Tandberg TCD 310

1 9 7 4 1974
1 9 7 6 1976

Second version of the the-Tandberg-cassette-recorder which would see many versions : TCD-310 MkII, TCD-320, TCD-330, TCD-340A, TCD-440A, TCD-420A, with goodies throughout such as soft-touch transport controls, azimuth & bias correction, 3-heads and Type IV tape as early as 1978 !

The last version, TCD-420A, brings us to 1982, which is when Tandberg made its best but had no more room to develop and sell, cornered by the japanese as everybody else was.

The TCD 310 is based on a 3-motor closed-loop dual capstan drive with two Ferrite heads, a Dolby noise-reduction and even a "special" selector for CrO2 / Type II tape. Motors are two AC for the reels and one hysteresis synchronous for the capstan.

Added was an auto-adjustable input amp which maintains dynamic range and keeps noise low whatever the source recorded : line, microphone or radio.

Otherwise, bar cosmetic differences and marginally better S/N ratio, the TCD 310 seems entirely equivalent to the original TCD-300...

Tandberg TCD 310, image 1 Tandberg TCD 310, image 2 Tandberg TCD 310, image 3
Tandberg TCD 310 specifications
Title Value
Tape speed : 4,75cm/s
Rewind time : 40s (C60)
Speed accuracy : ± 1%
Wow & flutter : 0,2% (DIN 45511)
0,15% (WRMS)
Frequency response : 30Hz...13Khz (DIN 45511 ; LH)
30Hz...14Khz (DIN 45511 ; CrO2)
40Hz...12,5Khz (± 2dB ; LH)
40Hz...13Khz (± 2dB ; CrO2)
30Hz...16Khz (± 3dB)
S/N ratio (LH tape) : 51dB (IEC-A, 3% THD) [+8dB with Dolby]
48dB (IEC, unweighted RMS, 3% THD) [+4dB with Dolby]
46dB (DIN 45511 weighted) [+9dB with Dolby]
46dB (DIN 45511 unweighted) [+4dB with Dolby]
S/N ratio (CrO2 tape) : 54dB (IEC-A, 3% THD) [+9dB with Dolby]
50dB (IEC, unweighted RMS, 3% THD) [+2dB with Dolby]
49dB (DIN 45511 weighted) [+9dB with Dolby]
48dB (DIN 45511 unweighted) [+4dB with Dolby]
Separation : 60dB (side 1 vs. side 2)
35dB (track 1 vs. track 2)
THD : 0,5% (rec amplifier, 0dB)
0,3% (play amplifier, 0,75V)
3% (off the tape ; 0dB rec level)
Inputs : 0,15mV...20mV (< 700 Ohm load ; MIC)
40mV...5V / 220kOhm (LINE)
8mV...1V / 47kOhm (RADIO)
Outputs : 0,775V / 10kOhm (LINE)
Componentry : 47 transistors
2 FETs
PC : 34W max.
Dimensions : 43 x 10,5 x 23cm
Weight : 6,7kg.
page online since : september 2010
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