Susumu Sakuma, Japanese valve amp-builder, has died a few days ago, aged 76.

You could say that he was a bit eccentric, building only mono amplifiers mostly using transformer-coupled triode valves.

He ran his small 'Concorde' restaurant located 2 hours from Tokyo, where he cooked for guests (Euro-Italian food I believe) & played mono-recorded albums on a Garrard 401, Denon mono cartridge & through vintage loudspeakers, eg Altec, Lowther.

He was doing his HiFi Cafe thing before it became hipster.

His webpage & his group of enthusiast-followers, is called Direct Heating.

Even in Japan, he was considered esoteric & had featured on Japanese TV...

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

" I think an amplifier builder should consult with himself and his amplifier before asking the reference books and authorities.

It is only after much cut and try that I find my best matching point for audio. The tube manual is like a telephone book. It gives perfect numbers. It is useful to make it possible to speak with a girl but we cannot see her beautiful face from the mere telephone number.

To get the best sound from a tube, even if the proper match is 5k, we will try 7k. And we try these "mismatched" values with input transformers and other parts.
When you finally find the best operating point for the tube, you get the girls address. " - Sakuma

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Like a lot of tube-DIYers, I remember Sakuma's '2-point Earth' system,

I doubt that this (separating PSU & signal Grounds) was invented by Sakuma, but I'll always associate it with his amp-building philosophy.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Yes, I do that as well. It’s known as nested star grounding.
I wonder if Susumu Sakuma inspired the name of the Japanese high precision resistor company Susumu... They make the most transparent sounding surface mount resistors I’ve found so far.

AMR-iFi R&D

Borrowed from TwoGoodEars blog:

mellowgroovy.blogspot.com/2018/12/mr-susumu-sakuma-has-pass-away.html

R.I.P Mr Sakuma

Manager & Product specialist at Rapallo AV & HI-FI

Another video of Sakuma I came across: shopping for tubes, building amps and serving customers in his restaurant, fascinating figure.

Has anyone heard any of his systems?

No... I have not heard any of his amp designs (mono listening of course )

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Apr 15, 2019 10:41:52 GMT 12 Owen Y said:

No... I have not heard any of his amp designs (mono listening of course )

A vintage mono system could be build around it, but I'm really intrigued to listen to such a system though.