Sunday, September 20, 2020, Posted by River
Finally Stella TD9 arrived and more pictures-A beautiful beast!
Stellavox TD9 with AEG pancake kits
For the introduction of TD9, please refer to this article.
After about three months of waiting, TD9 finally arrived. Surprisingly, the footprint is larger than I expected, and the weight is heavier. It is more like Nagra T Audio. As Master Recorder, TD9 can support up to 14" reels and can be said it is quite small and "ultra-thin". Stellavox reminds me Swiss Seiko. In terms of complexity only Nagra T can compare. If I should compare it to Swiss watches, Stella TD9 & Nagra T Audio is like Patek Philippe and Studer is Rolex. Unfortunately, Nagra T only has a 1/4" specification and despite design of twin capstans (wich is superior to the wow&flutter) however, straightforward tape path and the "simplicity" of operation of TD9 is indeed invincible. Another invincible thing on TD9 operation is that it only needs 7 screws to switch between 1/4" and 1/2" specifications!
Of course, for music enthusiasts, the sound performance is the most important. After about a week of run in, I can say that TD9 is definitely F1 performance. Crystal clear transparency is even higher than Nagra T. But it will not lack bottom end, TD9 has its own style, worthy the high price. Although there was no direct comparison to Studer A820, I would say, that its "mini petite" volume, well designed control interface, Patek Philippe like craftsmanship and rarity, it is definitely the first choice for enthusiasts with rich taste!
Stella TD9 vs Nagra T Audio
1/2" Headblock optimized for 30ips
