This front loader employs microswitch operation for all the deck functions, permitting smooth change over from one to another. The unit is housed in a metal case and incorporates phono line in/out sockets with a 5-pole DIN on the rear panel, plus mono L/R microphone jacks and a stereo headphone jack on the front.

Concentrically mounted rotaries without friction-locking provide mixing of mic/DIN and line inputs, a separage ganged gain control being supplied for replay. Lever switches operate three positions of bias and equalisation separately, Dolby noise reduction with mpx on or off and a meter switch selecting' VU', peak reading or peak-hold metering functions. (The peak-hold function enables a peak to be read at a steady level until the control is either cancelled or a louder peak goes through the system.) An editing level allows controllable muting to cut out any undesirable parts of a program. The record/replay head is of the new Sendust type.

The microphone input sensitivity is barely adequate for speech at 1ft from an Electret, and slight hum was noticed, but the clipping margin is reasonably good. The 5-pole DIN input had adequate sensitivity and a good clipping margin, but the impedance was very low, unfortunately causing some noise degradation, while the response and distortion were satisfactory. The line input had adequate sensitivity, excellent signal-to-noise ratio and no clipping problem was noted. The mpx filter only affected the 15kHz response by 0.25dB but was well down at 19kHz, which is most commendable. On the nominal 'VU' position, the metering was average, but on the peak-reading position it read transients moderately well, but not as well as some other peak-reading types. The peak-hold function was most useful, but had the same basic characteristics as the normal peak one.

Replay azimuth was slightly but not seriously in error, while the replay amplifier hiss performance was marginally better than average, and showed an appropriate improvement with chrome, and averaged lOdB improvement with Dolby, the Dolby adjustment being quite accurate. The replay clipping margin was good and distortion at +6dB was about average, presenting no real problem; the line output is variable, but the DIN output is at a fixed level of 690mV for Dolby level. Whilst the bass response on all positions was much flatter than average and most commendable, the right channel showed a very slight HF loss at 10kHz.

The ferric/chrome response ration was correct. Whilst 8 ohm headphones worked very well, insufficient volume was available for 600 ohm models.
Fuji FX gave an extremely flat response from 40Hz to 17kHz, which is most commendable, the overall Dolby calibration also being quite accurate. Distortion at Dolby level measured 0.45% rising to 3% at +4dB, and the subjective sound quality was well above average, but showed just slight HF compression on our programme.

Overall noise was satisfactory and showed 9.5dB improvement with Dolby. Whilst BASF FeCr penned another very flat chart, HF compression was more noticeable, and some spitchiness was noted on speech. Distortion, however, measured just 2.2% at +4dB and the dynamic range was particularly good, measuring -59dB with Dolby, ref Dolby level, one of the best figures; however, I think I would have preferred a slightly lower bias and less equalisation to improve the high frequency end.

TDK SA again showed an amazingly flat chart from 40Hz to 17kHz. 333Hz distortion averaged 0.9% at Dolby level, rising to 3.2% at +4dB, which is thus well optimised for the tape type and the response was also good with Dolby. Subjectively TDK SA produced good overall recordings, but strangely sounded marginally muffled, but perhaps the cassette tape sample used for this was slightly below average. Noise, again, was good without Dolby, but 'Dolby in' gave just 9.25dB improvement, the overall figure still being good nevertheless.

Wow and flutter measured well, but speed was a little fast, and winding was slightly slow at 2.5 minutes. Whilst HF stability was good on the right channel, it was rather poor on the left, although overall azimuth was consistent. Ferric tapes erased well, but chromium types erased barely adequately. Crosstalk was excellent throughout. A very high-pitched mechanical whistle was audible from the deck, which was a little annoying, although it was intermittent and it did not appear on the electrical outputs.

