MCS 3554 Stereo Cassette Deck

The MCS 3554 is a stereo cassette deck with Dolby B noise reduction, it was introduced by MCS in 1981 with a manufacturer suggested retail price of USD $190 and discontinued 4 years later in 1985.

The main features of the MCS 3554 cassette deck are: 2 heads, analog 3 digit tape counter, manual tape type selection with support for normal, chrome and metal tapes, belt driven single-capstan transport.

Typical front loading cassette deck with the cassette compartiment located on the left side of the deck. Tape eject is operated mechanically and the cassette needs to be placed with the side to be played facing forward in the cassette well.

Level meters used on the MCS 3554 cassette deck are analog needle VU reading meters. Mechanical transport controls for reliable MCS 3554 transport function selection.

The Dolby-B system reduces tape hiss on tapes recorded on the MCS 3554 by as much as 10 dB at the highest frequencies.

To make live recordings this deck has 2 microphone inputs to connect microphones with a jack connector. For undisturbed listening a jack connector for a pair of stereo headphones is supplied. Connection to other audio components for plaback can be achieved by a RCA cable and recording from a source by a RCA cable.

Historic events

1981 Dave Smith proposes the Universal Synthesizer Interface that would become the MIDI standard in 1983.

1982 Seiko introduced the world’s first TV watch.

1983 The Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) is introduced at the first North American Music Manufacturers (NAMM) show in Los Angeles.

1984 The first episode of the Miami Vice television crime drama series, premiered on NBC.

1985 Sony and Philips produced the standard for Compact Disc Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) computer discs that would use the same laser technology as the audio CD.