Sony 560 (ca. 1967–1968)
Not much is documented about the Sony 560. What the record shows comes almost entirely from period advertisements and a single review. It appears to have been a solid-state, four-track stereo tape recorder sold as the "Stereo Compact Portable," with a built-in preamplifier and a 20-watt music power amplifier.
The 560's motor was electrically stabilized. Its speed could be switched instantly, with no belts or capstans to move. A small playback-only adjustment range was available through an optional accessory. The motor could also be switched off entirely when the machine was used only as an amplifier. HiFI/Stereo (February 1968, p.41) described it as suitable for taping off-air broadcasts as part of a complete stereo system, with the tape recorder as the central component. The same source noted that the control center let you connect up to four separate stereo components to the preamplifier and amplifier section.
The 560 came in at least two variants: the standard model and a "560D" deck-only version, listed at under $149.50 in a 1967 ad (HiFI/Stereo, December 1967, p.145). The full portable system was priced around $499.50. A test in HiFI/Stereo (September 1968, p.36) found that within its design limits the 560 performed well as a tape recorder and as the center of a modest high-fidelity system.
Beyond the handful of ad and review appearances, almost nothing else about the 560 - production lifespan, circuit details, or later service history - seems to have survived in the usual enthusiast record.
Known specs (from period sources)
- Type: 4-track stereo reel-to-reel tape recorder with integrated preamplifier and power amplifier
- Amplifier power: 20 watts music power
- Special features: ESP automatic reverse, electrically stabilized motor, stereo control center for up to four components
- Variants: Sony 560 (complete portable system), Sony 560D (tape deck only)
- Prices at introduction (US): under $499.50 (560), under $149.50 (560D)
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