Technics SL-VS501 (c. 1997)
The Technics SL-VS501 is a Video CD player with a strong karaoke tilt. It is documented mainly through a Japanese equipment database entry, and it was priced at ¥49,800 around 1997. The record is thin otherwise - no production years, no period reviews, no collector history. The database entry is reasonably complete, so here is what it says.
The player handled CDs, Video CDs (Ver. 2), and CD-G discs. A digital servo circuit adjusted the servo amount to each disc's condition for stable playback. The karaoke features are the standout. There were two microphone jacks with a mixing function and digital microphone echo. A voice mute function let you sing along to non-karaoke software, and a digital key controller shifted the music key to fit your voice. Program, random, and repeat playback were all available, and a wireless remote was included.
Audio specs from the same source: frequency response 2 Hz - 20 kHz ±1 dB, dynamic range 90 dB or more (EIAJ), signal-to-noise ratio 100 dB or more (EIAJ), total harmonic distortion 0.007% or less (EIAJ), and wow/flutter below the measurement limit. Video output was 1Vp-p/75 Ω. The unit draws 12W, measures 430 × 103 × 293 mm (W×H×D), and weighs 3.5 kg.
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