Sony - PCM-501es / 16-Bit Digital Audio PCM Encoder/Decoder DSP - digital sound processor

Sony PCM-501ES Digital Audio Processor

Briljant piece of technology by Sony. At the same time Sony and Philips introduced the compact disc (CD), Sony also introduced the first digital audio processors, the PCM-501ES, PCM-701ES and PCM-F1. These audio processors made it possible to digitally record an audio CD onto a video tape using pulse code modulation (PCM)! At the moment the top of the line videorecorder was the SL-HF950 Super Betamax.

Very revolutionairy at the time: the only digital recording method for consumers and even professionals at the time. It took 4 more years before the DAT-recorder was introduced in 1987.

Pulse code modulation used in the PCM-501ES works as follows. During recording the analog signal is digitized using a A/D-converter at 44.100 samples per second and a resolution of 14 or 16 bits depending on your need. This is then converted in an analog videosignal which represents the binary data of the digitized audio signal.

During playback the process is reversed: the analog video signal is converted into digital PCM data, this is then converted to an analog audio signal using a D/A-converter and a low-pass filter.

The unit on sale has been tested and is functional as can be seen in the pictures. It comes with the original box (carton plus 3 out of 4 polystyreen corners). Keep in mind it concerns an used device that is almost 40 year old. It will be shipped in another box (double boxed).