Luxman T-40A (1980)
The Luxman T-40A is an AM/FM stereo tuner released in January 1980 at ¥49,800. Its main feature is Luxman's CLL (channel lock loop) tuning system, an analog fix for the old problem of centering an FM station precisely. Turn the knob at normal speed and the tuner locks onto the station's center point with a tactile "catch," then releases after about a second so you can keep tuning. The lock engages only near the target frequency, and you can switch the whole system off if you prefer free tuning. The center point comes from the control voltage of the CLL circuit, which locks to the broadcast frequency across the front-end, IF, and detection stages, with a narrow capture range for accuracy.
The front-end uses a MOS FET for high input impedance. The IF stage uses a ceramic filter chosen for good group delay characteristics. Detection is handled by a Kado Racea circuit that promises low distortion over a wide band. Stereo demodulation uses a PLL IC for strong separation. The T-40A also has a test tone circuit for recording, FM muting, and a local/distance switch.
FM specs are solid for the era. IHF sensitivity is 1.9 µV (10.8 dBf), 50 dB quieting comes at 3.4 µV, and signal-to-noise is 73 dB. Mono distortion is 0.07-0.08%, stereo distortion is 0.1% at 1 kHz, capture ratio is 1.3 dB, and selectivity is 55 dB. Separation is 48 dB at 1 kHz, with a fixed output of 700 mV/220 Ω. AM performance is more modest: 200 µV/m sensitivity, 50 dB S/N, 0.5% distortion.
The unit draws just 7W and weighs 6.5 kg. Dimensions are 466 × 138 × 330 mm. It has a center tuning indicator and a signal strength meter.
Documentation on the T-40A is thin beyond its original spec sheet. The service manual is still available from a few sources. Russian-market listings suggest some units have been converted for local FM band use. One seller notes 100V power, which points to a Japanese-market unit. Market pricing is all over the place - asking prices on Russian classifieds run from roughly 15,000 to 49,000 rubles depending on condition and conversion work.
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