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Already a member? Login Register hereReel to Reel Tape Recorders From Japan
- Aiwa
- Akai
- Answer
- Aurex
- Belsona (Hitachi)
- Cadenza
- Cipher
- Columbia
- Continental
- Denon
- Diatone
- Dokorder
- Ehrcorder
- Encorder
- Fostex
- Frontier
- Fujiya
- Harting
- Hitachi
- Ingra
- Juli-Corder
- Juliette
- JVC
- Kenwood
- Kowa
- Lo-D
- Masterwork
- Miny
- Mitsubishi
- Nakamichi (Fidela, Magic Tone)
- National
- NEC
- Niccol
- Nicorder
- Nittiku
- Oki
- Otari
- Panasonic
- Peerless
- Pioneer
- Rapar
- RGD
- Sansui
- Sanyo
- Saturn
- Sharp
- Sony
- Steelman
- Taihei
- Tascam
- Teac
- Technicorder
- Technics
- Teleton (Realistic)
- Toshiba
- Trio
- TRK
- Uroko
- Victor
1951 To 2006
Between 1970 and 1990, 86 percent of Aiwa’s revenues came from stereo systems, portable stereo systems, headphone stereos, minicomponents, minidisc players, CD and cassette players and car stereo systems. 90 percent of its production outside Japan from Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. 80 percent of sales outside Japan, with 43 percent in North and South America, 25 percent in Europe, and 13 percent in areas of Asia outside Japan and in other regions. In 1982 Sony owned 54.6% of the company giving it majority control. December 2002- Purchased by Sony Corporation. No longer a separate company, 100% owned and a division Read More
1929 To 2017
1929– founded by Masukichi Akai in 1929 as a manufacturer of radio components 1930’s– Business prospered while Masukichi’s eldest son, Saburo, grew up in the factory 1933– Father/Son team move their facilities from backyard premises to a new factory 1939– Ten days after getting married Saburo Akai (Son) receives his military enlistment papers WW2– Masukichi sells premises and equipment to Sawafuji Electric Co Post WW2– Saburo employed as an engineer at Sawafuji 1947– Saburo Akai buys the Kamata plant from Sawafuji. Changes the name to Akai Electric Company 1953-54 Akai begins to export goods bypassing wholesalers. Advertises in the American mag Read More
- 1710
- 1720
- 1800
- 34 Terecorder
- 44S
- 202D-SS
- 250D
- 345 Automatic
- 400D Pro
- 1710W
- 1721 W
- 1722w
- 1730D-SS
- 1800D-SS
- 3000D
- 4000 DS
- 4000D
- 4000D Pro
- 4440D
- GX-77
- GX-210D
- GX-215D
- GX-220
- GX-220D
- GX-221D
- GX-230
- GX-230D
- GX-255
- GX-260D
- GX-265D
- GX-266 II
- GX-266D
- GX-267D
- GX-270D
- GX-270D-SS
- GX-280D
- GX-280D-SS
- GX-285D
- GX-365D
- GX-370D
- GX-400 DSS
- GX-400D
- GX-400D-SS
- GX-600DB
- GX-620
- GX-625
- GX-630D
- GX-630D-SS
- GX-635D
- GX-636
- GX-646
- GX-650
- GX-650D
- GX-747
- GX-747dbx
- GX-1820
- GX-1820D
- GX-1900
- GX-4000 DB
- GX-4000D
- GX-4400D
- GX 220u
- M-7
- M-8
- M-9
- M-10
- M6
- M8
- Pro-1000
- ST1
- Standard
- Stereo Deluxe
- Universal
- X-100D
- X-150D
- X-165D
- X-200D
- X-300
- X-330D
- X-330D
- X-355
- X-360
- X-1800 SD
- X-1810
- X-2000SD
- X-5000
- X-IV
- X-V
Answer Manufactory was based in Tokyo Japan
Aurex was a brand marketed by Toshiba, primarily in Japan and they sold a whole range of audio components including turntables, setbacks, speakers, FM tuners and more. The range of reel to reel tape recorders that they made was fairly limited.
