Technics SU 700 solid state integrated amplifier with loudness and tone shaping (late 1970s)

The Technics SU 700 is a solid state integrated amplifier from the golden age of Japanese hi fi engineering. Built in the late 1970s and part of Technics’ well regarded consumer audio lineup, the SU 700 delivers clean power, a musical tonality and the reliability associated with Matsushita era components. Its circuit layout is straightforward and efficient, with bass, treble and loudness controls that gently reshape the signal in a way characteristic of vintage Japanese solid state amplifiers. For this capture I set both the bass and treble controls to plus 2 to bring out the natural tone shaping of the unit. Two captures were produced. The first uses the loudness function for an expanded dynamic feel and slightly enhanced clarity. The second uses the loudness circuit as well, but in its more scooped presentation where the mids are reduced in favor of boosted bass and treble with a narrower dynamic range. These two captures show the contrasting tonal signatures that define how this amplifier behaves when pushed into program material. Everything was captured using the Matribox II as the DI, providing a clean and consistent foundation for all my recent NAM profiles.