Alter Ego Appearance

Technics RS-1520 - A Rebuild Like No Other

Prix régulier £0.00 Solde

: Non disponible

: Reel-to-Reel Tape Players & Recorders

No one can deny that the best medium in audio is back and back big. With eight different companies making a brand...

No one can deny that the best medium in audio is back and back big. With eight different companies making a brand new tape deck the most demanding of listeners want the best.

The Technics RS-1520 is a semi-professional machine that has great similarities to the 1500 but with a separate dual mono preamplifier section that features more adjustability. The RS-1520 is a half track  record,  quarter track playback  deck with a switch on the headlock to change the playback head to quarter track. It has the  Isolated Loop tape path developed by Technics which improves wow and flutter (.018%) as well as modulation noise. A large 34mm capstan with 2 pinch rollers makes for a very smooth and stable tape path with an electronic tension control system. The tape tension on the 1506 is low compared to many other machines, so for those using older tapes with rippled edges, this may not be the  ideal. A Quartz-Locked Direct-Drive Capstan Motor completed the well-designed assembly. Logic controlled electronic braking, which applies reverse torque to the motor prior to deploying a mechanical brake, results in very smooth transition between function selections and virtually no tape stretch.

The Technics single capstan system offered advantages over double capstan as variations in the speed of two capstans and the pressure of the two pinch rollers to maintain the desired temp tape tension makes speed and tension adjustment complex and difficult often increasing the tape tension which is not desirable. The relatively long distance between the two capstans over which the which the tape must stretch contributes to higher modulation noise and scrape flutter. In contrast the Technics single capstan system maintains exactly the same speed and pinch roller pressure on both sides of the capstan. The wide contact area between the pinch rollers and the single extra-large capstan allows for lower tape tension, about 80 g and very steady because the tape path between the capstan and the reversing roller is relatively short. So modulation noise, wow & flutter and level fluctuations are dramatically reduced. Add to this the quartz locked slow speed direct capstan drive system, aided by tension controlled direct drive reel motors and air dampened tension rollers  the Technics isolated loop system achieves excellent overall performance.

The best can only be hand-crafted, one at a time and is never replicated.

The chase for the top is over. Alex Dorin’s Alter Ego Appearance takes the top 1, 2 & 3 spots. Almost every single piece of this Technics 1520 has been custom made from blocks of solid metals & alloys. Each knob, lever, pinch roller cap, face plate, head block and more was made brand new and it is breath-taking.

This restoration provides endless features. Multiple VU meter backgrounds, Improved counter, exquisite knobs, buttons and levers, bespoke NAB adapters and reels, Jewelry grade raised metal lettering, areospace grade titanium, textured coated front panel and so much more.


For more information, specification, images and videos please contact our team 

ITEM DELIVERY: Delivery times vary widely based on destination.

Terms of Sale: In principle, we can't accept returning and refunding but, we can accept only for defective products.

International Buyers - Please Note: Import duties, taxes & charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. Please be aware of these are buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding or buying.

  • Standard delivered 4-5 Days
  • Express delivered 2-4 Days
  • Worldwide tracking delivered 4-14 Days

Orders are processed and delivered Monday-Friday (excluding public holidays)


Our customers enjoy top class customer services and 30 days returns.

  • Item Returns:

  • We want you to feel happy with your purchase, so if for any reason you are not, you may send your item(s) back to us within 14 days for a full refund or exchange free of charge.


    Item Returns: We want you to feel happy with your purchase, so if for any reason you are not, you may send your item(s) back to us within 14 days for a full refund or exchange free of charge.


    Please note, postage costs are non-refundable except in the following circumstances:

    * the item you receive is different to that ordered.

    * OR the item you receive is damaged or faulty.

    In the above cases, a full refund/exchange will be issued including any additional postage costs incurred by the buyer.


    *Please note, we can only refund up to the minimum postage amount required to send your item(s) back to us. Therefore, we always recommend that items be returned to us using the royal mails 2nd class service with recorded delivery for insurance purposes.


    All items must be returned to us in their original condition within 14 days of receipt. Please let us know beforehand why you are planning on sending an item back to us and remember to include this information in your return. It is also vital that you include your user id & item number so we can deal with your request for a refund or exchange as quickly as possible.


    All refunds will be issued via your original method of payment and normally take up to 3 working days to process.