Reel: ten cult reel tape recorders - tell and show
Earlier we wrote about the history of the emergence of Bobinnikov in the world and the USSR . Today - we will tell about vintage devices, which collectors continue to chase.
Photo by MIKI Yoshihito / CC / Tape Recorder TEAC A-4010
The four-track TEAC A-4010 of 1966 became one of the best-selling models of the Japanese company Tascam. The tape recorder supported 7-inch coils and had the function of automatic rewinding - to mark the end of the tape, it was necessary to glue a piece of foil on it.
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In 1967, to increase sales, Tascam opened branded service centers in the United States. Their hopes were justified: more than 200 thousand devices of this series were sold in the world. On the basis of the A-4010 created two more models: A-4010S and A-4010SL, and they were produced until 1972.
Users praised TEAC A-4010S for its ease of use and technical specifications that were superior to those claimed by the manufacturer. The frequency range at tape speeds of 7½ IPS ranged from 35 to 19,000 Hz. After the success of the series, the brand continued to produce reel-to-reel tape recorders, and new models came out until 1992.
The GX-77 was produced from 1981 to 1985. The tape recorder could reproduce coils up to 7 inches in size and supported the new film format - EE (Extra Efficiency). This format was created in order to improve the sound of audio cassettes , and it used chromium dioxide.
The GX-77 was compact compared to competitors' tape recorders: its dimensions were 440x244x227 mm. It also cost less than other new products of that time - $ 775. For comparison, in the same year came Akai GX-747, which sold for $ 1200. Thus, the GX-77 was a more affordable reel to reel tape recorder.
The model is also known for its appearance. For the design of the player in 1982, the creators were awarded the Japanese Good Design Award. The GX-77 reviews are praised for ease of operation and good sound quality. Therefore, tape recorders were in demand, and on eBay one can still find commercially the devices themselves and the accessories for them.
GX-77 has not received further development. In 1985, Akai completely stopped the production of open type reel-to-reel tape recorders.
Mayak-001-stereo became the first top-class tape recorder in the USSR. It was created on the basis of the experimental model "Jupiter" in 1973. The devices were manufactured at the Mayak plant in Kiev, where in 1950 they produced the first Soviet tape recorders under the Dnepr brand. The plant produced a total of one thousand "Mayaks" per year, and therefore they were in short supply. Accessories for tape recorders purchased abroad.
Mayak-001 lost and recorded sound in mono and stereo formats. In 1974, this device received a gold medal at the international exhibition.
On its basis, in 1984, the tape recorder “Mayak-003-stereo” was created, which reproduced the extended frequency range. The next top-class model, Mayak-005-Stereo, was released in a limited series (about 20 pieces), and after that, only lower-level tape recorders were manufactured at the factory.
The tape recorder "Electronics-004" was assembled in 1983 at the Fryazinsky plant "Reny", which until the end of the 70s produced only military products.
Electronics-004 was a clone of Revox Swiss tape recorders. Fully replace foreign components at first did not work. The plant management insisted that engineers use K-50-6 condensers made in Armenia, but their quality left much to be desired. As a result, they still found a replacement for them - components began to be delivered from Dnepropetrovsk.
Later, the documentation for Electronics-004 was transferred to factories in Saratov and Kiev, and the model began to be produced in three enterprises.
With a tape speed of 19.05 cm / s, the working range of "Electronics" ranged from 31.5 to 22,000 Hz. Since 1984, on the basis of this device, a multichannel recorder of operational dispatch communication called “Electronics-004D” has been manufactured.
The high-end tape recorder “ Olimp-004-stereo ” was released in 1985 and became one of the most technically advanced Soviet reel players. The device was produced at the Kirov Electro-Machine-Building Plant named. Lepse. The prefix came out in the midst of the popularity of tape recorders and was designed for buyers who appreciate sound quality.
Plant them. Lepse cooperated with the Fryazinsky enterprise, and therefore the same Revox tape recorder is at the heart of Olimp. According to the characteristics of the device is similar to the "Electronics-004". The main differences are the absence of an automatic reverse and the presence of an electronic tape flow meter.
Along with "Electronics", "Olympus" is often remembered in the forums of audio equipment lovers as the best Soviet tape recorders. These models are still quite popular among enthusiasts.
The company Studer-Revox produced mainly studio equipment. Their tape recorders recorded such musicians and groups as Bob Dylan, The Beatles and Pink Floyd. Since 1960, the company began to produce electronics for the home. Revox A77 , which was released in 1967, also became part of this series.
Photo Wikimedia / CC
Revox consider A77 as its most successful model. In total, the company sold 150 thousand of such tape recorders. The last, fourth, modification of the device came out in 1974 and continued to be produced until 1977. The tape recorder had many variations : with a different number of tracks for recording and with different tape speeds.
