Luxman KX-102 (1984)
The KX-102 was Luxman's top cassette deck of the early 1980s. Audio magazine (March 1984, p.78) profiled it as the company's flagship. The specs back that up. It has three heads, a Computer Tuning System (CTS) that matched recording parameters to the specific tape in use, and both dbx and Dolby B noise reduction on board.
The published specs describe a deck built for accurate recording. Frequency response was rated at 20 Hz to 18 kHz, extending to 20 kHz with metal tape, with harmonic distortion at 0.7%. Signal-to-noise was 61 dB without noise reduction, 68 dB with Dolby B, and a claimed 94 dB with dbx. Flutter was rated at a very low 0.04% wtd. rms. Input sensitivity was 0.25 mV for microphone and 100 mV for line. Output was 500 mV line level. The deck measured 17.8 inches wide, 5.8 inches high, and 14.4 inches deep, and weighed 20.9 lbs.
Audio's review (March 1984, p.81) found very flat responses where it mattered most, low flutter, and excellent signal-to-noise ratios, especially with dbx engaged. The measurement results matched the ambitious design. It was a substantial, well-built deck from a company that clearly knew what it was doing in this period — and the review's tone suggests the KX-102 lived up to its flagship position.
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