try western methods to in responding to the slowing sales, he initiated a series of layoffs that were done without consulting employees and unions in stark contradiction to local tradition. This backfired spectacularly when the employees used a novel method of revolting. Collectively, they owned just over 10% percent of the company due to bonuses and such, and under Japanese commercial law, a shareholder with 10% or more of ownership can request a liquidation of the company. The employees forced the company into bankruptcy protection even though the finances of the company were basically sound. So in 1998, Taunemoto-San was forced to resign from the company's board and it was taken over by by the Rothchild family later that year.

The company never made televisions or such, the sets and video recorders that appeared with this name in North America were sold by someone that "stole" the trademark.

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Marantz 2215

recapped, restored ('71-'73) *19 WPC $900

In absolutely pristine cosmetic condition and fully operational, this beautiful (and very rare) Marantz 2215 stereo receiver has been professionally serviced in April 2025.

NOTE: photos above show the 2215 with the optional solid walnut cover. The 2215 comes with the standard factory vinyl walnut-on-metal case

This sweet receiver is very rare because of its limited production with a verified listed total of only 776 units built from 1971 thru 1973. On top of that, it's even more special because it also has the champagne tinted faceplate and fully engraved lettering. It has been estimated that Marantz produced a fraction of the different models that featured the champagne tint and full faceplate engraving. When viewed in person it really does stand out!

*NOTE: The 2215 (after recap) is rated at a minimum of 19 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 21 WPC into 4 ohms

Services performed:

~Rebuilt P700 Power Amplifier - replaced all electrolytic capacitors
~Replaced H701 and H702 on Power Amp Board
~Recapped P500 Tone Amp Board
~Replaced H501-506 on Tone Board
~Resoldered M003 lamp on stereo panel

Additional services:
~Cleaned and lubricated all controls
~Installed dial and meter lamps with frosted cool white LEDs
~Replaced vellum diffuser material on both meters
(All service test data and performance sheets along with the old parts are included.)

This timeless and classic Marantz 2215 stereo receiver features the excellent sonic quality expected from Marantz during the mid 70's. This period of time was generally referred to as the "Golden Age of HiFi".

Basic specs after recap:
Power output: 19 watts per channel into 8 ohms (stereo)
21 watts per channel into 4 ohms (stereo)
Frequency response: 15Hz to 50kHz
THD: 0.9%
Dimensions: 17"W x 5.25"H x 14"D
Weight: 24 lbs

Marantz; a different perspective...
More than any other person, Saul Marantz defined premium home entertainment. Driven by his passion for music and his accomplishments as a classical guitarist – accomplishments that led to a close friendship with Andres Segovia – he was never satisfied with the “hi fi” equipment of his day. So he built better; first in his basement, later in a factory. His talent for industrial design and his ability to infuse talented engineers like Sidney Smith and others with his vision resulted in legendary products: The Model 7 preamplifier. The Model 8 and, soon after, the 8B power amplifier. And insured that his company would remain a premiere name in the industry he helped establish.

In the 1960’s Marantz made multiple significant moves. NASA found the Model 9 stable enough to be used in tracking stations around the world as part of the famous Apollo space program. Marantz also decided to relocate to California within this decade. Most notably, in 1964, Marantz was acquired by Superscope.

Fueled by financial backing, innovative product development and additional production facilities in Japan, Marantz experienced excessive growth and expansion in the 1970’s. It was also the decade of the famous “2200” receiver, which turned out to become the most successful receiver line in consumer electronics history.

To Marantz, perfect specifications and technical accomplishment count for nothing unless a product can unlock the power, the excitement, and the emotion of music. Their heritage of technical excellence means they can create components with the ability to communicate the scale, timbre, pitch, and dynamics—in fact, the very essence—of a recording. Every Marantz component is technically and cosmetically designed to complement the lifestyle of the listener.

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Onkyo TX-4500

Onkyo TX 4500 MK1

('77-'79) *65 WPC  $500  (pristine)

In superb cosmetic condition, fully serviced and fully operational, this Onkyo TX-4500 MK1 receiver is a real hunk of well-designed power. It was the original design of the series that made Onkyo a household name in the HiFi community. Even though a lot of folks don't care about FM these days, this was also the first stereo receiver with quartz-synchronization for the FM band. While it's probably true that the MK1 comes in second to its successor, the Onkyo 4500MK2 in a beauty contest, we'll take the original any day. See below for the comparison between the two.

In the mid-70's Onkyo was lagging behind the other Japanese companies so they decided to spare no expense and came up with the impressive original TX-4500 receiver. Even the hard-to-impress Stereo Review magazine back in the mid-70's referred to the Onkyo TX-4500 as "a full-feature, handsomely styled product whose performance is typical of the highest standards achieved in modern stereo receivers"

At about 37 lbs and 22" wide, the TX-4500 is a solid beast with connections for three pairs of speakers, two turntables and 3 tape / aux inputs. For the display scale, they used a protruding panel of thick glass held in place by four hex bolts. Finally, besides the great specs, they chose to top it off with a real timberwood veneer case. With its already desirable industrial design, these added features were an added expression of timeless elegance.

TX-4500MK1 vs TX-4500MK2...
Essentially the same except for some minor variations, the later version TX-4500MK2 is considered by some to be a "prettier" unit, but the original 4500 was a groundbreaking, extremely successful and powerful upper-middle-class receiver. The 4500 has several great features the MK2 did not have:
The 4500 has all the lights on a single row (the MK2 added a second row)
The 4500 has pre-out/main in jumpers (gone on the MK2)
The 4500 has a real walnut veneer case (vinyl veneer on metal on the MK2).
It's true that the MK2 had a little more power (about 5 watts per channel) but the general consensus is, even though they are both outstanding receivers, the 4500 has a better all-around build quality.

