Philips N4450 Operating Instructions Manual page 7

3. TECHNICAL FEATURES
3.1. Hi-Fi QUALITY
The amplifier section of N 4450 as well as the recording
section at the tape speeds 19 and 9.5 cm/sec. amply com-
plies with the requirements of the Hi-Fi standard DIN
45 500. This DIN standard imposes very strict requirements
as regards tape speed accuracy, frequency range, signal/noise
ratio, distortion of the amplifier etc. The recorder has been
designed for the use of Philips' high-output low-noise tapes
which also come up to the above-mentioned DIN-standard.
For best results it is therefore recommended to use only
this tape on your N 4450 recorder.
3.2. AUTOMATIC REVERSE
The recorder features an "automatic reverse system". This
means that, unlike most other tape recorders, the tape can
run from left to right as well as from right to left. When the
reverse system is operative, the tape after running from left
to right, is automatically reversed by a strip of switching
foil at the end. When the tape subsequently reaches the other
end, the recorder is stopped.
Automatic reverse operation is possible during playback and
recording. The direction can also be changed before the end
of tape is reached by pressing one of the keys "<] LEFT"(16)
or "RIGHT> " (19).
3.3. SIX HEADS
The recorder is provided with a total of 6 magnetic heads.
For each tape transport direction a separate head system is
provided, each comprising an erase head, a recording head and
a playback head. Instead of the usual combined recording/
playback head, this recorder has a separate head for recording
and for playback. The main advantage of this is that the two
heads can be specially designed for their specific function,
giving optimum results both for recording and playback.
Another advantage is that due to the separate recording and
playback heads and preamplifiers echo and reverberation
recordings can be made (see 2.5.) and so-called after-tape
monitoring (see 3.4.) is possible.
3.4. BEFORE AND AFTER TAPE MONITORING
During recording, the signal can be monitored in two ways:
1. Before-tape monitoring. With switch (10) in position "B",
the signal to be recorded is fed from the recording amplifiers
to the. recording-level indicators, to the sockets for connection
of headphones and monitor amplifier and to the output
amplifiers. This allows monitoring of the signal to be recorded
before it is actually recorded on the tape.
2. After-tape monitoring. With switch (10) in position "A",
the playback head scans the signal just recorded by the re-
cording head and feeds it to the playback preamplifiers, the
recording level indicators, the sockets for connection of
headphones and monitor amplifier and finally to the output
amplifiers. This permits you to check the result (the recording
just made).
3.5. CUEING
To prevent unnecessary wear of the tape and the heads, the
tape is lifted clear of the heads during fast winding, so that
nothing is heard.
However, if during fast winding one of the cueing buttons
(5) is depressed (which one depends on the direction of
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3.6. THREE MOTORS
3.7. 26.5-cm REELS
3.8. TAPE TENSION COMPARATORS
3.10. TIMER