The TEAC R-10 DAT Recorder was introduced in 1990 as a rotary head Digital Audio Tape deck designed to bring professional digital recording standards into the home hi-fi environment. At a time when DAT was emerging as one of the most promising digital formats for both professional and domestic use, the TEAC R-10 DAT Recorder combined advanced conversion technology with a robust transport system and comprehensive connectivity.
At the heart of the TEAC R-10 DAT Recorder is a 1-bit delta-sigma A/D converter with 64x oversampling, paired with an 18-bit D/A stage using 8x oversampling and digital filtering. In STANDARD mode the machine operates with 16-bit linear quantisation, while LONG mode uses 12-bit non-linear processing. Sampling rates of 48 kHz, 44.1 kHz and 32 kHz are supported, making the TEAC R-10 DAT Recorder suitable for a range of digital recording applications. With a 120-minute cassette, recording time is 120 minutes in STANDARD and 240 minutes in LONG.
Supporting this digital architecture is a precision-engineered transport mechanism developed specifically for the demands of the DAT format. The TEAC R-10 DAT Recorder uses brushless, coreless direct-drive motors, including a direct-drive capstan motor and a brushless direct-drive drum motor, contributing to stable tape handling and consistent operation.
Tape speeds are specified as 8.15 mm per second in STANDARD and 4.075 mm per second in LONG, with 12.225 mm per second also supported. Head drum speed is 2,000 rpm in STANDARD and 1,000 rpm in LONG during recording, with fast winding taking approximately 70 seconds using an R-120 cassette. Error correction is specified as octet correction.
Operation of the TEAC R-10 DAT Recorder is centred around a clearly arranged front panel and a supplied wireless remote control. Transport, counter, display and ID functions are available directly from the unit, while the remote adds a numeric keypad for programming along with dedicated search controls. Cue and review are available at 3x speed, with search at 9x speed, allowing rapid navigation through recorded material. Editing flexibility is enhanced by Start ID and Skip ID functions, which can be arranged in 0.15 second steps to enable precise playback positioning.
A margin display is integrated into the front panel, indicating available headroom in dB. Once reset, the display shows the remaining margin and, during recording, the highest signal level reached. This assists in accurate level setting to achieve optimal recording results. The TEAC R-10 DAT Recorder also incorporates SCMS compatibility, separated digital and analogue circuit boards with internal shielding, a shielded display chassis, ganged input level controls, a headphone output with level control, 17-segment fluorescent level meters, an intro check function, and timer recording and playback capability.
Connectivity on the TEAC R-10 DAT Recorder includes analogue RCA inputs and outputs, along with coaxial and optical digital input and output connections. Nominal analogue input level is 500 mV with an input impedance of 50 kΩ unbalanced. Maximum analogue output level is 2.0 V, with a nominal output level of 500 mV and output impedance of 430 Ω unbalanced. Headphone output is specified at 100 mW plus 100 mW into an 8 Ω load.
Performance specifications for the TEAC R-10 DAT Recorder include a frequency response of 10 Hz to 22,000 Hz ±0.5 dB in STANDARD and 10 Hz to 14,500 Hz ±0.5 dB in LONG. Signal to noise ratio is specified as better than 92 dB, with dynamic range better than 93 dB. Total harmonic distortion is less than 0.004% at 1 kHz in STANDARD and less than 0.007% at 1 kHz in LONG. Channel separation is better than 85 dB at 1 kHz, and wow and flutter is specified as unmeasurable at less than ±0.001%.
The TEAC R-10 DAT Recorder represents a 1990 DAT design that combines 1-bit delta-sigma conversion, precision transport engineering, flexible ID-based editing and comprehensive analogue and digital connectivity in a single integrated deck.
Features
- 1-bit delta-sigma A/D conversion with 64x oversampling
- 18-bit D/A conversion with 8x oversampling and digital filtering
- STANDARD and LONG modes for 120 minutes or 240 minutes recording with a 120-minute cassette
- Precision transport mechanism with tray-loading design and high-precision manufacturing focus
- Brushless, coreless direct-drive motors including direct-drive capstan motor and brushless direct-drive drum motor
- Wireless remote control with numeric keypad, cue and review at 3x speed, and search at 9x speed
- Start ID and Skip ID editing in 0.15 second steps
- Margin display indicating available headroom and peak record level
- SCMS compatibility
- Separated digital and analogue circuit boards with internal shielding and fully shielded display
- Ganged input level controls and headphone socket with level control
- Balanced XLR analogue input and output, unbalanced analogue connections, and optical and coaxial digital I/O
- 17-segment fluorescent level meters
- Intro check playback function
- Suitable for timer recording and playback