Nakamichi

Nakamichi K. K. (Japaneseナカミチ 株式会社, Nakamichi Kabushiki - gaisha ) is a Japanese manufacturer of high-end consumer electronics, and was a pioneer in the development of high-quality cassette deck.

The company was founded in 1948 by Etsuro Nakamichi in Tokyo as a research institute Nakamichi Research. Focus was in the field of electromagnetism, magnetic recording technology, acoustics and communication. Initially, contract research for the government, universities and industry was conducted. Developed by Nakamichi reel tape recorders were sold under other major trading names. With the development of music cassette then also established quality Nakamichi cassette decks, partly also to other large companies.

Pioneer in the cassette deck technology

Nakamichi 1973 was one of the first manufacturers recorder presented with three tape heads, the Nakamichi 1000 and the Nakamichi 700 This direct tape monitoring was possible, that is, the interception and monitoring of the recorded music signal even during recording. In the U.S., these two recorders nor the additional name "Tri- Tracer " were to draw attention to the new technology.

In the 1980s Nakamichis most famous device was the Dragon cassette deck, which combined three heads with an automatic azimuth adjustment of the playback head. This can also be afflicted with an azimuth error recordings, such as third-party devices, are reproduced in high quality. Originally this technique was developed by Marantz, but unlike their piezogesteuertem system used Nakamichi conventional electric servomotors.

Another exclusive feature in Nakamichi were the so-called UDAR cassette decks of the RX series. This was in contrast to conventional auto-reverse tape devices on the end or on keypress not turned the head and at the same time the band direction is reversed, but rotated through a special mechanism the cassette in the unit. This happened just as fast as in conventional devices, switching the tape direction. The advantage of this technique is the one that the capstans can continue to run, what the constant velocity is used in particular in the first few seconds of benefit, and second, that the tape head is permanently mounted, which accommodates the azimuth accuracy. UDAR represents UniDirectional auto reverse.

Other device types

Nakamichi put forth in the 1980s, all other components of a then- typical stereo system, but they reached despite the high quality not nearly the popularity and reach of the cassette deck. As an explanation for the rather small market success the then futuristic unassuming design is called with partially edged geometric forms, the devices were held almost entirely in black. Other manufacturers of high-priced hi-fi products such as Luxman would hit better with their products then the customer's taste. In addition, Nakamichi never a wide range of devices in different price classes offered like other manufacturers.

The program included approximately 20,000 DM expensive (converted today about 19,000 euros ) High - end turntable TX- 1000 with computer-controlled compensation of synchronization errors, receiver, tuner, CD player, amplifier, speakers and amplifier combinations of separate preamplifier and power amplifier. Many of these devices are still sought- hand equipment, approximately 27 kg Power Amplifier PA - 7e from the late 1980s with 2 x 330 watts RMS at 4 ohms. These cost about DM 4,500, according to today's purchasing power around 3,900 euros. The associated preamplifier CA- 7e cost DM 7,000, now 6,000 euros. Both devices are now offered or used at prices of each well over 1,000 euros.

Economic difficulties from the 1990s

In the 1990s, cassette decks were gradually completely replaced by other digital recording media from the market, first by the recordable CD, and later through the MP3 technology. This disappeared with the cassette deck is also the strongest revenue generators.

By 1993, the company was also represented on the European market, then retired but because sales and marketing problems back. In 1997, the company was founded by the Hong Kong-based The Grande Holdings Ltd. taken, which also holds the brands Akai and Sansui.

On 19 February 2002, the company applied for insolvency proceedings under the law on the civil reactivation (民事 再生 法, minji - Saisei - hō ) with a debt sum of 20 billion yen ( € 170 million). Excluded from this was the sales subsidiary Nakamichi Hambai KK (ナカミチ 販売 株式会社). May 31, 2008, Nakamichi Hambai a distribution of Nakamichi products and turned to the after-sales management, while Nakamichi itself developed plasma and LCD televisions exclusively for the foreign market.