Technics RS-B100

A high-end three-head stereo cassette deck designed as a reference machine for the CD era.

Overview

The Technics RS-B100 is a stereo cassette deck built as a reference deck for the move to the CD era. It has an advanced tape transport and signal processing, all aimed at preserving audio fidelity. An auto tape selector detects the tape type and adjusts the settings. Left/right level calibration and bias adjustment are independent, for optimal recording performance.

Specifications

Heads	Recording / Playback : AX Amorphous Combination Head; Erasing : double-gap sendust heads
Motor	For Capstan : Quartz Lock DD Motor; For Reel : Electronically controlled DC Motor
Wow flutter	0.022%(W.R.M.S.)
Frequency characteristic	Normal (ED) : 20 Hz to 19 kHz ± 3 dB (EIAJ); CrO 2 (EX) : 20 Hz to 21 kHz ± 3 dB (EIAJ); Metal (EM) : 20 Hz ~ 23 kHz ± 3 dB (EIAJ)
Dynamic range	110 dB (dbx in, 1 kHz, EX Tape)
Signal-to-noise ratio	NR off : 61 dB (EX tape, WTD, 1 kHz, 3% third order distortion); Dolby B NR in : 68 dB (EX Tape, WTD, 1 kHz, 3% third order distortion); Dolby C NR in : 74 dB (EX Tape, WTD, 1 kHz, 3% third order distortion); Dbx in : 92 dB (EX tape, WTD, 1 kHz, 3% third order distortion)
Input Sensitivity / Impedance	Line : 60mV/47k Ω
Output Level / Impedance	Line : 400mV/2.2k Ω; Headset : 2mW/8 Ω (compatible impedance 8 Ω ~ 600 Ω)
Power	100 VAC, 50Hz/60Hz
Power consumption	Approx. 24W
Maximum external dimensions	Width 430x Height 98x Depth 274 mm (Including Knob and Rubber Foot)
Weight	Approx. 5.7 kg

Design

The transport is a Quartz D.D. closed-loop double capstan system. It uses a Kyoshin distributed capstan and three tape guides for better driving accuracy. A phase correction circuit keeps group delay constant, which reduces sound quality loss during dubbing. The amplifier section uses a linear feedback circuit and direct-coupling dual FETs to cut noise and distortion. The recording and playback head is an AX combination head made of amorphous alloy. It offers good high-frequency performance, high MOL and wear resistance. The deck supports three noise reduction systems - dbx, Dolby B and Dolby C - with dual circuit configurations on both the recording and playback sides, so you can monitor simultaneously. Other features are a 2-way digital counter showing tape count or remaining time, a built-in music selector, Auto Rec Mute, Auto-Rec memory, a 3-color wide-range FL display and auto monitor. It also supports the optional RP-9645 wired remote controller.

Context

The RS-B100 was developed as a reference cassette deck for the CD era. It was designed around the theme of precise waveform transmission.

Market

The optional wired remote controller RP-9645 was sold separately for ¥6,000. The deck's original price was ¥148,000 around 1983.

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