APR2003 (Sony) 1980

Sony brought out a number of professional portable reel to reel tape recorders, this was one of their last. The Sony APR-2003 is identical to the Sony TC-510 except it has a centre track for time code or pilot tone, this feature was very important in broadcast equipment. Both machines featured the hardened Ferri-chrome heads which after many hours of use look brand new. The tape deck is driven by one DC servo controlled motor, and uses a very similar tension system to the Nagra machines. Thanks head design, these machines boast 30-27KHz frequency response at 7.1/2 ips, with a wow and flutter of 0.08%, these machines could either be operated on 8 D-type batteries, Sony's unique battery pack, slot-in power supply or external 12 V supply say from a car cigarette lighter