Jensen R-430 (1979)
The Jensen R-430 was the top model in Jensen's 1979 line of six car stereo receivers. It was an AM/FM cassette receiver with a separate, trunk-mounted power amplifier. Jensen was already the acknowledged sales leader in car speakers, and it built the R-430 around the idea that car electronics needed better performance than much of what was commonly sold for in-vehicle use. Audio (January 1979, p.71) noted the company's stated concern over the poor quality and exaggerated power claims of typical car electronics.
The R-430's standout feature was bi-amplification. The system could send high-frequency power information to the front speakers while low-frequency information went through the separate trunk-mounted power amp to the rear speakers. The main unit also contained a twin amplifier section, and the whole system was rated at 60 watts total. Eight feather-touch, fully electronic switches with LED indicators handled functions including a "high powered" gain boost for the separate amp module, bi-amp selection, loudness, and Dolby noise reduction.
Audio (January 1979, p.70) listed the manufacturer's specifications: stereo FM separation of 32 dB at 1 kHz, 0.45 percent distortion, and tape-section signal-to-noise of 50 dB, or 60 dB with Dolby engaged. Jensen's own advertising later that year — in Audio (August 1979, p.73) and HiFI-Stereo (July 1979, p.47) — touted the R-430's "superlative performance" and features previously found only on better home receivers.
Little else is documented about the R-430 beyond the period reviews and advertising.
- AM/FM car stereo cassette receiver with Dolby
- Separate trunk-mounted power amplifier; twin amplifier section in main unit
- Bi-amp capability: high frequencies to front speakers, low frequencies to rear
- 60 watts total system power
- Eight electronic feather-touch switches with LED indicators
- Stereo FM separation: 32 dB at 1 kHz
- Distortion: 0.45%
- Tape S/N: 50 dB (60 dB with Dolby)
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