In 1977, another successful model from Revox - B77 . Both models are reliable and durable, so they can still be found at auctions , where they are in demand.
RT-909 was the last of the reel tape recorders of the company Pioneer. Although the model was produced in Japan, it was not sold on the domestic market, and all RT-909 were exported (from 1978 to 1984).
The player was advertised as a device "in which there is any conceivable function." It had control systems for film speed and pitch, automatic rewind and auto repeat. Tape recorders of this model continue to buy and restore.
One of the best tape recorders of the famous Japanese brand Technics was released in 1976. It was an expensive model: at the time of release, the device was sold for $ 1500. It supports three playback speeds (9, 19 and 38 cm / s) and multi-channel recording.
RS-1500U love to this day. The Tape Project, which publishes classical music on film, used RS-1500U for mastering.
The Norwegian company Tandberg has been engaged in audio equipment since 1933. Even John F. Kennedy used her recording devices. TD 20A was released in 1977 and became one of the last reel players of the company. The device was positioned as a technique for an “advanced amateur”.
One of the major innovations in the TD 20A was the ability to record on “metal” Metafine film. The working layer of such a magnetic tape contained pure powders of metals instead of their oxides. The tape recorder supported coils of up to 10 inches in size and two tape speeds with an optional third: 9.5 cm / s, 19.05 cm / s, and 38.1 cm / s.
Later in the series released two more models: TD 20A-SE and TD 20-SES. The tape recorder remains in demand today too - audio lovers call it one of the best reel-to-reels.
The model was released in 1974. It was a technically advanced tape recorder for its time with tape speeds of 19 and 38 cm / s, and a frequency range of up to 40 kHz (at maximum speed). The device could boast accurate indicators of the volume level, a tool for synchronizing tracks, as well as the presence of phase compensation circuits.
Now the tape recorder is quite rare, because it was too expensive. In 1979, the price of the TC-880-2 was $ 2,495 ($ 8660 in modern terms). This is annoying because it is called the best of the Sony reel-to-reel tape recorders.
In our Telegram channel there is more interesting about acoustics and audio gadgets:
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Built-in Acoustics Guide
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Photo by MIKI Yoshihito / CC / Tape Recorder TEAC A-4010
TEAC A-4010
The four-track TEAC A-4010 of 1966 became one of the best-selling models of the Japanese company Tascam. The tape recorder supported 7-inch coils and had the function of automatic rewinding - to mark the end of the tape, it was necessary to glue a piece of foil on it.
')
In 1967, to increase sales, Tascam opened branded service centers in the United States. Their hopes were justified: more than 200 thousand devices of this series were sold in the world. On the basis of the A-4010 created two more models: A-4010S and A-4010SL, and they were produced until 1972.
Users praised TEAC A-4010S for its ease of use and technical specifications that were superior to those claimed by the manufacturer. The frequency range at tape speeds of 7½ IPS ranged from 35 to 19,000 Hz. After the success of the series, the brand continued to produce reel-to-reel tape recorders, and new models came out until 1992.
Akai GX-77
The GX-77 was produced from 1981 to 1985. The tape recorder could reproduce coils up to 7 inches in size and supported the new film format - EE (Extra Efficiency). This format was created in order to improve the sound of audio cassettes , and it used chromium dioxide.
The GX-77 was compact compared to competitors' tape recorders: its dimensions were 440x244x227 mm. It also cost less than other new products of that time - $ 775. For comparison, in the same year came Akai GX-747, which sold for $ 1200. Thus, the GX-77 was a more affordable reel to reel tape recorder.
The model is also known for its appearance. For the design of the player in 1982, the creators were awarded the Japanese Good Design Award. The GX-77 reviews are praised for ease of operation and good sound quality. Therefore, tape recorders were in demand, and on eBay one can still find commercially the devices themselves and the accessories for them.
GX-77 has not received further development. In 1985, Akai completely stopped the production of open type reel-to-reel tape recorders.
"Mayak-001"
Mayak-001-stereo became the first top-class tape recorder in the USSR. It was created on the basis of the experimental model "Jupiter" in 1973. The devices were manufactured at the Mayak plant in Kiev, where in 1950 they produced the first Soviet tape recorders under the Dnepr brand. The plant produced a total of one thousand "Mayaks" per year, and therefore they were in short supply. Accessories for tape recorders purchased abroad.
Mayak-001 lost and recorded sound in mono and stereo formats. In 1974, this device received a gold medal at the international exhibition.
