Kenwood T-1001 (c. 1995)
The Kenwood T-1001 is a compact FM/AM tuner from the mid-1990s. It belongs to Kenwood's K's series, and the matching system components are the A-1001 amplifier, DP-1001 CD player, X-1001 cassette deck, and LS-1001 speakers. It was a Japanese-market design, originally priced at ¥25,000. It turns up in photos of complete K's-series stacks more often than in any talk about serious tuner collecting.
What's documented about the T-1001 is mostly spec-sheet material. The FM section covers 76–90 MHz (the Japanese FM band), with practical sensitivity rated at 15.2 dBf / 1.6 µV. Harmonic distortion is impressively low on paper: 0.007% mono and 0.015% stereo at 1 kHz in wide mode. Signal-to-noise runs 75 dB mono and 68 dB stereo at 65 dBf input. Selectivity is rated at 50 dB (±400 kHz), stereo separation at 40 dB (1 kHz), and frequency response 30 Hz–15 kHz +0.5/−3.0 dB. The AM side covers 531–1602 kHz and, notably, supports AM stereo — a feature that never quite caught on but shows Kenwood was paying attention to broadcast technology of the era. The front panel uses a 5 mm thick aluminum plate, which gives it a bit of heft despite the modest 3.0 kg weight and compact 270 × 60 × 329 mm footprint. Power consumption is 7W.
The T-1001 was designed to work with the remote control supplied with the KA-1001G amplifier, and it can store up to 20 FM/AM presets. Later listings also reference a "T-1001L" variant, which appears to be the same tuner sold in European markets. One Dutch listing describes it as a "very compact FM tuner with RDS" in titanium colors. Whether the L-model differed internally beyond the RDS addition and European band coverage isn't documented.
Surviving information on this model is thin beyond the numbers. No period reviews have surfaced, and there's no record of common failures or maintenance quirks. Used prices in Japan have ranged from roughly ¥13,000 to ¥19,000, and a European bundle with the X-1001 deck sold for €50. Service manuals are available for download.
- Type: FM/AM tuner, K's series
- FM: 76–90 MHz, 15.2 dBf sensitivity
- AM: 531–1602 kHz, AM stereo capable
- THD (wide, 1 kHz): 0.007% mono / 0.015% stereo
- S/N (65 dBf): 75 dB mono / 68 dB stereo
- Dimensions: 270 × 60 × 329 mm; 3.0 kg
- Original price: ¥25,000 (c. 1995)
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