Setton RCS-X1000
(late 1977 - 1979)

The rage between Japanese and European manufacturers was at its peak when the Setton HIFI CONTROL CENTER RCS-X1000 was unveiled: Eumig, Philips, 3A, Grundig or Telefunken were making truly amazing gear to counter-attack what was namely named an "invasion". Distributed in Germany by Bodo Eichöfer at Dynaudio KG at a list price of 10,000DM in 1978 - this was for the very rich only.

Jack Setton was based in NYC but had "research" centers all over the globe. The Japanese, however, had the price by mass-production equation going for them and ultimately won on all counts and all markets. Setton's only well remembered units (the receivers) were made in... Japan. Case in point.

But some of the results of that battle really are worth remembering, though, and this receiver probably is THE coolest component I have seen from the late 70s era, if not from the whole 1970 decade. It seems however the Setton adventure didn't last very long and Setton vanished from the landscape circa the early 80s.

Needless to say, you don't see RCS-X1000s on eBay. One unit has been spotted in Germany with a serial number of #089 so it is likely that, as all things super-high-end, whatever the period, a hundred were made, at least.