Need info - Nakamichi AV-2

nguyendot

Picked up one for $35 today in decent shape. It's heavy and I believe it would make a neat toy. I've never owned anything Nakamichi.

Anyone have any info on it? Google results in very little information.

nguyendot

Wow, nothing?

AudioGenics

Excellent company and superb products.

$35.... if there are no problems with the receiver then it was a steal,

http://www.nakamichi.com/flash.html

nguyendot

There doesn't seem to be any information about this unit on their site, or any receiver for that matter.

AudioGenics

might try to contact Nakamichi directly (website)
for their past publishings and audio reviews.

About Nakamichi USA
Located in Torrance, CA, Nakamichi America Corporation

nguyendot

I just submitted that, I hope they get back to me with something!

heiney9

The original Nakamichi Corp is long, long gone. They were bought out several times over the past 10-15 years or so.

Your AV-2 came out about the time Nak was owned by Grundig (IIRC) and were sold in Best Buy for a very short time. They exploited the Nakamichi nameplate and reputation and sold some real "junk" compared to Nakamichi's heydey.

For $35 you can't go wrong, but unfortunately your Nakamichi piece really has nothing to do with the "original" Nakamichi Corp which was based in Japan.

Enjoy it for $35 you could have done much worse. These are just average sounding and built units with very high MSRP (at the time) because it had the Nakamichi name on it.

Hope this helps

H9

wutadumsn23

heiney9 wrote: »

(IIRC)

Sorry for this useless post, but I finally had to Google IIRC "If I Recall Correctly", now it makes much more sense, lol. Here I was thinking I was all hip with the lingo, sorry, back to your regularly scheduled programming......

-Jeff

heiney9

nguyendot wrote: »

There doesn't seem to be any information about this unit on their site, or any receiver for that matter.

They only make a few "Soundspace" all in one units and a few car pieces. Not the same Nakamichi you're thinking of.

That AV-2 was probably manufactured in the late 90's to early 2000's (IIRC) by Grundig who owned the Nakamichi nameplate for a short time.

AudioGenics

I came across this tibit of wiki information

..By the end of 1990s Nakamichi was largely forgotten. It was acquired by the Grande Holdings, but was allowed to be run independently and with mostly the original management and design teams...

technology obsoletes so quickly and companies fade away ....

heiney9

Grande Holdings included Grundig, IIRC. And I can assure you that while some of the management and design teams were in place the gear was positioned to be closer to entry level than what Nakamichi was designing and building in it's heydey.

Like I said for $35 you can't go wrong and they are decent units, enjoy your super deal.

nguyendot

Doesn't Grundig make expensive shortwave radios?

The audioreview reviews of this unit seem stellar thus far. I remember Nakamichi being sold at Best Buy back then, I worked there and saw a supervisor bring one in to trade out under the service plan.... It seems very well built though, and for $35 I bet it will be decent. People say it sounds very musical for a receiver.

heiney9

Let us know how it works out for you. My point was to say that while it's probably pretty good. It doesn't compare to the Nak receivers or seperates from the 80's. Not trying to say it's not a nice sounding piece.

The Nak receivers and separates from the 80's with STASIS were stellar units. Even by todays standards they are very good to excellent. I wasn't trying to take the "wind" out of your sales; just giving you some honest background.

Like said, ENJOY and report back.

H9

nguyendot

Tried it out and it sounds great. I tried it first on a pair of KLH model 24's - just to make sure it didn't have any shorts. If it blew those speakers, oh well $5 down the drain.

Then I hooked them to some RT25s. Very good full range sound. Power is definitely there. I used it with a JVC DVD-Audio player. I will test it further with the Klipsch KG 3.5's tonight.

jflail2

I've still got an old Nak driving the speakers Russ gave me. It was bought in the early/mid 90's, so I guess the quality wasn't what it used to be in comparison their previous offerings, but it still sounds good for a basic 2 ch receiver....

For that price you can't be disappointed...