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Japanese Audio

I've owned a few great low powered Japanese tube amps and wonder if anyone knows why this niche of low power class A and tube amps exists in Japan. Luxman, Leben, Airtight, Yamamoto, Almarro (no longer), SPEC, Accuphase to name a few. If your goal is building a low power amplifier, where does the inspiration come from? Did these brands spring up from western influence like other areas of Japanese culture or are there many unheard of Japanese high efficiency speakers?   
bjesien

Showing 3 responses by scchengmus

scchengmus
93 posts
 
While social and architectural comments are somewhat true, it’s also because SET (low level) amplifiers paired with efficient speakers is an inward meditative listening experience where all artistic musical nuances get absorbed. This is important in Asian culture. 
scchengmus
93 posts
 
@jjss49  I’m no way did I mean REQUIRE. I was trying to convey that the way of listening spawned a category of suitable devices to be manufactured and used. 
scchengmus
93 posts
 
Moving away from cultural topics, in the early days NHK (Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai) like RCA sourced tubes from Telefunken, RCA, Western Electric. Meanwhile Shuguang supplied tubes for Broadcasting Corporation of China. The supply chain fed departments of national defense and communication which later ended-up in audio, just like in the US, hence the manufacturing leveraged the supply.
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