Technics SU-R1000 Integrated Stereo Amplifier Black

JENO Processor

Jitter is a major cause of distortion in digital systems and is caused by a misalignment in the master clocks used during digital-to-analog conversion. To eliminate the sound degradation caused by jitter, Technics developed a unique jitter reduction circuit. This circuit includes a clock generator in the noise-shaping system to reduce jitter in the low frequencies and a high-precision sampling converter to eliminate jitter in the high frequencies. It therefore ideally reduces jitter across the entire frequency range. This works with the unique high-precision pulse-width modulation (PMW) conversion circuit, which optimizes the noise-shaping rate, the level and number of requantizations, and the PWM intervention, so it can convert high-resolution signals to PWM without compromising dynamic range. All these technologies enable Technics digital amplifiers to reproduce all the natural and delicate nuances of music.

ADCT (Active Distortion Cancelling Technology)

Technics' newly developed Active Distortion Cancelling Technology accurately extracts and removes the distortion in the power amplifier generated by the speaker's electromotive force (EMF) and voltage drop. In the Hi-Fi market, which involves combining an infinite number of products, high-end amplifiers must be capable of driving any speaker system effectively. Active Distortion Cancelling Technology accurately extracts distortion by analyzing the difference between the speaker output and the JENO output, so it can apply correction to the digital signal output and correct the conventional digital amplifier system. This ensures ample speaker power and acoustic energy without sacrificing the undeniable advantages of digital amplification, such as low noise, detailed imaging, and a wide soundstage, regardless of the speakers used.

Stable and Silent Power Supply

The SU-R1000 uses a switching power supply system to ensure stable voltage supply and all the necessary current required by digital amplification. In conventional switching power supply systems, the ON time of the switching operation was controlled to stabilize the voltage, resulting in switching frequency fluctuations depending on the load and noise modulation that affects sound quality. The advanced fast and silent power supply has eliminated noise by fixing the switching frequency to 400 kHz. Furthermore, a noise regulator is built into the power amplifier. This prevents regulation degradation due to the fixed switching frequency and suppresses the occurrence of high-frequency noise. This results in a highly sensitive power supply that delivers the best performance for a digital amplifier.

Four Independent Power Supplies

Inside the SU-R1000, every aspect of the power supply has been revisited to achieve the highest sound quality. Furthermore, four independent power supplies are dedicated to different circuit blocks to further improve sound quality. Since the SU-R1000 is an integrated amplifier, the internal circuitry features a pre-amp stage and a power amplifier stage with a mix of digital and analogue circuits. The Phono EQ section, which is responsible for meticulously processing analogue signals, is particularly sensitive to noise transmitted through the power supply line. The SU-R1000 employs separate power supplies for the digital circuitry and the analogue circuitry of the pre-amp stage. The high-output power supplies for the left and right channels of the power amplifier stage are also separate. Thanks to four independent power supplies, the SU-R1000 prevents interference caused by electrical signals within circuit blocks to achieve a high S/N ratio and excellent separation.

High-quality digital/analog I/O circuitry

The phono input section and analog input section feature a fully discrete circuit design. Technics has realized an ideal, symmetrical circuit layout and performed meticulous tuning. The new circuitry prevents interference between the left and right channels and achieves excellent channel separation. In addition, the phono input section and XLR input section use a fully balanced transmission to ensure high-purity signal transmission with minimal noise. The USB input circuit in the digital input section is equipped with a high-quality ruby mica capacitor and a power conditioner with non-magnetic carbon film resistors to block electrical noise, such as from a PC, and to minimize the effect of external noise. The A/D converter incorporates a high-performance chip made by Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) for high-precision A/D conversion. As a result, the SU-R1000 reproduces exceptional sound quality from any analog or digital input source.

High-Rigidity Chassis and Design

The rigidity of the chassis has been significantly improved to suppress casing vibration, which is a source of noise. The internal chassis features a separate two-layer structure. The upper layer houses the power amplifier section, consisting of the amplifier circuit and its power supply circuit. The lower layer houses the pre-amplifier section, which comprises the analog input section, including the phono equalizer and the digital input section, as well as the power circuits for those circuits. Not only the upper and lower layers but also the individual circuit blocks are separated from each other by steel shield plates, which also serve as reinforcement plates to enhance the rigidity of the entire chassis. On the outside, the front panel is 10 mm thick, while the side panels and top panel are made of 6 mm thick treated aluminum plates, which also improve rigidity and vibration resistance. The feet supporting the chassis are made of cast iron with excellent signal attenuation characteristics. Overall, the above parts and materials improve the quality of internal signals and eliminate the effects of external vibrations to the highest levels.

Input and output terminals are made of carefully selected high-quality parts

• Speaker terminals designed to allow connection of large-diameter speaker cables

• Y-lug terminals to ensure reliable cable connection

• Analogue balanced input terminals manufactured by Neutrik and PHONO XLR input terminals (exclusively for MC)

• Analogue input terminals with machined and gold-plated brass parts

Elegant Technics design

• Eye-catching front panel featuring a high-quality, thin surface finish and an iconic double-needle meter

• Volume dial and selector knob made of parts machined from solid aluminium blocks and ultimate

Crosstalk Cancellation - Measures and improves the crosstalk characteristics unique to each head

This function measures the crosstalk characteristic of the head in use using the crosstalk measurement signal on the recording disc included with the SU-R1000, and then counter-corrects it using the built-in DSP to significantly improve the crosstalk. All this contributes to focusing the sound image and broadening the acoustic impact.

