Aiwa HDS1 Portable DAT Recorder Review: The new Aiwa HD

Aiwa HDS1 Portable DAT Recorder Review:
The new Aiwa HD-S1, now available from Go-Digital (Tel: 081 348 3103 or
Fax: 081 348 2070) priced at £659 + VAT, offers digital recording facilities with
several professional features in an affordable compact unit. The unit is
finished in matt black, is very light, and is about the same size as a Sony
Walkman Professional model.
The HD-S1 delivers excellent high-quality audio performance with its 256
times oversampling converter. To test this, I taped several examples of
speech and music from the Jazz FM radio program, and the results were firstrate.
Digital I/O:
The unique feature of this unit at this price is that it has a digital audio
interface as well as the usual analogue inputs and outputs. [Normally, you
have to pay over £1000 for a DAT machine with a digital interface.] The
digital I/O connection actually uses a non-standard mini-jack connector, but a
lead is supplied with standard phono connectors on the other end to connect
directly to your CD player or to another DAT player.
A so-called 'Serial Copy Management System' makes it possible to copy CDs
in the digital domain, as well as to copy DAT Master tapes even when the
copy prohibit flag is set in the first generation. Digital recordings can be made
at 48, 44.1, or 32 kHz sampling rates, which are the three most commonly
used frequencies. If the original digital source has a copy protection code set
you can make just one copy from the master, but no more copies from this
copy.
Because of the digital in/out capability, the HD-S1 is the perfect device with
which to back up digital audio data from Digidesign Sound Tools hard disk
recording system. You could also use it to back up audio data from an Akai
S1000 sampler, or any other similar audio recording systems.
Portability:
The HD-S1 is also ideal for outdoor recording because of its small size and
battery operation. You can use rechargeable batteries which will provide 55
minutes running time if they have been on charge for 2 hours, and these can
be put on charge for up to 8 hours to provide longer running times.
Alternatively, you can run the machine using the mains adaptor (supplied
with the unit), or from a car battery.
HD-A1 Analogue I/O Unit:
The analogue input/output unit is in a separate housing which you must
attach to the top of the main unit when you wish to use it. This has stereo
mini-jack sockets for input and output, and also features record level and
balance controls, a Line/Mic switch, and a 20dB Mic attenuator switch. The
HD-A1 also needs a battery, unless the main unit is being powered from an
external source.
Tape Counter:
The HD-S1 counts in absolute time, in other words, in hours, minutes, and
seconds, from the start of the tape. You can even switch the counter display
to show program time (the actual length of the recording), or to a simple tape
counter. This is a much better system than the old tape counters found on
older analogue tape and cassette machines.
Recording:
You can record from a microphone (not supplied), or via the analogue line
inputs from conventional audio sources. To use the digital inputs, you just
flick a switch on the side of the unit, and connect to a digital source. The
transport control buttons on the front of the unit are nice and firm in their
action, and the peak recording level indicators on the front panel are clear
and easy to read. The HD-S1 automatically inserts start IDs at the beginning
of each recording, and an option is provided to let you insert or erase start
IDs manually if you prefer.
Accessories:
A remote control unit is supplied which has the usual transport controls
including Play/Pause, Stop, Record, Fast Forward, and Rewind. In addition to
these, the remote has a volume control, a record protect switch, and a keyhold switch. The key-hold switch disables the transport controls to prevent
you from accidentally operating them when you don't want to. This might
happen, for instance, if the unit was in Record, and you picked it up to move
it. A plastic carrying case with a detachable strap also comes with the unit,
with cutouts to allow access to the controls while the HD-S1 is in the case.
Two stereo mini jack-to-phono cables are also supplied to connect to either
digital or analogue inputs or outputs.
Conclusion:
The popular budget-priced DAT machines to date have included the previous
model from Aiwa, the HD-X1, and the two Casio machines, the DA-1 and
DA-2. The HD-S1 provides a price breakthrough for people who need a
digital I/O capability on their DAT machine, such as users of Digidesign
Sound Tools. It is a little more expensive than the other units mentioned, but
you usually have to pay that bit extra for the latest features on any product.
The HD-S1 is an excellent new product, which I can thoroughly recommend!
Mike Collins © July 1990