Kenwood DM-1001 (c. 1995)
The DM-1001 was Kenwood's first MD deck, part of the company's "K's series" of components. It was introduced around October 1995 at ¥90,000 and was later succeeded by the DMF-7002S. Documentation is moderate. The basics are well recorded, but deeper performance specs and reception history are thin.
The DM-1001 uses a front-loading, tray-type MD mechanism that appears to be Kenwood's own design. Kenwood stressed rigidity, with a 5mm thick front panel and a 1.2mm steel plate base frame. The recording system is magnetic field modulation overwrite, with a non-contact optical regeneration system and a semiconductor laser. The unit spins discs at roughly 400-900 rpm. It uses ACIRC error correction, 44.1kHz sampling, ATRAC compression and EFM modulation. Record/playback time is up to 74 minutes, and it's a 2-channel machine.
Inputs are one line and one optical digital. Outputs are one line, one optical digital and a stereo mini headphone jack. The optical digital input/output means digital recording via SCMS is possible. The deck also has program playback, repeat playback, timer recording, track numbering up to 255 per disc, and editing functions including mid-song deletion and title entry for discs and tracks. It draws 19W, measures 270 x 83 x 324 mm and weighs 4.7kg. A remote control was included.
The DM-1001 includes Kenwood's D.R.I.V.E. processing and a Monitor button, so it can work as a standalone DAC. An eBay listing for a used unit said the seller mainly used it that way, and that the other inputs worked. A YouTube video shows an owner testing the unit after a repair, and both a service manual and an owner's manual circulate online. The original remote (part A70093805) is listed as unavailable at one parts vendor.
Plenty is missing from the record. There are no frequency response, THD or S/N figures, no DAC chip details, no confirmed production years beyond the c. 1995 introduction, and no formal reviews or owner commentary on sound quality. It's also unclear whether the deck supports MDLP long-play. It does not appear in MDLP-sorting lists, which suggests it likely doesn't, but that's not confirmed.
- Type: MD recorder / player with DAC functionality
- Price: ¥90,000 (c. 1995)
- Recording: Magnetic field modulation overwrite
- Compression: ATRAC
- Sampling: 44.1kHz
- Inputs: Line x1, optical digital x1
- Outputs: Line x1, optical digital x1, headphone (stereo mini)
- Dimensions: 270 x 83 x 324 mm (WxHxD)
- Weight: 4.7kg
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