Ampex 2000
Not much is documented about the Ampex 2000 outside the period ads that introduced it. What survives points to a premium stereo tape recorder for serious listeners who would not put up with compromised sound.
An ad campaign in High Fidelity (October 1964, p.151) and Audio (October 1964, p.49) pitched the 2000 as the standard-setter in stereo tape recorders. The claim was that until another machine matched all its features, the Ampex 2000 would lead the field. The ads gave a frequency response at 7½ ips of ±2 dB from 30 to 18,000 Hz on average production units, with a guaranteed minimum of ±3 dB from 50 to 15,000 Hz. The deck used three professional-quality Ampex heads on a rigid block suspension. It also had an automatic shutoff that killed the recorder, motor, and amplifiers when the tape ran out.
A follow-up campaign in Studio Sound (November 1965, p.36) and Amateur Tape Recorder (December 1965, p.40) ran under the headline “Strictly for the Ears of Perfectionists.” The intended buyer was the home recordist who demanded studio-derived performance.
Beyond these magazine appearances, the Archive has located no service manual, detailed schematic, or price list for the 2000.
Known specifications (from period advertisements):
- Stereo tape recorder (track format not specified in available ads)
- Three professional-quality Ampex heads, rigid block suspension
- Automatic shutoff (recorder, motor, amplifiers)
- Frequency response at 7½ ips: ±2 dB, 30–18,000 Hz (typical); guaranteed ±3 dB, 50–15,000 Hz
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