There can hardly any amongst you who aren't aware of the imminent battle for the Next Big Hi-Fi Format. On the off-chance that you've been trekking in Tibet, let me fill you in... There are two new digital consumer formats due to be released in the very near future: Sony's MiniDisk, and Philips' Digital Compact Cassette. Both are record/replay systems, and both promise to have a good initial supply of pre-recorded software to support their launches. But will the market place support two such similar systems? We won't have the answer for some time — but remember 8-track cartridges?

In any case, the only similarity between the two systems is that they are digital. The actual recording medium in Sony's MiniDisk system is a small disk (similar to a CD) in a floppy disk-style cartridge, and Philips have opted for a reworked cassette tape. First off the blocks are Philips, and what we have under test here is a review sample of their DCC900 Digital Compact Cassette recorder.

Digital Compact Cassette utilises a number of familiar elements: a CD-like loading drawer; a cassette similar in size to a traditional analogue cassette (the cassette even has two sides); and operational similarities to CD players and DAT machines. Alongside these familiar features are innovations: the cassette case itself incorporates a shutter, rather like a video cassette; the tape formulation is chrome video tape; and the specially designed head can play analogue cassettes.

Surprisingly, not only does the tape run at the same speed as analogue cassette, but the head is fixed. DAT machines use a rotating head, much like a VCR — one of the reasons for DAT's relatively high cost. Since video and digital audio data streams are very dense, a rotating head gives the tape a much greater virtual speed, allowing the storage of larger amounts of data. DCC gets away with a stationary head and a slow tape speed by virtue of Philips' new data compression system, Precision Adaptive Sub-band Coding (PASC). Simply put, PASC monitors the signal at all times, and basically varies the bit rate at which the signal is recorded; the result is that if a sound won't be heard because it's outside the threshold of hearing — ie. if it's too quiet, or is masked by a much louder sound — then it won't be recorded. The other result is that DCC needs nowhere near 16 bits to record sound, managing with about a quarter of the space of CD or DAT. Nominal frequency response remains 20Hz to 20khz at 44.1 khz sampling rate, and subjective sound quality almost equals CD — all with no hiss! Sampling rates of 48kHz and 32kHz are also supported.

DESCRIPTION

Philips have released their first DCC machine as part of their 900 series of hi-fi components; it should come as no surprise that the DCC900 has an air of the hi-fi about it, and is rather large, solid and chunky. I'm sure future DCC machines will get much smaller than this.

The front panel has a lot in common with DAT machines and CD players, with a familiar selection of fast wind, search, play, record and other transport controls, as well as Marker (ident) controls and a big friendly record knob — a much smaller knob directly beneath this knob controls left/right balance. The imposing display in the middle of the DCC900 is very informative, showing record and playback levels, digital format, optical or coaxial digital or analogue inputs, and so on. The big difference here comes when you use pre-recorded tapes: the display will show performer, album title, or individual track names. This isn't nearly so helpful for classical material (try getting "Allegro Barbara" into the 12 characters available), but for the majority of pop stuff it's quite a novelty. Apparently, it may be possible in the future for users to insert similar data into their own recordings.

Real world connections are available in both analogue and digital formats, with both coaxial and optical options of the latter being provided. A number of options for connection to a Philips hi-fi system are also available which allow the DCC900 to be remotely controlled as part of such a system. There are two pairs of analogue outputs, one of which responds to the volume controls on the supplied remote control.

FACILITIES/OPERATION

If you've used DAT or CD, then you'll have no problems using the DCC900. Actually recording involves a couple of steps you may not have encountered before. When recording onto a blank tape it's necessary to press the Append and Record buttons. The deck finds the start of tape and writes a buffer area, which is sort of lead in where nothing can be recorded. The machine now pops into record pause. Select an input (from analogue or the two digital options) and press record again. If you've pressed the Auto Marker button, a start marker will be written; stop recording and a finish marker is written. Markers can be inserted automatically — on recordings made via the analogue inputs a marker will be inserted after three seconds of silence — but you can also insert (or delete) them manually. You can renumber markers to keep up with such insertions and deletions.

