PIONEER CT-F1000 (1977) - Creative High Fidelity

The CT-F1000 was launched with an aggressive advert campaign that would not be possible today. Here's what it said: "For years, Nakamichi has enjoyed a reputation for building the world's finest cassette deck. Now Pioneer is introducing something Nakamichi won't enjoy at all: the Pioneer CT-F1000. A cassette deck that offers all the features and performance of Nakamichi's best cassette deck, at less than half the price" (1,650 USD vs. 600 USD in 1978). The advert continues with a step-by-step comparison of the two decks but we will limit ourself to simply present the technical data of this iconic Pioneer cassette recorder. The presented data are identical for the Japanese market CT-1000 and the international market CT-F1000. The CT-F1000 features a 3-head design with Uni-Crystal record and playback head with a pair of stereo Dolby noise reduction circuitry (one for recording and one for playback) that makes possible to monitor Dolby-decorded recording, a feature not possible with decks equipped with only one Dolby circuit. The tape transport is a two-motor drive system in dual-capstan configuration. One motor for fast-forward/rewind and one for dual-capstan drive. The playback only pitch control allows you to play perfectly tapes made on inaccurate decks. The deck can handle normal/chrome and ferrichrome tapes and it features Dolby noise reduction calibration on the front panel with test tone, memory stop/memory play, logarithmic amp for large VU meters, direct logical controls, mpx filter for FM radio recordings, mic. /Line mixing and recording, timer recording, tape-end warning and full auto-stop and a front panel width and height machined to EIA (Electronic Industries Association) standards for professional-type rack mounting. The Pioneer JA-R102 handle adaptors are available option. Finally, the advert concludes: "You can buy a Nakamichi 1000II and get an incredibly expensive cassette deck. Or you can buy a CT-F1000. And get one that's simply incredible". Technical data: Wow and Flutter: 0.05% (WRMS) | Frequency Response: Normal 20 to 17,000 Hz, Chrome 20 to 19,000 Hz, Ferrichromium 20 to 19,000 Hz | Dimensions: 420x187x362 mm | Weight: 11.8 kg. | Wooden case is optional.

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Lo-D PCM-V100 (1981) - Rare and Unique VHS PCM Recorder

Developed in the late 1970s, PCM (Pulse code Modulation) Digital Audio harnessed the larger bandwidth of video tape technology to digitally encode an audio signal to magnetic tape. PCM digital audio was widely used for studio mastering until the introduction of Digital Audio Tape (DAT) in 1987. Initially these systems comprised a PCM adapter connected to a VCR as shown in our previous article here. The Technics SV-P100 and the HITACHI PCM-V300 were two "compact" models that have used VHS tape to record Digital Audio only, but the rarest of them all must be this Japanese market Lo-D (Hitachi) PCM-V100. Here are some detailed pictures of this rare and unique model, the Lo-D PCM Digital Audio/Video Recorder PCM-V100.

Luxman Series 1000 (1996) - High-Performance Mini System

This luxurious high-performance mini system was introduced by Luxman in 1996. It consisted of six components that could be arranged in various forms. The heart of the system is the 1000-PV Multi Media Control Center factory delivered with the 1000-RA multi-function system remote control. The 1000-PV is a combination of a tuner and a Dolby-Pro-Logic Processor control amplifier. (The 1000-P model was a simplified tuner-amplifier-timer combination unit). For a basic surround system, the 1000-PV can be used with the 1000-MV 5-channel power amplifier (2x50W Front, 1x50W Center, 2x20W Rear @ 8ohm). The ultimate system combination consists of a 1000-PV control center and five 1000-M Stereo Power Amplifier used in bridged mode for a power rating of 5x100W 8ohm. The additional matching source components are the 1000-D Compact Disc Player and the 1000-K 3-Head Cassette deck. The 1000-K cassette deck features Hexalam-Permalloy recording and playback head, Dolby B-C and HX-Pro systems and various scan and search functions. Wow&Flutter is 0.04% and frequency range is 15Hz-22/21/20kHz (metal/chrome/normal). The deck has an interesting construction with the multi-function display being integrated into a narrow cassette compartiment door. The front panel of each component measures 290x130mm and up to 386mm deep. All components have only the basic functions on the front panel while secondary functions are placed behind a flip-down panel.  

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Technics SB-7000 (1975) - "Linear Phase" Speaker System

This Classic model was released in Japan in 1975 and it was simply called Technics7. Later, when it was added to their export program it was renamed SB-7000. In order to obtain linear phase response, the travel time of the sound from the speaker to the listener must be the same for each driver. The Technics SB-7000 therefore is built with its drivers staggered in such a way that their acoustic centers are equidistant from the listener's position. Technics developed three drivers of very, very wide frequency range to be used in the SB-7000, so that only the linear phase portion of each driver's range could be combined in a 3-way system of exceptionally linear overall phase response. The woofer is an extra-large 35cm triple-layer TC cone with blended aramid fibers to reduce doppler effect distortion. The 12cm midrange driver uses the same TC/aramid fiber-blended cone structure. The 32mm dome tweeter is a special high efficiency, low distortion dome driver, using a rectangular-shaped magnet, and a special dome-shaped diaphragm of heat-molded expanded polyurethane on a silk cloth base. 

The midrange unit operates in a sealed and damped enclosure while the woofer is loaded by two resistively-coupled cavities occupying the volume of the main cabinet leading out to a slot port below. The crossover unit is mounted at the rear of the midrange unit. The standard SB-7000 came with black grilles and black laminate surfaces with simulated wood for the side. Two more versions existed, the SB-7000MP with real wood veneer on the sides and the SB-7000W all white with green grilles. All versions are equipped with heavy duty carrying handles and protection bars around the woofer grille. Technical Specifications: 3-way 3-speaker bass reflex | Impedance 6 ohm | Instantaneous maximum input power 150W | Crossover frequencies 700Hz, 6kHz | Frequency range 37Hz-22kHz (-10dB) | SPL 90.5 dB/W (1m) | Dimensions 480x845x410 | Weight 33kg.

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