Sony 6040 (circa 1969–1970)
Little is documented about the Sony 6040 outside of a handful of period reviews. The record shows an FM stereo / FM-AM receiver that Audio (August 1970, p.33) described as "stripped of unessential" details. It kept what the reviewer considered essential extras: a filter for noisy programs and recordings, a tuning meter, a headphone jack, and monitor/output for one tape recorder.
The amplifier section delivered an honest 30 watts continuous per channel with both channels operating - measured the hard way, as Audio noted. High Fidelity (July 1970, p.59) ran nearly identical language, which suggests Sony used the same copy in its advertising or press materials. On the tuner side, solid-state i.f. filters gave alternate-channel selectivity of a full 70 dB, and the filters never required realignment. Audio (December 1969, p.45) and HiFi/Stereo (October 1969, p.47) both highlighted that as a selling point.
Surviving documentation doesn't say where the 6040 sat in Sony's receiver lineup, though it was positioned below the 6060 and 6120 units mentioned in an ad in High Fidelity, March 1970, p.28. An original retail price and production run haven't been preserved either. It appears to have been a straightforward, no-frills receiver aimed at buyers who wanted reliable performance without unnecessary features.
Known specifications:
- Type: FM stereo / FM-AM receiver
- Power output: 30 watts continuous per channel, both channels driven
- Alternate-channel selectivity: 70 dB (via solid-state i.f. filters)
- Features: noise filter, tuning meter, headphone jack, tape monitor/output (one recorder)
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