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| Pix from internet - Technics 808-series package |
The 808-series was the 1st Technics fully remote stereo set of components, primitive by today's standards but advance for 1980. My set was in silver as per the pix above and consists of the following components.
SE-A808 - Power amplifier which can be converted into a monoblok
ST-K808 - Integrated Quartz tuner (with presets), pre-amplifier and built in-timer
SH-R808 - Remote control module
RS-M45 - High performance cassette deck
SL-D33 - Direct drive turntable
SB-L50 - 3-way floorstanders
Purchased the set as it was the best deal in town then - was on a "shoe string budget" as still in secondary school. Major purchase decider was the then advance and rare FULL IR remote facility.
Looking back I always wondered if I should have saved up for a proper set based around the then new Sansui AU-717 ...
Reproduction quality of the set was typical of many Japanese sets from that era - neither here nor there. Not suitable for detail listening but good for rock, heavy metal (and the alike) after you crank up the volume!
Cost for the IR remote facility justified for itself when songs I liked were played on any of the sources!!
Personally I find the cassette deck to be the best component in the setup - you can click on the component list(s) above for more information on them. The other memorable item was the Quartz synthesizer tuner as the station lock was just superb.
Anyway ... the Technics 808 set was extremely reliable and perform flawlessly for well over a decade (even after the speaker cone surrounds gave way).
On a sadder note, I wish my parents had advised to leave the money in the bank instead of splurging on a hifiset. Long story short - If I had left the money in the bank account, it would have accumulated (if untouched) to quite a large sum today! Could then have bought a much better setup (actually enough to buy a house!)... sob sob
