Kenwood M 1 (late 1970s)
The Kenwood M 1 is the power amplifier from the company's "Basic" series of separates, designed as the companion to the C1 preamp and positioned above the M2 in the lineup. It's a serious, no-frills amp — a dual-mono design with heavy toroidal transformers, a low negative feedback circuit, and balanced inputs. The front panel is substantial black anodized aluminum with a large analog VU meter. It's rated at 100 watts per channel into 8 ohms, with a frequency response of 5Hz–100kHz (±3dB), THD of 0.005% at rated output, a signal-to-noise ratio of 110dB, and a damping factor of 70.
HiFI-Stereo (February 1983, p.52) covered the M 1 alongside the C1 preamp in a review that found the pair's measured performance solid, noting a good 2.3 dB figure in some related measurement. Owner reports over the years have been consistently enthusiastic — descriptions like "deep, powerful bass and a smooth, detailed top end" and "the warmth of tubes with the control of solid state" come up repeatedly. It's also described as a workhorse that drives difficult loads without complaint.
But the record isn't all glowing. The M 1 runs extremely hot when pushed hard, and the VU meters, while attractive, are poorly lit at night. Two known failure points: the power switch and aging capacitors. If you buy one today, the consensus advice is to have it recapped and the bias re-set before relying on it. Recent asking prices have been in the $450–500 range for working units. Exact production years and the original retail price aren't documented in the sources available, and official Kenwood literature for this model has proven elusive — most of what's known comes from owner accounts and database entries.
- Type: Power amplifier (Basic series separates)
- Power output: 100W RMS per channel into 8 ohms
- Frequency response: 5Hz–100kHz (±3dB)
- THD: 0.005% at rated output
- Signal-to-noise ratio: 110dB
- Damping factor: 70 at 8 ohms
- Design: Dual-mono power supply, low negative feedback, toroidal transformers, balanced inputs
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