Pioneer C-72

Pioneer C-70

1 9 9 0 1990
2 0 0 0 2000

Very long production run for this mid-end preamplifier made to somewhat bridge the gap between 2-channel audiophilia and 4-channel home-cinema.
The long production was however mainly for the US, not Japan, and unlike the earlier C-90, the C-72 only saw one version.

The C-72 holds two transformers, select caps and resistors, non-resonant chassis and feet through the use of honeycomb embossing (power-supply sub-chassis) and added elements (in-feet).

The Super Linear Circuit (SLC) acts to cancel the non-linearity of one semi-conductor with the linearity of another, as inaugurated with the 1979 Z1 Series.
The Clean Ground System (CGS) manages to isolate noise from the signal path and said signal path is reduced to minimum lengths (50cm max.) with deported shafts and OMRON relays despite the numerous hookups and control options.

One transformer feeds through two secondary windings, after proper rectifying, the µCom processing, relay switching and video switching ; the other transformer feeds all that is audio through five secondary windings : EQ stage, outputs, flat amp, rec-out, tone controls.

Being from 1990, a moving coil phono input was (still) there as well as composite and (already) S-Video i/os. An added "direct input" bypasses everything and carries the signal just before the volume control.
Said volume control is a motorized & remote-controllable 4-gang presumably/probably made by ALPS ; the remote itself is typical of the time in its very labyrinthic complexity.

The video section isn't a quick addition and boasts a 10MHz frequency response - not an Exclusive V7 but, still, quite respectable and double above what is required for S-VHS !

The Rec-Out selector being independent from the video signal selector, some video dubbing was allowed for hours of fun on grainy VHS, not so grainy S-VHS and a few puzzled looks meaning "why don't I see what I want to hear ?".
As inaugurated by Sony way back in 1983, two rows are here to help you put what you hear back with what you see : the top LEDs (above the source switches) show what you hear, the bottom LEDs (below the source switches) show what you record and/or (hopefully) see.

The C-72 was a Pioneer Elite C-72 in the USA, a C-72 in Europe and a C-70 in its country of origin.
The C-70 was shiny champagne sans sideburns, the Elite C-72 had the dust-catcher black Urushi finish (not Black Uhuru) with added faux sideburns and golden trims.

Made to feed the M-72 power-amplifier and SP-91D Dolby Pro Logic processor.

Pioneer C-72, image 1 Pioneer C-72, image 2 Pioneer C-72, image 3 Pioneer C-72, image 4
Pioneer C-72 specifications
Title Value
AUDIO section AUDIO section
Rated output : 7V max. (20Hz...20Khz, 10kOhm load, 0,01% THD)
Inputs : phono / cd / tu / tape1 / tape2 / vcr1 / vcr2
2,5mV / 50kOhm (MM)
0,25mV / 100 Ohm (MC)
150mV / 50kOhm (lines)
Outputs : pre-out fix / pre-out vari / tape1 / tape2 / vcr1 / vcr2
1V / 1kOhm (pre out)
150mV / 1kOhm (rec out)
THD : 0,002% (20Hz...20Khz, 10kOhm load, 1V output)
Frequency response : 20Hz...20Khz (± 0,2dB, MM)
20Hz...20Khz (± 0,3dB, MC)
1Hz...150Khz (+0 / -3dB, lines)
IHF-A S/N ratio : 93dB (MM)
76dB (MC)
106dB (lines)
Bass control : ± 8dB at 100Hz
Treble control : ± 8dB at 10Khz
VIDEO section VIDEO section
Inputs : LD / TV-aux / vcr1 / vcr2
4x composite (1V p-p, 75 Ohm)
4x S-VHS
Outputs : vcr1 / vcr2 / monitor out / monitor out S
3x composite (1V p-p, 75 Ohm)
3x S-VHS
Frequency response : 10Hz...10MHz (+0 / -3dB)
General General
PC : 30W
Dimensions : 45,9 x 16,3 x 41,7cm
Weight : 11,3kg.
page online since : december 2009
page updated : not yet
page type : LGT / KNB
page weight : 197.78 Kb / 0 b
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