Panasonic SC-AK78 5CD Dolby Pro Logic Home Theater Compact Stereo System

by Panasonic

Product Details

Product Manual [1.95mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 13.2 x 13 x 10.6 inches ; 20.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 27 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004SSRY
• Item model number: SC-AK78
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #371,061 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1999

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Panasonic SC-AK78 compact stereo is terrific for listening to music and making tapes--but that's by no means all it's good for. With a video-shielded speaker system and 400 watts of total amplification in the four-channel Dolby Pro Logic surround mode, the SC-AK78 is also a small home theater system.

Both cassette decks have auto reverse and a nine-track tape program sensor. The programmable CD player handles five discs, each with separate open/play keys, and the CD Manager lets you program a single track or select favorite songs from any number of discs. The 3-D space equalizer offers six preset modes: disco, hall, live, heavy, clear, and soft.

Making this system more flexible than the average mini home theater, the 5.1-channel direct inputs let you hook this system up with up a DVD player that performs Dolby Digital or DTS decoding (and offers the corresponding 5.1-channel analog outputs). And for movies or music that are not encoded for surround sound, the SC-AK78 offers digital signal processing (DSP) to simulate surround effects. All four speakers feature domed tweeters for clear high-frequency response and 6.75-inch woofers for punchy bass.

The SC-AK78 has a programmable timer that can wake you with your favorite song or play music for a preset duration as you fall asleep. The graphic display provides system settings and playback information.

The Panasonic SC-AK78 features a remote control and is Energy Star compliant, operating at a mere 0.25 watts in power consumption in standby mode.

A one-year warranty covers parts and labor.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great system and 400watts of power & Home Theater, October 3, 2000

By 

"dvdguy2" (New York City, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic SC-AK78 5CD Dolby Pro Logic Home Theater Compact Stereo System (Electronics)

I've had this system for about 6 months now and no problems, I was thinking of getting an Aiwa system, but my moms Aiwa systems CD player started skipping and went dead afterwards. So I definately went for the Panasonic SC-AK78. I've had no regrets. It plays homemade CDRs pretty good with no problems (as most newer systems should). It lights up pretty well too. I like the silver color and has a bit of a futuristic look to it.

When turned on it welcomes you with 'Hello' upon turning off it says 'GoodBye'. The CD player is fantastic no skipping whatsoever. I've played a ton of CDs in this machine from Imports to Domestic CDs and they play pretty darn good. I even played cheap green backed CDRs lots of times with no problems. This system also comes with 400 watts of total power in Home Theater mode. Even better it uses Panasonics new 'Triple Triple' technology - which means it uses a triple amp and triple wiring for much better sound reproduction.

The SC-AK78 is definately an eye catcher, my friends come over and the first thing they say is wow, whats that? You can hook up your DVD player, vcr or whatever to the back of this sytem for better sound as the system is Dolby Digital 5.1 'ready' and has 6-ch discrete inputs. Its also a Pro-Logic Dolby Surround system. This system has alot of bass, your can set the bass on the system itself or on the remote by pressing the 'S Woofer' button. There are 3 bass modes This system gets pretty loud. It uses panasonics new 'MASH 2' (Multi-Stage Noise Shaping) on the CD player.

Not only does this sytem have dolby pro logic but it also features 'super surround' & 'simulated stereo' effects. Ofcourse you can shape the sound with the rolling jog wheel on the system or on the remote. You can set it to 'virtual-r, multi-r, c. focus 1, c focus 2, 3-D enhanced or S position'. This system also has a sleep timer for up to 120 minutes in 30 minute intervals [30, 60, 90, 120min]. Has a Quartz synthesizer tuner. Also has Aux 1 & Aux 2 inputs. Its also energy compliant. Wow nuff said, get this sytem today!

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Triple the fun, November 4, 2000

By 

Trevor Cook (NMH School, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic SC-AK78 5CD Dolby Pro Logic Home Theater Compact Stereo System (Electronics)

Okay, let's get something straight: The only things people go wild over sound nowadays are the little gizmos (mash, esp2, x-bass, groove, s-woofers, etc.). THEY ARE NOTHING BUT FANCY NAMES FOR WOOFERS AND EQUALIZER SETTINGS. you can create all of these effects and settings with a good receiver and equalizer. That said, this is a sweet mini-system. like all of them, this is really made for dorm rooms and those in apartments and such. it is not designed to do house parties or anything big. but for what it is supposed to do, it is great. with three speaker wires as opposed to two, the sounds comes out cleaner with the seperation of the parts of a sound wave (highs, mids, and lows, ie treble, mid, and bass, respectively). The isolation of this lets the each part of the speaker concentrate on its own area. this is a good strategy, especially for these little systems, which have smaller speakers and sound. the box itself is also nice, with a 5-CD changer and decent decoding. i would have to say it would be a close match when it comes to CD decoding with Sony and Panasonic at the lead. their systems are known for clear sounding CDs, and this sucker keeps with the tradition, offering good sound for its price. the loads of extras are pretty useless and are pure glitz, but are nice features none the less. this baby is triple the fun, and for those of us stuck in dorms, will make others change to our religion of music from the amount of power she can push. the amp is nice, and will provide plent o sound for those who desire. in all, a good, solid buy.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Attractive Sound, Attractive Looks, December 16, 2000

By 

Nicholas Corbett (Laplace, Louisiana United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic SC-AK78 5CD Dolby Pro Logic Home Theater Compact Stereo System (Electronics)

After purchising this system, I was pleased just at the sight of it. After going through the motions of its sound capabilities, I was impressed with abilities to provide excellent response, bass, and a distinct clarity in its higher pitches. The numerous variations in its surround sound, etc. are each unique and unlike some systems, actually provide a "different" sound effect. The integrity of the volume holds together even at its highest levels. Easy to operate, very good looks, and surprisingly affordable for its capabilities. This was a wise buy.