Rola Reel to Reel

Tape Recorders

(
Bookmark and Share

PLEASE NOTE: None of the Vintage Museum items are for sale.

 
 

Manufacturer Profiles

This is a list of information we have gathered from a variety of sources on some of the major analog reel to reel tape recorder and related equipment manufacturers.  While we have strived to provide the best information available to us, there will be corrections and additions. We include personal stories about the companies when they are provided to us.  We always invite input on corrections and updates. Thank you!

The Vintage DVD set is not currently available. The entire 7 hour production is downloadable for $9.95 at this link. view trailer of the 7 hour collection

Go to: • 3M • AEG/Magnetophon • AIWA • Akai • Altec • Amplifier Corp • Ampex • Ampro • A. R. Vetter • Astatic • Astrocom/Marlux • Bang & Olufsenl • Bell & Howell • Bell Labs • Berlant Concertone • Beyerdynamic • Brenell • Braun GmbH/ASE • Brüel & Kjær • Brush • Cetec Gauss • Concord • Craig • Crown • Denon •Dokorder • Dual • Edison • Eico • Electro Sound • Electro Voice • EMI/Gramophone • Fairchild • Ferrograph • Fostex • Freeman • GE • Grundig • HeathKit • ITC • JVC • KLH • Leevers Rich • Lyrec • Magnecord • Mara Machines • Marantz • Maxell • MCI • Mitsubishi • Nagra • Nakamichi • Neumann • Newcomb • Neve • Oki • Otari • Pentron • Philips • Pioneer • Presto • Radio Shack/Realistic • Rangertone • RCA • Reeves Soundcraft • Revere • Roberts • Rola • Sansui • Sanyo • Scully • Sennheiser • Shure • Solid State Logic • Sony • Soundcraft • Spectone • Stancil Hoffman • Stellavox • Stephens • Studer ReVox • Tandberg • Tape-Athon •Tapesonic • Teac/Tascam • Technics • Telefunken • Thorens • Tolnai • Toshiba • Uher • Viking • Vortexion Ltd UK • Webster Chicago/Webcor • Webster Electric • Western Electric/Altec • Wilcox-Gay • Wollensak

View calendar which lists company creation dates associated with world and recording history

See also Multi-Track recording • MOMSR Interviews • Audio Engineering Society historical interviews • Grammy Living Histories

 
 

 

We are including these links where you may find more information regarding Australian reel to reel tape recorders

Audio Engineering Society Melbourne Section  Australian Professional Audio Equipment

The following infomation on Rola provided with permission by Peter O'Neill - O'Neill Associates

provided with permission by Peter O'Neill    provided with permission by Peter O'Neill

provided with permission by Peter O'Neill  provided with permission by Peter O'Neill

)left) "77" Mk III Console Configuration

The above infomation on Rola provided with permission by Peter O'Neill - O'Neill Associates

See also Peter O'Neill - O'Neill Associates information on Byer Industries Pty. Ltd history in Australia

see also Audio Engineering Society Melbourne Section and more Rola photos from the Melbourne AES

provided with permission by Peter O'Neill

ROLA headquaters - Melbourne AES

Photos of ROLA equipment from the Melbourne AES

Photos of ROLA equipment from the Melbourne AES

77MKIII in test.

Photos of ROLA equipment from the Melbourne AES

The 77 Mark III – it replaced the 77 Mark II as the radio station workhorse. Still called “transportable” – but it weighed 55 pounds (25kgs).

 

Photos of ROLA equipment from the Melbourne AES

Melbourne City Council – Proceedings Recording System – Chambers Recording Console. Note stereo Byer 77MKII recorders.

Photos of ROLA equipment from the Melbourne AES

The Rola 777 (“Three Sevens”) – a console recorder.

Photos of ROLA equipment from the Melbourne AES

This is an apparently earlier trade display booth (pre-Plessey). Caption says “Menzies Sydney – AFCB Convention Oct 1964″ I think it was the FACB Convention (Federation of Commercial Broadcasters). The 777 and the 77MKIII are prominent.

 

Photos of ROLA equipment from the Melbourne AES

These three photos are from a trade display somewhere. IREE Convention perhaps?? The Plessey name is prominent. It had become Plessey/Rola.

Photos of ROLA equipment from the Melbourne AES

The 66 Mark II – a basic recorder. Though it had 3 heads, the one set of electronics was switched from replay to record – making it impossible to “confidence-monitor” during recording. At 45 pounds (20kgs) it is called transportable.

 

Photos of ROLA equipment from the Melbourne AES

The 33B – I don’t know it but it looks to be an early replay-only unit with 10.5″ reels.

Photos of ROLA equipment from the Melbourne AES

High Speed dubbing equipment.

Photos of ROLA equipment from the Melbourne AES

High Speed Duplicator manufactured for ABC Melbourne.
Photos of ROLA equipment from the Melbourne AES

 

 
 

 

Tour our collection! 

We offer seven hours of 50 video segments via download about our reel to reel tape recorder and microphone collection and the history of magnetic recording available at this link.

ORDER THE VIDEO FILES ON LINE - was 14.95  NOW only $9.95

There are 50 QuickTime H264 854 X 480 files in this download.  Play on MAC OS or Windows Media Player

While most content deals with the history and manufacturers of the reel to reel tape recorder, or tape deck, we cover many aspects of magnetic recording.

We provide 48 hours during which to download the files. After that the file access will expire.  Once the files are downloaded they are yours to keep.

© 2018 Museum of Magnetic Sound Recording  •  Webmaster • All pictures and content on this web site are the property of the Theophilus family,the Museum of Magnetic Sound Recording and reel2reeltexas.com • Photos of items in our collection are available for sale. We do NOT provide copies of ads, nor photos from other sources! All photo work is billed at studio rates and a deposit is required.