Kenwood KA-7050R (1993–1996)
The Kenwood KA-7050R is a stereo integrated amplifier built in Japan during the early-to-mid 1990s. It sold there for ¥88,000. It's heavy at 15.4 kg, and it uses MOS-FET amplification rated at 100W + 100W into 8Ω (0.008% THD) and 110W + 110W into 6Ω. Dynamic power figures reach 360W + 360W into 2Ω. That low-impedance muscle was a stated design goal. Kenwood described a "twin drive multiple final stage" with two dedicated drivers in parallel per channel, aimed at difficult, low-impedance speakers.
The engineering is unusually detailed for a mid-1990s integrated. Kenwood used MOS-FETs in the output stage for their high input impedance and linear small-signal behavior. The signal path gets a lot of attention. There's an internal balanced circuit right after the input selector, which converts unbalanced signals to balanced transmission to reject noise. The volume control is a 6-gang balanced type with a ground-free structure, and the input selector uses six inert gas-filled relays to minimize crosstalk. The power supply uses a barrel-core bobbin transformer, chosen to reduce leakage flux and mechanical vibration. A pure signal ground line connects the signal and power ground paths directly at the speaker terminals, and a reinforcement bridge stiffens the top plate. Gold-plated RCA jacks and banana-compatible speaker terminals finish the build.
The line stage is wide, at 5 Hz to 100 kHz (+0/-3 dB), and quiet. Signal-to-noise ratios are 96 dB (EIAJ) on line inputs and 102 dB with inputs shorted. The phono stage handles both MM (2.5 mV/47kΩ) and MC (0.2 mV/100Ω), with maximum allowable inputs of 120 mV and 10 mV respectively. A system remote control was included. A damping factor of 250 is sometimes quoted in secondary listings, though it doesn't appear in the primary spec sheet.
One source gives production years as 1993-1996 and another as 1992-96. Either way, it was a mid-decade model. Collector chatter is thin but generally positive. One Russian forum user warns it will "tear apart" cheap music-center speakers, which is another way of saying it has real current delivery. A known weak point is the volume potentiometer, which can get noisy with age. At least one seller in Russia lists a fully serviced unit (new electrolytes, cleaned, adjusted) for 50,000 RUB.
- Rated output: 100W + 100W (8Ω, 0.008% THD); 110W + 110W (6Ω, 0.008% THD)
- Dynamic power: 150W (8Ω) / 260W (4Ω) / 360W (2Ω) per channel
- Frequency response (line): 5 Hz – 100 kHz, +0/–3 dB
- S/N ratio: 96 dB (line, EIAJ); 86 dB (MM); 75 dB (MC)
- Inputs: Phono MM/MC, DAT, CD, Tuner, AUX, Tape Play
- Dimensions: 440 × 163 × 403 mm; 15.4 kg
- Power consumption: 300W
Similar items on eBay
No exact Kenwood KA-7050R listings are live right now — these searches show current Kenwood and similar vintage audio gear on eBay:
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.
Related Models
- Kenwood A-62
- Kenwood A-82
- Kenwood A-92
- Kenwood D-3300A
- Kenwood DA-1100EX
- Eico 3150 (1967)
- Fisher CUSTOM-ELECTRA-I (K-14/K-15) (1957)
- Fisher CUSTOM-ELECTRA IV (E33/E44) (1960)
- Akai AM-2400 (1978)
- Akai AM-2600 (1977)