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 manufactured in Pleumeur-Bodou, Brittany, France. Designed by Christophe Martinez over four years, it was presented in 2022 as a reference-grade playback-only deck aimed at ultra-high-end consumers and professional studios. The unit is available in two versions: a standard model and a Gold Edition featuring a solid aluminium 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
Designed and built from scratch by Christophe Martinez over four years, the TP-1000 features three DC motors—two reel motors sourced from Swiss manufacturer Maxon and a capstan servo-motor not designed in-house. It uses tape heads from AM Belgium, the same supplier for Studer A800, A810, A812, A820, and A807 models. The deck includes strain-gauge tape-tension sensors and preamplifiers with a x1000 amplification factor at the read head output. All manufacturing occurs in Pleumeur-Bodou, France.
Reception
The TP-1000 was reviewed in The Absolute Sound under the headline "Zut alors!" with praise for its "astounding" performance. Listeners noted unprecedented silence and precision in tape movement, describing the experience as revealing "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.
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