Kenwood KX-1000D

A 3-head stereo cassette deck with direct-drive capstan motor and Dolby HX for high-fidelity analog recording

Overview

The Kenwood KX-1000D is a 3-head stereo cassette deck built for high-quality analog recording and playback. The capstan is direct-drive. The motor is an 8-pole, coreless and slotless 3-phase switching plane drive type, backed by a large inertial mass flywheel and a high-accuracy capstan to keep wow and flutter low. The heads are ferrite combination heads with a 5 μm recording gap and a 1 μm playback gap. The recording and playback circuits each get their own power supply, so you can monitor in real time while recording.

Specifications

Track format	4-track 2-channel stereo
Motor	Capstan: FG Servo Direct Drive / Reel: DC Motor
Heads	Recording: ferrite combination type / Erasing: ferrite
Wow and flutter	0.035% WRMS
Frequency response Normal	20 Hz to 19 kHz (20 Hz to 18 kHz ± 3 dB)
Frequency response Ferrichrome	20 Hz to 19 kHz (20 Hz to 18 kHz ± 3 dB)
Frequency response Chrome	20 Hz to 19 kHz (20 Hz to 18 kHz ± 3 dB)
Frequency response Metal	20 Hz to 20 kHz (20 Hz to 19 kHz ± 3 dB)
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (Dolby HX ON above 5 kHz / OFF) Normal	67dB / 57dB
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (Dolby HX ON above 5 kHz / OFF) Ferrichrome	69dB / 59dB
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (Dolby HX ON above 5 kHz / OFF) Chrome	69dB / 59dB
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (Dolby HX ON above 5 kHz / OFF) Metal	70dB / 60dB
Total Harmonic Distortion	0.3% or less (metal tape, 0 VU, 1 kHz)
Input Sensitivity / Impedance MIC (low impedance)	0.25 mV / 10 kΩ
Input Sensitivity / Impedance LINE	77.5 mV / 50 kΩ
Output Level / Impedance LINE	390 mV / 100 kΩ
Output Level / Impedance Headphone	50 mV / 8 Ω
Power supply	100 VAC, 50Hz/60Hz
Power consumption	20W
Dimensions	440 mm (W) x 123 mm (H) x 373 mm (D)
Weight	7.1 kg

Design

The motor shaft drives the capstan directly. The 8-pole, coreless and slotless 3-phase switching plane drive motor gives low torque ripple and high efficiency. Motor control comes from an all-round integral AC generator, working with the high-accuracy capstan and the large inertial mass flywheel. The mechanism is under full IC logic control. The 3-head system has dedicated recording and playback gaps. The deck also has Dolby HX (Headroom Extension), which adjusts bias and equalization on the fly during recording to expand dynamic range. The separate recording and playback power supplies allow real-time monitoring and comparison.

Features

The deck has Dolby HX and Dolby NR, a 4-step tape selector, a large VU meter with a 3-point peak indicator, and a tape monitor switch. You can change modes without pressing STOP. Auto rewind offers repeat play or stop on completion. An auto lead-in mechanism gets you to recording standby quickly after the tape leader. A REC Mute function makes silent segments while it is pressed. There is also a single MPX filter, REC/PLAY timer standby, and a bias adjustment volume.

Market

A used unit sold for USD $75.00 in July 2023.

Similar items on eBay

No exact Kenwood KX 1000D listings are live right now — these searches show current Kenwood and similar vintage audio gear on eBay:

Search Kenwood KX 1000D on eBay Browse Kenwood audio gear on eBay

As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.