Nakamichi 610

1 9 7 5 1975
1 9 7 8 1978

Suprising entry for the tape specialist to go not for ostentatiously high-end separates but for control centers of the mixing kind.

The 610 acts as preamplifier and control center able to mix up to five microphones (2x L, 2x R and a L/R blend), two phono with impedance switches, one tuner and two aux with dedicated input level pots and three tape recorders.

And there is more yet : phase inverters, pink noise generator, 7-frequency test tone oscillators and mixing pots which, in slightly overblown style, means
"5-in / 2-out mixing of 19 different inputs" - where 19 is if you think in mono :)

The 610 was meant to centralize signals coming from the 630 preceiver cutie (preamp + tuner - how many preamps can you need ?) and the 600 cassette recorder to output them in the 620 power amplifier with or without the RM-610 accessory which could power one set of loudspeakers with three power amps or three loudspeaker pairs with one power amp.

The complete system in its vertical rack was impressive for sure, even if the slanted fronts lost their slant along the way.

Also available in black and with a beautiful but optional (and very rare) walnut enclosure, making the 610 lose its slant along the way - again.


Marketing-wise, for Nakamichi, all this was a bit awkward and the final sales refelected that.
Maybe the Etsuro brothers would've been better off entering the professional reel-to-reel market which, in 1975, was still going very strong...
The fair specifications and build-quality however still stand today.


These images come from the USA edition of the 610 catalog, kindly donated by Göran Karlsson.

The french edition I have since 2005 isn't as detailed and was mostly ruined beyond redemption by its previous owner... but I do have many excellent japanese catalogs coming in soon.

Nakamichi 610, image 1 Nakamichi 610, image 2 Nakamichi 610, image 3
Nakamichi 610 specifications
Title Value
Inputs : 0,2mV / 1kOhm (MIC 1 > 4 ; 15 or 30dB attenuator)
1mV / 200Ohm / 20kOhm / 100kOhm (phono 1 & 2)
75mV / 25kOhm (aux 1 & 2)
75mV / 25kOhm (tuner)
230mV / 75kOhm (tape 1 & 2 ; play)
316mV / 75kOhm (tape 1 & 2 ; monitor)
Max input : 1V (+74dB... Att: 30dB ; MIC)
250mV (+48dB : phono)
50V (aux, tuner, tape play)
Outputs @ 0dB : 1V / 100 Ohm (1kOhm load) (monitor out)
316mV / 600 Ohm (1kOhm load) (line out)
1V / 2,2kOhm (50kOhm load) (record out)
40mW / 8 Ohm (8...200Ohm load) (headphones)
Max output at clipping : 5V (1kOhm load ; monitor)
5V (10kOhm load ; line out)
5V (50kOhm load ; record out)
300mW (8 Ohm load ; headphones)
Frequency responses : 30Hz...100Khz (+0 / -1,5dB ; MIC)
30Hz...15Khz (± 0,3dB ; phono)
20Hz...100Khz (+0 / -1,5dB ; aux, tuner)
10Hz...50Khz (± 0,3dB ; tape play)
5Hz...150Khz (+0 / -1,5dB ; monitor out)
S/N ratios (IHF-A) : > 53dB (MIC ; 0dB ref level)
( -127dB eq. input noise [65dB ; att. 15dB])
> 80dB (phono ; 1mV ref level)
( -140dB eq. input noise [90dB @ 3mV])
> 85dB (lines ; master volume @ MAX)
> 83dB (lines ; master volume @ MIN)
Residual noise (IHF-A) : < 4mV (8 Ohm headphones)
< 7mV (master volume @ MIN)
< 15mV (master volume @ -30dB)
THD : Master @ -20dB ; level in @ max ; line out @ 2V
< 0,01% (MIC ; up to 10Khz)
< 0,005% (phono ; up to 10Khz)
< 0,005% (lines)
Sinewave oscillator : 1 / 3,16 / 4,16 / 10 / 11 / 13,16 / 14,16Khz
Sinewave distortion : < 0,2% (1Khz...14,16Khz)
Pink noise generator : 50...15Khz (± 2dB ; 1/3 octave analysis)
Peak meters range : -40dB...+10dB
Peak meters accuracy : -20dB...+10dB : ± 1dB
-40dB...-20dB : ± 2dB
Peak meters response : 50Hz...20Khz (+0 / -1dB or -30...+10dB)
Componentry : 2 FETs
134 transistors
27 diodes
5 Zener diodes
2 ICs
PC : 20VA
Dimensions : 40 x 17 x 23,7cm
Weight : 7kg.
page online since : november 2009
page updated : april 2010
page type : LGT / KNB
page weight : 174.26 Kb / 0 b
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