Tascam 80-8

Data

General

• Manufacturer: Tascam / Teac
• Model: 80-8
• Type: Reel-to-reel tape recorder
• Years of manufacture: 1975 - 1982
• Made in: Japan
• Color: Silver / Black, wooden sides
• Original price approx:
  • Tascam 80-8: 800,000 yen (Japan, 1978), about DM 12,000.
  • Tascam 80-8 with external DBX: 1'000'000 Yen (Japan, 1978), about 15'000 DM

Specification:

• TAPE: 1/2 inch
• WIDTH: 8-track
• FORMAT: 8-channel
• REEL SIZE: 10-1/2" maximum, NAB hub only
• TAPE SPEED: 15 ips
• LINE INPUT: -10dB (0.3V) Impedance: >20 kOhms, unbalanced, -10 dB (0.3V) Load impedance: >10 kOhms, unbalanced
• RECORD LEVEL CALIBRATION: 0 VU referenced to 3 dB above 185 nWb1m of tape flux, adjustable
• SPEED ACCURACY: 20.5% deviation from 15 ips
• WOW and FLUTTER: 0.04% RMS (NAB), weighted, 20.06 peak (ANSI), weighted, Measured with flutter test tape.
• STARTING TIME: less than 0.5 sec.
• FAST WIND TIME: 120 sec. for 2400 ft. of tape
• OVERALL FREQUENCY RESPONSE, SYNC: 40 Hz - 18 kHz, +-3 dB
• SIGNAL to NOISE: 65 dB weighted, 60 dB unweighted, (22.4 Hz ~ 22.4 kHz), referenced to 3% T.H.D. level (10 dB above 0 VU) at 400 Hz
• DISTORTION: 1 % at 400 Hz, 0 VU
• T.H.D. overall: 3% at 10 dB above 0 VU
• CROSSTALK: Greater than 45 dB at 400 Hz
• ERASURE: Greater than 65 dB at 1 kHz, +l0 VU reference
• POWER REQ.: 117V, 60 Hz, 200 W (U.S.A. Model) /220V, 50-60 Hz, 200 W (Europe Model) /240V, 50-60 Hz, 200 W (U.K./Australia Model)
• DIMENSIONS overall: 17-1/2" (W) x 21" (H) x 12" (D) [445 (W) x 535 (H) x 305 (D) mm]
• WEIGHT: 17 Ibs. [35kg]

Technical specifications

Remarks

• Other models in the same series:
• Teac tape machines:
• Teac A-2300SX
• Teac A-2340SX
• Teac A-3300SX
• Teac A-3340S
• Teac A-4300SX
• Teac A-6100
• Teac A-6300
• Teac A-7300
• Teac A-7300-2T
• Teac A-7300 RX

• Tascam Tape Machines
• Tascam 80-8

Pictures

• Extract from brochure: Tascam 80-8

• Excerpt from brochure: Tascam 80-8

Reports

The Tascam Series 8-track Model 80-8 and 4-track Model 40-4 recorder/ reproducers make quality multitrack recording truly affordable. They are ideal for a wide spectrum of uses: tracks for a record album, making commercial spots, or doing production work in radio, TV or film. You can make superior recordings with these easy-to-operate recorders, and you get the quality and rollability for which TEAC is known.

• Impressive Performance
  • Good specifications are important, and you'll find ours are excellent, but anyone with a cood ear can perform the most sophisticated tect of a professional tape recorder: just listen to it. Tascam recorders provide essentially flat frequency response across the audible spectrum, plus low distortion. That means the tonal color and balance of your recording will be accurate. Wow and futter is extremely low, and when you plug in an optional, companion Tascam/dbx noise reduction system tape - induced noise simply goes away.

• Editing
  • All operating controls are arranged in a sensible layout. The tape motion buttons are grouped below the takeup reel for added convenience in editing. A flip-up head cover alows full access to the heads, a Cue lever retracts tape lifters so you can audibly locate program cues during fast winding. Play/Pause mode lets you manually rock the reels while you listen so you can pinpoint any desired location on the tape.
  • The Output Select buttons determine which of 3 signal sources will feed the tape recorder's line output and VU meters. An LED turns On to remind you the corresponding button is engaged.

1. INPUT drives the meters and line outputs with the signal fed to the input of the tape recorder. No signals from the tape wil be heard.
2. NORM is generally used for all operations, playback, sync/reproduce and recording. When Norm is selected, the sync playback from the record head serves foods the output unless a track is placed in record mode, at which point that track's output is derived from the input signal being recorded.
3. MONITOR selects the separate play head to food the meter and cutput jacks; recording is still possible, but not "sync." This mode is useful during alignmont to check the complete record/play performance of the recorder.

There's a Function Select button for each track. This feature lets you "punch in" to or "punch out" of record on individual tracks while tape is rolling in Sync/Record mode - or preset any desired tracks so they'l begin recording the instant you touch the Record button. When a track is placed in record mode (and Norm Cutput Select is engaged), the output jacks and meter automatically switch to the input source; it the Tascam/dbx unit is installed, it will automatically switch from "decode" to "encode" mode. An LED above each Function Sefect button signals the status (safe from record, record ready or recording). The Memory switch works in conjuction with the tape index counter. When Memory is engaged, tape rewinding will stop as the index passes zero.

• The Most Desirable Tape Speeds
  • The Model 80-8 operates at 15 ips (inches per second). In developing the 8-track 1⁄2" format, we selected this single speed because it provides better frequency response than 7 1⁄2 ips, and better tape economy than 30 ips. Single speed operation allowed us to optimize the record head design so it delivers full frequency response in record and sync playback modes. A separate playback head is now needed only for alignment.
  • The Model 40-4 gives you a choice of 15 ps or 7 1⁄2 ips tape speeds, as selected by the Speed button. The 40-4 Reel button optimizes takeup tension for 10 1⁄2" or 7" NAB reels.

TEAC 80-8 was used by: Isao Tomita, Eurythmics, The Cars, Yellow Magic Orchestra and as a professional multitrack recorder with outstanding performance for cinematic music for movies.

Links

• https://museumofmagneticsoundrecording.org/RecordersTeac808.html
• https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/teac_tascam_8_track_12_reel_to_reel_tape_recorder_80_8.html
• https://reel-reel.com/tape-recorder/teac-80-8/