SPECIFICATIONS

- revolutionary stereo balanced integrated amplifier, top of the Technics range, the pinnacle of the most refined and reliable Japanese electronic and manufacturing tradition, the result of a new approach, a concentration of highly advanced technology, uncompromising design and layout, state-of-the-art construction with superlative quality Audiophile Grade components, unprecedented technical parameters, capable of delivering literally astonishing performances, with impeccable qualities of musicality, purity and naturalness;

- power of 150 Watts per channel into 8 Ohm and 300 Watts per channel into 4 Ohm;

- frequency response 5 Hz - 80 kHz (-3 dB, 8 Ohm) for line and digital signals and 20 Hz - 20 kHz for Phono signals (deviation RIAA +/-1 dB, 8 Ohm);

- load impedances handled with indifference between 4 and 16 Ohm;

- symmetrical layout divided into four independent sections, with dedicated and separate power supplies for each block: line pre-amplification, phono stage, power amplification stage, digital circuits;

- fully digital signal path from the input stage to the speaker output terminals;

- discrete input stage, equipped with 32-bit / 768 kHz Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) AK5572EN analog-to-digital converter;

- exclusive JENO (Jitter Elimination and Noise Shaping Optimization) processor circuit, which implements high-precision pulse-width modulation (PWM) conversion using a battery-powered clock generator in the noise-shaping system, capable of eliminating jitter across the entire frequency spectrum;

- output stage with digital/analog conversion using discrete components, without integrated DAC chips and with gallium nitride GaN FET field-effect transistors;

- proprietary active distortion cancellation technologies ADCT (Active Distortion Cancelling Technology) and Load Adaptive Phase Calibration (LAPC), capable of eliminating distortion and optimizing the response by detecting the impulse returned by the speaker load and analyzing its difference with the signal output from the JENO circuit, in order to apply a digital signal correction and perfect the amplification system, whose power is delivered in an ideal way, devices that as a whole translate into a dynamic, detailed transmission, free from distortion and phase anomalies, and in the impeccable driving of any speaker, regardless of impedance variations and across the entire frequency spectrum;

- highly sophisticated and accurate hybrid Intelligent MM/MC Phono preamplification stage Phono EQ, which includes several proprietary circuits: Crosstalk Canceller measures the crosstalk characteristics of the installed cartridge and applies a correction to refine the signal; Phono Response Optimizer applies DSP (Digital Signal Processing) to correct impedance discrepancies between the cartridge load and the phono input; Accurate EQ Drive allows you to choose between RIIA, IEC, Columbia, Decca/FFRR, AES, NAB and RCA equalization curves;

- Advanced Speed Silent Power Supply stage with separate power supplies for the left and right channels, based on a switching system with a fixed frequency of 400 kHz, equipped with ultra-low noise voltage regulators, GaN FET transistors and silicon carbide (SiC) diodes, with stable, very fast and ultra-clean supply properties;

- imposing and extremely rigid steel chassis, highly damping and effective in suppressing any vibration, articulated on two levels and in individual blocks separated by steel shielding and structural reinforcement plates;

- side and top panels in 6 mm thick treated aluminum, front panel in 10 mm thick brushed aluminum;

- large and elegant VU-Meter panel with double high-frequency meters needles;

- aluminum knobs machined from solid;

- cast iron insulating feet for chassis support;

- reproduction of digital sources with native conversion of MQA, DSD up to 22.4 MHz (with ASIO) and PCM up to 32 bit / 384 kHz formats;

- USB input interface with passive filter featuring a high-quality ruby mica capacitor and a power conditioner with non-magnetic carbon film resistors to block electrical noise, originating from a PC or other external agents;

- dedicated Main In input, with the pre-amplification stage excluded and the signal conveyed directly to the power amplifier, dedicated to the connection of an external pre-amplifier or Audio/Video processor;

- L/R stereo analog inputs: 2x balanced XLR, 2x unbalanced RCA, 1x Phono MM/MC unbalanced RCA, 1x REC In unbalanced RCA;

- digital inputs: 2x USB Type-B asynchronous (DSD1024, PCM 32/384), 2x coaxial electric S/PDIF RCA (24/192), 2x optical Toslink (24/96);

- unbalanced L/R stereo analog outputs: 1x Pre-Out RCA, 1x Rec Out RCA;

- headphone amplifier with 6.3 mm jack socket on the front panel;

- double set of very robust speaker terminals (A/B/A+B);

- high quality gold-plated machined brass connectors;

- 1x Control Trigger output with 3.5 mm jack socket;

- remote control and vinyl record for calibration of the supplied DSPs;

- Black finish;

- dimensions (W x H x D) 430 x 191 x 459 mm;

- weight 22.8 kg.