The Studer D820X is a cutting-edge digital recorder renowned for its exceptional audio quality and versatility, making it a top choice for professional recording studios and broadcast environments. Engineered with precision, this device offers a robust set of features including high-resolution audio capture, extensive connectivity options, and user-friendly controls. The Studer D820X stands out with its reliability and advanced technology, ensuring pristine sound reproduction and efficient workflow management. Whether for music production, live recording, or broadcasting, the Studer D820X sets a high standard in the digital recording industry.
Some of the Studer D820X Digital Tape Recorders features are:
- Designed as a 2-channel reel-to-reel recorder with stationary audio heads.
- Starting time less than 0.5 sec.
- Twin DASH tape format.
- 8 levels of tape signal quality indication (per channel).
- 2 main channels (digital audio).
- 4 AUX channels (CUE tracks, AUX data, reference, SMPTE/EBU time code).
- 15 ips tape speed (at 48 kHz sampling frequency).
- Accurate manual cueing with only one hand.
- Switch-selectable sampling frequencies.
- Varispeed range ±12.5 %.
- Digital inputs and outputs.
- Analog inputs and outputs.
- Universal interfaces:
- Analog
- Digital (AES/EBU)
- Remote controls
- Synchronisation
- Robust, field-proven, high-precision type 820 transport.
- Built-in locator functions.
- Integrated service and diagnostic facilities.
For the Studer D820X only the best tape transport was good enough: the Studer A820 chassis with its enviable reputation for high stability, for accurate and gentle tape guidance, and a headblock that has no equal. The high-torque DC spooling motors and the multilevel microprocessor control permit high spooling speeds and consequently very fast access. Over 2 hours of uninterrupted recording is possible with 14″ tape reels.
The low-inertia capstan units with brushless DC motor and separate microprocessor control have been specifically developed for gentle tape processing and extremely short start-up times. Carefully matched transport components and field-proven software are the key to:
- Easy and reliable handling
- Wide varispeed range of ± 12.5 %
- Versatile external synchronisation facilities:
- Directly to digital sources (AES/EBU), WORD CLOCK, COMPOSITE VIDEO, COMPOSITE SYNC
- or to other sources via external TLS 4000 memory with its complete repertoire of functions and phase-locked coupling (PHASE LOCK).
These characteristics underline the difference with conventional concepts. The wide range of quality concepts built into the D820X includes numerous exclusive features such as:
- Individually linearised A/D and D/A converters of very high quality.
- True reconstruction of all audio samples at electronic or mechanical edits.
- True off-tape/source monitoring.
- Unique optical indication of the data quality on the tape.
- Analog and digital (AES/EBU) inputs and outputs with levels adjustable in steps of 0.1 dB and dB indication on the display.
- Headroom function for optimal exploitation of the dynamic range offered by the advanced converters. 50 dB “True peak meter” with peak hold memory and numeric indication of the peak value per channel.
- Integrated time code reader: time code indication on the display, with interpolation of the tacho roller signals if the code is defective.
- Switch-selectable sampling frequency: 48 and 44.1 kHz (optionally also 44.056 kHz). Automatic selection of the correct sampling frequency in reproduce mode and by AES/EBU interface channel status commands.
These are the reasons why the Studer D820X is so eminently suited for demanding applications such as 2-channel mastering, CD mastering, live recordings, dubbing, digital copying with accurate level control as well as for electronic and manual editing.
The twin DASH format which is based on twin recording of each audio sample, and track-oriented error correction, achieves outstanding recording stability and reliability:
- No interpolation error at mechanical splices or at punch-in/outs.
- Burst errors on all tracks simultaneously over a length of up to 39 mm (11/2″) have no adverse effect on the reproduce quality.
- Drop-outs of any length on individual tracks are fully corrected.
- Carefully executed mechanical splices are reproduced without resorting to interpolation error correction. The Studer D820X allows the interchange of tapes with other Twin DASH recorders like the Sony PCM 3402.
The basic operating procedure is the same as on the A820 tape recorder; a field-proven concept with user-programmable softkeys and step-by-step user guidance via a secondary keypad with separate alphanumeric LC display. The long list of facilities includes:
- The primary and secondary keypad are programmable and can thus be tailored to the user’s requirements.
- SHUTTLE function (rocker) for variable spooling speed.
- SET/CUE functions (flywheel):
- CUE for fine positioning of the tape,
- SET for paging through the menu for direct programming, e. g. for entering transport or audio parameters, for setting varispeed values, the tape counter or a locator address.
- Several built-in locator functions:
- Zero Loc,
- Loc Start with programmable sequence control,
- Address locator with 5 memories.
- Programmable spooling speeds up to 15 m/sec.
- Programmable library wind speeds (in steps of 0.1 m/sec.)
Studer equipment has long been known for its easy maintenance. This tradition has been continued with a trendsetting service and diagnostic concept for the Studer D820X. Based on clear information displayed on the operating surface of the tape deck and on the control panel, the functions and settings of the transport, the analogue and digital electronics can be checked out step by step. The displays provide information on tape time, time code and reference track values, as well as line, peak and headroom levels.
The unique, 8 level multicolour bar graph for each channel distinguishes between corrected errors, error concealment, and defects on the tape and thus provides real-time information on the quality of the audio data recorded on the tape.
All messages on the alphanumeric display are in plain text. More than 60 different user and error messages can thus be easily interpreted. The service routines integrated in the electronics establish the internal cross connections in the recorder at various levels and offer effective troubleshooting. Simulation and diagnostic programs can be selected via a directly connectible terminal or a PC (RS 232 interface) which can even perform remote diagnostics via modem and a telephone line. Furthermore, the quality of a recording can be checked via a terminal in that CRC errors, interpolations or mutes can be cumulatively captured and recorded over any period of time.
The Studer D820X can be configured with comprehensive remote-control facilities and other peripheral devices. The serial remote controller supports all transport functions, including remote counter and feedback. Simpler parallel controllers can also be connected directly. In conjunction with the Studer and Philips PQ editor system LHH 3050, the Studer D820X is ideally suited for producing CD master tapes. The AUX tracks required for time code and for the CD subcode are fully implemented.
