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Technics A-10 on sale? (1 Viewer)

JackS

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jan 17, 2002
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634
Just left Van's on-line site which still carries this player. Is this possible? I would have thought these were long gone. The price is an ultra reasonable $99 bucks. Any A-10 owners have an opinion on this DVD player?
 

Jim Williams

Second Unit
Joined
Oct 29, 2002
Messages
367
A $1200MRP DVD/DVD-A player for $99.88 might be a good buy if it were available. Unfortunately on the Vann's site it states that it is currently not available for purchase.
 

JackS

Supporting Actor
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Jan 17, 2002
Messages
634
Jim- Yes, I did note that. I took it that it was presently out of stock vesus non available for purchase.
 

Jerry Klawiter

Screenwriter
Joined
Dec 3, 2000
Messages
1,412
That player really was nothing more than an early edition of the Panasonic Rp91 without progressive output.
The extra weight was nothing but steel plates added into a removable base. The base could be removed with only a few screws and placed on the Rp91.
So much for weight ='s build quality ;)
The anti-resonation sales term they used was pretty hilarious when I examined the player for myself. Hell a brick placed on top of the player would have done a better job.
imo
-Jerry
 

Philip Hamm

Senior HTF Member
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Jan 23, 1999
Messages
6,874
You really think a brick would have done a better job for anti-vibration? I agree the concrete base is kind of silly but it looks cool and does make the unit weigh 20 pounds. :) I think this unit has better analog audio circuitry than the Rp91.

That's a great price if it were available. I was thrilled to get mine at $350.
 

Jerry Klawiter

Screenwriter
Joined
Dec 3, 2000
Messages
1,412
No concrete, just a bunch of steel plates inside that base.
Yes, I think a brick on top would have been better.
This way they could stabilize the largest unsupported mass of the unit, the cover. All they did was add weight to pull it down tying it to the mounted surface.
But yet the cover/lid was left unaffected.
Agreed; for the money and if you don't need progressive it's a steal for under $100.
I should have thought more prior to my first reply,
I did not intend to offend any A-10 users.
-Jerry
 

LanceJ

Senior HTF Member
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Oct 26, 2002
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3,168
IIRC that base was made of some type of very dense mineral-filled polymer; don't know about the steel plates but if it did use them then that is O.K.--if you're looking to control vibration and it's going to be hidden anyway then such a material is the way to go about it. The actual name of the base was "Technics Hybrid Construction Base" or THCB.

And as far as the top cover not being damped, why bother? That special base is located on the bottom because the electronic circuits to be protected are also attached to the bottom. And CD/dvd disc transports and laser tracking assemblies--unless you're dealing with a real POS player--always have their own dedicated isolation system. Damping the cover seems more like a marketing move than a physics-based choice.

I'm not really a big believer in microphonics audibly affecting solid state electronics (tubes are a different story) but since Technics/Panasonic is such a no-nonsense manufacturer--or to other people, staid and boring--and don't equip their products with audio voodoo accessories, I am inclined to believe that for their best components they believed this special base would at least minimise the potential for distortion (that's partly what better quality equipment is all about right, fussing over the little things?).

FYI: at least here in America, their last pair of best receivers, the SA-DA10 and SA-DA20, both had the THCB. In Europe where many more of their components were sold, their better CD players used it also. And their SL-BD22 entry-level turntable (which I own) seems to use a variation of this base--it looks like dull black plastic but if you tap on it, it makes more of a "thud" than a ringing noise and is easy to scratch.

If one wants to see the ultimate Panasonic dvd-video/audio player, do a search for the DVD-H2000. Back in 2002 it retailed (not MSRP) for around $2000 and was built like a tank.

LJ
 

Jerry Klawiter

Screenwriter
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Dec 3, 2000
Messages
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That base is hollow plastic, with sheets of steel plates.
Ok, I will give you the very dense mineral-filled polymer.
But it’s still hollow ;)
The base itself is not part of the bottom of the player that the electronic circuits are attached, unless a few screws count.
Take the removable base off and your left with a player that looks like any other. It still has a stamped sheet metal bottom like any other player.
Again, this is just my opinion as to the usefulness of marketing claims.
This thread still has some purpose for those that find one of these players and are tight on shelf space.
You can remove the base and reattach the feet to the PRE drilled stamped sheet metal bottom, Yes the sheet metal bottom is just like any other and is ready to accept the feet without modifications.
This will reduce the height of the player and may help it fit.
-Jerry
 

LanceJ

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2002
Messages
3,168
I'm no expert on resonance and damping techniques but I'm quite sure that a damping mechanism such as the THCB doesn't need to be welded to and/or be in 100% full contact with the item that needs to be damped.

Many products in the so-called hi-end audio world have tainted the rest of the audio categories with a bunch of unfounded audio b.s. And as far as the subject being discussed presently, IMO to reduce resonance one does NOT need a 50lb cabinet made of machined aluminum to accomplish this goal.

I know enough about physics though to know that the simplest solution--i.e. thick metal cabinets--is not the only way to dampen vibrations. Old skool methods aren't always the best methods, especially when the company we're talking about is one of the largest on this planet and has access to some of the best R&D facilities around.

LJ
 

Philip Hamm

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 23, 1999
Messages
6,874
I don't know whether the heavy base really does anything worthwhile or not, but I can tell you that the DVD-A10 has fantastic sound quality, and, according to one review I read, extremely low jitter numbers.
 

Jerry Klawiter

Screenwriter
Joined
Dec 3, 2000
Messages
1,412
That A-10 base looked really cool on my rp91.
It was just the wrong color to keep it on. "Blk Rp91"
I was seriously thinking of a can of black spray-paint.
I don't know if the base helped with the sound or not on
the A-10, I can’t say I heard sound improvements on my rp91.
This base will fit any other generic Technics/Panny/Clone DVD player that used the same mass produced stamped sheet metal frame construction during that era.
The A-10 that I used for my examination came from a local
pawnshop.
 

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