1910 To Present
1896 – Frederick Whitney Horn, an American merchant, and owner of the F.W. Horn trading company, was involved in the import of tools (and machines) to Yokohama. He also began importing photographs and records produced by Columbia records. 1907 – He founded Japan-U.S. Recorders Manufacturing to stabilize the spread of gramophone production and disc standards. 1909 – Frederick Whitney Horn opened a factory producing discs. At the same time, he opened a recording studio, to be able to control the whole process. 1910 – Nippon Denki Onkyō Kabushikigaisha (Japan Electric Sound Company) was established by Frederick Whitney Horn in association Read More
Why wouldn’t Mitsubishi want to get involved with reel to reel tape recorders back in the 60’s? It seems that every significant Japanese electronics manufacturer saw an opportunity. Mitsubishi did get involved in a variety of different audio pursuits but never very seriously. Diatone which may have only been available in Japan is one of their brands.
1946 To 1999
1946 – Osaka Denki Onkyo K.K founded (not related to Nippon Denki Onkyo, which became Denon). 1960 – Dokorder name brand introduced with the PT-36B-W R-R, AC or battery operated and a PT-36BX 1971 – 9000 Series introduced with models 9010V, 9020V & the 9060H, a studio-type R-R 1972 – Stereo tape deck Dokorder 7500 1974 – Released 7140 1975 – Introduced 7100, 7060, 8010 and 8100, 4-track 2-channel tape deck. MK50A- stereo cassette tape deck/recorder. 1976 – Model 1140, with an automatic cue function called “Program Memory” 1120, a 4-track and 1122 a 2-track stereo mono tape deck 8020 Read More
1949 To
1949 Mr. S.Nishimura and Mr. H.Shinohara established Shinano Onkyo Institute in Japan to manufacture speakers. 1953 The “Foster” trade name was registered 1960 Makes speakers for Sony transistor radios 1962 Foster makes microphones 1965 Foster makes stereo radio tuners 1973 The Fostex Company was founded by Foster Electric Co.,Ltd. to brand speaker components from Foster and sell them direct to consumers and dealers 1978 Developed speakers for professional use and began to export worldwide 1981 Enters the professional recording market with three reel-to-reel models, the A-2, A-4 and the A-8 which was the first eight channel multitrack recorder using 1/4″ tape. Fostex also Read More
Made in Japan and marketed in Europe
The Fujiya Corporation of Japan was distributed in the US with an office at 405 Lexington Avenue NYC. Primarily producing portables, their models included EX-311 tube, FL-351, FL-523, FL-555, FL-771, MTR-252, TBR-31. It is very likely that the name Fujiya is an extension of the parent company’s name Fuji Denki (Fuji Electric) as we have found a tube tape recorder from the early days with that branding.
1910 – Founded by electrical engineer Namihei Odaira in Japan. Company’s first product was Japan’s first 5-horsepower electric induction motor, initially developed for use in copper mining. 1916 – Completed 10,000-hp (7,355-kW) water turbine. Becoming a large industrial company making locomotives, transformers, elevators and other industrial products. 1920 – Incorporated as Hitachi (rising sun). 1924 – First large-scale DC electric locomotive to be manufactured in Japan 1949 – First U05 power excavator. Hitachi became known in part for its industrial use vehicles and equipment 1951 – Completed 6,500-kW Kaplan water turbine and 7,000-kVA AC generator (first umbrella-type generator made in Read More
Not much is no known about this Japanese manufacturer which we can safely assume was located somewhere in Tokyo. The Juli-Corder Branded tape recorder listed here was found in Australia.
1946 To Present
1946 – Kasuga Radio Co. Ltd. in Komagane City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan was founded by group of young entrepreneurs to manufacture sophisticated high-fidelity electronic components and amateur radio equipment. Kenwood, a combination of the name “Ken,” which is common in both America and Japan, and “Wood,” referenced the first overseas office in Hollywood and wood, a durable substance. 1947 – Manufacturing radio parts 1949 – Created the first-ever high-frequency transformer 1950 – Renamed Kasuga Radio Industry Corporation 1955 – Established Tokyo office and begins mass production of audio, communications and measuring equipment. 1957 – Developed and manufactured the first FM tuner Read More
Japanese company that selectively branded many other manufacturer’s products for the Japanese market. So far we have found Teac Reel-Reel decks and Sony Elcaset Tape Decks branded as Lo-D.
