The Aiwa CS-85X is one of those vintage Japanese audio products that immediately reveals how ambitious portable Hi-Fi had become around the beginning of the 1980s. Part of Aiwa’s CARRYIN COMPO series, it combines a sophisticated auto-reverse cassette mechanism, Metal tape capability, a powerful stereo amplifier, two-way speakers, radio, phono input, and even manual recording with large VU meters. This was far more than a portable cassette player. The CS-85X was designed as a complete stereo system that you could actually carry with you.
.jpg "Aiwa CS-85X (1980) | CARRYIN COMPO Classic")
Aiwa’s Quick Reverse System. The most impressive feature of the CS-85X is undoubtedly its quick-reverse cassette mechanism. An infrared tape sensor detects the transition between the magnetic tape and its transparent leader. The mechanism then rotates the head through 180 degrees and reverses the direction of the tape. The entire operation takes approximately 0.4 seconds. That may not sound spectacular today, but for an early-1980s cassette machine it was a remarkable achievement. The extremely short transition was designed to ... Discover More