something we do not really need. Tandy make some inexpensive moulded 2 -way headphone splitter leads which can be rewired with a couple of XLRs to make reliable headphone socket -to -line driver leads -I have not always had the best of luck with home-made headphone -to- two-XLR leads, they seem to fall apart at the jack end after a couple of months. The best setting corresponding to our normal headroom practice was with the headphone output level set to around 3 o'clock (ie slightly below maximum) and the input levels to give unity gain overall in-to out. In the fullness of time I shall probably change a feedback resistor in the headphone output amplifier to reduce the gain, so we can operate the line -out with the headphone volume control set to maximum, which is easier to set consistently. These interfacing details will be nothing new to those experienced with the PCM-Fl or 701, and although unbalanced, they cause few troubles. Metering is via horizontal fluorescent bargraphs, with 0 dB on the display corresponding to 2 dB below peak-bits (digital end-stop). A red over light tells you when you have gone over the top, and the 2 dB 'overlap' is very helpful in optimising peak recording level. Having the audio processing and tape transport in one box about the same size as a sophisticated R-DAT domestic video cassette deck (it weighs just under 12 kg) is much more convenient than lugging around a PCM-1630 and U- matic. With two DATs on a session one has automatically a full backup of A/D and D/A circuitry as well as tape - IN PRACTICE transport/tape, and these are luxuries few of us can afford with PCM-1610s and PCM- 1630s. Tony The Aiwa consumer R -DAT machine has digital Faulkner describes some initial input and output via phono sockets on the back experiences with an Aiwa consumer panel, so with two machines on a session you can link the recorders together digitally if desired in machine and ways that R -DAT may order to use one set of A/D converters for both sets of tapes. The digital interface format (also to affect the pro user be found on quite a few players, and the PCM-601) is similar in most respects to the AES/EBU format used by manufacturers such as The intrusion of consumer promises to remove most of the hassles, and in Neve in their mixers /processors. Except for being audio equipment into the few weeks of operational experience we have unbalanced and having a status flag bit set in the professional recording had, impressions have been very favourable. The wrong position ('off' for consumer, 'on' for and broadcasting has powerful Reed- Solomon error correction from professional, which should be sorted out by increased a lot over the last few years. The recent compact disc has been included to cope with tape changing a couple of DIP switches somewhere in introduction in Japan of commercial R -DAT dropout errors, and at no time have we heard any the pro interfacing, there is no major integrated tape recorders promises to dropouts, crackles or spits -more than can be said incompatibility problem. hit the professional stereo tape deck market like for the existing systems we were auditioning in The Aiwa XD-001 will replay tapes made at Attila the Hun, finishing off the ground work comparison. Many years of experience with various sampling rates as follows: done by the low -cost Sony PCM-F1 and PCM-701 Betamax and VHS have obviously taught 32 kHz sampling -rate: such as recordings converters, and probably rendering them obsolete manufacturers a great deal about how to make previously taken off Direct Broadcast Satellite, in the process. In March earlier this year we took reliable low cost rotary head systems. and recordings made on other consumer R -DAT delivery of our first consumer Aiwa XD -001 DAT Hooking the Aiwa up to a professional mixer machines using 32 kHz recording options. machine, which sold in Japan for around £850, posed no new problems -the line input is 44.1 kHz: commercial pre- recorded tapes, digital with 2 hr blank cassettes retailing alongside at unbalanced via high grade phono connectors (two transfers off PCM-1630, JVC or PCM-F1, and just under £7.50. switchable sets labelled Line 1 and Line 2), and recordings made on professional R -DAT. My first experiences with video based digital the input record -gain level -set ganged controls 48 kHz: recordings transferred digitally from pro audio date back to the Sony PCM-1 at the very wired right at the front -end of the circuitry so 48 kHz sources, and tapes made on itself or other end of 1977, through the various generations of that normal professional studio high levels are consumer DAT recorders from analogue sources: PCM-1600, PCM -1610, PCM-1630, PCM-100, PCM- adjusted passively rather than allowed to clip an The player senses recorded sampling rate F1, PCM -701 and two or three different JVC oversensitive preamp. The Aiwa deck had no automatically, also the presence or absence or pre - systems along the way. Each new model brought microphone inputs, but a professional portable emphasis flag, and displays this information. The its own advances, but video based digital audio is recently shown at London AES included consumer recorder tested will record at 48 kHz not without inherent weaknesses -the high microphone preamps together with phantom only, when switched to analogue source -from a expense of fully professional models, the powering options. digital source it is possible to record at 32 kHz or mechanical noise of the recorders in operation, The line -out phonos are at a lower 'domestic' 48 kHz (if there is no COPY PROHIBIT flag-bit in video /system incompatibilities, increased level, which could be amplified externally using the signal to protect copyright material), but the complexity of electronic editing, as well as some one of the interface boxes marketed by various control circuitry has had a 'pre -frontal lobotomy' petty aggravations, such as difficulties with companies, or an unbalanced high level output to prevent recording at 44.1 kHz in any handling U -matic cassettes of longer than 60 min may be taken from the front panel headphone circumstances and just sits jammed in RECORD duration for compact disc master. Twin-track fixed socket. Personally I prefer the latter solution for PAUSE if you ask it to record. There are head DASH/PRODIGI machines cope with some of three main reasons: simplicity, dissatisfaction manufacturer options to utilise 12 bit non -linear these problems, but at quite a price and size. On with the sound quality of some of the adaptor quantisation and 32 kHz sampling for reduced paper the lightweight rotary -head R -DAT format boxes, and reluctance to pay good money for quality at half tape speed, but I have had no

58 Studio Sound, July 1987