Podcast
Features
Comments
 |
Intro and Manuals | Tips for Use
by Jay Allison
We are dedicating some pages in our TOOLS Section to the venerable Sony TC-D5M.
In the early days of public radio, we went into the field with portable open reel recorders, like the Sony 800-B, and it was good. We felt like Alan Lomax or Tony Schwartz, shouldering our heavy, delicate gear to document America, back before every sound had been recorded and everyone had been interviewed.
Then, the audio cassette format came along and we carried the mono Sony TC-142, and eventually the stereo TC-D5M, which is the best of the bunch. All metal, reliable, simple, and fixable, it runs on two D-cells, not Satan’s Rechargeables. Noah Adams of NPR just wrote us to say he’s heading out again into the field with his old D5. This American Life staffers still use them. After the tsunami, reporters said their D5s kept on recording when tiny, spinning little minidiscs-and-dats gave up.
Besides our local users, a lot of people in developing countries come to Transom for advice. It is likely they will be able to get the D5 for some time to come. We want to help these machines keep cranking along, living useful and productive lives, like 1950s Chevys in Cuba.
Soon, Flash recorders may eclipse the older portable gear. We’ll be the first to test them. But in the last few weeks before that happens, we’re posting the basic instructions that Atlantic Public Media includes along with the TCD-5M rigs we loan out, plus PDFs of the Owner’s Manual and even the Service Manual. For posterity.
(Notes for Printing: These documents have been set to match dimensions of the original pages. If your printer does not support these sizes, select “Shrink Pages to Paper” (or the like) from the printing menu.)
TC-D5M Owners Manual
TC-D5M Service Manual
The Sony TC-D5M
Intro and Manuals | Tips for Use
20 Comments on “Sony TC-D5M”
Links to “Sony TC-D5M”
-
[...] vinyl and cassettes to the computer, and it applies to this class as well. Gone are the days of the Sony TCD-5M and reel-to-reel [...]
Speaking of retro gear, is anyone else tempted by the low prices on Ebay to finally buy a Nagra, the erstwhile pinnacle of remote recording, now fallen low in the Digital Age? They are so beautiful.
It’s getting hard to find reel-to-reel tape, and that may be the nail in the coffin of cassettes one day too, but because it was a semi-popular pre-recorded music medium, they may make them a little longer than reel-to-reel.
And there’s always Ebay.
I’d love a Nagra, at the moment all I can do is dream, but I found an interesting site at http://www.classicnagra.co.uk , the guy started collecting them on ebay as a hobby.
Chris
I totally understand the desire for a Nagra, in a pure gear fetish kind of way, they are indeed beautiful machines. But I suspect we’re spoiled enough now, that the size, weight, reel changes, etc would make us a little crazy in everyday use.
Trew audio sells used ones that they clean up and guarantee for 120 days:
http://www.trewaudio.com/consign_recorders.htm
Always tempting….
I told Adam I’d post this here for him. I suspect many will be interested:
—————————-
I’d like to make sure you are aware of us — one of our specialties is repair, alignment, and restoration of the Sony TC-D5M (& Pro, Pro II) and the WM-D6C. We have extensive parts stock and have serviced them since 1987. Alignment is done on an Audio Precision System Two cascade, and we restore them to better-than-new performance.
More information is at:
http://www.libermansound.com/equipment/sony.htm
We also service a wide variety of other portable recording equipment, both analog and digital.
I was also a staff engineer at KPFA radio for many years, and we service items for reporters all over the world. I haven’t added anything to the "discuss" listing because I wasn’t sure what you policy was on comments that might appear to be advertising in nature, but if there was some way to let other radio people know about us that would be great.
Thanks,
Adam Liberman
Liberman Sound
Adam Liberman
Liberman Sound
info@libermansound.com
http://www.libermansound.com
510-526-5447
I want to make analogue recordings using a Sony TC-D5M. I also want to transfer the recordings to my PC. How is this done? Can it be done directly from the Sony TC-D5M line out (phono) with some type of A/D interaface attachment to connect to the PC or what?
These are all the tape recorders I have.