If you wish to record onto a tape that already has a recording on it, you have to once again press Append, and the DCC will search the tape for the end of the last recording. The last 10 seconds of the last recording will be played followed by a descent into Stand By. It is possible to record elsewhere on a tape, but the continuity in timing information will be lost. You may need to refer to the manual for reassurance that you're actually doing the right thing, since this method of recording is rather unfamiliar and can be confusing if you haven't read the manual.

The DCC tape has two sides, although the cassettes themselves can only be inserted one way up — side swapping is achieved by the head flipping over and the tape reversing direction. Your recordings can go to the end of one side, and by the insertion of a Reverse Marker, instantly go into reverse with only a very small gap. Alternatively, if you don't want an interruption in the recording of a track, the Next Marker will fast forward past the last bit of blank tape on a side and then change sides. Sides A and B can be manually selected courtesy of a dedicated button. The DCC900 can also play back your old analogue cassettes; to this end, Dolby B and C are provided. Simply stick the cassette in the drawer and press play.

IN USE

Operationally, the DCC900 is simplicity itself. If you've used a CD player or a DAT machine you should have no trouble getting going right away — only the recording process is initially confusing. I found the rewind and fast forward times to be a little slow, and we shall see if the problems familiar to traditional analogue cassette users show up with DCC — you know, tape creasing and breakage. However, a good brand of tape, careful rewinding — and the superior transport — should allay such problems. DCC may be digital, but it's still operated by human beings, therefore basic maintenance — head cleaning especially — will be necessary. Special cleaning materials will be available in the very near future.

The display was very helpful and informative at all times, with information on virtually every aspect of operation available. While track names on pre-recorded tapes seems a bit of a novelty at the moment, it certainly is helpful; if user track naming does become possible, then the facility will be even more welcome.

The handful of pre-recorded tapes provided with the DCC900 had a reasonable sound, if not outstanding; side by side with their CD versions, the CDs won. This is perhaps not surprising, although the sample tapes supplied were not necessarily representative of what will be finally commercially available. Sitting back and just listening to DCC recordings of CDs revealed a subjective similarity to the original; on closer examination I did notice a slight lack of detail, but it was the kind of vague impression I couldn't really put my finger on. On first generation masters in the studio, DCC's performance was so much better than ordinary cassette that subjective comments wouldn't be very helpful; the wide dynamic range and lack of background noise and distortion was just as refreshing as the first time I used a DAT machine. The only noise you have to worry about is that produced by your desk, effects and sound sources, which is as it should be.

CONCLUSION

It's familiar, it sounds good, and it's here. I'll never be happy with software deciding which parts of the frequency range I don't need to hear at any given time, whether I can actually hear them or not, but PASC is an intelligent compromise as far as compression goes. Certainly, for day to day listening, DCC has a lot to offer. It will also be welcome to the demo-mongers amongst us who despair at hearing our work being misrepresented on analogue cassette machines. There may yet be life in this aged medium, but variances between different machines with regard to tape speed, wow and flutter, alignment and differing noise reduction systems mean that once your demo has left your studio, it may never be heard in quite the same way again. With DCC, these problems should be a thing of the past.

I found the playback of analogue cassettes to be adequate, though not first class, and I also thought the fast wind and search functions were a little slow. The only other negative aspects are the ever-present SCMS digital copy inhibit code, and the price. But this is early days: smaller and cheaper machines are just around the corner. While this particular model may not be your first choice for mastering, the more affordable versions of the technology could be very attractive. All in all, the DCC900 shows a promising start to a new technology; only time will tell whether it will win the battle for supremacy in the consumer digital recording field.

Further information

Philips DCC900 £499 inc VAT.

Philips Consumer Electronics, (Contact Details).