Seems to me that having oscillating guides to ensure the wire goes onto the reels uniformly causes more trouble than good. Why not allow the wire to position itself on the reels on its own accord?
Wire recorders started off at the turn of the century when amplifiers didnt exists, it was a dead media then, but with the inventions of amplifiers they were an established format which were brought back, in 1935-1059 these wire recorders were used however the British flat steel band the Blattnerphone was made in 1920, the Germans had perfected tape by 1930, the AEG Magnetophon K-1 but the recorders were professional and well out of the average price range.
They did, the British worked first on the Blattnerphone which used flat steel tape and later with the Germans came the Marconie Stille. These machines had even more drawbacks, the reels were Aprox 3-4 feet in diameter, travelled at a high speed and due to the size of the machines, if the tape should break, it was lethal, its told they were operated remotely as the breaking of the tape would cut the operator up into ribbons, it is not know if there were any fatalities but many people did get cut.
They did make a flat steel recorder called the Blattnerphone then a newer machine the Marconie Stille, the tape was 3mm wide and like razor wire, the recorders operated in a locked room as if an operator was close by and the tape snapped, it could be fatal.
Actually there are a few known incidentsa were people were decapitated by reel to reel using the metal reels = the reels were not locked down and flew off!
Wire recorders did overlap, the Blattnerphone (British)is a half way recorder built in 1925 ish, it used steel tape, the Marconi Steele was built by the British and the Germans, then came tape in 1935, the AEG K-0 dates 1930, it was paper tape recorder
These are neat. I've seen one or two in old antique shops. I always wondered what you'd do if your wire broke; it's not just like splicing a tape. Maybe they soldered?!
As in the video, splicing was done by cutting the wire then tying the wire in a loop, I have done this today but also added a solder lump to make the join not only stronger but smoother for when it goes though the heads.
Thanks for the very informative video on this machine. And I thought splicing tape was a nuisance! I imagine that capstan drive on a wire recorder just did not exist, correct? 60 inches per second!!! And they still get wow and flutter???
The sound quality is not know yet as I have had no sound out of it but my Chicago Webster is pretty terrible, this recorder is a little more sophisticated on the wire handling though, and is allot older.
I'm sure you've seen some of the Chicago Webster videos here on YouTube? I saw one and it sounded very good. Could have been faked? I mean, as these things go anyway. I think these machines are quite fascinating! I like watching the little arms go up and down (simple things entertain me).
For the age of the wire recorders, the sound is not bad, but you do get some funny noises from the wire going over the heads. I will do one of the working wire recorder I have soon.
thanks for valuable information about wire recorders. i have recently got a a swedish Luxor Magnefon from 1952 with the manual and all.. Radio, Record and Wire functions. it have never been used for anything but radio since it was new. so i will be very careful now when i try the wire recording..
A thought comes to mind when watching the wire snag on the guides that ensure even winding on the spools... don't wire recorders require some sort of oiling point for the wire as it passes through the guides and head? This may prevent so much snagging.
It's a thought, I have not seen in their manuals to oil the machines wire or guides but on the steel band recorders, they have oilers to prevent head wear.
Where the hell is the sound? I wanted to hear some music!
Schillingsanders 5 months ago
i think i will stick to tape reel to reel's much less headache
valdarmort 7 months ago
1:43 One man's "crude" is another man's "easy"
mendali 1 year ago
Perfectly informative!!! I enjoyed this video very much and had to say thanks.
So Thanks :0)
b1aflatoxin 1 year ago
Can you still get new wire?
TheMaxx111 1 year ago
Very interesting machine.
Great detail in your video.
Thanks for posting.
RODALCO2007 1 year ago
DId you have to recap this or is the amp going on original parts?
CassetteMaster 1 year ago
they run more like reel to reel's than the standard wire recorder.
btown2011 2 years ago
Seems to me that having oscillating guides to ensure the wire goes onto the reels uniformly causes more trouble than good. Why not allow the wire to position itself on the reels on its own accord?
matt9741399 2 years ago
If the wore goes on its won way, the wire clumps in one spot of the reel and when you try to replay it, the recorders wire snaggs even more
Seblington 2 years ago
Very nice demonstration. Thanks.
nathanielscott 2 years ago
Really brilliant video, Thank you so much for the informative post!
phrige 2 years ago
Cheers!
Seblington 2 years ago
The National Radio of Iceland keeps their oldest recordings on a wire like this.
thorir30 2 years ago
Wire recorders started off at the turn of the century when amplifiers didnt exists, it was a dead media then, but with the inventions of amplifiers they were an established format which were brought back, in 1935-1059 these wire recorders were used however the British flat steel band the Blattnerphone was made in 1920, the Germans had perfected tape by 1930, the AEG Magnetophon K-1 but the recorders were professional and well out of the average price range.
