Description
For sale quality Kenwood KA-3020 SE *Special Edition* Stereo Integrated Amplifier made in Japan in excellent condition and in good working order. Superb quality integrated amplifier with MM Phono Stage for Turntable and an option to connect second pair of speakers or Bi-amping/Bi-wiring. Some scratches on the case - please see all 23 pictures in the gallery for more details. Extra free Kenwood KT-2080 AM/FM Tuner with RDS also in very good condition. Power leads, Stereo RCA cable and quality Gale speakers wires x2 included. Any questions please ask. UK delivery via Parcel-Force service. Worldwide postage available via eBay Shipping Program. Some online reviews: The model number 3020 is so distinctive and well-known that one cant help feeling that if they could, NAD would have registered it as a trademark, and that other manufacturers would avoid putting it on an amplifier at all costs. Clearly neither is the case, since here it is again on Kenwoods KA-3020SE. The SE stands for Special Edition, indicating that the amplifier is an upgraded version of the established KA-3020, which it replaces; as well as having an improved output stage, the SE features a heavier-duty power supply with 50 per cent bigger reservoir capacitors and a mains transformer uprated from 150VA to 220VA.The styling is distinctive and reasonably elegant, and the flavour of the amplifier is suggested by the relative space, size and prominence given to the various controls. The front panel is dominated by the huge volume knob, which for some reason is calibrated from 0 to 30, a peculiarly arbitrary number. To the right of this are two chunky rotary selector switches, one for the main listening path and one for the record outputs.There is a good selection of input and output possibilities: a Phono input is joined by three line level sources – CD, Aux and Tuner – and there are two separate sets of tape record/replay sockets, rather grandiosely labelled Tape/DAT I and 2. The two switches allow the user to listen to one source while recording another, but as is often the case the crosstalk performance is not quite good enough for this to be a real option in critical applications – each signal bleeds quietly but audibly into the other path. That is not to completely dismiss the facility, as there will be circumstances where the usefulness outweighs the slight compromise. This configuration also means that monitoring oft tape is possible from either of the connected recorders (given that the recorders themselves have the facility) and the record selector switch allows either machine to be fed to the other – a good flexible arrangement.PerformanceAnd the KA-3020SE does indeed deliver the sound. It would not be right to call it completely transparent; it has a character, but that character is musical and enjoyable. There is a feeling of the music being slightly larger than life, as if there were a gentle loudness circuit in operation – the very deepest bass feels a little exaggerated, while the top end sounds like a slightly varnished version of the truth, never hard but occasionally verging on sibilance and with more presence than expected. Neither effect is obtrusive at normal listening levels, and the overall result is if anything mildly flattering on most recordings. Rendition of detail is very good, and I found I did not want to stop listening and trying yet more musical material through it.The KA-3020SE is not overendowed with muscle, being rated at a fairly modest 30 watts per channel, and it cannot be denied that it shows when the amplifier is really cranked up. Not that anything as drastic as distortion becomes a problem; the effect is more a slight blurring of the high frequencies and a little loss of focus of the stereo image. This only manifested itself at very high levels in a largish room; in a normal domestic listening environment it would be unlikely to arise and I would not anticipate any problems.Performance on the test bench is very good. The frequency response does nothing to explain the amplifiers perceived tonal character, being virtually ruler flat well up into the tens of kilohertz and right down past 25Hz. The bass and treble controls showed themselves to provide 10dB of boost and cut at 100Hz and 10kHz respectively, which is more than adequate for most purposes. Their centre detented flat positions are indeed flat (apart from the slight broadband boost mentioned earlier), as is the centre position of the balance control.At the price, this amplifier turns in a commendable performance in a well thought out, uncluttered package. I enjoyed listening to it, and while it was not exactly opening up new vistas of sonic experience, none of the material I played through it disappointed—everything I wanted to hear was there and I was reluctant to turn it off.Specifications for Amplifier:Output power: 45 Watts per channel into 8 ohms (80 Watts into 4 ohms) Damping factor; 80 at 50Hz Frequency range line-level: 5Hz-100kHz Phono equalization to RIM curve: 20Hz-2OkHz ±03dB Total harmonic distortion: 0.6% Tone control range: ±10dB at 100Hz and 10kHz Signal-to-noise ratio: phono 78dB; line-level 105dB Input sensitivity line-level 1: 20mV Dimensions: (W x H x D) 440 x 138 x 349mmWeight 8.6kgMade in JapanAll the pictures in this listing are of this item in its real condition and exactly what you will receive.Buy with confidence, please see my feedback.The parcel will be very well and safe packed with polystyrene, bubble wraps, solid box to keep the quality service I provide and will be posted with the courier as soon as I receive a payment.Please see my other items.Postage price including packing material calculated for UK mainland only (excluding UK islands, Highlands, Northern Ireland and abroad) Thanks for looking.
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