The Luxman KD-117 is a digital audio tape recorder released in June 1987. It was a high specification DAT deck from Luxman, designed around the R-DAT format and built to combine digital recording technology with the company’s established audio design approach. The Luxman KD-117 was priced at ¥230,000 at launch and supported 48kHz, 44.1kHz and 32kHz sampling frequencies during playback, with recording available at 48kHz and 32kHz.
The Luxman KD-117 used a rotary drum head system for digital audio recording and playback. In the R-DAT system, the tape runs at 8.15mm/s while the rotating head scans the tape using a helical scan method. The head rotates at 2000rpm, producing a relative head-to-tape speed of approximately 3m/s. This allowed high-density digital recording on compact DAT tape, with up to 120 minutes of recording time.
Luxman equipped the KD-117 with coaxial and optical digital inputs and outputs. The coaxial output used a new pulse transformer designed to improve signal transmission efficiency. The machine supported 48kHz as the standard DAT recording and playback mode, while 44.1kHz was available for playback only. The 32kHz mode supported playback of compatible digital recordings and recording at that sampling frequency.
The digital conversion section used 16-bit linear A/D and D/A conversion. The playback section included a 16-bit 4 x oversampling digital filter, while the D/A converter used left and right independent resistance ladder converters. A GIC-type 7th-order analogue low-pass filter was also fitted to remove harmonic components. The Luxman KD-117 included a low-pass filter defeat function for the CD input, allowing CD analogue output to pass through without being filtered again by the DAT recorder.
The transport and servo system were designed for stable tape handling. The rotary head and drive system were controlled by a digital servo system using computer control. Luxman also developed a dedicated tape travel mechanism for the Luxman KD-117, intended to improve stability, responsiveness and tape tracing accuracy, while reducing dropouts.
Power supply design was a major part of the Luxman KD-117’s construction. The digital and analogue sections used separate power supply arrangements to reduce interference from high-frequency digital pulses entering the analogue signal path. The power transformer was separated into five secondary windings, and the unit used a total capacitor capacity of 92,000μF. Luxman also used its S.T.A.R. circuit in the analogue section, separating power and ground paths from the power supply through to the signal circuit.
The Luxman KD-117 included several DAT subcode functions. Start ID and Skip ID markers could be inserted, erased and copied during digital dubbing. This allowed users to mark track starts, skip unwanted sections and retain start ID information when copying compatible digital material. The deck also offered 24-track programme playback, repeat mode, 10-key control, REC END search for locating unrecorded tape sections and a remaining tape display.
The front loading system used a slide tray for DAT cassette insertion. The deck was supplied with the RKD-117 wireless remote control, which could operate two Luxman KD-117 units, making it useful for dubbing between two machines. Gold-plated analogue and digital input and output terminals were fitted, and optional side wood panels were available separately as the W117-KD.
Features
- Digital audio tape recorder using the R-DAT format
- 48kHz and 32kHz recording modes
- 48kHz, 44.1kHz and 32kHz playback modes
- Rotary drum head system using helical scan recording
- Digitally controlled servo system for the rotary head and drive system
- Coaxial and optical digital inputs and outputs
- 16-bit 4 x oversampling digital filter
- Left and right independent resistance ladder D/A converters
- Start ID, Skip ID and Clear functions
- Start ID and Skip ID digital dubbing support
- 24-track programme setting
- REC END search function
- Remaining tape display
- Slide tray DAT cassette loading system
- Gold-plated input and output terminals
- Wireless remote control supplied