I like to record live concert of my foavourites music: jazz, classical and chours. I have 3 of
D6C and one of the others. I use a Sony stereo
microphone: now a MS-957S (3), but in the past I had a ECM-999S. The best, for me, is D6C hat I use with metal cassettes (TDK MA-XG) of 90 minute,
but I have good results also with old Sony FeCr cassettes.
To digitalize them I use on my PC a SoundBlaster X-Fi audio cards and WaveLab lite program boundled with the card.
To edit and clear recordings I use the AudioCleanic 2006 dlx from MAGIX.
To record CD I use Nero7, a Yamaha CRW-F1 recorder and Verbatim SuperAZO CD in AAAMQ.
Sergio Fucchi
Macerata
Italy
What about the Mac platform? I have a new MacBook Pro. Can I run my Sony TC-D5M line-in into this computer somehow? I’ve just realized I love my Sony, and analog sound is just superior to the digital I’ve heard and recorded…HELP!
Gregg in L.A.
I’ve rescued my TC-D5M from storage and I’m going to begin a session of oral history recording soon. I cannot find the AC power supply (AC-61), which I like to carry with me as insurance. In order to find a suitable replacement, I need to know the polarity of the plug and the approximate power needs of the TC-D5M.
Thanks,
Phil
inthewoods@olympus.net
There’s the existing Line-in or a Griffin Tech iMic external soundcard. GarageBand, Audacity, or even the Final Vinyl app supplied by Griffin Tech for use with the iMic device.
-Chris in Colorado
Phil–
Radio Shack has a compatible adapter based on the description that Sony provided:
AC61 AC ADAPTOR 800MA CENTER PIN NEGATIVE,
— no longer available.
Kay Collins
kay.kcollinsATgmail.com
I started recording recently with a Sony TC-D5PROII, and I don’t have a case for it. I usually carry it in a bookbag. It’s not very secure in there, and I spend a lot of time fumbling with my gear. I’d like to have a case that my recorder fits into well, and also has some space for mics/cables/batteries/tapes etc. I know I could probably have a custom case made by porta brace, but are there any cheaper options.
Lee
Thanks for the owner’s manual. I bought a used, beautiful, perfect tc-d5 pro II a few years back without a manual and i appreciate your effort in getting us real knowledge and instruction. Thanks again. Rick
I’m sure you know this, but the D5 Pro is a little different from the D5M.
I have owned a Sony TC-D5M for 12 years. It still looks as good as new, still sounds wonderful, still as reliable as the day I bought it and what a beautiful, heavy-duty, classy design too. A reminder of the day when Sony designed and built affordable, top quality electronics with the long term future in mind. Actually puts me in mind of their ICF-2010 Shortwave radio which is also a classic and still chugging along happily all over the world.
Thanks for posting all this valuable information about this wonderful machine and I do hope that you will continue to support the many thousands of people all over the world who wish to continue using these fabulous recording machines long in to the future. Just the Cubans with their 1950s Chevys indeed
I have a 1980 TC-D5M deck I haven’t used in a long time. Just pulled it out and there is no sound. The last I remember it had an intermittent problem with the inputs (bad noise). What are the options of getting this working again?
Did you find anyone to repair your recorder?
Yes, a local TV repair shop cleaned the recorder up and it plays and records well again. But, unfortunately, he didn’t get around to fixing the fast forward feature. I’m wondering if it is worth my while to try to open up the recorder and see if it is something I can fix myself. I’m afraid that if it is a broken belt that I will not be able to find a replacement. Any suggestions? Jerry
I just pulled out my TCD5 recorder after 10 years….. was thinking to sell it, but I see others still using them and I always loved working with analog… how do I transfer the sound to digital to edit? I may start recording again.. I love the dials and manual parts… still don’t like the numeric little print out on the dig recorders…. I like manual!
The TC-D5M is a classic.
These reliable commercial units have fantastic sound thanks to Sony’s professional-quality microphone preamplifiers.
I still use mine, and although I also own modern digital equipment, this machine will still rival any of them (and best most of them)in field recording.
The reason is that really good mic pres have become very expensive, so you now to spend at least $1000 a channel in order to get pres of this quality.
My (also older) high speed reel to reel equipment is the only one to better it.
I am a classical musician.