Teac X-1000R Reel To Reel Recorder Review

The Teac X-1000R is a fully bidirectional open-reel recorder designed to use both conventional tapes and the newly introduced EE (“Extra Efficiency”) type on reel sizes up to 10-1/2 inches. It also incorporates a dbx Type II noise-reduction system and operates at either 7-1/2 or 3-3/4 ips in the regular home-stereo quarter-track format. The closed-loop, dual-capstan drive of the X-1000R uses a servo-controlled d.c. motor, and the capstan shafts are magnetically “floated” at the bottom to minimize low-frequency mechanical noise. Separate d.c. motors are used for the reels. A total of six heads (erase, record, and playback for each direction) are employed, and the light-touch transport controls operate through solenoids under microprocessor control.

Unlike most tape decks, the five-digit electronic tape counter of the X-1000R can be set either to register tape footage or, more conveniently, to read out directly in hours, minutes, and seconds. In conjunction with program, repeat, and cue pushbuttons it can also be used to define a specific block of recorded material to be repeated or skipped within the reel. The counter is driven by an inertial roller on the right side of the head nest; a corresponding roller on the left side contains a sensing post to detect the presence of a foil strip to initiate the automatic-reverse sequence. An additional pair of spring-loaded tension arms is provided to smooth tape motion further, minimizing wow-and-flutter at the cost of making the threading of the tape slightly more tricky. Two pushbuttons permit the user to “search to zero” (stz) or to a selected cue point (stc) at high speed. An electrically assisted braking system slows the tape gently to a stop at the desired points.

Green LEDs indicate the direction of tape travel at the two normal speeds, and red LEDs accompany the program, repeat, pause, record, and dupli-sync buttons. This last is used only in conjunction with certain other Teac recorders for dubbing, which can also be done by conventional techniques. The record LED begins flashing when a separate rec mode switch is pressed to ready the system, and it remains on constantly while the recording is being made.

Separate concentric controls are provided for microphone and line inputs, which are monitored on a pair of VU-type meters calibrated from —20 to +5 VU. Another set of knobs adjusts the output simultaneously at the rear jacks and at the headphone connector. The rec mute button is provided with an auto spacer control that varies the silent time between selections from 0 to 8 seconds. Pushbuttons for external timer control in either direction interact with the setting of the auto rev switch, and a pull-out/turn knob (similar to the on-off/volume control on many TV sets) permits varying playback speed by ± 6 per cent to correct an off-pitch recording. Three pushbuttons permit selection of typical LH-I, LH-II, and EE tapes, but without the option of fine-tuning bias and equalization. Additional buttons switch between source and monitor, dbx noise reduction in/out, high or low tape speed, and large or small (7- or 10-1/2-inch) reels. A tape-lifter defeat lever is included to hold the tape against the heads to facilitate editing.

The rear panel of the X-1000R contains the usual line-level input and output jacks, plus additional connectors for the Dupli-Sync function and an optional RC-100 remote-control accessory.

Laboratory Measurements

While no test data were supplied with the X-1000R, Teac did provide the actual tapes used for factory adjustment of two of the three bias/equalization positions. These were Maxell XL-II (for EE) and Maxell UD35 (for LH-II), and I used them for my measurements. For the LH-I position I achieved the best results with 3M’s 207.

Playback-equalization accuracy was measured using Magnetic Reference Laboratory test tapes. As shown in the accompanying graph, the response was exceedingly flat at both 7-1/2 and 3-3/4 ips. The very mild treble rolloff at 20 kHz for 7-1/2 ips undoubtedly reflects a slight azimuth difference between the playback head and test tapes. (The 33/4-ips tape stops at 10 kHz.)

Overall record-playback frequency response was impressively flat throughout the 20-Hz to 20-kHz range. At the 0-dB level the EE tape (Maxell XL-II) was superior to traditional formulations at the extreme high end, particularly at the 3-3/4-ips speed, where its response was very close to that of other tapes running at 7-1/2 ips. At the conventional — 20-dB test level the advantage was 3 dB at 20 kHz. More impressive was the nearly identical frequency response of all the tapes when shifting speed from 7-1/2 to 3-3/4 ips. Frequency-response error induced by the dbx noise-reduction system was slight: within a ± 2-dB range except at the lowest frequencies (below 40 Hz).

Distortion at a 0-VU input measured 0.3 per cent at 3-3/4 ips for the two Maxell tapes and 0.5 per cent for 3M 207. The overload margin (3 per cent third-harmonic distortion) was reached at input levels of +6.2 dB (3M 207), +7.6 dB (Maxell UD-35), and 10.5 dB (Maxell XL-II). At 7-1/2 ips the 0-VU figures were 0.2 per cent for Maxell UD-35, 0.3 per cent for 3M 207 and Maxell XL-II; their respective overload margins were +6.2, +10.4, and +5 dB.

Unweighted signal-to-noise ratios at 3-3/4 ips measured 56.3, 56, and 59.2 dB for the 3M 207, UD-35, and XL-II tapes, respectively. Adding IEC A-weighting and dbx noise reduction, these figures improved to 84.2, 82.2, and 86.3 dB. At the 7-1/2-ips speed the corresponding figures for the three tapes were: 61, 60, and 59.4 dB unweighted and without dbx, 88.2, 82.2, and 88.5 dB with A-weighting and dbx noise reduction. All of these figures are outstanding for a quarter-track analog recorder.

Wow-and-flutter measured 0.08 per cent and 0.04 per cent (wrms) in the forward and reverse directions at 3-3/4 ips (0.12 and 0.07 per cent on the more stringent DIN standard). At 7-1/2 ips the forward/reverse measurements were 0.03 and 0.02 per cent (wrms) and 0.08 and 0.04 per cent (DIN), again very impressive performance.

Fast-forward and rewind times averaged 56.5 seconds for a 7-inch reel of 1,200 feet and 172.5 seconds for a 3,600-foot 10-1/2-inch reel. A line-level input signal of 55 millivolts (mV) was necessary to achieve a 0-VU indication with an output of 0.8 volt. The microphone input required 0.19 mV to achieve 0 VU and would accept up to 0.015 volt before overload.

Comment

The Teac X-1000R is obviously a top-quality machine, and its inclusion of the dbx noise-reduction system gives it a dynamic range nearly equivalent to that of a digital recorder. Copying master tapes and recording pure tones at 3-3/4 ips produced a very slight grainy quality, but the 7-1/2-ips performance was excellent. And FM and disc copies made at either speed were just fine. Obviously, the Teac X-1000R is an excellent machine for the serious home recordist, and I recommend it strongly.

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