Kenwood KX 500
A precision stereo cassette deck from Kenwood’s TRIO line, released in 1979 with advanced tape handling and low wow and flutter.
Overview
The TRIO KX-500 is a stereo cassette deck manufactured by TRIO/Kenwood and released in 1979. It features a 2-head configuration with separate record/play and erase heads, supporting Normal, Chrome, Ferrichrome, and Metal tapes. Designed for high fidelity, it uses a large 65 mm flywheel and precision belt drive system to maintain stable tape speed. The deck includes Dolby noise reduction, an electronic peak level meter with 10 ms response, and a full auto shut-off mechanism using non-contact IC sensors. Cassette mounting is handled via a direct loading system that simplifies head access and maintenance.
Specifications
| Track format | 4-track 2-channel stereo |
| Motor | Electronically controlled DC servo motor |
| Heads | Recording and Playback: Hard Permalloy with Sendust Guard; Erasing: ferrite |
| Tape speed | 4.76 cm/s |
| Wow and flutter | 0.05% (WRMS) or less |
| Fast forward and rewind speed | 85 seconds or less (C-60 tape) |
| Frequency characteristic | Normal Tape: 30Hz–15kHz (40Hz–14kHz ±3dB); Ferrichrome Tape: 30Hz–16kHz (40Hz–15kHz ±3dB); Chrome Tape: 30Hz–16kHz (40Hz–15kHz ±3dB); Metal Tape: 30Hz–16kHz (40Hz–15kHz ±3dB) |
| Signal-to-noise ratio (Dolby NR OFF/ON) | Normal Tape: 52dB/62dB; Ferrichrome Tape: 54dB/64dB; Chrome Tape: 54dB/64dB; Metal Tape: 54dB/64dB |
| Total harmonic distortion | 1.3% or less (1 kHz, 0 VU, normal tape) |
| Recording bias | AC system, 105 kHz |
| Erasing method | AC erase |
| Input Sensitivity / Impedance | MIC: 0.19mV/10kΩ (For Low Impedance (600Ω) Microphone); Line: 77.5mV/50kΩ |
| Output Level / Impedance | Line: 390mV/100kΩ load; Headphone: For 8–16Ω headphones |
| Power supply | 100 VAC, 50Hz/60Hz |
| Power consumption | 10W |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 400 x 139 x 281 mm |
| Weight | 4.3 kg |
Design
The KX-500 uses a mechanical logic control system driven by the flywheel's rotation, employing cams and gears for mode selection. It features a two-belt drive: a thin neoprene flat belt (<50μm) for the capstan and a square belt for the take-up reel. The capstan flywheel is large (65 mm diameter, 210g) with less than 0.1μm circularity error, contributing to stable tape transport. Button operation requires 200g or less force, and LED indicators on Record and Pause buttons prevent misoperation. A 4-step tape selector accommodates Normal, Chrome, Ferrichrome, and Metal tapes, with fine bias tuning for optimization. The deck includes a pure electronic fluorescent peak level meter (~10 ms response), Rec Muting for silent recording, Dolby NR with MPX filter, and a built-in timer standby mechanism for delayed operation. Cassette loading is direct, aiding head maintenance.
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