Technical Details
Brand: Ampex
Model:351
Category:Best of Vintage
Application:Consumer
Electronics:Tube
Equalization:NAB
Country of Manufacture:USA
Release dates:1958 - 1961
Original Price: $1475
Tracks:1/2 Rec/PB
Speeds: 7 1/2, 15
Max Reel Size("): 10.5"
Number of heads: 3
Head Composition: Permalloy
Head Configuration: Stereo
# Motors: 3
Voltage(s): 110-120v
Outputs: RCA
Frequency Response:(all 2 dB): 15 ips: 30-15kHz
Wow and Flutter:15 ips: < 0.15 % RMS. 7½ ips: < 0.2% RMS
Signal-to-Noise Ratio:60db (full track)
Sound quality rating:8 / 10
Long-term reliability rating: 8/ 10
Additional Details
Description
Recently I was doing some mastering at Festival Records, Sydney Australia and I got talking with some of the engineers there about vintage reel to reel recorders. They took me to a store room and showed me this beautiful 1962 Ampex 351 full-track mono machine, still in perfect working and in fact
recently used to re-master some early 60’s Johnny O’Keefe sessions for a new CD boxed set (guess what the tapes were originally mastered
on?)
They also managed to find the original user manual in a filing cabinet, and the next day I returned with my camera….
The 351 evolved from the early 1950s model 350 and was first introduced in 1958. It featured a four stage, high gain record amplifier, resistance
coupled with two dual triode tubes.
Additional Info
Bias frequency: approx 100kHz / Crosstalk: (2 channel stereo) exceeds 55db at 400Hz / Valve complement: 3 x ECC83 (12AX7). 2 x 12AU7. 1 x 12AT7, 1 x 6X4 for each channel / Start / Stop times: start: 1 / 10th sec to full speed stop: At 15 ips, tape moves less than 2″ when stopped / Timing accuracy: within 0.2% (3.6 seconds over 30 minutes) / Rewind speed: less than 70 seconds for 2400ft tape / Inputs: low impedance microphone or 600 ohm line, balanced or unbalanced – switchable / Outputs: plus 8 dbm output into 600 ohms, balanced or unbalanced / Dimensions: (with console) 48″ high x 29″ deep x 25″ wide / Weight: (with console) 168 lbs / full or half-track mono or stereo