The very flat pen charts and the general good performance make this machine most recommend-able, but the rather poor erasure on the chromium position just withholds a 'best buy'. But the review sample was a pre-production one and I understand the fault will be rectified on production samples - thus probably a future best buy.
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The Trio KX-1030 is a front loader encased in metal and having 3 heads, thus allowing off-tape monitoring. A built in auto-switching oscillator is provided for bias setting to optimise response, the tone switching between 400Hz and 10kHz. The meter sensitivity is increased for response testing, which is thus performed at well below tape saturation level. In addition to having two 3-position levers for bias and equalisation, two centre-indented concentrically mounted knobs allow bias to be altered by the user, the tone oscillator button being immediately below these, while additional levers control Dolby and monitoring.

Friction-locked concentric controls are provided for mic/DIN and line inputs and output levels, but unfortunately, the input controls which provide mixing slightly affect each other. The front panel incorporates a stereo headphone jack which gives adequate adjustable levels into low and high impedance models, and has an acceptable clipping margin, and two mono jack sockets are provided for microphone connection (6ft only feeding L+R).

The normal deck functions also incorporated a memory counter. Phono line in/out sockets are complemented by a 5-pole DIN and a separate earth terminal is provided. Two normal recording meters are complemented by a single peak-reading light (operating at +4dB).
The microphone inputs showed reasonable sensitivity but a rather poor clipping margin. The DIN input had adequate sensitivity and a reasonable clipping margin, but the review sample showed poor DIN noise degradation; Trio should have modified the DIN input circuitry by November 1978 to improve this. Considerable bass loss was noted on the DIN and microphone inputs, but the line input measured well, with good sensitivity, excellent low noise performance and no clipping problems.

Replay azimuth was accurately set but the replay response showed a slight loss of bass and a very slight rise at 10kHz on both ferric and chromium positions. Replay noise, unfortunately, measured inferior to average, but showed the correct improvement with Dolby, while chromium equalisation produced nearly 4dB less hiss than ferric; no replay hum problems were encountered. The replay preamplifier clipping margin was excellent, but the output amplifier after the gain control just had an average margin; replay distortion measured extremely well.

Maxell UDXLI produced a pen chart which showed some significant bass woodles and slight losses, but which was excellent at HF, showing a slight rise at 10kHz with a slight fall at 15kHz, this in any case being set optimally for the tape type. A considerable overall Dolby error was noted causing an HF shelf boost with Dolby in, which was reasonable subjectively. MF distortion was much lower than average, + 6dB measuring only 3.2%. HF compression was about average. Sony FeCr gave a very similar pen chart and 333Hz distortion was even lower, measuring only 1.8% at +6dB! However, HF compression was noted, suggesting too much record equalisation and necessarily a high bias to offset this. A significant Dolby A/B error was again noted. Overall noise levels on both UDXLI and FeCr were average, Dolby showing a 9.75dB general improvement. Maxell UDXLI1 again produced overall bass woodles and some general bass loss, but the HF response was virtually flat to 14kHz, although with Dolby processing an HF shelf was again noted. Overall noise was rather average, and distortion was clearly worse than average, showing too little equalisation and thus a low bias setting to offset it, +4dB at 333Hz giving distortion figures of around 8%.

Summing up here, the record equalisation circuits need some readjustment to give the best optimisation between MF and HF MOLs, and overall Dolby errors also showed rather poor setting up.
The biasing facility was much liked and this deck could provide some excellent quality in operation, but the wow and flutter was only average. Slight HF stability problems were encountered in testing, but were not troublesome subjectively. Speed was over 2% fast and this is rather poor, although spooling was average. Erasure measured well and crosstalk generally average, although right on right was worse than average at middle frequencies.

Providing you stick to the line input this machine can give some very good quality, but Trio will have to be more careful about Dolby and equalisation/ bias optimisation. The facilities offered were well liked, but the DIN/microphone input stage clearly needs re-design because of the bass loss etc. Clearly the best machine that Trio have produced, it can be recommended particularly if you like trying different tape types, but the competition is so fierce that it cannot quite make a formal recommendation. Once the problems have been ironed out though, the machine should perform much better.
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This very compact portable can be operated off batteries, or a mains unit which produced bad hum if used internally. Other than a stereo headphone jack socket, all inputs and outputs are DIN types. These include sockets for normal DIN in/out accessory, a stereo loudspeaker output (also for headphones), auxiliary and car DIN for 12V DC input and stereo output.

