Download 18pp of catalogs for the circa 1978 Technics ‘professional series’ ST-9030 Tuner, SH-9010 equalizer, and SU-9070 Preamp:
DOWNLOAD:Technics_Pro_1980
There was also an SH-9020 meter unit and an SE-9060 power amp, but I can’t seem to find those documents at present. Soon enough, i’m sure. So anyhow, the idea here was apparently to ‘separate the basic (receiver) into five components.’ Their words. Anyway, the EQ is pretty insane, it’s got way more control than any sane person would ever want. Here’s the whole kit+kaboodle for ya:
OK honestly, i’d prolly wanna buy anything that was photographed in this manner. PREVIOUSLY ON PS DOT COM: the original period adverts for some of these same items. Aye yi yi. Click here for that…
21 replies on “Technics ‘Professional Series’ of the late 70s: Original Catalogs”
The PCB material looks like the cheap stuff in consumer gear of the seventies and eighties that the pads lift off like crazy when you heat them up even with a Metcal iron, and most of those semis are unobtanium now, but because almost all that stuff sounds terrible, it’s a moot point isn’t it?
This is the stuff that made us go back to tubes even when tubes weren’t cool. When you dived dumpsters and put up with smart remarks from hi-fi salesmen, before there was an internet and an eBay to buy stuff from.
Wow, babblegab. What an intelligent commentary. Actually, the 9070 was under-appreciated when it came out and is still recognized as a “sleeper” preamp of a very high order.
No offense intended, just my experience.
There were a few jewels amongst the base rocks of 70s solid state mass market hi-fi, but they were few indeed. They wanted good specs at low cost and they had the ability to batch select semi’s on a scale unimanginable now and they had a lot of ICs that were developed around some harsh process limits. It wasn’t really until the mid-1980s that halfway decent sounding solid state became a reality.
So you don’t know sh!t from diamonds, haven’t acutally heard the gear and never used a soldering iron on one –
noted!
I used to sell audio gear in the 70’s and 80’s.
I sold these and bought one for myself… along with a pair of the Powered Advent Loudspeakers and a B&O 4002 turntable.
It was a great sounding system. I had to sell the stuff in the early 90’s and have regretted it ever since. 🙂
Technic ree-to-reel tape recorders were okay. They also had a series of of ‘studio monitor?’ loudspeakers that were half decent. But Sansui AU-Series hi-fi amps, BA-series power amps and matching pre’s ate Technics’ lunch. BTW, I bought a pair of Technics SB-30 (tiny) loudspeakers in the UK in 1975. Still have them, they still work, and I use them as my higher-fi version of Auratones. Cheers.
Not the most appreciated brand out there for sure.. but the thing with Technics is that they had really good stuff like this.. but then they had cheapo stuff that was pretty much a low end Panasonic product badge engineered to show the Technics brand.. still the real top stuff was very good, like the stuff shown in this very case.
Back in the ’70s and early ’80s it was common to rip Japanese gear for “not sounding good.” Guys like Gordon Holt, Harry Pearson, and even Peter Aczel (in his earlier incarnation) were famous for it. If you wanted “good” sound you sprang for Audio Resarch tubes (and hoped that you had a back-up when the thing blew up–as it usually would), or if you wanted something more reliable you made a phone call to Mark “I never met a preamp that was too expensive” Levinson.
But back then, no one ever did controlled listening tests. Once levels were matched, and the names were hidden, people started to realize that these “mine blows yours away” sonic differences disappeared, or if they did exist they were found to be FR anomalies, and/or other distortions attributable to things such as amplifier problems into reactive loads, etc.
A lot of this older Japanese gear was built pretty well, and lasted a long time. But age finally takes its toll, and when it is time to replace the alternative is trying to fix it, or buying something new. Today, Japanese amplifiers of excellent build quality (Accuphase or Lux) cost as much as a high performance Italian motorcycle, or even a quality automobile. The lower priced mid-range stuff that is still brought over (think, Yamaha) will sound the same, but probably won’t last as long. I have a ’75 Pioneer SA-9500 amp that just conked out. My ’90s Yamaha amp is starting to show switch problems. I can’t tell you all the “high end” garbage I had that lasted no time at all. Of course tube stuff lasts forever, but has it’s own limitations. The Chinese seem to be producing a lot of nicer tube gear, which belies the general impression of cheap East Asian products.
I’ve got the original full racks for sale. Or might be separating if someone is looking for specific seperates. Blast
I’m interested in a full rack. Let me know at ken.sheehan@att.net
Do you still have it?
Looking for some pieces just got the pre-amp back;sold it ;regretted it.
Just saw this post and thought I would shout out. I would love to come across a Technics SE-9060 and a Technics SU-9070! I have a Sh-9010 EQ, a SH-9020 Peak/Average Meter, a ST-9030 Stereo Tuner, and a SL-1610MK2 Turntable. I am running it with a NAD C 352 into a Nikko Beta 30 Pre-Amp with a Panasonic Quartz Audio Programmer, a Nikko ND1000C cassette deck, a Technics M04 cassette deck, a Denon DVD 1720 DVD/CD player into a pair of Klipsch Cornwall speakers. Everything has it’s owner’s manual except the speakers. Also I am considering the Technics SE-9200 and SE-9600 would be excellent as well but the SE-9060 was this systems mate. I didn’t know the racks still existed! Cheers
Also, I have a Teac X2000R with a bit of new metal reels and 10″ and 71/2″ new tape and a fair bit of tape with 1 recording on them. The Grundig stereo Mic, Model GDSM 330 that plugs right into the Reel to Reel. 3 spare needles for the turntable, a Shure M97HE, an Audio TechnicaAT14SA and a basic AT91.
Hi, Don’t know if you’re based in the u.k ?
My friend has a pair of boxed and mint 9060s available, East Sussex..I could message him ?
Hello
I have all 5 components mint in still on original boxes + original rack as on photo
If interested let me know
Thanks
I am interested, but what would be the price.
I already have all of them, too. But not in mint condition…
Have you sold them?
I need the pre amp and main amp
But hey, if the price is right I will take all
I am in Aust but have relatives in the UK coming here in next few weeks
Let’s talk
Technics like all brands produced top notch quality and also not so good stuff, but any brand should be remembered for the best stuff they produced, shouldn’t they ?
I owned and USED the incredible SH 9010 *fully* parametric equalizer.
I’m not boasting – but I know what I’m talking about.
The Audio Quality was impeccable.
If a skilled Audio engineer had that tool to work with his/her job would prove to be so MUCH EASIER.
Probably a piece of equipment beyond what most “enthusiasts” could handle.
It never left me wanting more control, over all the years I used and worked with it. Mindboggling possibilities !
*Very* High Quality Sound.
Amazing product !! And close to unique in it’s 2 X 5 band
( FULLY parametric ) concept.
I have those devices restored and like new, maybe even better, and they can wipe the floor with some of today “high end” stuff