by Jerry Vigil
It's very easy to spend ten thousand dollars or more on a DAT deck. It's just as easy to equip your studio with a quality DAT recorder for under one thousand dollars. In fact, the Sony DTC-670 lists for $750, and don't be surprised to find it sale priced closer to $600. The DTC-670 is a "consumer" deck in that it doesn't offer large "broadcast" buttons, SMPTE time code features, and other studio frills. However, it is still a digital 2-track recorder, priced right for the studio looking for low cost, digital recording.
There are only a handful of DAT recorders in this price range, and though their features are few, some offer features the others don't. For example, the Technics SV-DA10 offers a handy fade-in/fade-out function which the Sony DTC-670 does not. But, the Sony offers 32kHz sampling, or "Long Play" mode, and the Technics unit does not. For the most part, the differences are minor, and in each case, you get what you pay for. The point is, a DAT deck for under $750 will be basic, but you'll be getting into CD quality digital recording for the price of a high-end analog cassette deck.
Though the 670 is a "basic" DAT deck, there are a few features that make a fast first impression. We've played with a lot of DAT decks and got used to some lengthy tape load/unload times. Sony has introduced a modified transport system that significantly speeds up the process of loading and unloading a DAT cassette. Plus, the cassette compartment has a window so you can see what tape you have loaded. (If you already use DAT in your studio and can't view the tape inside the unit, you're familiar with the inconvenience of having to unload the tape to see what's in the deck!) Golf clap for the see-through window and faster tape loading/unloading!
The brightly lit LED display also gets points. You get more than just the "basic" information, and a glance at the display lets you know exactly what functions are in use at any time. The time display shows Absolute Time, Program Time, and Remaining Time, and indicators show which time display mode is in effect. There are three indicators for sampling frequency -- 32kHz, 44.1kHz, and 48kHz. The unit employs two digital inputs, optical and coaxial, with indicators on the display to show which digital input is in use. If the analog inputs are selected (with the input knob on the front panel), the digital input indicators turn off. Of course, you get the usual indicators for the sub-codes and their functions -- Start ID, Skip ID, End ID, ID Write, ID Erase, and Renumber.
One nice "consumer" feature of the display is the Display Mode button, found only on the remote control. (By the way, this is a good time to mention that the 670 needs the remote control for quite a few of its functions.) The Display Mode button selects one of three modes. When the display is "ON," all indicators are lit. When in the "OFF" mode, the level meters and Margin Indicator turn off. This merely makes the display look a little less "busy" without the level meters constantly lit and moving. But the nifty mode is the "AUTO" mode. In this mode, the entire display shuts off when the unit is playing, making the unit look as though it's not even turned on! There isn't even a "Power On" light. Then, when any of the transport controls are pressed -- rewind, fast forward, pause, etc. -- the display lights up so you can see what you're doing! Very good, late night, bedside manners...if you plan to have a DAT deck on your nightstand.
Anyway, there are indicators to show what display mode is in effect. There's a "CAUTION" light that warns of condensation in the unit. A "COPY PROHIBIT" indicator lights when an attempt is made to make a digital copy of a SCMS protected tape. (The manual kindly suggests you then use the analog inputs.) The Margin Indicator mentioned earlier is a nice feature. This numerical display shows how much headroom or margin there is between the highest peaks of the input signal and 0dB -- a helpful aid when setting input levels. The peak level meters also function as a "frequency map." When the "4" and "COUNTER MODE" buttons on the remote are pressed simultaneously, the peak level meters switch to the Frequency Map mode and indicate the sampling frequencies used to record the tape. If you have a tape with different segments recorded at different sampling rates, this display can accurately show you how inconsistent your recording is. Other than that, this function seems to fall into the category of bedside manners along with the dimming display.
There's a "REHEARSAL" indicator on the display that lights when the unit's Rehearsal function is engaged. This function lets you adjust the position of the Start or Skip IDs. There are a couple of other indicators on the display that light up when the 670's Repeat and Program functions are enabled. The 670 will repeat playback of a single program, the entire tape, or a selected number of programs for sixteen times then shut off. Program Play is easily accomplished using the remote control. There is no number keypad on the front panel of the 670, so the remote control must be used to enter the program numbers to be played back. Up to sixty selections can be programmed into the unit's memory.
The DTC-670 also offers Music Scan with variable "scan time" (the time each program plays before going to the next) adjustable from one to fifteen seconds. The Music Scan function also works in reverse, from the end of the tape to the beginning, and a "MUSIC SCAN" indicator lights when the mode is enabled. Of course, you also get the usual Skip Play function which seems most useful when recording music directly from the radio and you wish to automatically "skip" stopsets and such upon playback.
There are many buttons on the front panel that are also on the remote control including all the transport controls, ID Write and Erase buttons, Counter Mode buttons, cassette compartment Open/Close and others. However, the remote control must be used to access Repeat Play, Skip Play, Programmed Play, Margin Reset, Music Scan, Frequency Map, Display Mode, and for entering program numbers. Also, the remote control includes a few buttons for controlling a Sony CD player and synchronizing the CD player with the DAT deck -- ideal for making CD to DAT dubs.
Functions on the front panel not found on the remote control include Power On/Off, Input Select, Input Level and Balance, Headphone Level, Timer Record/Playback On/Off, and Record Mode (standard/long play). The Long Play mode actually slows the tape speed to half normal speed and sets the sampling frequency at 32kHz, so a 120 minute DAT will provide four hours of 2-14.5kHz recording.
The Sony DTC-670 is an obvious hit as a consumer deck, but does it belong in your radio production studio? That depends on how much you have to spend on a DAT deck. The biggest drawback of the DTC-670 (and other decks in this class) is the need for the hand-held remote control, particularly when you need to search a program by number. If you're like many, remote controls tend to have legs of their own, and having to shuffle through stacks of reels, carts, and production orders to find a lost remote control can be an unwanted pain in an unwanted place at a bad time. BUT...if management says you can't have mega-bucks for a high-end DAT deck, and you want to make the jump to DAT, the Sony DTC-670, complete with its remote control, is an inexpensive, quality unit that appears to be durable enough for professional use. In fact, the unit is backed with a three-year parts and labor warranty.
Specs include 16-bit linear quantization in Standard Play mode and 12-bit non-linear in Long Play mode. Frequency response in Standard mode is 2-22kHz and 2-14.5kHz in Long Play mode. Signal to noise is greater than 90dB in both modes. THD is less than .005% (Standard mode) and less than .08% (Long Play). Inputs are phono for the analog inputs and phono and optical for the digital inputs. (The optical cable is an option.) There is no digital output, only analog outs on the rear and the headphone jack on the front panel.
DAT never did take off in the U.S. consumer market like manufacturers had hoped. This is due primarily to the lengthy battle between the record industry and manufacturers which resulted in the SCMS copy protect system. However, during this battle, DAT found its way into a large number of radio stations and production facilities everywhere. The DAT format is standard. It's an established, reliable, digital recording medium that should be around for years to come. DAT offers a step towards improving the quality of the production on your station through digital recording and mastering, and the storage benefits are tremendous in comparison to archiving on reel-to-reel. On this month's cover is a photo of a rack full of DATs. It would take 142 7-inch reels of 15 ips tape to replace the 38 DATs in the photo. If you haven't equipped your studio with a DAT machine because the price has been too high, take a look at a unit like the 670. It lets you reap the benefits of DAT without having to commit to a serious amount of capital.
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