Panasonic RX-1460

The RX-1460 was a 2-band AM/FM Radio Cassette Recorder manufactured by the Panasonic Corporation in Singapore. During the mid 1980s and late 1990s, Panasonic brought out many versions of this unit. The RX-1460LE was a 3-band radio cassette featuring LW, MW, and FM bands. There was also the RX-1460LS version, and the RX-1461, which had an additional shortwave band and the same tape transport mechanism as the RX-1440. All of these units had identical features with dimensions 31.9 cm × 22.6 cm × 13.1 cm, and mass 2.4 kg. These radio cassettes had 10 cm diameter loudspeaker, and the audio output was 2-watts produced by a push-pull transistor circuit.

• RX-1460
• RX-1460L
• RX-1460LE
• RX-1460LS
• RX-1461

The photographs in this article are for the RX-1460LE version, which is a 240 V system that was available in the UK. This later design has some interesting features such as a painted microphone grille. The loudspeaker grille has a cloth pattern, which is set in plastic moulding. There is a long narrow tuning dial, over the length of the case, but the tuning scale is approximately half that length. These units used to boast "one touch recording" which was essentially a small recording button set inside the play button.

Cost / eBay

The Panasonic RX-1460 would have enjoyed a long mass production in Singapore, however very few would have survived to present day. It has some good points going for it such as a flat drive belt, sensitive radio, a transport mechanism where the fast-forward and rewind mechanism consists of plastic cogwheels that continue to work today. The unit on its own in used condition might go for ten pounds, whilst one in mint condition for considerably more.

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