Dave Fox

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $400.00 from Ebay

Summary:
When this receiver was first reviewed back in 1989, with it's Nelson Pass designed Stasis amplifier I considered it as an option to my Marantz 2500 but decided to save the bucks since some experts I knew told me it's 100wpc could not compare to the Marantz's 250wpc. They also said that Nakamichi had problems with the earlier SA line and they may not be as reliable as my then 10 year old Marantz had been. 15 years later I picked one up off of Ebay and was amazed at just how wrong those experts were about the Nakamichi. While it can't produce the kind of gut wrenching volume of the Marantz, the sound was so much more open and transparent that I didn't care. As far as power goes, it has plenty of dynamic power for any normal home listening without any sign of clipping even when turned all the way up. It's almost tubelike. Even at nearly twenty years of age this receiver is still perfectly quiet and clean with none of the pot noise I would get from the Marantz between cleanings. Don't get me wrong, the 2500 is a great piece of gear and even though I got nearly $1500 for it on Ebay, I do wish I'd of kept it. But, the sonic superiority of this old Nakamichi is unquestionable. I have A/B compared it with a friends 105wpc Stereophile recommended B&K seprates system running alternately, my Von Schweikert "Vortex Screens" and a pair of freshly rebuilt Celestion SL6S's which are both fairly power thirsty speakers. Both of these speakers can throw a huge soundstage, especially the Screens, but need good electonics to perform their best. The TA 4A killed the B&K's in sweetnes and clarity, image and soundstage, along with a more dynamic and tight bottom end. The Screens are a large speaker rated flat down to 27Hz and the Nakamichi just sounded more solid and clean all the way down. Yes I wish it was packing 250wpc of Stasis amplification but in the realm of all in one units I can't imagine a better sounding buy at any price or power rating. Maybe the McIntosh 4100 receiver if you can find one but even then I doubt it and you will pay a lot more than $400. The Nakamichi TA 4A isn't a Threshold separates system but it might be close. It won't make your old Cerwin Vegas sound like Martin Logans but it will make any true high end speaker sound really good. The ony real weakness is the tuner. My Marantz had a amazing tuner section that outperformed everything else I ever owned including a Nikko Gamma. If you find a TA 4A in good condition, jump on it. You won't be sorry.

Strengths:
Great front end, very quiet, Stasis Amplification is airy and dynamic, huge soundstage. Overall a very solid receiver

Weaknesses:
The fluorescent digital display on these tend to become a little faded and uneven but still quite useable. The tuner section is not as strong as the Marantz 2500.

Similar Products Used:
Never heard a reciever like it!

Tommy504

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 3.00 votes

Price Paid:  $450.00 from From fellow Audiophi

Summary:
The Nakamichi TA4A is exceptional. I believe it is one of the finest solid-state components my ears have ever experienced. I was fortunate to hear my first TA4A through a set of TDL MONITORS!! The hair stands up on my skin just thinking about it! The TDL Monitors could surely eat more than the TA4A could throw at them, but the Dynamics offered by mating those two was phenominal. Anyone could learn to appreciate the detail of music simply by listening to a cheap recording, then a quality recording through that set-up. The cheap recording comes across life-less and dull, while the TA4A eagerly sends the musical peaks into the air with plenty of overhead. Not to mention that the Monitors have awesome bass-extension. (Transmission-line speakers need I say more.) That is truly he beauty of the TA4A, the overhead power waiting for your favorite recording! I would recommend this receiver to anybody who appreciates 2-channel stereo!!!

Strengths:
When you let the TA4A warm up, the sound is very rich and dynamic. Also, it pulls far more amperage than current receivers! This receiver is an excellant choice for vinyl!!!!!!

Weaknesses:
-none-

Similar Products Used:
Waveguide 4 speaker cable. Straightwire directional interconnects. Klipsch Heresy II. Pioneer turntable.

Price Paid:  $300.00 from private

Summary:
I bought this used. What a great piece of audio gear. This thing ROCKS!!!!!!!!! At 100wpc it is a true power house receiver with a very clean, detailed, smooth and open preamp section. Very musical for a "receiver" that is 13-14 years old. Get one if you can find one.

Strengths:
Powerful for 100 wpc. Does not get any better at the original list price of $1000.00 let alone what I paid for it.

Weaknesses:
NONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Similar Products Used:
NAD, ROTEL, ADCOM and MARANTZ

Price Paid:  $750.00

Summary:
The TA-4A is a great design. Making a chassis that includes seperates in one box was a great idea. This is one of the few amps that can run my Accustat 1+1's cleanly(without costing thousands).

Strengths:
Stasis technology, what more can you ask for. Case design will never go out of style.

Weaknesses:
none to date

Similar Products Used:
Denon avr-1800 (still use the TA-4A to drive the Accustats)

Price Paid:  $995.00 from SoundAdvice

Summary:
Superb receiver, incredible AMP. Clean signal with intense power and ability to push bass effortlessly. Nice design, heavy chassis and well vented. Sounds great at low volume as well as at high volumes. Must be mated to excellent CD player and with speakers that are warmer sounding (like Revel or B&W)to get the full "feel" of the music.

Strengths:
Great sound, best Amp, timeless chassis design. This receiver looks and sounds like a classic.

Weaknesses:
Needs to be powered on for 10 minutes to heat up to realize full potential of amp and circuitry. Tone bypass button crackles a bit when cold, but dissapears after warm-up. Important to match speakers with listening preferences. (i.e rock=klipsch, classical=Revel)like most other audiophile equipment.

Similar Products Used:
Krell, Proceed, B&W, Revel.