Intro
Contents
Japanese Technics – now for some time under the Panasonic banner – has undoubtedly earned its place in the industry. Just think of the SL-1200 turntable. This direct drive turntable alone earns the brand respect. We look at the Technics SU-G700M2 integrated amplifier, which also incorporates a lot of interesting technology.
We have previously reviewed the Technics SU-R1000 amplifier. That is without a doubt an impressive integrated amplifier with an excellent dac and phono stage. However, the price of 8500 Euros is…. yeah…
Those who find such amounts a bit too crazy, and have no problem with a step back, can look at the SU-G700M2. After all, it costs less than a third: 2599 Euro.
All digital?
No: we’re not going to label Class D as a digital amplifier. However, Technics does handle the signal path differently with the SU-G700M2. The pseudo Class D output stage is driven digitally. This has been done before by both Technics and NAD with the Direct Digital technology. However, Technics does it slightly differently.
What Technics actually does is keep the entire chain digital for as long as possible and make it as short as possible. Taking away the marketing names for a moment, we see that Technics digitizes all inputs. Then it goes through a DSP that compensates for impedance an phase variations (LAPC). Then jitter is eliminated, the digital signal is up-sampled and this JENO engine sends the digital signal through a Delta Sigma PWM converter. This signal passes through a FET driver that drives the speakers. That seems like a long signal path, but it’s not too bad.
Is it a full-digital amplifier? No. Of course it isn’t. Nor does that exist at all. Eventually, an analog signal will really have to go to the speakers. But the fact is: Technics keeps the signal digital for a longer time. And that also has its advantages.
LAPC?
Technics wouldn’t be a truly Japanese brand if there weren’t a few complex abbreviations passing by. Let’s just say they are proud of their innovations. And rightly so!
Fortunately, LAPC does not stand for Los Angeles Police Chief or anything like that. It stands for Load Adaptive Phase Calibration. Now we usually tend to turn off all such bells and whistles. But this is different. This really works!
It is strange that Technics put this very effective feature so far away. There is no button on the amplifier itself. Now that is acceptable, but you can really only switch it on and off with the remote control. We would have done that differently.
Adjustment is incredibly easy: just plug it in and hold down the LAPC button on the remote for a few seconds. A few sweeps pass by which the amplifier can “feel” the speakers, correcting variations. Note: this is done without a microphone. It is purely about the electrical interaction.
The effect is remarkable! This simply works. LAPC on simply sounds better than LAPC off.
The rest of the GU700M2
We went straight into the “quirks and features” of the Technics. Still, let’s take a look at the amplifier itself.
Like the R1000, the Technics SU-G700M2 looks very sleek. No unnecessary buttons. In the middle volume and on the right a small dial for the inputs. On the left on and off and at the bottom across the width the VU meters. It looks classic … yet modern. It’s impressive what Technics has done.
No one will be short of inputs. We see almost everything: twice coaxial and optical inputs. Then USB for example for a PC, laptop or streamer that offers a usb output. Analog only offers single ended. That’s a shame: we would have liked to see balanced as well. We see two single ended line inputs. And phono mm/mc. Finally, there is a line output (pre-out).
To be clear: the line inputs are digitized first.