SONY TC-880-2/TC-8750-2 (1974)

10 December 2024

SONY TC-880-2/TC-8750-2 (1974)

SONY 880-2 THE WORLD'S BEST...said the advert of the time.

DIRECT DRIVE SERVOCONTROL SYSTEM. The name may be long-Close-Loop Dual Capstan Tape Drive but the concept is simple: one capstan is just an extension of the motor shaft itself (the other connects through a belt-drive inertia fly-wheel), Gone are the Intervening gears that can often impair optimum operating reliability as well as speed accuracy. The result-almost nonexistent wow and flutter-a mere 0.02% @ 15 ips.

PEAK READING VU METERS. They're versatile. Accurate. And incredibly informative. 1. You can set for standard VU operation to determine recording level. 2. Set to display transient peaks only (up to +15 dB), 3. A third display, Peak Hold, retains transient reading, letting you accurately measure audio input and adjusts accordingly with 2dB Stepped Record Level Attenuators.

SYMPHASE RECORDING. Thanks to the durability of Sony's Ferrite and Ferrite Heads and incredible precision fabrication and alignment of the head gap, you can record any matrix 4-channel signal (like SQ or FM), play it back through a 4 channel decoder/amplifier, and retain the exact positioning of signal throughout the 360° 4-channel field. What started out in right front channel stays there. What began in left rear doesn't wander over to right rear. There's no phase shift whatsoever.

SYNCRO-TRAK. This means you can lay down two individually recorded tracks in perfect synchronization with each other. Record head has playback-monitor function in record mode. This eliminates time lag that occurs when monitoring through playback head. Thus both tracks can be first generation, keeping noise levels at minimum. Flashing Standby Signal alerts you that the unrecorded channel is record-ready And Punch-In Record puts you into record mode instantly, without stopping tape.

Technical specification:

Bias frequency: 160kHz

Recording format: 2-track 2-channel Recording and Playback

4-track 2-channel Playback only

Tape speeds: 38 and 19 cm/s

Wow & Flutter: 0.02% WRMS 38cm/s

Frequency response: 25-35.000Hz SLH tape 38cm/s

20-40.000Hz FeCr tape 38cm/s

25-25.000Hz SLH tape 19cm/s

25-30.000Hz FeCr tape 19cm/s

Motors: 3 Motors, Direct Drive Dual Capstan

Heads: F&F-PB(2T), F&F-rec(2T), Erase head + F&F PB(4T)