26 January 2017

Alpage and the Clones

cassette deck

The Alpage AL-300 was a cassette deck introduced in 1980 by the Alpine Electronics Inc. which is, in turn, a member of the Alps Electric Group. The Alpage AL-300 was a top-of-the-line model, one of the best 3-head cassette decks on the market. The AL-300 has a 3-head design with Closed Loop Dual Capstan drive mechanism. The AL-300 was designed for use with metal tape (and CrO2, FeCr, Normal) with independent Dolby calibration for left and right channels and also independent BIAS adjustment controls.

cassette deck

A direct clone of this deck was the eumig FL-900 available with both silver or black fascia.

cassette deck

hifi system

A slightly modified version of this deck was distributed by PHILIPS and several PHILIPS sub-brands accross the world. These versions had instead of the needle type VU meters Fluorescent Tube Peak Level meters and a large bright red LED tape counter.  The following models were availabe: ARISTONA SR3780, ERRES SR3780, LOEWE SR3780, mediator SR3780, PHILIPS N5788, PYE SR3780, SIERA SR3780.

cassette deck

cassette deck

cassette deck

cassette deck

cassette deck

cassette deck

cassette deck

cassette deck

cassette deck



19 January 2017

PCM Adapter - Old Digital Audio Format

Before the introduction of a standardized format to record digital audio to a tape (the DAT recorder) the practice was  to use a PCM adapter (pulse code modulation) connected to a video recorder to record the digital audio signal to tape. The PCM adapter was connected to a video recorder using the video in/out of the unit in order to record the PCM coded audio digital signal where normally the video signal is recorded. The reason to do this was that a linear tape recorder did not have sufficient bandwidth to record large volumes of PCM data while video recorders were available both for studio and home use and the rotary video heads used in a video recorder had sufficient bandwidth to do this. Most video-based PCM adaptors record audio at 14 bits quantization, and a sampling frequency of 44.056 kHz.

pcm adapter
PCM connection diagram

First generation PCM adapter

pcm adapter
SONY PCM-1 1977

pcm adapter
Technics SH-P1 1979

pcm adapter
DIATONE PCM

pcm adapter
SHARP RX-1 VC-6300 1979

Commercial models

pcm adapter
Aurex XD-80 1981

pcm adapter
Aurex XD-60 1981 (right)

pcm adapter
DIATONE D-102 1982

pcm adapter
SONY PCM-F1 1981

pcm adapter
Technics SV-100

pcm adapter
SONY PCM-501 1984 / 553ESD 1985 / 701ES 1984

pcm adapter
Sanyo PLUS 5

pcm adapter
Sansui PC-X1 / PC-X11 1988

Dedicated audio players using VHS video tape

pcm adapter
Technics SV-P100

pcm adapter
HITACHI PCM-V300 1982

VCR with PCM audio

pcm adapter
Aurex TOSHIBA PCM-D1

pcm adapter
Aurex TOSHIBA PCM-D1

Prerecorded PCM audio on VHS tape

pcm adapter
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab prerecorded PCM (digital) audio on VHS

More vintage audio @ www.1001hifi.com

11 January 2017

REVOX Reel to Reel Recorders 1949 - 1993

Revox reel to reel Recorders 1949-1993


Finally a book fully dedicated to all the wonderful reel to reel tape recorders of the Swiss brand.

More than 30 years after production of the last ReVox reel to reel machine, we are proud to introduce now the first book of the complete reel to reel production range: 240 pages and 400 color photos, with rich text in English and Italian.

Made for the 50th anniversary of the A77's birth, the most famous reel to reel recorder ReVox (shown even on Pink Floyd's Ummagumma cover), the book 'REVOX REEL TO REEL TAPE RECORDERS 1949-1993' presents in detail all 25 legendary issued models with full history, versions, technical and curiosity in 240 pages and over 400 unpublished Hi-Res photographs. Available on-demand printing from Blurb.

"Just the right book for those crazy fanatics lovers of ReVox recorders - says Marcel Siegenthaler, Advertising and Communications Manager ReVox 1965-1995 – definitely, a book like this no one had ever seen till now. "

Conceived and structured both as a manual for the enthusiast who can recognize in all details each different model and check the full originality, and for the historian audiophile who wish to know in details the birth and evolution of the swiss analog recording brand from his first beginning in 1949 to the glorious end in 1993.

"In this book you will find not only the legendary A77, but also detailed and complete information with all versions and types of tape recorders manufactured by ReVox - explains Fadri Haller, current CEO of ReVox GmbH - I myself read and browsed in deep this work, and I found a lot of new and unknown exciting information about the devices and the history of ReVox ".

The work was carried out by two expert technicians collectors of the swiss company, based on one of the most complete existing collections, and interviewing in deep ReVox and Studer designers, engineers, commercial managers of that time, with extensive research in Switzerland, Italy and Germany of all known versions and variants.

'REVOX REEL TO REEL TAPE RECORDERS 1949-1993' is today the only complete and exhaustive historical book of the ReVox saga. Enjoy it both from the point of view of the technical/historical rich text than for the gorgeous high resolution pictures, shown in a smooth and original way, with unusual shoots and special care about technical interiors, engines, circuits and most noticeable details, with direct comparison between all various versions.

Authors:
Paolo Bologna
Luca Maria Olgiati



With English-Italian text, both in an economical softcover version, than a better and a luxus one, with hardcover and special photographic papers, is available for purchase now at 'blurb'.