mike stehr Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 I picked up a Nak AV preamplifier last night...I needed a preamplifier of some sort for my Sonance power amp...primarily for a volume control and something to hook stuff up to... It was a good price, and I got to listen to the unit with various speakers and amps in a good long listening session. I listen to 2 channel music most the time, so use with the CA-1 as a preamplifier works out like I wanted...but I do watch movies from time to time. It's a bit long in the tooth in todays world of AV preamp processors, but I can at least connect the digital coax out of the television to the Nak unit with the BR player connected to the television's HDMI. The only bummer is it has no remote of course, and the remote is needed to operate the level control for the subwoofer, center channel, and front/rear speakers. Amongst other things as well. Other than that, it is rather good sounding as a preamplifier. In the visit when I bought the unit, we listened to the Nak for awhile, and then swapped to a later model Dynaco (PAS-4?) preamp. It was a hybrid type preamplifier, with the black face, and white lettering. The amplifiers used were big Adcom amps, don't recall model numbers. We first listened to pair of little pair of slant faced Spicas, those are nice sounding little vintage two-ways. Then a pair of Dahlquist speakers, and then a pair of Kef transmission line type speakers with a little six inch coaxial for mid/high range. Those were nice... The ones I seemed to favor, (and the were one of his favorites) was a pair of Kef monitor 105 series IIs. These were a three-way speaker, with a lower woofer cabinet using a 12" woofer. The midrange and tweeter were in a molded plastic pod, with a 6" midrange and a 2-3" dome tweeter...the "pods" were on top of the woofer cabs, and could swivel around 180 degrees or so. The drivers had the alignment thing going, where the woofer stuck out first, then the midrange, then the tweeter. The 105s can really image, with good strong bass. A bit power hungry, (big Adcom power with Nak pre to get to loud levels) and not the most attractive speakers, but boy they sure can sound really good. We were listening to the Kef 105s when he swapped from the Nak preamplifier to the Dynaco preamp. Using the Dynaco tube hybrid pre or whatever did give the Kef speakers a more airy open sound, where the Nak made the speakers more laid back and recessed. However, in my application using Cornwalls in your face, the laid-back nature of the CA-1 works to my benefit. Has anyone around here ever owned, borrowed, or heard a Nakamichi CA-1 AV controller preamplifier? Online information is rather nil with regard specs, manuals...at least free, anyway. I would really like to find a remote, or a universal type that would work, like a harmony or something. Right now, I have my Marantz/Heart tubed CDP connected to the Nak, and the Nak connected to a Sonance Sonamp 275X3SE power amp, with the Cornwalls using charge-coupled B2 networks. It's a combination of solid state that sounds actually like Hi-Fi with my Cornwalls. Thanks, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Full Range Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 I use the Nakamichi CA-5 II preamp for all HiFi applications - ie Tape, Phono, CD However the CA 1 is an AV processor preamp Probably out of date with AV advances since its release If the build quality is anything like the CA-5 then it will be superb for its design parameters Here is some user reviews - http://www.audioreview.com/cat/amplification/preamplifiers/nakamichi/ca-1/prd_118469_1591crx.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Nakamichi then may be repurposed for 2 channel. Pressed into service the AV-500 I listen to now do sound nice. Power is there for the bass function and can be like separates in sound, according to review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxerjake Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 We've had a pair of Nak PA-7's in the house ( years ago ) as well as CA-5 and CA-7'S .... Never had the CA-1 Nak has never failed to impress ... ran K-horns , scala's, Belles , and corns with the munster PA-7 toaster ovens and loved then to death Of cource that was back in the mid 80's ... times have changed since Replaced the PA-7'S with Classe Audio CA400 which i think in hind sight ( for the cost ) was a mistake Loved the nak gear back in the day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted November 12, 2014 Author Share Posted November 12, 2014 More than likely the only two images of the Nak CA-1 innards online... Nuthin' too special...but there is some green Nichicon Muse sprinkled about the circuit. Nonetheless, the sound quality is quite excellent...to my ears... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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