Otari MX-55N or 55D?

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Fidelity Castro

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Hi guys

How can I distinguish the Otari MX-55N from the 55D. All it says on the front is MX-55.

Also what are the central differences between these machines? The 55D's flux level is higher, right? Anything else?

many thanx
 
The D suffix means it has a DIN head configuration, which is (was) a common European standard -- also called a butterfly head. If there is no label on the back or bottom that tells you D or N, check the heads. If the heads have angled tracks like in the pic below it's a 55D. If the tracks are parallel, it’s a 55N.

The 55N comes set at 250 nWb/m, but is adjustable from 180 to 514 nWb/m. I'm not aware of any other differences, but there may be some.

:)
 

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Beck said:
The D suffix means it has a DIN head configuration, which is (was) a common European standard -- also called a butterfly head. If there is no label on the back or bottom that tells you D or N, check the heads. If the heads have angled tracks like in the pic below it's a 55D. If the tracks are parallel, it’s a 55N.

The 55N comes set at 250 nWb/m, but is adjustable from 180 to 514 nWb/m. I'm not aware of any other differences, but there may be some.

:)
Click to expand...

Come to think of it, there are several configurations of that machine. It could also be a 55T with a center time code track. That won’t have the DIN head either though.
 
Beck said:
Come to think of it, there are several configurations of that machine. It could also be a 55T with a center time code track. That won’t have the DIN head either though.
Click to expand...

Yes I was looking at the manual and discovered this too. But can't seem to find much on what the DIN head is / does. Unfortunately, I can't look at the machine. It is in a different state - I am considering buying it. Have asked the seller to send a photo of the heads.

The manual says the 55D is factory aligned to hotter levels - switchable between 250, 320 & 510, as opposed to 185, 250, 370nWb for the 55N. But there's no reason why the 55N couldn't go to 510 right?

cheers
 
Haha, the web isn't all it's craked up to be, is it? :D

The butterfly design maximizes track width, but crosstalk is a bit worse because the tracks are closer together at the center.

Each track of a 2-track DIN head is 2.75 mm wide, compared with the NAB standard of 2.0 mm. Greater track width is generally better for signal-to-noise and distortion specs, but most ¼” 2-tracks are 2.0 mm NAB width anyway, and the difference is negligible.

The butterfly head was really born out of early efforts to maximize tape area so stereo recordings could be played back on full-track mono broadcast machines. Thus the hotter levels were established. All of the MX-55 machines can be cranked up to 500 or so. You don’t need DIN heads to use hot tape.

:)
 
Thanks Beck, you're a wealth of knowledge.

Just found out it's a 55N. If the heads look good, I'm reeling her in.

;)
 
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