Cassette loading is achieved by placing the cassette in a slot and depressing a lever. An 8 pin mic/DIN socket on the front panel allows connection of stereo or mono microphones, other pins bringing in various time constants when shorted in the plug for use with the limiter.

All the controls are very miniaturised and include separate L and R levels which can be ganged with a slide switch. Another gain control (also on/off switch) operates headphone or loudspeaker monitoring levels. Push buttons select internal loudspeaker (mono), internal microphone (mono), limiter, Dolby and record. Miniature press-studs operate counter re-set, battery indication and meter illumination with the battery.

A slide switch selects three different tape types. A sideways acting lever selects wind in either direction, while another lever engages the tape into play or record modes depending upon its position and the appropriate push button being depressed. The record level meters are peak reading indicating transients very well but also unfortunately incorporating equalisation. A small cover facilitates access to the tape mechanism for cleaning etc when withdrawn.

The microphone input sensitivity was quite good for all normal purposes and the clipping margin was amazingly good. The main DIN input had good sensitivity and a wide clipping margin, showing also virtually no noise degradation, which is most commendable but hardly surprising for a German machine.

Both distortion and frequency response on this input measured reasonably well. The auxiliary input is connected through to the DIN input via ridiculous 470k ohm resistors, thus producing bad noise degradation unless the input level is very high. The limiter acted reasonably but insufficient gain was present before it.

Replay azimuth was quite badly mis-set. Replay hiss levels measured well but Dolby only gave 9.25dB improvement, and when the mains unit was used externally replay hum at 50Hz was just noticeable, but otherwise satisfactory. The replay clipping margin will be found adequate for normal tapes and the replay amplifier distortion reached 0.3% at -(-6dB. The replay responses on ferric were excellent to 10kHz but chromium had not enough cut. The Dolby did not show quite the correct tracking performance at 10kHz. Headphones of all types worked excellently with a good clipping margin and external loudspeakers could be driven up to 1W into 4 ohm before the onset of clipping.

Maxell UDXLI was used as agreed with Uher, and produced an HF shelf averaging 2.5dB from the presence region upwards. The bass response was excellent, overall noise levels were average, and Dolby gave the usual improvement. 333Hz distortion averaged 0.65% at Dolby level, rising to an average of 4% at + 4dB, the two channels being rather unequal. The sound quality, subjectively, was good but clearly up from 5kHz to 12kHz.

BASF FeCr was not altogether suitable, producing some HF compression and slightly muffled sound with Dolby (obviously over-biased since 333Hz distortion at +4dB measured only 1.8%). TDKSA used on the chrome position penned a chart showing a similar HF boost to ferric, but again, with a good bass end. Distortion averaged 2% at +4dB and the overall quality was reasonable if the level was held down, but high levels produced HF compression and speech spitchiness. Overall noise was satisfactory. The chromium position showed a +2dB Dolby error.

Wow and flutter was only fair, being noted particularly on piano. Speed was just over 1% fast but HF stability was quite good. Spooling was slow at 2.75 minutes. Erasure was only fair on ferric and rather poor on chrome. Crosstalk was generally excellent, except at high frequencies (DIN sockets!) but slight right on right crosstalk was noted, though not troublesome.

The internal microphone and loudspeaker were quite reasonable for their purposes and the motor flywheels were contra-rotating, allowing the machine to be swung around a bit whilst in use. All the input sockets were permanently live together, which may be a nuisance, and the absence of phono sockets is annoying. The record level pots, if turned at the commencement of a recording, seemed to produce DC 'thumps' clearly on the tape and visible on the meters.

Despite the criticisms, the relatively light weight and small size of this portable made it very convenient for its intended main purpose.

