Luxman K-117
Documentation on the Luxman K-117 is thin. No production years, original pricing, or formal period reviews have surfaced in the usual archives. What the record does show is a serious three-head cassette deck from Luxman's early-1980s lineup. High Fidelity (January 1982, p.18) mentioned the K-117 in a roundup of new cassette decks and noted its playback capabilities. That places it on the market by late 1981 or early 1982.
The deck has three heads, with Sendust heads for record, playback, and erase. That setup allows off-tape monitoring while recording. An automatic tape type selector uses built-in test tones to set bias for normal, CrO₂, and metal tapes. Dolby B and C noise reduction are onboard. The transport is rated at 0.02% WRMS wow and flutter, with a frequency response of 20-20,000 Hz and a signal-to-noise ratio of 70 dB.
The front panel is dark brushed aluminum, with dual VU meters, soft-touch transport controls, and a hinged clear plastic cassette door. The model carries suffix codes - K-117v, K-117w, K-117t - for the 120V, 220V, and 240V power supply versions respectively.
Second Life Audio is the source for the qualitative praise. It describes the K-117 as excelling in detail retrieval, with airy highs and a rich, textured midrange, and says it suits acoustic music and vocals. The same source notes some may find the aesthetic dated, but says build quality feels premium. One Worthpoint listing shows a sale price of US $110, though condition and date are unverified.
Known specifications:
- Type: Stereo cassette deck, 3-head system (Sendust record/playback/erase)
- Frequency response: 20–20,000 Hz
- Signal-to-noise ratio: 70 dB
- Wow and flutter: 0.02% WRMS
- Noise reduction: Dolby B and C
- Tape types: Normal, CrO₂, Metal
- Features: Auto tape type selector with test-tone bias adjustment, dual VU meters, memory stop counter
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