Sony TA-F3000

Part of the Series 3000.

A much more "industrial" build-quality than the TA-F5000, sure, but the basic technology is inside :
fairly beefy power-supply with R-Core transformer, select Mos-Fet power transistors for a predominance of even harmonics and less switching distortion, a special mountig method of said MOS-FETs, a rotary encoder for input switching and cool looks.

Traditional at Sony : STD circuit (Spontaneous Twin Drive) which separates rectification circuits for the pre- section and power-amp sections, ditto for the voltage amp stage and the power stage and ditto again for the pre- and power-amp grounding paths.

The tone controls are effectively out of the signal path when in their center/defeat position and the feet are of the "eccentric" kind.

However, the top and sides aren't extruded aluminium plates like those of the TA-F5000 but folded metal sheets - everything has a price.


The TA-F3000 sold very well in Japan, a country far more open to marketing / engineering experiments than any other.
For the rest of the world, well, sales remained rather marginal : it proved difficut to be near-ES without actually being ES.

Especially when the smaller one of the series, the F3000 is physically bigger and more powerful :)