Sony TC-850 (early 1970s)

Name: Sony TC-850
Brand: Sony

Documentation on the Sony TC-850 is thin. Most of what survives is Sony's own advertising, not independent press review. The record shows a three-motor, reel-to-reel stereo tape deck at the very top of Sony's consumer line, with a list price of $895.00.

Sony/Superscope ran an aggressive campaign for the TC-850 in the US audio press in the early 1970s. An ad in Audio (October 1972, p.46) called the TC-850 the top of Sony's stereo line. The same campaign appeared in High Fidelity (October 1972, p.16). The ads made bold claims for it as a three-motor component deck and stressed the 10½-inch reel capacity. They also noted that Sony's reel-to-reel line started at $159.95, so the TC-850 was the flagship by a wide margin. When the deck first appeared in a 1970 new-equipment roundup, it was described as a servo-controlled stereo tape recorder. That confirms the transport was servo-governed.

Known facts from the period record:

Three-motor reel-to-reel stereo tape deck
Accepts 10½-inch reels
Servo-controlled transport
$895.00 list price per Sony advertising

No measured test reports or detailed technical specifications from the period have surfaced in the sources examined, just the advertising campaign and an equipment listing. If you have a TC-850 service manual or an independent review, the Archive would like to see it.