Seblington 3 years ago
Yepp those are the one's hitler had his speeches recorded on! A
btown2011 3 years ago
actually recording on a piece of flat wire would have been alot better!
btown2011 3 years ago
They did, the British worked first on the Blattnerphone which used flat steel tape and later with the Germans came the Marconie Stille. These machines had even more drawbacks, the reels were Aprox 3-4 feet in diameter, travelled at a high speed and due to the size of the machines, if the tape should break, it was lethal, its told they were operated remotely as the breaking of the tape would cut the operator up into ribbons, it is not know if there were any fatalities but many people did get cut.
Seblington 3 years ago
that is awsome i have wondered before if it was posible to record on a flat strip of metal or wire this is very cool i would like one of these
DRNEGOLICIS 3 years ago 2
They did make a flat steel recorder called the Blattnerphone then a newer machine the Marconie Stille, the tape was 3mm wide and like razor wire, the recorders operated in a locked room as if an operator was close by and the tape snapped, it could be fatal.
Seblington 3 years ago
Actually there are a few known incidentsa were people were decapitated by reel to reel using the metal reels = the reels were not locked down and flew off!
btown2011 3 years ago
GENIUS'
aarowsmith 3 years ago
Did you ever get this working properly or another of this type yet? It is such a neat device.
CassetteMaster 3 years ago
Hi, I havent got it working yet, with the head O/C it's a tricky thing to fix.
Seblington 3 years ago
you should be a teacher. amazing machine. good luck with it
data2137 3 years ago
Thank you very much, I would love to go to a vintage rally with this gear, shame they are so far away from me.
Seblington 3 years ago
this is a very interesting recorder knowing that it dates from a period when the tape was existent!nice video!
oviwolf 3 years ago
Wire recorders did overlap, the Blattnerphone (British)is a half way recorder built in 1925 ish, it used steel tape, the Marconi Steele was built by the British and the Germans, then came tape in 1935, the AEG K-0 dates 1930, it was paper tape recorder
Seblington 3 years ago
These are neat. I've seen one or two in old antique shops. I always wondered what you'd do if your wire broke; it's not just like splicing a tape. Maybe they soldered?!
myrecordcollection 3 years ago 2
Later I found out, you put the loop in the wire and you do heat it up then cut the ends, all sounds like allot of work to me :-)
Seblington 3 years ago
So what exactly would be the best method of splicing? i kind of thought like soldering!
btown2011 3 years ago
As in the video, splicing was done by cutting the wire then tying the wire in a loop, I have done this today but also added a solder lump to make the join not only stronger but smoother for when it goes though the heads.
Seblington 3 years ago
Thanks for the very informative video on this machine. And I thought splicing tape was a nuisance! I imagine that capstan drive on a wire recorder just did not exist, correct? 60 inches per second!!! And they still get wow and flutter???
Wow (my amazement).
clydesight 3 years ago
The sound quality is not know yet as I have had no sound out of it but my Chicago Webster is pretty terrible, this recorder is a little more sophisticated on the wire handling though, and is allot older.
Seblington 3 years ago
I'm sure you've seen some of the Chicago Webster videos here on YouTube? I saw one and it sounded very good. Could have been faked? I mean, as these things go anyway. I think these machines are quite fascinating! I like watching the little arms go up and down (simple things entertain me).
clydesight 3 years ago
For the age of the wire recorders, the sound is not bad, but you do get some funny noises from the wire going over the heads. I will do one of the working wire recorder I have soon.
Seblington 3 years ago
Fascinating, thankyou very much for your informative videos, they're great.
JohFredersen 4 years ago
Thank you all for your kind comments!
Seblington 4 years ago
thanks for valuable information about wire recorders. i have recently got a a swedish Luxor Magnefon from 1952 with the manual and all.. Radio, Record and Wire functions. it have never been used for anything but radio since it was new. so i will be very careful now when i try the wire recording..
regordravgis 4 years ago
When you get it working let us know.
Randreash 4 years ago
Hope you can get the head going.
CassetteMaster 4 years ago
A thought comes to mind when watching the wire snag on the guides that ensure even winding on the spools... don't wire recorders require some sort of oiling point for the wire as it passes through the guides and head? This may prevent so much snagging.
Orcinus24x5 4 years ago
It's a thought, I have not seen in their manuals to oil the machines wire or guides but on the steel band recorders, they have oilers to prevent head wear.
Seblington 4 years ago