Technics RS-M253X

1 9 8 2 1982
1 9 8 4 1984

Ahhh - dbx !
The best noise-reduction system, sadly not able to shake to Dolby monolith. But it gave reel and cassette recorders such as the RS-M253X or RS-M275X a truly unbelievable sound quality and dynamic range.

The RS-M253X sports all the possible features of a 1982 high-end deck : all sorts of displays, modes and functions plus - the usual Dolby B and Dolby C. If a three-head, it is however only a 2-motor deck...
But the dbx circuit was here jointly developed by Technics (Matsushita) and the dbx labs. Switches for disc / tape source are present to properly decode dbx-encoded LPs or dbx-encoded tapes.

The rec and play heads are AX : "amorphous non-cristalline atomic arrangement" ; the erase head is a double-gap Sendust.
Also present : automatic tape/source monitoring (defeatable), bias fine-tuning, big multi-coloured 18-segment FL display, 4-digit digital counter, 3-digit tape counter (through a Hall IC that detects reel rotations), 20-song music selection, 16x repeat, record mute with time display, microprocessor controlled feather-touch transport controls, automatic tape selector, high-linearity microphone amp with automatic input level and optional RP-9645 wired remote control.
And a nice design as well, discreet but typical of those coloured days.

A somewhat simplified version (no bias adjust and 2-head only) of the RS-M253X was available as late as 1988 under the RS-B70 name...

Technics RS-M253X, image 1 Technics RS-M253X, image 2 Technics RS-M253X, image 3
Technics RS-M253X specifications
Title Value
Tape speed : 4,8cm/s
Wow & flutter : 0,04% (WRMS)
FF/Rew time : 90s (C-60)
Motors : 1x DC-Servo motor
1x DC motor
Heads : 1x AX amorphous rec/play
1x double-gap sendust erase
Bias : 85Khz
Frequency response : 20Hz...22Khz (Type IV)
30Hz...19Khz (Type IV, ± 3dB)
20Hz...21Khz (Type II)
30Hz...18Khz (Type II, ± 3dB)
20Hz...19Khz (Type I)
30Hz...17Khz (Type I, ± 3dB)
Dynamic range : 110dB (1Khz, Type II, dbx in)
Input level improvement : +10dB or more with dbx (1Khz)
S/N ratio : 92dB (dbx)
78dB (Dolby C, CCIR)
70dB (Dolby B, CCIR)
60dB
Inputs : 0,25mV / 600 Ohm...10kOhm (MIC)
60mV / 47kOhm (line)
Outputs : 40mV / 3,5kOhm or less (line)
125mV / 8 Ohm (headphones)
PC : 25W
Dimensions : 43 x 9,8 x 27,3cm
Weight : 5,3kg.
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