Nakamichi ST-7 Vintage AM/FM Tuner with Original Box

Free Shipping (Contiguous U.S. Only)

General:
I enjoy rotating different vintage HiFi gear into my home office, and for this excellent vintage Nakamichi tuner it's time it finds a new home for someone else to enjoy as much as I did. I bought this from a family member of the original owner after he passed away many years ago, along with a  complete killer vintage 1980's Naim "Chrome Bumper" system and stunning KEF bookshelf speakers.

During our in-house testing, we were shocked how well it performed pulling in far away signals into full stereo.  We rank this up there with some of the top tuners we've ever tested, which is really saying something for how well-designed and built this brand was back in its glory days.

The Nakamichi ST-7 is widely regarded as one of the finest digital tuners ever produced. Thanks to its exceptional sensitivity and selectivity, it can lock onto stations that many other tuners simply cannot receive.

This particular ST-7 is especially rare, as it includes the original box!  Examples like this are increasingly hard to find, making it one of the few remaining ST-7's preserved in its original presentation.

A standout feature is Nakamichi’s "Schotz Noise Reduction" technology, which improves effective stereo sensitivity by approximately 9 dB. This allows for clean, stable stereo reception on broadcasts that would normally be limited to mono.

Additional features include seek and manual tuning, along with 16 randomly programmable FM/AM presets, combining ease of use with top-tier performance.

The ST-7 pairs beautifully with classic Nakamichi components such as the CA-5 or CA-7 preamplifiers, or the legendary CR-7A cassette deck.

This tuner will be carefully double-boxed to ensure the original box remains intact for the next owner.

Also a copy of the owner's manual will be included that was reprinted on heavyweight paper.

SkyFi Cosmetic Notes:
Very light scratches on the top cover.

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:
Second Owner

Connections:
RCA, Antenna, Captive Power Cord

General Sound:
Smooth, uncolored, undistorted natural and clean

Cosmetic Condition:
8/10 = Very Good. Excellent front faceplate, one minor flaw on chassis side or top.. See our detailed rating description here.

Working Condition:
Working perfectly and tested in our lab.

Included:
Unit, Box, re-printed manual on heavyweight paper.

Packing:
Original Manufacturers Packing (boxed inside a larger box to preserve the original).

Original MSRP:
$849.00

Specs:
Type: Mono/Stereo Tuner
Tuning Bands: FM, MW
Tuning Scale: Digital
FM Tuning Range: 87.5 to 108 MHz
MW Tuning Range: 520 to 1710 kHz
Sensitivity: 1.7uV (FM)
Signal to Noise Ratio: 76 dB (FM), 48 dB (MW)
Distortion: 0.08% (FM), 0.4% (MW)
Selectivity: 60 dB (FM), 20 dB (MW)
Frequency response: 20 Hz to 15 kHz (FM)
Output: 500mV (FM), 200mV (MW)

Dimensions:
17.13" x 2.48" x 11.38" (435 x 63 x 289mm)

Weight:
10.3 lbs.

Approximate Age:
1987

Manual:
Click Here

Recommended Cables:
Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Better

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Best

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. Vintage analog tuners also have moving parts related to the tuning gang and dial string. These parts are inspected for smooth operation.

If the unit passes visual inspection it is bench tested for a handful of key performance parameters using a Sencore SG80 AM/FM Stereo Analyzer. The SG80 allows us to “simulate” an ideal radio station using precision test signals instead of music. This device in conjunction with an oscilloscope allows us to properly evaluate the following parameters:

1) AM Reception (Where Applicable)
2) FM Mono Reception & Tuning Meter Function
3) FM MPX Reception (Stereo)
4) Dial Tracking: How accurately the tuner dial or display indicates the actual frequency of the broadcast being received.
5) Stereo Separation: A properly working stereo tuner will have minimal crosstalk between the left and right channel.
6) Sensitivity & Signal Strength Meter Function: By lowering the output of the SG80 we can simulate weak stations and determine how well the tuner will be able to pull in weak distant stations. This adjustment also helps us verify signal strength meter function.

If the tuner has acceptable performance related to the parameters above we connect the unit for listening tests with a simple dipole antenna. We listen for audio reproduction quality of local stations and evaluate how many stations the tuner can receive while we sweep through the dial.

We are looking to verify that the tuner can decode stereo on strong local broadcasts and pick up a wide variety of local stations at the bottom, middle, and top of the frequency band. At this point we also test convenience features such as muting, filters, built in oscilloscope function, etc.

We finish up with an extended listening test on our long term test rig. We tune in to a strong local station and monitor for drift over a minimum period of 2-3 hours.