1948 To
Established by by Etsuro Nakamichi in 1948 as Nakamichi Research Corporation Ltd, the company is not widely known as a manufacturer of reel to reel tape recorders. In fact they were one of the early Japanese producers (1951) and marketed 2 tape recorders branded Fidela and Magic Tone. They also began producing tape recorder heads in 1957. This obscure Japanese website lists the Magic tone as a 1951 model and the following 15 models of Fidela reel to reel tape recorders – 11, 22, 33, 55, studio 77, studio 77D, studio 300D, studio 300DS, 720, 780, 807, Gem Sonic 807, Read More
Nicorder
The Nitttiku Kogyo Company Produced tube-based tape recorders in the late 1950’s In Japan but does not appear to have continued Into the period where Japanese tape recorders prevailed in the marketplace.
The Oki Electric industry Co. Ltd. Produced tape recorders branded as Oki and OkiCorder which were the portable models.
1964 To 2017
1964 – Former Teac Engineer, Masayuki Hosoda founded Otari Corp. making tape recorders, mixing consoles and duplicating machines 1966 – Company’s first product DP-1000 high-speed tape duplicator 1967 – MX-5000, first multi-track recorder 1968 – MTR-60, first master tape recorder 1970 – DP 5000 and MX-7000 R-R were released 1974 – Developed TD7500 1977 – MTR 90 R-R 1978 – MX5050 B2 HD 1979 – Videotape loader VL-100 1980 – Established the subsidiary Otaritec Corporation producing professional audio equipment 1981 – MX5050 BQII 1984 – MTR-10 and MTR-12 1986 – Released MX-80 multitrack tape recorder and BTR-5 broadcast tape recorder. Read More
1936 To 2021
1936– Munoz Matsumoto (1905–1988) founded the Fukuin Shokai Denki Seisakusho company in Japan. The son of missionary, Matsumoto’s company name means “Blessed Sound Electric Company”. 1937– Matsumoto builds the A-8 dynamic speaker, based on a Philco model he heard earlier, and named it the “pioneer” 1938– Matsumoto started the Fukuin Shokai Denki Seisakusho Company (FSDSC), making speakers in his garage, then started a small factory that repaired radios and speakers 1953– FSDSC released the PE-8 Hi-Fi Speaker. 1961– The FSDSC name is changed to Pioneer Electronic Corporation 1962– Pioneer made the world’s first separate channel stereo system with detachable speakers Read More
1947 To
1947 Sansui founded in Japan, initially manufactured transformers. It is part of Grande Holdings, a Chinese Hong Kong-based conglomerate, which also owns Japanese brands Akai and Nakamichi 1960s Sansui had developed a reputation for making serious audio components, especially amplifiers and tuners 1970’s Sansui makes multi track vertical reel to reel recorders 1980’s As the brand lost sales were lost to competitors, it began to lose visibility in the United States around, and then focused on manufacturing high-end components in Japan.
