The Hitachi D-5500 was introduced in 1979 as a high-grade stereo cassette deck, produced in Japan and built around a substantial silver chassis with a broad, full-width front panel. It used a large left-side cassette compartment, illuminated level meters, a central control section and a detachable control block that could also operate as an infrared remote control.
The Hitachi D-5500 uses a 3-head cassette system, with separate record, playback and erase head functions. This allows true tape monitoring during recording, so the incoming source signal can be compared with the signal being read back from the tape. Hitachi’s Close Gap record/playback head design was used as part of the deck’s recording and monitoring system.
A central feature of the Hitachi D-5500 is Hitachi’s ATRS, or Automatic Tape Response System. The system was designed to match the deck’s recording setup to the cassette being used by automatically adjusting bias and equalisation. During the test routine, ATRS carries out its calibration process in around 20 seconds and can store settings for frequently used tapes.
The Hitachi D-5500 transport uses a 2-motor system with Hitachi’s Unitorque direct-drive motor and a separate reel motor. This direct-drive arrangement was used to provide stable tape movement, while the Hitachi D-5500s quoted wow and flutter figure was 0.028% WRMS. Tape compatibility covers Type I normal, Type II CrO2 and Type III FeCr cassette formulations.
Noise reduction is provided by Dolby B, with Dolby switched in or out from the front panel. The Hitachi D-5500 also includes line and microphone inputs, DIN input and output, line output, headphone output and front-panel recording level controls. The large illuminated meters provide left and right recording and playback level indication.
The Hitachi D-5500’s detachable control block is one of its most distinctive design features. It can remain docked in the front panel for normal use or be removed and used as a wireless infrared remote control. The remote section provides full IC logic transport operation, giving the deck a highly unusual control arrangement for a late-1970s cassette machine.
Features
- 3-head stereo cassette deck
- Separate record, playback and erase head functions
- Hitachi Close Gap record/playback head design
- ATRS automatic tape response system
- Automatic bias and equalisation calibration
- Memory storage for frequently used tape settings
- Unitorque direct-drive motor system
- 2-motor transport
- Dolby B noise reduction
- Support for normal, CrO2 and FeCr cassette tapes
- Detachable infrared remote-control block
- Full IC logic transport control
- Large illuminated level meters
- Front-panel microphone inputs
- Line input and output connections
- DIN input and output connections
- Headphone output
- Silver front-panel finish