WHY ONLY SONY WINDS UP WITH FULL-COLOR SOUND.
Strangely enough, some of the things that make “Sony Full Color Sound” sound so terrific are things you cant hear.
Such as Sony's unique experience and technical achievement. Sony makes both tape and the equipment Stepped huh that plays it. So Sony's experience with tape recording is unique among major tape manufacturers. After all, you'd better know all there is to know about tape decks before you make a tape. Sony does.
------ Cross section of SP mechanism
Then there's unique Sony balance. The fine-tuning of all the elements that go into making a tape, so that each synergistically complements the other and delivers the finest recording humanly and technically possible to achieve.
You also cant hear Sony's unique SP mechanism, one of the carefully balanced elements every Sony tape. It's a perfect example of Sony technical achievement. The SP mechanism is what makes the tape run so smoothly inside the cassette. And smoothly running tape is critical for total, perfect tape performance.
Smooth running means less friction.
So some of the most popular tape makers give the tape as much clearance inside the cassette as possible. (We used to do the same thing) But this method results in uneven or too tight winding and actually increases friction as you wind and rewind the tape. Jamming and even a stopping of the tape in its tracks can result.
It was clear to Sony that even, uniform winding was the key. So Sony reversed the basic thinking about friction completely and invented the SP mechanism, the first positive guidance system on the market. Instead of giving the tape lots of room, it gently guides the tape smoothly and precisely through the cassette, and onto the reels, with a maximum of positive precision support, yet with an absolute minimum of friction.
This is a perfect example of Sony pioneering and how the Sony balance system works.
Some of the unique patented Sony innovations are the stepped hub wheel, which suppresses wobble; parallel "rails" of the liner which guide the tape and hub and keep the tape winding flat and even. Even the surface which touches the tape is special graphite-coated polyester, for the least possible friction.
Our Sony SP mechanism is actually 10 times more trouble-free in lab tests than our old conventional mechanism. And the increase of friction after 200 “torture-test" windings and re-windings has been reduced by nearly 2/3! The fact is, the more sophisticated your equipment, the more you'll appreciate Full Color Sound. Listen to Sony SHF (our best normal bias tape), EHF (high bias), FeCr or Metallic tape. Listen to the perfect balance of its perfect components. It's the secret of Full Color Sound.
Also see:
The Shorter Guide to Cartridge Shopping
Source: Stereo Review (USA magazine)