The various controls allowed great flexibility in use and recordings could be made out of doors at surprisingly high quality, although the overall performance was clearly originally geared to poorer DIN-compatible tapes. The machine cannot be really recommended as a mains operated home recorder, but it can most certainly be recommended as a 'best buy' for use as a portable, particularly suitable for caravans, etc.

As a complete system with very sensitive 4 ohm speakers, it can produce quite a reasonable quality in a small space but volume was severely limited of course. A machine which Uher can be sure will be accepted as their old reel-to-reel ones have been for many years.
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This front-loader is housed in a veneered wooden type cabinet, and includes split concentric rotary gain controls on record only. Rotary selector switches choose ferric, ferrichrome or chrome cassette tape types, and a level switch throws Dolby in or out.

Two 1/4 inch jack sockets for mikes and a stereo jack socket for headphones are mounted on the front panel, whilst a 5 pole DIN in/out socket and phono in and out sockets are on the rear. A two core colour coded mains lead is incorporated, together with an earth terminal. Lever switches provide all mechanical functions, including play into wind and back without depressing stop, and a pause button also worked well. The wow and flutter performance was rather variable, measuring a minimum of 0.12% to a maximum of 0.16%, and thus not up to the average standard. Occasionally, the measurement was as low as 0.08%, but not for long. C90 spooling took approximately 2 minutes, and speed was slightly slow. Erasure was very good, and crosstalk excellent (far better than average).

On delivery, the replay azimuth was badly out, and had to be reset for all our tests. The mike input impedance measured 5.5k ohm with a maximum sensitivity of HOfiV (very sensitive) clipping at 56mV. The DIN input sensitivity and impedance were the same as for the mike, and also clipped at 56mV. Slight noise was added from our standard DIN source. 80mV line sensitivity was achieved into 83k ohms, and no clipping problem was noted. 580mV output for Dolby level was given, but output clipping was not reached until 4.7V. Distortion in the electronics was minimal. Adequate headphone monitoring level was provided for 8 ohm and 600 ohm models.

The replay response showed a slight HF rise on both ferric and chrome equalisation, but the bass end was pretty flat. Some replay hum was audible, and yet replay hiss levels were very low, particularly considering that the response was slightly up rather than down. Ferric noise measured -53dB (CCIR weighted) ref Dolby level without Dolby. Dolby gave 9.5dB improvement, and chrome some 4dB. HF stability and tape to head contact were good. Maxell UD produced an overall response which penned +3dB at 10kHz on both channels with Dolby in, and thus sounded a little bright; the response however was well maintained to 15kHz.

The overall noise level measured-52dB which was good, considering Maxell UD tape is slightly hissier than average. 333Hz distortion measured 0.95%, rising to 4% at +4dB, and this is reasonably good, and showed that biasing had been set to achieve reasonable distortion performance at lower frequencies with a relatively good HF squash characteristic.

Sony FeCr charted a very flat response to 10kHz on both channels with and without Dolby, and the response extended upwards to 15kHz, falling rapidly above this. 333Hz distortion measured very low at 0.6% rising to only 1.7% at +4dB. Subjectively, the sound quality showed some EHF squashing, but the distortion was clearly very low. The overall noise on ferrichrome was around average at-56.5dB weighted ref Dolby level.

The importers could not tell us to begin with what type of tape to use on the chrome position, but eventually supplied some Maxell UDXL II, which proved to be reasonably flat to 15kHz on both channels. This was quite remarkable, since distortion was also low at only 0.8% at Dolby level, rising to 3% at +4dB. Noise measured -55.5dB weighted ref Dolby level with Dolby. UDXL II sounded very good, and clearly more pleasant to listen to than any normal chrome tape type.

