Technics RS-1500US Reel to Reel - McIntosh Tribute Edition - Ready to Ship!

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

General:
No this is not a vintage McIntosh prototype that someone smuggled out of Binghamton, or a clone someone half-attempted in their free time.

We recently posted a full review to our YouTube channel from a similar machine (the RS-1520). It started quite the commotion in the audiophile community! 

The Reel to Reel that McIntosh never made!

Every custom piece 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.  

This is a very special Technics RS-1500 that first received a careful and complete restoration, and then on top it gained a plethora of functional and cosmetic upgrades.

It's finished in a unique black and green color theme to resemble and blend right into your beloved McIntosh system. 

Reels/Adapters Included with your purchase:
2 x NAB Hub Adapters
2 x Aluminum Take-Up Reels as pictured

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

These machines generally have a 6-8 week lead time, but this one is ready to ship immediately. If you've been eying a McIntosh Tribute machine, this is the most economical one we've ever had to date.  

Technics RS-1500 Technical Details:
• Quartz-Locked "Isolated Loop" Open-Faced Reel
• 3-Motor Direct Drive  
• 2 Track, 2-Channel Record and Playback  
• 2 Track, 2-Channel Playback w/3 Speeds. 3-1/4, 7-1/2, and 15 ips.
• Accepts 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 for this item. If you're outside of this area just contact us for a quote as we ship worldwide.

Click here for a PDF copy of the "Operating Instructons"

And Click Here for a copy of the original and very retro-cool Sales Brochure

SkyFi Cosmetic Notes:
A small chip/crack on one of the side veneer panels (pictured).

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.

General Sound:
Accurate to the recording

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.

Warranty:
SkyFi Warranty

Included:
Exactly as pictured and described above.

Packing:
Will be packed using our highly developed in-house process and custom packing materials.Shipping:
UPS Ground

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.