On its basis, in 1984, the tape recorder “Mayak-003-stereo” was created, which reproduced the extended frequency range. The next top-class model, Mayak-005-Stereo, was released in a limited series (about 20 pieces), and after that, only lower-level tape recorders were manufactured at the factory.
"Electronics-004"
The tape recorder "Electronics-004" was assembled in 1983 at the Fryazinsky plant "Reny", which until the end of the 70s produced only military products.
Electronics-004 was a clone of Revox Swiss tape recorders. Fully replace foreign components at first did not work. The plant management insisted that engineers use K-50-6 condensers made in Armenia, but their quality left much to be desired. As a result, they still found a replacement for them - components began to be delivered from Dnepropetrovsk.
Later, the documentation for Electronics-004 was transferred to factories in Saratov and Kiev, and the model began to be produced in three enterprises.
With a tape speed of 19.05 cm / s, the working range of "Electronics" ranged from 31.5 to 22,000 Hz. Since 1984, on the basis of this device, a multichannel recorder of operational dispatch communication called “Electronics-004D” has been manufactured.
"Olimp-004-stereo"
The high-end tape recorder “ Olimp-004-stereo ” was released in 1985 and became one of the most technically advanced Soviet reel players. The device was produced at the Kirov Electro-Machine-Building Plant named. Lepse. The prefix came out in the midst of the popularity of tape recorders and was designed for buyers who appreciate sound quality.
Plant them. Lepse cooperated with the Fryazinsky enterprise, and therefore the same Revox tape recorder is at the heart of Olimp. According to the characteristics of the device is similar to the "Electronics-004". The main differences are the absence of an automatic reverse and the presence of an electronic tape flow meter.
Along with "Electronics", "Olympus" is often remembered in the forums of audio equipment lovers as the best Soviet tape recorders. These models are still quite popular among enthusiasts.
Revox A77
The company Studer-Revox produced mainly studio equipment. Their tape recorders recorded such musicians and groups as Bob Dylan, The Beatles and Pink Floyd. Since 1960, the company began to produce electronics for the home. Revox A77 , which was released in 1967, also became part of this series.
Photo Wikimedia / CC
Revox consider A77 as its most successful model. In total, the company sold 150 thousand of such tape recorders. The last, fourth, modification of the device came out in 1974 and continued to be produced until 1977. The tape recorder had many variations : with a different number of tracks for recording and with different tape speeds.
In 1977, another successful model from Revox - B77 . Both models are reliable and durable, so they can still be found at auctions , where they are in demand.
Pioneer RT-909
RT-909 was the last of the reel tape recorders of the company Pioneer. Although the model was produced in Japan, it was not sold on the domestic market, and all RT-909 were exported (from 1978 to 1984).
The player was advertised as a device "in which there is any conceivable function." It had control systems for film speed and pitch, automatic rewind and auto repeat. Tape recorders of this model continue to buy and restore.
Technics RS-1500U
One of the best tape recorders of the famous Japanese brand Technics was released in 1976. It was an expensive model: at the time of release, the device was sold for $ 1500. It supports three playback speeds (9, 19 and 38 cm / s) and multi-channel recording.
RS-1500U love to this day. The Tape Project, which publishes classical music on film, used RS-1500U for mastering.
Tandberg TD 20A
The Norwegian company Tandberg has been engaged in audio equipment since 1933. Even John F. Kennedy used her recording devices. TD 20A was released in 1977 and became one of the last reel players of the company. The device was positioned as a technique for an “advanced amateur”.
One of the major innovations in the TD 20A was the ability to record on “metal” Metafine film. The working layer of such a magnetic tape contained pure powders of metals instead of their oxides. The tape recorder supported coils of up to 10 inches in size and two tape speeds with an optional third: 9.5 cm / s, 19.05 cm / s, and 38.1 cm / s.
Later in the series released two more models: TD 20A-SE and TD 20-SES. The tape recorder remains in demand today too - audio lovers call it one of the best reel-to-reels.
Sony TC-880-2
The model was released in 1974. It was a technically advanced tape recorder for its time with tape speeds of 19 and 38 cm / s, and a frequency range of up to 40 kHz (at maximum speed). The device could boast accurate indicators of the volume level, a tool for synchronizing tracks, as well as the presence of phase compensation circuits.
Now the tape recorder is quite rare, because it was too expensive. In 1979, the price of the TC-880-2 was $ 2,495 ($ 8660 in modern terms). This is annoying because it is called the best of the Sony reel-to-reel tape recorders.
In our Telegram channel there is more interesting about acoustics and audio gadgets:
Cinema on the plates Unusual portable Built-in Acoustics Guide What is HD-vinyl Unusual audio gadgetsSource: https://habr.com/ru/post/423017/
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