About the Company
Soundcraft Saturn was a short-lived line of professional multitrack reel-to-reel tape recorders produced by Soundcraft Magnetics (a subsidiary of Soundcraft Electronics) from 1986 to 1988, representing one of the last advanced British analog tape machines before digital overtook the market.
Company background
Soundcraft Magnetics formed in 1977 to develop studio tape recorders, starting with the SCM 380 series (8/16/24-track 1" and 2" machines, 1979–1987); the Saturn was its ambitious flagship, launched amid financial strain at parent Soundcraft Electronics.
Saturn design and features
The Saturn was a 24-track 2-inch analog deck with computerized remote control, variable speeds (7.5–30 ips), tape-type presets, auto lineup/biasing, quick locate/cycle memories, and reverse play; it used Photovox heads and modular electronics for easy maintenance.
A related S20 stereo mastering deck (1/4" or 1/2" tape, swappable heads) served as its prototype but remained pre-production (only ~10 beta units).
Production and demise
Launched 1986 just ahead of Studer A820, the Saturn challenged Otari dominance but faced digital transition and parent-company insolvency; Soundcraft Magnetics closed March 1988 after minimal sales, with Saturn Research briefly assembling remaining units.
Historical role
The Saturn exemplified late-1980s British engineering ambition—computer-controlled precision rivaling top decks—but arrived too late commercially; surviving units are rare studio relics valued for sound quality over ubiquity.