Sony DTC-500ES
(february 1988 - 1989)

First generation and a half.
With a frame based on the original DTC-1000ES and still no SCMS, the DTC-500ES was the first attempt at reaching the not too rich.

The 500ES is a 2-head/3-motor deck, with only one CXA analogue to digital converter per channel - (the DTC-1000ES used one for each channel). Newly added TOS optical digital inputs and outputs but the very welcome addition of ABS time made up for the loss of direct monitoring.
The other half of the first generation is the digital to analogue conversion which still was carried out by a Philips TDA-1541 / SAA-7220 (depending on batches I believe), still no END id and no recording of digital signals at 44.1kHz - nor of analogue signals at that frequency either.

The 10kg. DTC-500ES was never officially exported.
Launched at the same time was the equally cute but rather lightweight DTC-M100. Lightweight in 1988 still meant some 9kg on the balance and the same mechanism as the DTC-500ES and DTC-300ES...
The DTC-500ES was replaced by the DTC-55ES besteller in 1990, the first Sony DAT to have SCMS.

Some images of a real DTC-500ES in Japan, here.