Recording/reproducing apparatus with selective attenuation of reproduced signals to facilitate comprehension of external speech signals

Portable, self-contained, small reproducing apparatus for reproducing stereophonic signals from a magnetic tape, comprising:

• a pair of playback heads for reproducing said stereophonic signals from said magnetic tape;
• a pair of amplifiers for amplifying said reproduced stereophonic signals;
• a pair of head-phone jack connector means coupled to said pair of amplifiers for receiving said amplified reproduced stereophonic signals and, when head-phones are connected thereto, for supplying said amplified reproduced stereophonic signals to said head-phones;
• microphone means, integral with said reproducing apparatus, for producing audio electrical signals;
• attenuator means for selectively attenuating the stereophonic signals reproduced by said playback heads;
• a pair of switches, each having a first condition in which a respective one of said reproduced stereophonic signals is supplied from one of said playback heads to one of said amplifiers without passing through said attenuator means, and a second condition in which said respective one of said reproduced stereophonic signals is supplied to said one amplifier through said attenuator means and, additionally, said audio electrical signals are supplied from said microphone means to said one amplifier;
• and
• an actuator manually operable to dispose both of said switches selectively in their first or second conditions.

In small, portable signal reproducing apparatus having plural playback heads for reproducing signals from a record medium;

• plural amplifiers for amplifying the signals reproduced by respective ones of said plural playback heads;
• head-phone jack connector means coupled to said plural amplifiers for receiving the signals amplified by respective ones of said amplifiers and, when head-phones are connected thereto, for supplying said amplified signals to said head-phones;
• and a microphone integral with said signal reproducing apparatus for producing audio electrical signals, the improvement comprising:
• a plurality of attenuators, each connected in series circuit between a respective one of said playback heads and a respective one of said amplifiers for attenuating the signals reproduced by said respective playback head;
• a plurality of switches, each coupled to a respective one of said attenuators and to said microphone, and each having a first condition for by-passing said respective attenuator such that the signals reproduced by a respective playback head are supplied to a respective amplifier without passing through said attenuator and a second condition for effectively connecting said respective attenuator in said series circuit and also for connecting said microphone to said respective amplifier whereby said audio electrical signals are supplied to said amplifier;
• and
• an actuator manually operable to concurrently dispose said plurality of switches selectively in either said first or second condition.

Apparatus for recording and for reproducing signals on a record medium, comprising transducer means for selectively recording signals on said record medium or reproducing signals from said record medium;

• amplifier means for selectively amplifying the signals to be recorded on or the signals reproduced from said record medium;
• head-phone jack means coupled to said amplifier means for receiving the amplified signals therefrom and, when head-phone means are connected thereto, for supplying said amplified signals to said head-phone means;
• microphone means for producing audio electrical signals;
• attenuator means for selectively attenuating the signals reproduced by said transducer means;
• switch means having a first condition, whereby said transducer means reproduces signals from said record medium and said reproduced signals are supplied to said amplifier means without passing through said attenuator means, and a second condition, whereby said reproduced signals are supplied to said amplifier means through said attenuator means and additionally, said audio electrical signals are supplied from said microphone means to said amplifier means;
• and record/reproduce selector means selectively operable to inhibit signals from said transducer means to be supplied to said amplifier means while, at the same time, supplying amplified signals from said amplifier means to said transducer means for recording.

In small, portable signal recording/reproducing apparatus having plural record/playback heads for selectively recording signals on and reproducing signals from a record medium;

• plural amplifiers for amplifying the signals to be recorded and the signals reproduced by respective ones of said record/playback heads;
• head-phone jack connector means coupled to said plural amplifiers for receiving the signals amplified by respective ones of said amplifiers and, when head-phones are connected thereto, for supplying said amplified signals to said head-phones;
• microphone means integral with said signal record/reproducing apparatus for producing audio electrical signals;
• and a switching arrangement having a first state in which said apparatus operates to reproduce signals from said record medium and a second state in which said apparatus operates to record the audio electrical signals produced by said microphone means on said record medium, the improvement comprising:
• a plurality of attenuators, each connected in series circuit between a respective one of said record/playback heads and a respective one of said amplifiers for attenuating the signals reproduced by said respective heads when said switching arrangement exhibits said first state;
• and
• a plurality of switches, each coupled to a respective one of said attenuators and to said microphone means, and each having a first condition for by-passing said respective attenuator such that signals reproduced by a respective head are supplied to a respective amplifier without passing through said attenuator when said switching arrangement exhibits said first state and a second condition for effectively connecting said respective attenuator in said series circuit and also for connecting said microphone means to said respective amplifier.

Apparatus for reproducing signals from a record medium, comprising transducer means for reproducing said signals;

• head-phone jack means for receiving said reproduced signals and, when head-phone means are connected thereto, for supplying said reproduced signals to said head-phone means to enable a listener to listen to said reproduced signals;
• microphone means for producing audio electrical signals;
• switch means selectively operative to facilitate conversation between said listener and another, said switch means having a first condition, whereby said reproduced signals are supplied to said head-phone jack means substantially in the absence of said audio electrical signals, and a second condition, whereby both said audio electrical signals and attenuated reproduced signals are supplied concurrently to said head-phone jack means;
• and means responsive to the operation of said switch means to provide attenuation of said reproduced signals supplied to said head-phone jack means when said switch means has said second condition relative to the reproduced signals supplied to said head-phone jack means when said switch means has said first condition, whereby the listener hears said reproduced signals as background for said audio electrical signals when said switch means is in said second condition.