Akai CS-F33RBL (1981)
A twin-motor, microcomputer-controlled cassette deck with quick reverse and metal tape capability.
Overview
The Akai CS-F33RBL is a stereo cassette deck made by Akai Electric Co., Ltd. around 1981. It is the fifth generation of Akai's Quick Reverse Deck series. It uses a bi-counter capstan drive, with dedicated capstans and pinch rollers for both directions. A 3-position selector handles Metal, Chrome and Normal tapes, and Dolby NR comes with an MPX filter. Two finishes were sold: black (CS-F33RBL) and silver (CS-F33R).
Specifications
| Wow and flutter | 0.04% WRMS (audio-database.com) |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz to 19 kHz (Metal Tape) (audio-database.com) |
| Total harmonic distortion | 0.7% (Metal Tape) (audio-database.com) |
| Signal-to-noise ratio | 60 dB (Metal Tape, Dolby NR off) (audio-database.com) |
| Heads | 1 HD (High Density Metallic) record/playback head; 2 erase heads |
| Motors | 1 electronically controlled DC capstan motor; 1 DC reel motor |
| Power consumption | 20W |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 440 x 118 x 270 mm |
| Weight | 7.5 kg |
Design
The transport is a 2-motor system with belt drive and contact wheels. The head mechanism is linear motion. A microcomputer controls the motor and plunger operation, the reverse system, amplifier switching and tape run detection. Quick reverse works off an infrared tape sensor and takes 0.5 seconds. The bi-counter capstan drive keeps playback stable in both directions. The deck also has a digital meter with left-right parallel level display, a mono microphone input for dual-channel recording, a remote control terminal and a timer standby function.
Context
Introduced circa 1981, the CS-F33RBL belonged to Akai's Quick Reverse Deck series. The CS-F33R was its silver-finish counterpart.
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