Sony MT-1S

The Sony MT-1S is a vintage reel-to-reel tape deck known for its compact design and basic analog tape recording and playback functions. It supports standard tape speeds common in consumer grade tape decks, typically 3 3/4 and 7 1/2 inches per second, which are compatible with 7-inch reels. The unit features manual tape transport controls including play, rewind, fast-forward, record, and pause. It uses analog VU meters to monitor signal levels during recording and playback.

The MT-1S incorporates standard two-track stereo recording and playback heads, with tape tension and speed maintained by a capstan and pinch roller mechanism. It supports Dolby noise reduction to improve signal-to-noise ratios on analog tape. The playback system includes a built-in amplifier for driving headphones or external speakers, with basic tone controls often provided on such models for bass and treble adjustment.

Typical specifications for tape decks of this era, like the MT-1S, are a frequency response roughly from 40 Hz to 15 kHz, signal-to-noise ratios around 50-60 dB with Dolby, and total harmonic distortion generally below 1%. The design is aimed at high-fidelity home audio enthusiasts in the late 1970s and early 1980s, offering simple analog performance rather than professional or studio-grade features.