Sounds of the Tandon TM252

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Tandon-Microtek TM252
Country of Origin: USA
Introduced: Unknown
Interface: ST-412 (MFM nominal)
Capacity: 10MB
Form: 5.25 HH (1")
CHS: 306 / 4 / 17
LZN: 307
WPC: 128
Track-track: 17.4ms
Linear access: 64.1ms
Random access: 107.4ms
Rotational: 3600RPM
Media: Metallic, inline TF heads
Disks: 2
Actuation: Rotary band swingarm stepper
Feedback: None
Lift/Lock/Park: None
Brake: Electromechanical
Service life: Unknown
Related models: TM251 (1 disk)
Failures: Poor quality media

Settings: http://aioinc.ddns.net/HOST/TH99/h/tx...

My thoughts:
Tandon's first half height drive is almost a direct crush of their earlier full height TM-500 series, and it really shows. With the vertical stepper, external plastic swingarm, and somewhat light sensitive track 0 sensor, these drives are visibly cost reduced and pitifully low quality. They are also abysmally sluggish. Tandon produced a single platter 5MB version, the TM251, which I have never even seen a single photo of, but it stands to reason that it could have very easily reached production. Who would have bought such a drive, I'm not sure. Single platter drives tend to be very rare for this reason. Unfortunately, the TM252 seems to have been OEM'ed in many applications, including fairly desirable addons and machines, such as the Tecmar Macdrive. I recommend almost any other 10MB mechanism over a Tandon TM252.