Akai R-50
Documentation on the Akai R-50 is thin. A listing in the May 1980 issue of HI-Fi-Stereo-Buyers (p.51) identifies it as the AA-R50, a 62-watt AM/FM stereo receiver priced at $450. That one entry is most of what survives. The receiver was rated at 62 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, with total harmonic distortion no higher than 0.04%. It had a stereo beacon, illuminated signal-strength and tuning meters for both FM and AM, bass/midrange/treble tone controls, low and high filters, and a tape-copy facility for two recorders. It also had an output power hold-off circuit, meant to keep turn-on transients from reaching the speakers.
Akai's own advertising in High Fidelity (November 1979, p.74) and HI-Fi-Stereo (April 1980, p.113) promoted a new receiver line with "more power, better specs and new styling," but those ads mention no specific model numbers. Given the timing, the AA-R50 almost certainly belonged to that refreshed lineup. Beyond the buyer's-guide entry and the generic ad campaign, no service manual, user review, or additional period mention has surfaced.
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