Technics Ultra Limited Amplifier SE-R1 and SU-R1

Technics amplifiers are legendary and often become absolute classics. The reference products SU-R1 and SE-R1 are already part of it. Those who want to call these cars their own now have the chance to get hold of the last two sets that Japan has planned for Germany.

Network Audio Preamplifier SU-R1

The network audio preamplifier SU-R1 inspires with enormous sound power and leaves noise and other disturbing factors absolutely no chance.

Technics Digital Link (true to the original transmission of the digital signal)

The preamp precisely adjusts the volume to the listener's requirements and transmits the signal to the power amplifier. Due to bit-dropping errors and other influences, the digital volume control can reduce the amplitude accuracy. That's why Technics developed Digital Link. The new signal transmission interface removes the volume control function from the preamp and transmits the volume information along with the audio signal to the power amp. The jitter reduction circuit of the output stage reduces the effects of jitter effects on the signal transmission and performs the volume control before the PWM converter. This new audio transmission interface supports audio signals up to an enormous 384 kHz / 32 bit and eliminates any channel crosstalk because the information for the left and right channels is transmitted separately. Digital Link thus leads to the ideal amplifier configuration and maximizes the amplitude accuracy in the transmission from the preamp to the power amp. Due to the high channel separation, you benefit from excellent reproduction of weak signals.

Perfect architecture to contain digital noise

The network audio player SU-R1 outputs audio signals from various digital source devices such as B. NAS, PC, USB storage devices and digital interfaces. However, since many digital storage media are developed for use with PCs, low noise is not as important here as it is with pure audio playback. Therefore, the interfaces for these media are isolated in the SU-R1 to avoid intrusion of external noise. In addition, the jitter remover ensures that interference signals are suppressed, thus ensuring clear and stable music playback. A new common mode filter is used for the network input - and for the digital SPDIF interfaces, the new pulse transformer simply blocks external noise.

Separate analog / digital power supplies

The power supply section is very important for high-quality music reproduction. Therefore, at Technics, a separate, low-noise R-core transformer with excellent control characteristics supplies the digital and analog assemblies. The power supply is also isolated, preventing digital noise from creeping into the analog assembly via crosstalk.

Technics Music App

The Internet, and specifically the spread of broadband transmission, has changed the way we enjoy music, access media and operate devices today. Listening to music has become much more flexible, more comfortable, but also more versatile. Technics has therefore developed a comprehensive operating system for all processes: from selecting the music source to controlling the playback process, you have everything firmly in your hands. After all, at Technics the joy of enjoying music comes first. With the new Technics Music App, you can intuitively select a music source and playback devices using your mobile device. Or you can create a new playlist in no time. The Music App interface shows you the content of DLNA-compatible servers and connected USB storage devices at all times - including the device on which you are currently using the Technics Music App. So you have full playback control! if e.g. For example, if the SU-R1 is combined with the SE-R1, you can not only control the volume and playback with the Music app, but also regulate the bass, midrange and treble.

The most important features
•- Simple and intuitive menu
•- DLNA playback
•- Playback from USB storage media
•- Playlists across multiple devices*
•- Adjustment of bass, middle and treble on Technics devices **

* USB storage devices are not possible in cross-device playlists.
** Not possible with Bluetooth music sources.

Oversampling digital filter with extremely low distortion

With digital signals, a so-called aliasing effect occurs due to the sampling due to the mirror images of the signal - up to the Nyquist frequency (fs / 2) on both sidebands of the sampling frequency (fs). The oversampling filter, which works with the Technics algorithm, removes this unwanted mirror image down to the -160 dB threshold and reproduces a sound image with enormous spatial expressiveness.

Virtual battery operation

Virtual battery operation reduces power supply noise by allowing the circuit that generates the reference potential to charge the capacitor at the same time. To prevent power supply noise, which would affect signals by crosstalk, the system turns off this circuitry during music playback. Virtual battery operation thus significantly improves localization and spatial imaging.

High-quality analogue inputs and outputs

Thanks to the high-quality analog circuit layout, the SU-R1 also offers excellent playback quality at the analog outputs. This is ensured by the low-noise digital noise isolation architecture, an innovative clock generator and channel-separated D / A converter (Burr-Brown PCM1792). The assembly after the D/A converter houses a non-magnetic film resistor, a low-loss film capacitor and an audiophile op amp (LME49720). Both the components and the assembly method keep the signal-to-noise ratio extremely high. The analog input signals are also converted into the digital domain with the highest precision by the 192 kHz / 24-bit A/D converter (Burr-Brown PCM4220), so that the highly pure sound reproduction of the fully digital system is also available for analog source signals.

High-Res Re-Master

High-Res Re-Master turns even listening to conventional CDs and lossy, compressed sound sources into a whole new musical experience. Technics has developed signal processing methods for both spread spectrum and bit expansion. High-resolution re-mastering converts digital low-resolution audio signals, up to 192 kHz / 32 bit. This creates a natural and expressive sound that comes very close to the original.

