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Technics
RS-1500U
Technics
RS-1520
Technics RS-1506U
Technics
RS-1700
Technics
RS-1800
(1977
- 1980)
Ultimate
series of recorders which sold very well, because they were very
good. Also because Technics advertised them at length and because
they look as good as they sound ;-)
Most
common is the RS-1500 ; absolutely
near unobtainium is the RS-1800 which
spools tape at 76cm/s, thanks to a 950,000¥ hyper-space pricetag.
In between these extremes are the RS-1506
(4-Track with 2-Tr playback), the RS-1520
(2-Track master recorder with 4-Tr playback) and the RS-1700
(3-speed auto-reverse 4-Track).
The
RS-1700U was available in silver color in Japan and -stupidly- not
elsewhere (RS-1700US). All share the same motors and Isoloop
tape path ; the differences lie in the speeds, built-in preamps
and features.
Bar
the RS-1800, none of these versions
was expressly built as professional machine although the 1520 did
find its way into many a studio.
After the later introduction of the RS-1800 (and a PCM
version of the latter), the series was augmented with the extra-rare RS-777, a 7" 4-Track auto-reverse,
which was a beautiful bye bye to a market Technics never did try
to take over.
Technics,
however, managed to make one of the most desirable series of recorders
ever - a "coup de maître" if you will.
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