Custom Technics RS-1500 Reel to Reel - Completely Restored and Upgraded - Ready to Ship

Free Shipping on *ALL* Electronics (Excluding Speakers, Contiguous 48 US States Only)

General:
This is a very special Technics RS-1500 that received a careful and complete restoration, and a plethora of functional and cosmetic upgrades.

It's finished in a unique black and gold theme to resemble and blend right into your beloved system. Original Technics RS machines were finished in a rather dull gray finish which didn't keep up with the amazing quality of the electronics.

Every custom piece on this deck was meticulously designed and manufactured to perfectly mate into the legendary RS-1500. It looks like it just rolled off the factory production floor in this special style.

Included with your purchase:
Two x NAB Hub Adapters
Two x Aluminum Take-Up Reels as pictured
One x Captive Power Cord

Plus our famous "bomb-proof" custom packaging to ensure safe worldwide delivery.   

Upgrades from Stock Include:
1) "Black and Gold" Cosmetic Package
2) Electronics Performance Upgrade
3) Aluminum Botton Overlay Upgrade
4) Aluminum Knob and Switch Upgrade
5) Machined Aluminum Feet
6) Tape Lifter Bearings
7) Upper Tape Path Bearings
8) Carbon Fiber Hub Adapters
9) Gloss Black Side Panels with Metal Inserts
10) Head Block Overlay
11) Aluminum Silkscreened Back Panel
12) Record and Play Back Head Modifications

Technics RS-1500 Technical Details:
• Quartz-Locked "Isolated Loop" Open-Faced Reel
• 3 -Motor Direct Drive
• 2 Track 2-Channel Record/Playback
• 2 Track 2-Channel Playback w/3 Speeds
• 3 1/4, 7 1/2, and 15 ips
• 5" to 10.5" Reels
• 4 Heads, Auto Stop, NAB
• Bias, EQ and Pitch Controls

UPS Ground Shipping with Insurance within the Lower 48 US states is currently free under our active electronics promotion. If you're outside of this area please just contact us for a quote as we ship worldwide frequently. 

Click here for a PDF copy of the RS-1500 "Operating Instructions"

And Click here for a copy of the original RS-1500 (and very retro-cool) sales brochure

Brand Background:
At Technics we understand that the listening experience is not purely about technology but the magical and emotional relationship between people and music. We want people to experience music as it was originally intended and enable them to feel the emotional impact that enthuses and delights them. With a combination of our love of music and the vast high-end audio experience of the Technics team, we stand committed to building a brand that provides the ultimate emotive musical experience by music lovers, for music lovers.

Connections:
RCA inputs and Outputs

Cosmetic Condition:
9/10 = Excellent. Perfect physical condition, gently used. See our detailed rating description here.

Working Condition:
Working perfectly and tested in our lab.

Included:
Exactly as pictured and described above.

Packing:
Will be packed using our highly developed in-house process and custom packing materials.Recommended Cables:
Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Better

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Best

Testing Process:
First steps are performed to determine if the unit is a candidate for our full restoration process, or if it's just in need of a light service.

We perform a basic functionality test to ensure proper playback, fast forward, and rewind. We look for smooth operation of the motors, transport engagement, and associated rolling parts.

We then do an internal physical inspection to ensure the belts and rubber consumable parts are up to spec.

Internal components are checked to make sure there are no signs of heat stress or damage, particularly in the power supply section. Capacitors are checked for telltale signs of predictive failure including bulging, shrunken wrappers, or physical leakage. We also inspect the PCBs for discoloration from resistors or transistors that may have been running hot. On vintage units we often spot check select capacitors for value and ESR.

A light service will involve replacement of belts and rollers, external cleaning of heads, mechanism and boards, and basic record and playback tests.

A full restoration will often include disassembly of the drive system and replacement of all consumable and wearable parts including pinch rollers, belts, brakes, and bearings. We then clean, lubricate, and re-assemble the drive and perform basic mechanical alignment to ensure proper tape path and head alignment.

Final calibration will involve adjustment of the playback, erase, and record heads, along with optimization of the bias for a specific tape type. We do this with the aid of a Sound Technology 1510A tape deck analyzer plus a Nakamichi T-100 Audio Analyzer with reference calibration tapes.

Final listening tests are performed while monitoring with our reference Grado HP-1 headphones and a variety of factory and custom reference recordings We find that there is no better system for critical listening on tapes than with headphones, especially when comparing a live feed to a recorded feed.