Nakamichi PA-5 STASIS Vintage Solid State Amplifier, 100W x 2

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General:

The Nakamichi PA-5 is just a slightly smaller version of our favorite PA-7 series, down to 100W x 2 which is enough to drive 90% of speakers with ease.

This is about a clean of an example as you're going to find. The soft aluminum on these tends to get damaged easily but this one is super clean and well cared for.

In the lab it performed as it should with no hiccups or drama. It ran super warm and did not clip into about 140W which is impressive. We performed a light cleaning and set the bias according to Nakamichi original specifications.

Brand Background:

Nakamichi was founded in 1948 by Mr. Etsuro Nakamichi, starting from a small research institute in Tokyo, Japan that provided R&D for major brands, government entities, universities and organizations.

Since then, it has established itself as a trusted creator of high-quality audio products, such as the Nakamichi 1000, the world's first 3-Head cassette deck.
Nakamichi's product lines are driven by an intense scientific curiosity, the passion for audio, and commitment to uncompromising quality and performance.

Ownership:

Single Owner

Connections:

Single set of RCA inputs plus removable power cord.

General Sound:

Big beautiful musical sound with little fatigue. 

Cosmetic Condition:

8 - Very Slight Signs of Use

https://skyfiaudio.com/pages/our-rating-scale

Working Condition:

Working perfectly and tested in our lab and listening room. 

Included:

Unit, power cord, and manual

Packing:

Will be packed using our highly developed in-house process and custom packing materials.

Original MSRP:

$1,650.00

Dimensions:

435 x 135 x 368mm
(17" x 6" x 15”)

Weight:

36.0

Age:

1990

Reviews:

https://hifichicken.com/nakamichi-pa5-stasis

Link to Manual:

Click Here to View/Download

Recommended Cables:

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Better

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Best

Kimber Kable - Speaker Cables - Better

Kimber Summit Series Monocle XL Speaker Cables (PAIR) - Best

Kimber Summit Series BiFocal XL Bi-Wire Speaker Cables (PAIR) - Best If Applicable 

Kimber Kable - Power Cords - Better

Testing Process:

We start with a visual inspection of all internal components to make sure that there are no signs of heat stress or damage. Capacitors are checked for telltale signs of predictive failure including bulging, shrunken wrappers, or physical leakage. We also inspect the PCBs for discoloration from resistors or transistors that may have been running hot. On vintage units we often spot check select capacitors for value and ESR.

If the amplifier passes visual inspection, we move on to a controlled power on sequence using a Sencore safety analyzer to monitor current draw in real time. Once the amplifier is determined to be safe to operate, we connect it to full AC mains for function and power testing. We connect the speaker outputs of the amplifier to a Sencore PA81 Power Analyzer which acts as a dummy load, DC offset monitor, and oscilloscope interface. We start with a low level 1KHz test signal at the amplifier’s input and slowly increase its amplitude while monitoring the output on an oscilloscope for signs of noise, clipping, distortion, or improper channel balance. We continue increasing the signal level until the amplifier reaches clipping. At this point we take an output power measurement and compare it to the spec sheet of the amplifier to verify proper performance. If the device under test has both balanced and single ended inputs they are both tested at this time. We finish off the bench evaluation with a 1KHz square wave check and a 20Hz to 20KHz sine sweep to assess the amplifier’s frequency response characteristics. This battery of tests will usually reveal if the amplifier has any issues that need further attention.

Before the device leaves the bench, we perform a listening test with actual music using a variety of preferred test tracks. Our benches are outfitted with familiar monitor speakers which help us identify inconsistencies that will not always show up on our test gear. The main things that we are listening for are hum or noise with no signal present, proper center image, clicks, pops, or any other obvious undesirable audio characteristics.

If the unit passes all of these tests it is moved to our long term testing rig where we simulate real word operating conditions for 6-8 hours. This allows us to monitor the unit for signs of thermal runaway or intermittent issues that only crop up when the unit has fully come up to temperature.

Specs:

Power Output:
100 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)

Frequency Response:
7Hz to 150kHz

Total Harmonic Distortion:
0.1%

Damping Factor:
60

Input Sensitivity:
1.4V

Signal to Noise Ratio:
120dB

Speaker Load Impedance:
4Ω to 16Ω

Semiconductors:
20 x transistors