Sony STR-V55 – 55 WPC Stereo Receiver – Cherry Upgrade, Japan

Sony STR-V55 – 55 WPC Stereo Receiver – Ottawa Valley Cherry Upgrade – Made in Japan

A beautifully customized, Made-in-Japan Sony stereo receiver from the early 1980s, featuring freshly applied Ottawa Valley cherry wood side panels and a rare Pulse Power Supply design that set it apart from virtually every receiver of its era.

The STR-V55 was produced from 1980 to 1982 and represents one of Sony’s most technically ambitious receiver designs of that period. At its heart is Sony’s innovative Pulse Power Supply — a switching power supply that replaces the conventional heavy transformer found in virtually all other receivers of the day. The result is a lighter, more efficient design that delivers clean, immediate power with impressively low noise. Combined with Sony’s proprietary 50MHz Hi-fT transistors and low-TIM (Transient Intermodulation Distortion) amplifier topology, the STR-V55 achieves a vanishingly low THD of just 0.02% — a figure that would be impressive in any era.

The tuner section is equally impressive. X’Tal Lock Quartz PLL MPX tuning locks FM stations with crystal-referenced precision, while Sony’s Uni-Phase filters minimize multipath distortion on stereo broadcasts. Eight FM/AM station presets with pre-cut name cards and a side-mounted label slider make station management easy and organized. Three-level auto-tuning with optional muting gives the user fine control over sensitivity thresholds. Please note that AM auto-scan is not operational on this unit — all other functions are fully working.

The phono stage supports both MM and MC cartridges — a meaningful feature that many receivers of this class omitted — and the unit includes a preamp/power amp jumper on the rear panel, allowing the receiver to be used as a standalone preamplifier or power amplifier in a more complex system. Gold-plated phono input terminals reflect the care Sony took with signal path integrity throughout.

This unit has been freshly customized with Ottawa Valley cherry wood side panels applied by Radique Audio, giving it a warm, distinctive look that sets it apart from any stock example. It has undergone our Level One service and testing which should ensure many more years of reliable performance ahead.

Specifications:

Type: AM/FM stereo receiver with integrated preamplifier and power amplifier

Power output: 55 W per channel RMS into 8 ohms (stereo, 20 Hz–20 kHz, 0.02% THD)

THD: 0.02% (rated output, 8 ohms); 0.006% (preamp at 2V)

IMD: 0.02% (rated output, 8 ohms)

Frequency response: DC–40 kHz (+0/-1 dB)

Damping factor: 50 (1 kHz, 8 ohms)

Preamp S/N ratio: 116 dB (IHF-A)

Phono MM input sensitivity: 2.5 mV / 50 kΩ

Phono MC input sensitivity: 0.25 mV / 100 kΩ

Line input sensitivity: 150 mV / 50 kΩ

Phono RIAA accuracy: ±0.5 dB (20 Hz–20 kHz)

FM mono sensitivity: 1.8 µV (10.3 dBf, 30 dB quieting)

FM stereo sensitivity: 35 µV (37.1 dBf, 50 dB quieting)

FM S/N ratio: 75 dB (mono) / 70 dB (stereo)

FM capture ratio: 1.0 dB

FM alternate channel selectivity: 80 dB

FM stereo separation: 45 dB (1 kHz)

AM sensitivity: 300 µV (built-in antenna) / 100 µV (external antenna)

Tuner presets: 8 (FM/AM)

Tone controls: Bass ±10 dB at 50 Hz; Treble ±10 dB at 20 kHz

Low filter: 12 dB/octave below 15 Hz

Power supply: Sony Pulse Power Supply (PWM switching, no conventional transformer)

Power consumption: 125 W max.

Country of manufacture: Japan

Note: AM auto-scan not operational; all other functions fully working

Dimensions: (W x H x D) 16.9 x 5.3 x 15.0 inches / 430 x 135 x 380 mm

Weight: 16.8 lbs / 6.8 kg

A rare and technically distinctive Made-in-Japan Sony receiver, dressed in warm Ottawa Valley cherry wood by Radique Audio and ready to anchor a serious vintage system. With MC/MM phono, eight presets, a precision quartz-locked tuner, and 55 clean watts on tap, the STR-V55 delivers genuine high-end performance with unmistakable custom style.

Backed by Radique Audio’s 90-day warranty and perpetual trade-back policy, this one-of-a-kind piece is an invitation to own something truly special; asking $495.

Why not add on a brand new FM Dipole Antenna – 300 Ohm Twin-Lead Indoor with Spade Connectors?

It is a clean, practical indoor FM dipole antenna that connects directly to the 300 Ω twin-lead terminals found on virtually all vintage receivers, tuners, and amplifiers — no adapter needed.

Simply connect the two spade terminals to the FM 300 Ω inputs on the back of your receiver, extend the two arms to their full length, position near a window or on a wall, and enjoy clean, stable FM reception. The T-shaped dipole design with approximately 70 cm arms per side provides good signal capture for most urban and suburban environments, and the transparent PE jacket keeps things tidy and unobtrusive.

A great value accessory at $19 — get your vintage tuner pulling in FM stations the way it was meant to.