Sony HA-55

Tailored for the XL-55 MC cartridge and the first unit bearing the design trademarks of what would become the pre-Esprit and ESPRIT series, the HA-55 is a head-amp with stellar specs which would be later on integrated into the TA-E88B preamp and the onboard electronics of the PS-X9. And sell like hotcakes on its own, too.

The first version, up to s/n #300 or less (apparently the first month of production), had a fairly different internal layout, front finish and centered scripting position ; its T-Tag was the basic "Sony".

The later one, far far more common, is the one you can see here as main image ; its T-Tag was Sony's "DTKK" (Daitoh), then Izumi (IZDK). Unlike 99,99% of Sony's production, the HA-55 bears in its serial numbers the production year : #76xxxx means "1976" (the overwhelming bulk of the total run), #77xxxx is "1977" - etc.

Click the "talk" button below for a TVK forum thread about both - with images !


A first run (s/n #760255) here.
Nudies of a second-run here.