How To Clean My Technics Sa-202 Receiver

Hello,
I took a shot at purchasing a recently serviced (professionally) Technics SA-202. I merely wanted something vintage, basic, clean, hassle-free and affordable, merely with a good rich audio for my one-time Sansui turntable. I've merely read very little about the receiver I purchased. Information technology's on the way to me and now I'm wondering ... did I practise the correct thing? Is it too small to provide a big audio? It has 30 WPC, and it'southward from 1980.

If anyone has whatever boosted info to share about the receiver, I'd actually appreciate it. I hope you lot'll tell me it'south quality and that my records volition sound deep and sweet.

Cheers and thanks.

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Zip wrong with that Technics at all. I am sure you will enjoy it. I've had many Technics receivers over the years (closest to yours: an SA-303) and they are fine units.
Here's a link for info on a variety of Technics vintage equipment, including the receiver you're getting:

http://www.vintagetechnics.info/menu.htm
i take a 303 also, that I use for my outdoor speakers. the simply thing I'll say is that if you e'er demand to clean the pots and switches....it'south major surgery. if y'all e'er need to do it, send me a pm and i'll endeavour to walk you lot thru it. the 202 is of the same serial made in 1980, so I'm sure it's basically the same inside
Thanks for the info and welcome, and take yous ever heard of ...
an Olson RA - 195 receiver? I'm actually replacing that with the Technics SA-202. The Olson served me well but needs some piece of work, so I chose to freshen upwards with a replacement. I hope the Technics volition fill its shoes well.

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I have the Technics SA-200, very similar to the 202. I think information technology is a great petty unit of measurement, and nice-looking to boot. It is actually on my list of the next receiver to make clean up, so I promise it isn't as tricky as klutch says the 303 is.
Receivers are like vino. Maybe you can taste the difference between a $30 canteen and a $15 bottle, simply y'all can get some pretty fine, enjoyable wine for $15. Relish your unit of measurement.
I had a 101 and information technology was a very overnice small receiver. Build quality was not all there (pressboard lesser plate) but it managed to sound pretty skillful!
I like Technics receivers, but I think that was their biggest shortcoming. I would like to call up maybe for the price cutting they did on the chassis, they put back into the electronics.
Oh by the way, if you are needing a confront plate, dial, dial drinking glass, knobs, peak and sides, I dismantled 1 that had some serious electronics issues but good cosmetics. If you are interested, I'll accept to run into if I have it still.

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Sleeper revival
Old post revival....

Oh. My. God.

This receiver is a candidate every bit affiche-boy for what vintage sound value is about. Picked it up for short money on a distraction.

Cleaned it up and it is punchy and stiff and sounds insanely sweet for what information technology is. Kicks the crap out of most of the last dozen or and then much-college powered amps/receivers I've played with.

Brings me a smile when I am totally floored like this. Damn rare.

tc
It'due south not hassle-costless... information technology contains several ICs that are no longer available. Accident a channel or 2 and you're stuck with an unfixable paper weight.
Otherwise, pretty nice matter. Definitely one of Technics' "worst" models, though.
When I posted I know there would be dissenting opinion...
Calendar month one-time revival of a ii year old revival.
Expiry warmed over twice!
I just got i in near mint condition and ran it through information technology'due south paces.

I quite like it, sounds pretty damned practiced. I'thou non sure I'thou in love with where the bas tone control seems to bump up the bass the most, or where it stops in the midrange, but other than that, is a quality machine. Shame well-nigh the pressboard bottom, MDF sides covered in woodgrain vinyl, or similarly the top metallic slice covered in the same woodgrain, just the knobs are squeamish and the audio is nice. The tuner works well and it seems like it's a tad underrated in the power department.

I really wrote a review of it if anyone's interested. Will post a link if ya are.

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OK.. newbie question...
I take seen many comments on how the pressboard bottom is such a negative thing. Why is that? Do the metal chassis help absurd the unit of measurement improve, or something forth those lines?
No, not really.
It'south just one of the cost-cutting measures taken on this particular unit of measurement tjat stands out.

