Technical Details
Brand: Maihak
Model:MMK-6
Category:Vintage
Application:Portable
Electronics:Solid State
Equalization:IEC
Country of Manufacture:Germany
Tracks:1/2 Rec/PB
Speeds: 7 1/2
Max Reel Size("): 5"
Head Composition: Permalloy
Head Configuration: full-track-mono
# Motors: 1
Auto Reverse?:No
Sound quality rating:5 / 10
Long-term reliability rating: 5/ 10
Additional Details
Description
The Maihak MMK-6 runs at 19cps (7 1/2 ips) and take 13cm (5″) reels. It has a winding handle that is inserted into a socket on the left instead of the right as an alternative to battery power which is 90 V. The double spring motor can be continually wound and can run about 12 minutes between wind-ups. Rewind is also mechanical. The Machines take about 10 seconds before the speed stabilizes.
These machines have four heads, the fourth is a “Pilot-tone” for movie camera sync.
Unlike many other machines of its day, it doesn’t have a built in amplifier, but does have a headphone amp.
An accessory monitor amp was availible but these are very hard to find. Maihak was one of the earliest adopters using transistors which in this case are large black germanium transistors, OC603, OC604 and others.
Not all MMK6 machines use glass transistors, only the early ones. Later machines used metal transistors, AC115, AC150 etc.
The MMK6-Reportofon consists of 832 individual mechanical parts. The amplifier contains 186 electrical parts, transistors, resistors & capacitors.
A total of around 1400 parts are required for a MMK-6.
For some of the transport parts, the tolerances are 0.05 – 0.003 mm, a 1/10 a hair’s width.
When looking at the precision mechanics of an MMK one is reminded of an enlarged Swiss watch.
MMK6’s prefer older red oxide tapes like BASF SP52, Ampex 641 etc.
The date of production is usually underneath, on the battery case.