This recorder has only very basic functions, but is economically well designed and easy to use. The review sample was from the first pre-production run, and I hope that the replay hum problem will be attended to, as well as the poor average wow and flutter performance. Since it is so promising, I feel it only fair to recommend it, but with caution, and I do suggest that you are paying a proportion of the price for the product name, since many competitive front-loaders with similar facilities are somewhat cheaper. Potential purchasers are recommended to check replay hum and wow.
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Unusually styled, this recorder includes many interesting features giving an adaptability that makes it very useful. In addition to having Dolby B, it can be driven off normal mains or internal batteries or even from an external 12V supply, eg a car battery.

The gain controls are all arranged to slide from right to left in steps, giving half the width of the machine the appearance of a staircase. The tone controls work simply and it is possible to transfer from play to wind, but the stop button has to be depressed before re-engaging another function. Two *4 inch jack sockets are provided for microphone input, which has a maximum sensitivity of 620jitV into a high impedance of 86kohms, and thus requires medium impedance microphones which will give adequate sensitivity for optimum results. Lower impedance microphones will not in general give sufficient volume for an adequate recording level to be achieved.

No 5 pole DIN socket is provided, and the phono line in sockets have a sensitivity of 60mV into an input impedance varying from 20k ohms to 40k ohms, depending on the position of the gain control. Separate pairs of faders are provided for the microphone and line inputs so that mixing becomes possible. An additional pair of faders provide control of line input monitoring level. A speed control with a centre click position gives an adjustment of approximately ±4% (just under a semitone), and the centre position is incredibly accurate, the laboratory measurement being within 0.1%.

The wow and flutter also measured exceptionally well at 0.06% average, and no wow was heard on any programme recorded. The 'VU' meters had extremely poor ballistics, under-reading a 64m sec pulse by some 1 ldB, but fortunately green and red peak reading lights come to the rescue, reading at-3dB and +4dB ref. Dolby level. If only the 'VU' meters are used to set recording levels, serious over-recording will occur, but used carefully in conjunction with the peak reading lights a reasonable peak level can be set and the user will have to get used to the poor ballistics. The deck includes a memory rewind mechanism, and a stereo unganged record limiter permits recordings to be made without significant distortion, although after the limiters had ducked, full gain was not reached for a further few seconds.

The replay response was really excellent, showing only a marginal rise above nominal at the bass end of about ldB at 40 and 63Hz. This very fine tolerance was maintained right up to 10kHz, no deviation of more than ± ldB from the response at 333Hz being noted. The chrome response was also good but showed a rise of 2dB at 10kHz. Unfortunately, the right replay amplifier suffered from a slightly noisy transistor which degraded the noise by about 2dB below the left channel's figure of -48dB ref. Dolby level, without Dolby de-processing.

This noise figure, though, was about 2dB below the average of other machines, and just a slight hiss was noticed, adcling to general cassette tape hiss. Pre-recorded cassettes played back extremely well but just a few had noticeably too much bass; Decca cassettes seemed to reproduce better than EMI ones.

The overall response was so good as to be virtually flat (see pen charts), and furthermore the distortion levels were quite remarkably low, Maxell UD giving a figure of 0.6% at Dolby level rising to only 2% at +4dB. Sony FeCr fared even better, giving an astonishingly low figure of 0.4% at Dolby level, rising to an even more astonishing 0.8% at +4, thus allowing very high levels to be recorded without distortion, although the frequency response did fall to -3.5dB on the left and -2dB on the right at 10kHz. This fall off, was certainly not considered serious but was just noticeable subjectively however. Nakamichi chrome tape had very significantly higher distortion, but nevertheless about average for chrome, reaching 2% at Dolby level rising to 4.8% at +4dB, and this gave noticeable distortion if high levels were attempted.

Although the overall sound quality of ferric and ferrichrome was superb, slightly more hiss than usual was noted. But this was counteracted by the machine's capability of recording such high levels, thus restoring the overall dynamic range.

The laboratory staff were all very enthusiastic about this machine, notwithstanding the poor meter ballistics and overall noise performance, and it can therefore be recommended as good value for money.

The importers were requested, but did not agree, to a retest for us to check on the transistor noise problem encountered, but presumably new models are satisfactory.
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