Tandberg TCD 911 (1984)
The TCD 911 was Tandberg's flagship three-head cassette deck of the mid-1980s. It came out in 1984 as the successor to the TCD 910 A. The transport is a dual-capstan closed-loop design. The record and playback heads are separate glass-ferrite types, with a dual-gap erase head, and the record amplifier is Tandberg's high-voltage "ACTILINEAR" stage. The deck has Dolby B, Dolby C, and HX Pro headroom extension. Frequency response is rated at 30 Hz to 18 kHz (±3 dB) on chrome and metal tapes.
Period trade publications pitched the Series TCD 900 - which included the 911 - as a serious alternative to home decks for professional work. Studio Sound (December 1984, p.58) said the series shattered "the barrier of Professional Cassette use," and pointed to superior sound, sturdy mechanical design, and total control flexibility in one machine. The deck has an accurate real-time counter with autolocator functions and balanced XLR microphone inputs. Optional accessories include an RS-232 computer interface and an infrared wireless remote. All of that was aimed squarely at broadcast and studio use.
The 911 competed on engineering prestige with the Nakamichi Dragon and the top-line Revox B710. Contemporary reviewers and owners have praised its playback quality as rivaling open-reel decks in its price class. It is still collectible. Clean examples have sold in the $1,400 - $1,600 range in recent online auctions.
Known specifications:
- Three heads: erase, record, playback (glass-ferrite record/playback heads)
- Dual-capstan, dual-motor closed-loop transport
- Wow & flutter: 0.035% WRMS
- Frequency response: 30 Hz – 18 kHz (±3 dB)
- S/N ratio: 66 dB (CCIR, without noise reduction)
- Noise reduction: Dolby B, Dolby C, HX Pro
- Tape types: Normal, CrO2, FeCr, Metal
- Balanced XLR microphone inputs
- Dimensions: 430 × 145 × 245 mm; weight: 8.5 kg
A prospective buyer should know the weak spots. The capstan belt deteriorates with age, and replacing it is a delicate job that requires alignment. The optical tape-end sensor can fail. The electrolytic capacitors in the power supply and audio path are now candidates for routine replacement. Original head blocks and pinch rollers are no longer available from Tandberg, though aftermarket parts exist.
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