C102

About the C102

The SAE C-102 is a stereo cassette deck manufactured by SAE between 1985 and 1991 in the USA. It features a 2-head, single compact cassette design with a 4-track, 2-channel stereo system and a tape speed of 4.76 cm/s. The deck includes one record/playback head and one erase head, driven by a single DC motor. It supports tape types including Type I, CrO2, and Metal tapes, and offers Dolby B and C noise reduction systems. The frequency response ranges from 30Hz to 18.5kHz (with Metal tape), with a signal-to-noise ratio of 74dB (Dolby C), wow and flutter of 0.04%, and total harmonic distortion of 1.1%. Input sensitivity is 70mV (line), and output is 0.65V (line). The unit measures 483 x 95 x 318 mm and weighs 7.1 kg. It is rack-mountable with a slide-out transport mechanism. The deck is praised for its sound quality, especially when paired with other SAE components, though it lacks auto-reverse functionality.