Sony TC-20F

Sony TC-20FB

October   1 9 7 8 october 1978
1 9 8 0 1980

Even less remembered than the Precise P7 system, the Falcon system made somewhat swift appearances in the catalogs here and there, only to vanish just as rapidly.

The TC-20F is however built quite well with a 2mm single aluminium plate making the top and front plus thick steel frames completing the picture : at 7kg, it feels like a big brick of heavy metal.
The inside is packed like mad for the mechanism isn't a pared-down, low-end, smallish thing but a big one like in any big recorder of the time - except the enclosure is three times smaller !
The main motor is a DC-Servo with frequency generator ; the reel drive is a simple DC.

F&F heads (two), Dolby (B), Types I, II and III bias & eq selectors, plus a complex memory/repeat with twelve different modes which is an early version of AMS, here named ARC : Automatic Repeat control.

The TC-20F was meant as an option to the Falcon system(s) and that is why the catalogs are not as proficient in detailed images as they were for the SA-20F active 'speakers with ribbon tweeter and Heat-Pipe or VC-33 MC cartridge.
I'll try to dismantle one of my own and post pictures in the USER section of this page.

Sony TC-20F, image 1 Sony TC-20F, image 2 Sony TC-20F, image 3 Sony TC-20F, image 4
Sony TC-20F specifications
Title Value
Motors : 1x DC-Servo with FG (capstan)
1x DC (reel drive)
Heads : 1x F&F rec/play
1x erase
Frequency response : 30Hz...15Khz (± 3dB ; FeCr)
30Hz...15Khz (± 3dB ; CrO2)
20Hz...14Khz (± 3dB ; LH)
Wow & flutter : 0,045% (WRMS)
THD : 1,3% (FeCr)
S/N ratio : 58dB (FeCr)
54dB (CrO2)
52dB (LH)
Inputs : 77,5mv / 100kOhm (line)
0,25mV (MIC)
Outputs : 0,435V / 10kOhm (line)
PC : 26W
Dimensions : 43 x 13,1 x 14cm
Weight : 7kg.
FEATURES :
Feather-touch transport keys
12-segment LED peak/hold meters
ARC automatic repeat control
Two motors
F&F heads
Rec-Mute switch
Oil-damped cassette compartment
page online since : december 2007
page updated : may 2010
page type : LGT / KNB
page weight : 543.16 Kb / 340.55 Kb
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