Scott 87R (1978)

Name: Scott 87R
Brand: Scott

Documentation on the Scott 87R is thin but specific. The deck appeared in period literature as the Scott Model CD-87R, and two 1978 sources give a fairly complete technical picture. Audio (August 1978, p.80) carried the manufacturer's specifications. HI-Fi-Stereo-Buyers (March 1978, p.63) included it in a cassette-deck test report that same year.

According to Audio's specification listing, the 87R was rated for 30 Hz - 14 kHz frequency response, extending to 17 kHz with ferrichrome (FeCr) or chromium dioxide (CrO2) tape. Harmonic distortion was specified at 1.5 percent, signal-to-noise at 56 dB, and wow and flutter at 0.065 percent WRMS. Input sensitivity was 0.5 mV for microphone and 50 mV for line. Outputs were 400 mV line level and 1 mW into 8 ohms for headphones. The deck weighed 18.3 lbs and measured 18¾ × 13¼ × 5¼ inches.

The HI-Fi-Stereo-Buyers measurements mostly tracked those figures. With Dolby engaged and Sony ferrichrome tape, record/play response measured +1.5/-3.2 dB from 40 Hz to 14 kHz. With TDK-SA in the CrO2 mode it measured +1.6/-2 dB from 40 Hz. Signal-to-noise referenced to 0 VU was 56 dB wideband and 61 dB narrowband. Distortion at 0 VU came in at 2 percent THD, slightly above the 1.5 percent spec, with 6 dB of headroom before reaching 3 percent.

Beyond those two 1978 sources, almost nothing is recorded. No service manual or schematic has surfaced in the Archive's research, and the 87R shows up in no other period test bench we've found.