Intelligent circuit activation

The intelligent circuit activation monitors all circuits and switches digital assemblies - e.g. B. display, network, USB and SPDIF interfaces - as soon as they are not needed. This means that the noise that naturally occurs in these assemblies cannot impair music reproduction through crosstalk.

Stereo power amplifier SE-R1

The SE-R1 is the ultimate powerhouse that will keep pretty much any speaker in check. Technics has come up with a number of ideas for the reference based on many years of experience in building amplifiers.

JENO engine
(jitter elimination and noise shaping optimization)

JENO Engine Concept,Block Diagram of Digital Amplifier,Output of R1 JENO Engine
With conventional all-digital amplifiers, jitter can cause distortion and thus degrade the sound quality. To counteract this, Technics has developed its own special circuit, which eliminates the negative sound effects caused by jitter. The circuit consists of a clock generator in the noise shaping system - to reduce jitter in the low-frequency range - and a sampling rate converter that also suppresses jitter effects in the high-frequency range. This enormously reduces interference signals in the entire frequency range. To prevent errors when converting to PWM (Pulse Width Modulation), Technics has developed a new, high-precision PWM converter circuit. These new switching operations optimize noise shaping speed, re-quantization number level, and PWM gradation to convert high-resolution signals into PWM signals without sacrificing dynamic range. Thanks to these new technologies, the SE-R1 faithfully reproduces all natural sound nuances. Perfection begins with the details.

GaN FET driver
(fast, low-impedance power components)

In order to ensure high-precision amplification of the accurately generated PWM signals, very fast and loss-free switching processes are necessary. Technics therefore relies on ultra-fast GaN (gallium nitrite) FETs, which have a low resistance when switched on. Since this type of MOSFET allows the construction of a high-power amplifier with a single push-pull configuration, the signal path, in which high currents flow, could be kept very short. This results in sound reproduction with excellent linearity - regardless of the sound level.

LAPC
(Load Adaptive Phase Calibration)

Gain and delay in conventional amplifiers / LAPC, Concept of the Technics Digital Link
The impedance of a speaker is not constant but changes with frequency. Therefore, what is needed is an amplifier that can stably drive the speakers regardless of the impedance characteristics. Since a conventional power amplifier is coupled to the loudspeakers via a low-pass filter in the output stage, this is largely influenced by the impedance characteristics of the loudspeaker. In addition, such amplifiers use negative feedback to improve the amplitude representation. However, such a system cannot optimize the phase properties.
Technics has therefore developed a function that allows the amplifier to measure the phase and impedance characteristics of the connected loudspeakers and optimize them accordingly at the push of a button. This optimization algorithm works with digital signal processing and achieves an ideal impulse-true control of the connected loudspeakers. The correction based on the new algorithm achieves an even frequency curve. The result is sound reproduction with extremely precise spatial imaging and accurate depth gradation.

Technics digital link
(true to the original transmission of the digital signal)

With the development of a power amplifier that faithfully reproduces high-resolution digital sources, Technics' ambition increased to minimize the signal path length as far as possible. Therefore, network audio players and preamplifiers, both of which carry weak signals, are now combined in one housing (SU-R1). In order to avoid noise affecting the weak signals, the power amplifier is housed in a separate housing (SE-R1). The preamp precisely adjusts the volume to the listening requirements and transmits the signal to the power amplifier. However, since the digital volume control can reduce the amplitude accuracy due to bit-omission errors and other influences, Technics developed the Digital Link connection. The new interface removes the volume control function from the preamp and transmits the information along with the audio signal to the power amp. The jitter reduction circuit of the output stage reduces the influence of noise during signal transmission and then carries out the volume control before the PWM converter. Since the information for the left and right channels is transmitted separately, the new audio transmission interface eliminates any channel crosstalk. Technics Digital Link leads to the ideal amplifier configuration and maximizes the amplitude accuracy in the transmission from the pre- to the power amp. This results in high channel separation and excellent reproduction of weak signals.

Ultra-fast and low-noise linear power supply

In order for the loudspeakers to be able to reproduce every signal exactly, an amplifier needs a powerful, low-noise power supply unit that reacts to the constantly changing audio signal without voltage dips. While the power supply circuit of an ordinary amplifier consists of a power transformer and a rectification circuit, Technics works with a choke-equipped rectifier circuit and voltage stabilization in the power supply. As a result, the SE-R1 effortlessly drives any speaker!

Battery operated clock generator

In the digital audio field, the higher precision of the clock (clock) automatically leads to better sound quality. After all, the assembly that sets the clock is the reference point for all digital processes. However, since noise from the power supply is detrimental to the clock circuitry, Technics introduced a battery-powered clock circuitry. This has already been used in analog Technics amplifiers and now leads to ultimate clock precision in the current models - and thus to a defined sound image and fine spatial expressiveness.

Double mono construction

If the signals inside a circuit for the right and left channel interfere with each other, localization and spatial expressiveness suffer. Not at Technics. The double mono construction separates the signal routing for the left and right channels to prevent mutual interference and achieve an ideal sound balance. In the power supply, too, the circuits are designed independently for the left and right channels, starting with the secondary winding of the main transformer. The components and assemblies for the left and right channels are also separated, thereby increasing spatial expressiveness.