*Power rating...
Onkyo's choice of a 10.000uF/50V (X2) dual capacitor used in the direct coupled amplifier section of the TX-4500 was a bit unusual. *But even at the rated very conservative 55 watts per channel @ 8 ohms, the actual honest output (at onset of clipping with a 1,000 Hz test signal) was about 70 watts per channel @ 8 ohms and 87 watts @ 4 ohms. THD was less than 0.01% using that same 1,000 Hz test signal. Pretty good indeed!  In practical terms, this means there is a tremendous reserve of power available to handle even sustained high volume levels and signal peaks without driving the amplifier into clipping distortion.

In 1977, after a Hirsch-Houck lab test on the TX-4500, Stereo Review magazine said:
"Judged by its measured performance, the Onkyo TX -4500 is obviously one of the finest receivers available today at any price. Both its FM tuner and audio amplifier performance are in almost every respect far above the norm for receivers, especially in this price range, and in some areas the performance rivals that of the most highly regarded separate components. The 'feel' of the TX -4500's controls is as elegant as its performance. They are smooth, light, and completely positive, with none of the tactile anomalies that sometimes detract from one's enjoyment of an otherwise excellent product. We were also pleased to find that the interstation-noise muting action is totally free of noise or transient effects. Until now, the only way one could have any assurance of optimum tuning was to use the expensive frequency -synthesizing tuner or receiver.
Onkyo is to be congratulated for having achieved the same caliber of tuning precision with a much less expensive technique. We were also pleased to find that the accurately calibrated dial, with its 200 -kHz marking intervals, enabled us to tune to any desired channel without ambiguity. Over the years, we have found that most competitively priced receivers are fairly equal in their overall performance characteristics.
It appears to us that the Onkyo TX-4500 may be just a little bit more equal than its peers, so to speak"

The Back story...
The design of the TX-4500 (and TX-2500) in the latter half of the 70's was Onkyo's last ditch effort to survive in the audio world and they put all their marbles into these two receivers.  Onkyo was definitely ahead of its time because they realized the importance of a good phono preamplifier. If you compared the transient response of the phono preamps in those units to their peers, it was immediately obvious. In their earlier test, they would inject a pulse followed by a sine wave and check the dilation of the pulse into the sine wave and the phono preamps were outstanding!
The TX2500 and TX4500 incorporated these design parameters so their phono section sounded remarkably good. They also upgraded the analog tuners. The TX2500 had the servo lock tuning and the TX4500 had the quartz lock tuning. The quartz lock tuning worked remarkably well and the tuning accuracy was only limited to the quartz time base in each unit. Keep in mind that this is pre-digital tuner days for receivers. Then they concentrated on the power amplifiers.
The power amplifier section of the receivers rivaled Harman Kardon's receivers by achieving low tilt figures for the low frequency and high slew rate for the upper frequency response without sacrificing hum and noise like HK did. The success of TX-2500 and TX-4500 catapulted Onkyo even higher into the audio world and enabled them to successfully compete in the crowded marketplace of the late 70's.

About Onkyo...
The word Onkyo translates as "sound harmony".  Starting out in 1946, Osaka Denki ONKYO K.K. is established and begins manufacturing phonograph pickups. The CP-1000 turntable was the first product to bear the ONKYO brand. They also manufactured integrated stereo systems throughout the years but they majored in turntables, early amps, preamps, stereo receivers and also the cassette tape format beginning in 1981 with the TA-W800, the world's first high-speed dubbing, double-cassette tape deck with a wide variety of tape-editing functions.
They hit their high mark in the late 70's with the TX-xxxx series of stereo receivers, tuners and amps.  Onkyo kept pace with, and in some ways exceeded, the strong competition from Pioneer, Sansui, Marantz, Optonica, etc. The stereo wars of the 70's yielded so many great products and Onkyo is right there with the best of them.
Today, Onkyo is still a global brand and their Integra series is well respected.

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MCS 3253

MCS 3253 (NEC Japan 1979) 55 WPC $400

*NOTE: The tuner section is identical to the NEC AUT-7000E, and the amp section is identical to the NEC AUA-7000E

Described by some as a "work of art", this oversized MCS 3252 stereo receiver is in near mint cosmetic condition and fully operational.
It has been completely serviced...every control, switch, meter, input, output and lamp functions perfectly.MCS was the house brand for JC Penney electronics and the brand has a great reputation. Most of the electronics (receivers, amps, etc) were designed and built in Japan by NEC. The MCS turntables were generally built by Technics.

Basic specs:
Power output: 55 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)
Frequency response: 7Hz to 50kHz
THD: 0.5%
Dimensions: 18.5"W X 7.25"H X 15.5"D
Weight: 32 lbs

About MCS (Modular Component Systems)...
MCS was the house brand for JC Penney back in the 70's and was often passed over by audiophiles simply because it was sold by Penney's. However, in our opinion, whoever worked for JC Penney's electronics acquisition department at the time certainly had discerning taste which resulted in some very good products being offered. There is some debate over who actually manufactured the MCS series for JC Penney. Most seem to agree that it was either NEC while others mention Technics.
Probably the different models in the MCS line were made by different manufacturers, all of whom designed great products for Penney's. By the late 70's, it was near the end of the receiver power wars and despite the fact that most of the mid to high range MCS units had actually incorporated some of the latest technology at the time, digital was looming on the horizon and was about to change the face of HiFi.

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