1946 To Present
Links to a full Sony history included at the bottom. 1946 Masaru Ibuka started an electronics shop in a department store building in Tokyo. Initial products included electric rice heaters and heating pads. The company began experimenting with wire recording and were able to see a demonstration of a WilcoxGay tape recorder 1947 Masaru Ibuka founded Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation). 1949 Sony concentrated the business on making magnetic tape for recording. The company built Japan’s first tape recorder prototype called Soni-Tape 1950 Sony launched Japan’s first tape recorder, the “G type.” Called “G” type because it was Read More
- 101
- 202
- 261
- 262
- 362
- 464
- 501
- 362-B
- 905-A
- APR-2003
- APR-5003
- CP-12
- CS 300 Sterecorder
- EM-1 'Newscaster'
- EM-2
- EM-3
- FT-3
- GT-6 Tokyo Telecommunications
- H1 Tokyo Telecommunications
- M-4 Tokyo Telecommunications
- MT-1S
- R1 Tokyo Telecommunications
- TC-102
- TC-104A
- TC-105
- TC-106
- TC-108
- TC-111
- TC-123
- TC-135
- TC-200
- TC-210
- TC-211
- TC-221
- TC-222A
- TC-230
- TC-250
- TC-250 A
- TC-252
- TC-252D
- TC-260
- TC-270
- TC-272
- TC-277-4
- TC-280
- TC-330
- TC-350
- TC-355
- TC-365
- TC-366
- TC-366-4
- TC-377
- TC-378
- TC-388-4 Deluxe Quadradial
- TC-399
- TC-440
- TC-458
- TC-500A
- TC-510-2
- TC-540
- TC-558
- TC-560
- TC-560D
- TC-580
- TC-600 (D)
- TC-630
- TC-630D
- TC-640
- TC-640 A
- TC-645
- TC-651
- TC-666D
- TC-707MC
- TC-730
- TC-755
- TC-756
- TC-756-2
- TC-758
- TC-765
- TC-766-2
- TC-770
- TC-774
- TC-777
- TC-777S
- TC-780
- TC-788-4 Quadradial
- TC-800
- TC-800B
- TC-850
- TC-854-4
- TC-900
- TC-905
- TC-907
- TC-4805
- TC-6650
- TC-8750-2
- TC-9400A
- TC-9540
- TC-R6
- TC-R7-2
- TC 880-2
This brand was manufactured by the Nihon Recording Co. in Tokyo Japan. They appear to be in early entrant into the market in the 1950’s that did not continue.
1953 To Present
There seems to be a fair bit of duplication on the Teac history story and it seemed best at this point to put forth a variety of links to some of the better efforts to capture the interesting story. Perhaps we will build out a more definitive history, when more unique information becomes available. TEAC – The History of Recording and Sound Museum of magnetic sound recording – Teac TascamForums.com
- 1230
- 1230
- 25-2
- 33-2
- 35-2
- 40-4
- 80-8
- 505 R
- 2300S
- 2340R
- 3340S
- A-1030
- A-1200
- A-1230
- A-1250
- A-1250S
- A-1300
- A-1340
- A-1500
- A-1600
- A-2010
- A-2050
- A-2060
- A-2300
- A-2300S
- A-2300SD
- A-2300SR
- A-2300SX
- A-2340
- A-2340R
- A-2340SX
- A-2500
- A-2520
- A-3300
- A-3300S
- A-3300SR
- A-3300SX
- A-3340
- A-3340 S
- A-3340-S
- A-3440
- A-4000
- A-4000S
- A-4010
- A-4010GSL
- A-4010S
- A-4070
- A-4070G
- A-4300
- A-4300SX
- A-5010
- A-5300
- A-5500
- A-6010
- A-6010GSL
- A-6010SL
- A-6100
- A-6300
- A-6300 Mk II
- A-6600
- A-6700DX
- A-7010
- A-7010GSL
- A-7010SL
- A-7030
- A-7030GSL
- A-7030SL
- A-7300
- A-7300RX
- A-7400RX
- A3300-2T
- A6300
- F1
- R-1000
- T-3400
- T-3600
- TD-321
- TW-7
- X-3
- X-3R
- X-7
- X-10
- X-10M
- X-10R
- X-10R Mk II
- X-20R
- X-300
- X-300R
- X-700R
- X-1000
- X-1000M
- X-1000R
- X-2000
- X-2000M
- X-2000R
Technicorder
1918 To Present
1918 – Panasonic was founded in by Konosuke Matsushita first selling duplex lamp sockets. 1965 – Panasonic started to produce a variety of hi-fi products under the Technics name brand. The first product out of the gate, The Technics 1 speaker. 1969 – The Technics name came to wider prominence with sales of turntables for the professional market 1970 – Produces the worlds first Direct Drive Turntable, the SP-10, Tonearm not included 1972 – Technics introduced the first auto reverse system in a cassette deck with the RS-277US. Introduces SL-1200 Direct Drive Turntable which sold over 3.5 million units and Read More
The Kasuga Radio Co. Ltd. in Komagane City, was founded in 1946 and renamed Trio Corporation in 1960. During that decade they made a lot of Radio Shack & Lafayette products. Kenwood was another brand that they pioneered and later in the 60’s they phased out Trio branding and focused on Kenwood.
TRK
Not much is known about what appears to be a serious broadcast tape recorder manufacturer in Japan. This Very interesting blog post Looks like a good start to the investigation