Sony TA-AX8

Topper version of the modern TA-AX7 integrated amplifier.

The AX7 and AX8 are visually identical when closed ; when opened, the AX8 has a supplementary knob to select pF resistance.
The circuits themselves, the Linear gain control and current amplification are entirely equivalent - read the TA-AX6 page for the circuit descriptions.

It is inside the differences are visible : caps doubled in µF values (2x 63V/20,000µF + 1x 160V/2200µF, also custom-ordered to Nippon Chemicon), copper-plated heatsinking for the Hi-fT transistors etc.
Basically the (more powerful) same but much better with an upped phono stage (higher max. input, slightly better s/n ratio) and even higher slew rate.

The AX8 was mainly a Japan-only version and it sold rather poorly as design was apparently too modern for most (silly) ; it is extremely rare nowadays but sonically worth much more than what its "blank" looks may imply.

With the TC-FX7, APM-77W and ST-J75, this makes a very coherent music-oriented system. I have a TA-AX7, I love it and will never let it go... until I find an AX8 :)



Nudies of an AX8 here.



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