Analog Audio Design TP-1000 (2022)

A high-precision French-built reel-to-reel tape player designed from the ground up for ultra-high-end analog playback.

Overview

The Analog Audio Design TP-1000 is a 1/4-inch 2-track open reel-to-reel tape deck built in Pleumeur-Bodou, Brittany, France. Christophe Martinez designed it over four years. It was presented in 2022 as a reference-grade, playback-only deck for ultra-high-end consumers and professional studios. It comes in two versions: a standard model and a Gold Edition with a solid aluminum finish. A recording counterpart, the TR-1000, is in development.

Specifications

Format	1/4-inch 2-track
Max. Reel Size	11.8 inch (30 cm)
Speeds	15ips/7½ips
Tape Speed Accuracy	Within +/-0.05%
Pitch Control Range	+/-100%, resolution of 0.01 ips
Wow and Flutter	15 ips = <0.045% peak, weighted (DIN 45507); 7.5 ips = <0.09% peak, weighted (DIN 45507)
Wind Speed	Switchable: 2 m/s, 6 m/s, 10 m/s
Wind Speed Control	1 m/s to 12 m/s, resolution of 1 m/s
Motors	Three motors
Capstan Motor	DC servo motor, belt drive
Reel Motor	2x DC motor, belt drive
Heads	Three heads
Equalization	NAB or IEC, switchable
Reproduce Record Level	320 nWb/m or 514 nWb/m, switchable
Frequency Response	15 ips = 30Hz to 22kHz (+/-2 dB) at 0 VU; 7.5 ips = 30Hz to 20kHz (+/-2 dB) at 0 VU
Signal-To-Noise Ratio (THD-N, in CAL) / A-Weighting	15 ips = 71 dB / 78 dB; 7.5 ips = 70 dB / 77 dB
Distortion	0.8% or less at 1kHz, 15 ips
Channel Crosstalk	60 dB or more
Dimensions (WxHxD)	466mm x 519mm x 305mm
Weight	61.73 lbs (28 kg)
Power Supply Connector	IEC 3-pole
Voltage Range	90 to 264 VAC
Power Supply Frequency Range	47 to 63 Hz
Power Consumption	40 W maximum
Input 1 Connector	XLR
Input 1 Level selectable	Balanced = +4dBu (in CAL), Unbalanced = -10dBV (in CAL)
Input 2 Connector	XLR (powered 48V)
Input 2 Level selectable	-60 dBV (in CAL), -40 dBV (in CAL)
Output Connector	XLR
Output Level selectable	Balanced = +4dBu (in CAL), Unbalanced = -10dBV (in CAL)
Headphone output	6.35mm headphone output with front panel volume control
Headphone Output	1.5 W maximum (8 ohm load)
Display	Built-in, multi-function touchscreen; large, easy-to-read digital touchscreen display
Connectivity	RJ45 Ethernet socket for remote control and software updates
IR Input	Infrared remote control
Tape tension	Maintains tape tension at 0.5gm

Design

Martinez designed and built the TP-1000 from scratch over four years. It has three DC motors - two reel motors from Swiss maker Maxon, plus a capstan servo-motor that was not designed in-house. The tape heads come from AM Belgium, the same supplier used for the Studer A800, A810, A812, A820, and A807. The deck has strain-gauge tape-tension sensors and preamplifiers with a x1000 amplification factor at the read head output. All manufacturing happens in Pleumeur-Bodou, France.

Reception

The Absolute Sound reviewed the TP-1000 under the headline "Zut alors!" and called its performance "astounding." Listeners noted unprecedented silence and precision in tape movement, and described "unlimited bandwidth and dynamics." It has been called "a piece of incomparable mechanical precision" and said to affirm the superiority of fully analog signal reproduction.