Infrequent Sound [sex.tex] technology: Sonab C-500 Stereo Cassette Deck Dolby-B [Nakamichi 500 Dual-Tracer], 1974-1978, made in Sweden / Japan

Sonab C-500 Stereo Cassette Deck Dolby-B [Nakamichi 500 Dual-Tracer], 1974-1978, made in Sweden / Japan

Link: cassettedeck | vi-fi

This Sonab C-500 is a stereo cassette deck with Dolby B noise reduction, it was first sold by Sonab in 1974 with a list price of USD $400 and discontinued 4 years later in 1978.

The main features of the Sonab C-500 are: 2 heads, mechanical 3 digit tape counter, manual tape type selection and capable of handling normal and chrome tapes, belt driven single-capstan transport.

Typical of this deck is the 70's top loading layout with the cassette compartiment located on the left side of the deck. Tape eject is operated mechanically and the cassette needs to be placed with the side to be played facing forward in the cassette well.

Level meters used on the C-500 are analog needle VU reading meters. Mechanical transport controls for reliable C-500 transport function selection.

The Dolby-B system reduces tape hiss on tapes recorded on the C-500 by as much as 10 dB at the highest frequencies.

To make live recordings this deck has 3 microphone inputs (for left, right and center channels) to connect microphones with a jack connector. For undisturbed listening a jack connector for a pair of stereo headphones is supplied. Connection to other audio components for plaback can be achieved by a RCA cable and recording from a source by a RCA cable.

The variety of hi-fi market in the 70's was amazing. We all know about the creation of the major Japanese brands, but emerged and European brands, recognized alongside British manufacturers such as Leak and Garrard. For example, Bang & Olufsen has experienced its golden age was at that time. There were other companies that sell beautifully designed device through their visionary designers - for example, the West German Dieter Rams Braun or Clas-Göran in Swedish Sonabia Wanning.

Sonaba, like automotive SAAB products produced radically different than most manufacturers. Sonaba began a series of multi-directional speaker series with a wide range of OA speakers mounted from the top. Then came an attractive offer amplifiers and receivers, which focused on ease of use and minimalist design, avoiding the tacky splendor of Japanese rivals. And probably that is why Clas-Göran Wanning gave Nakamichi C 500 of its strange appearance memorable.

In the early seventies Compact Cassette was just beginning to take off; This format has existed for a decade, but has not reached mass acceptance until improved product quality. In 1974. Many manufacturers have realized that they need a stereo cassette format hi-fi .

The company Nakamichi had the widest knowledge and experience in this field, and what brought Sonaba from each other, the aesthetic and ergonomic design (later adapted by Nakamichi in many other embodiments). Created a device designed in such a way "to make it as simple as possible to use, playing, recording, and above all". It was not an empty rhetoric, because even by today's standards it is a "pure" and elegant-looking machine.

What then has been achieved in terms of technical performance, today is perhaps not unusual, but then woke respect. We speak of uniformity of feed of 0.13% and a frequency of 30-16,000 Hz (+/- 3 dB). The signal-to-noise ratio was 51 dB at Ferric off and Dolby, 60 dB in the case of Chrome and Dolby. For this device was small and compact in construction (380x250x105mm), weighing 4.5 kg.

Established nice machine; everything in it was simple, and with heart Nakamichi, allowed the recordings for calibration tapes and Ferric Chrome, so you can set the recording was exactly as you wanted. Unusual, recessed gauges are easy to read when setting recording levels, but largely invisible during playback when they are not needed.

Sonaba cassette gives a powerful, musical sound that is quite shiny up, if we use the Chrome tape. It sounds remarkably stable and detail. Not surprisingly, we used the best possible components Nakamichi. And that's why Sonaba C 500 was very expensive when introduced to the market. And not without reason, because it is one of the most unique products in the family Nakamichi in history!