Nakamichi EQ-1 (1986)

The Nakamichi EQ-1 is a rarity in the company's lineup. It is a standalone graphic equalizer from 1986, and apparently the only EQ unit Nakamichi ever made. Nakamichi built its name on cassette decks, so this component has stayed in the shadows compared to their recorders. The record shows a well-specified 10-band unit with a ±12dB control range, bypass switching, and both tape monitor and subsonic filter functions. Signal-to-noise ratio is rated at 100dB, and total harmonic distortion is given as a very low 0.0015%.

Frequency response runs from 10Hz to 100kHz. Connections are generous: two stereo inputs (one for the main signal, plus a tape loop) and one stereo output, with additional aux connectivity. It measures 434 x 89 x 280mm and weighs 4.1kg. Line input and output levels are both specified at 1V. Documentation on this model is thin. The only two sources found are Nakamichi's own product page and a HiFiEngine database listing, and no spec appears in more than one source. No period reviews, owner comments, or market context have surfaced, so it's hard to say how the EQ-1 was received or where it sat in Nakamichi's strategy of the mid-1980s. Contemporary coverage of Nakamichi's high-end car stereo components did appear in High-Fidelity Trade News (March 1983, p.22).

10-band graphic equalizer, ±12dB control range
Frequency range: 10Hz – 100kHz
SNR: 100dB / THD: 0.0015%
Features: bypass, tape monitor, subsonic/infrasonic filter
Dimensions: 434 x 89 x 280mm; 4.1kg