Vintage Asylum

Posted by JDL-N (A) on October 24, 2001 at 01:04:06

In Reply to: Does anyone here have information on Alpage? posted by RedMenace on October 19, 2001 at 19:29:34:

I bought my Alpage AL-300 round about 1983.
My owner manual is lost, but I find again a commercial sheet (in french) with some technical specs which help you.

AL-300 specs:
Recording/playback head : Independent recording (5µ gap) and playback (1µ gap) ferrite heads.
Erase head : Sendust/ferrite
Noise reduction : Dolby B
Vow/flutter : < 0.035%
Frequency response METAL (TDK MA) : 20Hz_20KHz( + - 2dB)
Frequency response CrO2 (TDK SA) : 30Hz_19KHz( + - 3dB)
Frequency response FeCr (Sony) : 30Hz_19KHz( + - 3dB)
Frequency response NORMAL (TDK AD) : 30Hz_18KHz( + - 3dB)
Signal/noise ratio : without Dolby=61dB, with Dolby=68 dB
Total distortion (1 KHz, 16mM) : 0.7%
Premag. bias frequency : 105 KHz
Micro input sensibility/impedance : 0.25 mV / 600 Ohms
Line input sensibility/impedance : 75 mV / 5 KOhms
Line output level/impedance : 1 V / 50 KOhms
Phones output level/impedance : 2 mW / 8 Ohms
C-60 rewind duration : 65 sec
Power consumption : 40 W
Power supply : 110V/127V/220V/240V 50/60 Hz
Size (widthxheightxdepth) : 435x120x300 mm
Weight : 8.7 Kg
Rack mount option : RH-30

Old adresses for USA and Canada noted on this sheet. Try them, if by any chance...

ALPINE ELECTRONICS OF AMERICA INC.
3120 Kashiwa Street, Torrance, California 90505, U.S.A.
tel: (213) 326-8000 TLX. 181890

ALPINE ELECTRONICS OF CANADA INC.
101Amber Street, Unit 18-21 Markham, Ontario L3R 382, Canada
tel: (416) 475-7280 TLX. 698-6789

In France, Alpage servicing is from Luxman Electronics.

AL-300 tape-deck is very musical (better than my Revox A77), well made and easy to use.
The only setting is to adjust the premag. level (10 KHz) and Dolby B level (400 Hz) for each channel, comparing reference/recorded level by moving the monitor switch.
Do this setting each time you use a new cassette for recording session.
Pitch control is working only when playing a cassette.
METAL tapes don't work properly with my AL-300.
Great results with TDK SAX-90.
Avoid to let a cassette inside for a long time when Al-300 is on, because capstan motor is running then. This tape-deck has a speed regulation weakness (changed speed regulator + capstan motor six years
ago).
If you need more informations, don't hesitate to ask for.

Jean de Lisle