It'southward a cheap material, though, when we are used to higher quality build materials from similar machines merely a couple of years older than this 1. The pressboard bottom paired with the forest-patterned-vinyl-sticker covered MDF on the sides of the init, and the same wood-grain-sticker on the top only don't quite requite the aforementioned 'experience' of quality as the steel bottomed, oak covered sides and bottoms of many other amps.

This was really an indicator of how manufacturers would treat ALL their regular consumer-level sound equipment starting at around that time.
The Technics hardware aimed at consumers savage further faster in terms of quality than the other massmarket Japanese audio manufacturers' stuff (IMO).
The SA-x0x series are pretty disappointing in build and sound quality. Useable (i.east., non junk) but not swell, either.

SA-2025 by mhardy6647, on Flickr

SA-2022 by mhardy6647, on Flickr
I find sound quality to be on par with my SX-727.
Subjective, I know, simply hey.

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Don't hesitate!
Sure the original postal service is old, but thought I would throw my two cents worth in as others will still take the same question virtually Technics receivers. I have endemic about a dozen unlike receivers and amps in past two years. They were all vintage and made from 1975 to 1982. These included Sansui G3500, G5500, G5700 , G2000, AU317, Marantz (forget model #, but was made in 1975 or 76 just & 28W), Pioneer SX-450, SX-780, SX 3700, iii or four Yamaha CR-440/640 model receivers made in late 70s.

I still have some of the Sansui receivers and the AU317 amp. Squeamish, quality mid range units all! The Pioneers were OK, but not game stoppers. Same for the weak kneed Marantz, night sound or non. The Yamies were OK too, make clean, but seemed weak on the output.

I recently bought a Technics SA-202 and SA-505. They both have the same clean, lifelike sound and strong output at lower book levels. I can't tell a difference in the sound between the 2 at normal listening levels! I is 60W and the other 126W and both are rated at .04% THD @ viii ohms.

Both Technics models put out a beautiful sound that the other units mentioned higher up just don't accept. They blow them abroad. It doesn't make a difference the type of music y'all like-country, jazz, rock, etc. Both models do a superior task!

I currently run vintage Polk Sound Monitor 5 & 7 with Peerless tweeters and DCM CX27 speakers. I pretty much merely play vinyl on vintage direct drive Technics tables with upgraded modernistic RCA cables. The cartridges I play vary widely every bit I have about lx of them. I sell Technics tables from the tardily 70s to early 80s, primarily the consumer models every bit opposed to the SL-1200 models.

As far equally the post most some of the ICs being unavailable, I wouldn't worry about that also much. Otherwise you need to buy a modern AV receiver. Most vintage stereo components have sure parts that are no longer available, no matter the brand. In that instance you accept to go to a parts donor unit or purchase those parts from someone who has one. Information technology is just like restoring and keeping upward a archetype machine. It is part of owning long discontinued machinery of whatever blazon!

Regarding the post about the instance or cabinet...I can't play the cases of these Technics receivers and the particle board bottom does nothing to detract from the audio quality. All of the other receivers I take owned had all-metal cases or cabinets, but they don't sound equally proficient as these "inexpensive" Technics receivers, and then what is so important well-nigh the exteriors? It is something y'all see, not hear. Further, the particle board doesn't retain oestrus like sheet metal does, which is what these other brands' cases were made out of.

Heat is the enemy of electronics and these generate a modest amount of heat. I run a small (140mm") external electronics/calculator fan that I bought for $20 on eBay to pull rut out from the inside of the cabinet. That prolongs the life of the electronics within. I just fix it apartment on height of the receiver and plow information technology on. It comes in a frame to continue the fan blades away from your fingers.

At whatsoever rate, yous can't go wrong with these vintage unsung heroes!

Concluding edited: Jun 29, 2022