1978 TOSHIBA SA-7150 MONSTER RECEIVER

World's First Receiver with a Digital Synthesized Tuner

The 1978 Toshiba SA-7150, retailed for $1,195.00 and has the distinction of being the "world's first" receiver with a Quartz Digital Synthesizer Tuner. In that way it was the forefather of all that was to come. It was also an FM lover's delight, since it also had built-in Dolby FM, switchable IF Bandwidth (wide/narrow), Hi-Blend and Air Check for recording. It also had a 150w/ch power amplifier with a "dual mono design" and a huge Toroidal power transformer. The Toshiba engineers were so fanatical about the power supply that the SA-7150 even had a separate power transformer for the tuner/pre-amp circuits.

To quote from the Owner's Manual: "The all-important power supply for the SA-7150 is divided into separate supplies for the pre- and power amplifier stages. the power amplifier supply is then further divided into independent left and right power supplies, employing separate pairs of high grade heavy duty electolytic capacitors (15,000�V x 2 per channel) and a massive Toroidal transformer for excellent regulation. The SA-7150 is thus able to deliver its huge reserves of power right down into the ultra-low frequency region with greatly reduced dynamic crosstalk distortion.

Big advances in audio circuit technology have given the SA-7150 Digital Synthesizer AM/FM Stereo Receiver an incredibly huge reserve of output power at practically non-existent distortion levels. Super-low-noise dual transistors (developed especially for Toshiba audio equipment) in the 1st-stage differential amplifier, and parallel push-pull connected power transistors (of particularly outstanding transient response) in the power stage, deliver 150 watts of power per channel (both channels driven) into 8 ohms from 20 to 20 kHz with no more than 0.05% THD."

Toshiba, which manufactured OEM electronics for most of the major audio companies, was a late-comer to the Receiver "Power Wars". However, when they joined the fray with the SA-7150, they put their best foot forward. Almost all the internal components in the SA-7150 were made by Toshiba, making this receiver, like the Hitachi SR-2004, a real rarity and somewhat of a "purebred". And, out side the box, it has a very distinctive look, with the bright digital display, multi-color LEDs and analog Power Meters rated up to 500 watts. As you can see, it makes quite an impression and, with its interesting combination of analog and digital design elements, not at all dated.

In 1978 Toshiba also released the ST-910 Digital Tuner (also marketed under the "Aurex" brand) which showed off its technical prowess. This review of the ST-910 from FM Tuner Info. Center gives you a taste of Toshiba's advance FM Tuner technology circa 1978, much of which is incorporated into the SA-7150.

Double click the thumbnails for the "big picture":

With Front Panel Closed	Left Side	Right Side	Internal View

Features Pt. 1	Features Pt. 2	Specifications

Written by Chris Opfell