Living here I figured I would be in audio heaven but it seems like Japan falls in love with certain brands and ignores others. Since I need to buy something here 100V I’m wondering if any of you have an idea of underrated/overlooked value products currently in production. I know this sounds like a lame question and that I should do research but my Japanese still sucks and I thought there might be a few of you who are familiar with what is available here now. I have looked at vintage Luxman and there are a lot available but I thought a current production amp would be more practical and utilized modern technology Ie streaming etc.
I love those little guys that design amplifiers and only sell a few. I had a shop with tube amps. El 34 Kt 88 6C33 otl's and single ended 845's, The 300B's would be my choice. The 845's had problems with the transformer, They must be pretty large. Not a fan of the 211 sounds thin. Air tight was ok not special. An example of tube gear I like is the deHavilland. http://dehavillandhifi.com/ I used to do shows with them. Rocky Mountain Audio Fest.. so much fun and we killed it. Many of the reviews on the dehavilland website are from the RMAF
If I were lucky enough to be in your shoes I would look for a locally built tube amplifier. Japan has been the heart of low power amps. Speaking for myself I would avoid the big brands that build a ton of amps, spend a ton on marketing and advertising and look for an artist. There are some " listening bars " there where people have a drink and just listen to music. I think if you look on youtube and type that in you will find what I am talking about. Those cafe owners are true music lovers and should know a lot about what is available. Here are a couple here.
The land of Kondo, Shindo, Allnic, Airtight and Wavac: SETs are Japan’s speciality and with high efficiency speakers still in a league of their own. If nothing else, worth exploring
Go to Yodobashi if you are into the mid level to semi high end. They have KEF, FOCAL LEVEL, McIntosh, Yamaha, Stax, high end cable, etc. They carry a lot. Sure there are some they don't and probably won't spend over 20K on speakers, but they have a good selection. And if is a trip just buying high quality gear and grabbing a good bottle of Scotch at the same time.
If you are open to pre-owned equipment, hifido.co.jp might have some interesting amps. I have bought some vintage speaker parts from them for shipping overseas and the service has always been good.ed.
If you were to look for vintage Luxman I remember reading somewhere at some point they did outsource some manufacturing to China, but then discontinued that practice. You are fortunate to have access to their and Accuphase's new products at Japanese prices. Some importers will sell you Accuphase or Luxman products in the U.S. at Japanese prices but the company voids the warranty on these gray market items. If I remember correctly Accuphase will only honor warranties on products they do the voltage changes on themselves. Good to remember if you move to the states.
Try to find an amp with switchable line voltage. When I was there, most amps could take 100,110,120, 220 volts. That way you can bring it home when you come back to the USA.
Teac is also a Japanese brand that has mid to high level products.
todd, esoteric is the high-line of teac...
also, when you buy a japanese jdm unit there from a shop, you should ask if it can easily be converted to usa line voltage... then if you really like it, just have them do the 110v conversion before you head back states-side
that is what i did with gear i bought and used in hong kong when i lived there
Thanks to everyone responding. Yes some japanese products are cheaper here but some surprisingly are not. For example tv’s seem to be double what they are in the US. The Accuphase seems like a wise choice in case I end up moving back. There are often discussions here about the practicality of buying vintage vs new. Of course the charm of the vintage Japanese products is undeniable but then again I don’t like the thought of scratchy pots or corroded parts. Teac is also a Japanese brand that has mid to high level products.
Make friends with some locals and have them purchase an Accuphase for you. If you ever need it to “adjusted” for a different market it will be easier for you that person to get it done.
If you're eventually looking to bring it back to the US, then Accuphase is the way to go.
If not, then all of the Japanese brands mentioned. Also, other brands like Marantz and Denon make models that don't make it to Europe or the US, and they tend to be the higher-end models.
having spent much time in japan, i suggest you heed the solid advice of @petg60 (and ignore the other random comments from the cheapseat know-it-alls)
it is spot on
find a well reputed local high end shop, see what they have - audio note, air tight, accuphase, esoteric etc etc - wonderful stuff, some of which is japan home market only
Don't make it harder than it needs to be. Call Dave Thompson at Raven. Tell him you need 100V. Have him set you up with a Raven Blackhawk and step down transformer. Fall in love with the sound and have a real life amp made in Texas amp to sell. Get the Blackhawk it has a four step premium powder coat finish, they like their audio shiny over there.
You are in audio heaven. I have visited Tokyo 7 times and always fancied what was offered but pricing was high even for used products. You can find anything displayed, in excellent condition and get good info from salesmen if you can manage to communicate. So many things that never made it outside Japan, and also made to higher standards for their local market. Offerings from Accuphase and Luxman have better pricing in Japan when compared to Europe and USA. I expect the same for some other Japaneese brands.
From what I have read:Accuphase will change the transformer in your unit to one for your destination/home country for a minimal charge, if you’ve lived in Japan over 6 months ( or was it 12?)... Also haggling/bargaining seems to be the norm, like getting 20% off. audiounion.jp carries major brands new and used...
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