Technical Details
Brand: AEG
Model:Magnetophon 5
Category:Vintage
Application:Consumer
Electronics:Tube
Equalization:IEC
Country of Manufacture:Germany
Release dates:1935 - 1938
Tracks:1/2 Rec/PB
Speeds: 1 7/8
Max Reel Size("): 7"
Number of heads: 2
Head Composition: Permalloy
Head Configuration: full-track-mono
Auto Reverse?:No
Voltage(s): 220-240v
Frequency Response:50 - 8kHz
Sound quality rating:2 / 10
Long-term reliability rating: 5/ 10
Additional Details
Description
The following pictures and text are from a book entitled “Sound from past to present”
This is the one that started it all. It is the first production tape recorder. Not only is it of historical interest but it is also technically quite different from later models. The tape speed was very fast – (one meter per second) yet the sound quality was little better than the quality possible on 1 7/8 ips 25 years later.
One of the reasons was the poor tape quality – it had only just been invented by I. G. Farbenindustrie (later known as Badishe Anilin und Soda Fabriken – BASF). Also, the bias was a DC current, AC high frequency bias was developed five years later by the Germans Hans Joachim von Braunmühl and Walter Weber.
The machine was housed in three separate cases(like the one in the picture further down this page): one for the tape unit, one for the electronics and one for the speaker. It also didn’t have reels. Instead they used “pancakes” – reels without flanges – and the tape machine had plates equivalent to 10½ ” reel capacity.
Additional Info
Transport: relay operated, possibly 3 motors (unsure!) / Bias frequency: DC / Inputs: carbon microphone / Outputs: speaker / single track mono