Last Philips Reel to Reel Tape Recorder & picture history

The first reel to reel tape recorders were introduced in 1950-51, between 1952-54 standardisation forced manufacturer's to make machines that were compatible concerning the sizes of reels and play speeds. The customer forced the other changes concerning quality of sound and aesthetic looks, by buying tape recorders that were good looking and sounded clear and sharp. People in the music industry became more demanding after pre-recorded tape reels were introduced in 1954. Tone controls, more tracks, stereo sound and balance controls were added to domestic machines. While machines for the recording industry were improved with more channels to help record more instruments and more people, and so allow better mixing. By the 1960s 16 channel became the basic standard. With the introduction of the 'Cassette' Tape Recorder, the standard tape recorder was given a new name 'reel to reel' Tape Recorder. It could easily surpass the quality of the new kid on the block.
In the 1970s amplifiers and speakers became separate entities from the tape recorder. The age of the Tape Dec was born. This allowed consumers to be the better judges of what system they wanted and what power (in watts) and abilities (e.g. 5 or 7 graphic equalizers) it should have.
At PHILIPS, engineers and designers were working on a new project for sound recording -- the Audio Disc, which uses a laser to read the information and which could record sound perfectly, without distortion. And play it back perfectly time after time.
With Record Players the distortion and noise would come from dirt on the needle or on the record, resulting in crackles. With tape recording there has always been the element of hiss which is inherent due from the process of using ferric oxide coating on the magnetic tape and moving it along the tape head. With the introduction of the Dolby system this distortion had been reduced but not eliminated.
Tape Decks were selling very successfully for over twenty years. But in 1982, a new competitor was launched by the newly formed alliance of Sony and Philips -- the Compact Disc Player. Initially it did not have much affect as the CD Player could not record but a few years later and machines became available that could.
The last Philips reel to reel Tape Recorder came off the production line in 1983, 31 years after the first one began the story.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Philips
• N7300
• last
• reel
• to
• tape
• recorder
• history
• EL3501
• EL3570
• EL3514
• el3530
• 3511
• el3516
• el3542
• el3536
• el3534
• el3514
• el3547
• mkkiani
• electronics

[mkkiani]

@trankillodad Sorry for delay in replying. I am grateful to you for appreciating my work.

[mkkiani]

@trankillodad Many thanks for liking my work. My main aim is always to show the look of very rare items and show them working where I can, for the reason that not everyone will be able to buy one or travel to see one at one of the few specialist museums. Best regards.

[trankillodad]

Nice demonstration. This video is well put together

[mkkiani]

@JR3059 No. Cueing control is only a monitoring volume control for the monitor head. During recording you can hear the sound you are recording or the existing recording before it's erased. Helps avoid deleting recordings you want to keep. Azimuth is the angle at which the head is fixed on the head assembly, a small screw on one side of the head can be adjusted to give the highest output using a prerecorded music tape.

[mkkiani]

@whitbyjet65 Yes, but only for the music industry. Strangely PHILIPS only specialised in average domestic equipment and high end industrial recording equipment. After taking over Pye Goodmans & Grundig in 1970s, Philips mainly used its own brand name on high end equipment and its Goodmans brand name on cheap equipment.

[whitbyjet65]

Did Philips make high quality hi-fi equipment in the 70s?

[JR3059]

Thank you. Very nice machine indeed.

Could you comment on the control located on the head cover. Could this be a adjustment for azimuth ?