Sanyo MR-801 (late 1960s)
Not much information on the Sanyo MR-801 survives, and almost all of it comes from Sanyo's own ads in British audio magazines around 1967-68. The ads introduced a "new handsome MR 801 tape deck/recorder" - a four-track stereo/mono reel-to-reel deck aimed at the more affordable end of the market.
Sanyo advertised three standard speeds - 7½, 3¾ and 1⅞ ips. Frequency response was 30-13,000 c/s at 3¾ ips. A 7-inch reel of 35-micron tape ran 192 minutes at 3¾ ips (Studio Sound, July 1968, p.33). The deck weighed 18 lbs (8.0 kg). A London dealer was still listing the MR-801 in early 1970 at a cash price of £27 9s, which suggests it sold in reasonable numbers without leaving much of a paper trail behind.
Known specifications (from Sanyo advertising)
- 4-track stereo/mono reel-to-reel tape deck/recorder
- Speeds: 7½ ips (19 cm/s), 3¾ ips (9.5 cm/s), 1⅞ ips (4.8 cm/s)
- Frequency response: 30–13,000 c/s at 3¾ ips
- Weight: 18 lbs (8.0 kg)
- Playing time: 192 min per 7" reel of 35µ tape at 3¾ ips
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