Pioneer - SA-5500 II Solid state integrated amplifier

Description
The Pioneer SA-5500 has a lot of power with low distortion. It uses the original, newly developed monolithic IC from Pioneer, which forms an SEPP OCL differential-input circuit in the power amplifier section. It guarantees ample power and stable, low-distortion stereo reproduction.

The current limiter and thermal shutdown circuits are combined in the protection circuit. The speakers and the power supply IC are protected against short circuits due to faulty connections or other causes. Also included is a muting circuit that blocks switching noise when the power switch is operated on or off.

Selected PNP and NPN transistors with tight gain matching are used in a direct-coupled circuit in the phono equalizer. The frequency deviation governing playback of records is kept within ±0.5 dB. This design also achieves better low-frequency stability and an advanced S/N ratio.

In addition to special connectors for turntable and tape deck, auxiliary connectors (AUX) are provided to connect a cartridge tape player or other component. Practically all program sources can be connected.

The speaker switch can be used to select between two sets of stereo systems. A-B listening comparison or simultaneous listening with speakers installed in another room becomes possible. A single SA-5500 can function as two stereo amplifiers in this way.

Center-click detents are provided for the tone and balance controls, while the main volume control uses a 41-click stop system. Ease of operation is fully considered in the design.