Manufacturer Profiles

© 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.

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!

Statistics 2014 • 2015  •  News coverage #1  News coverage #2  • view overview video of tape recorder collection • mobile video • more info • See also Multi-Track recording

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

Go to Sony Part 1  •  Go to Sony Part 3

Contributions The following provided by Michael Sykes, formerly of SONY UK Ltd, taken from literature he helped prepare. We greatly appreciate Michael taking the time to scan and donate these images to our collection. Hello Martin, Delighted to help - knew they would come in useful one day. I set up the original SONY UK Sales DIVISION, as part of the Debenham Group in 1964 and in 1968 moved to London to set up SONY UK Ltd. I left in 1984 when SONY underwent massive reorganisation by the American "suits" who wanted to relocate the UK operation to Europe. Sadly, with the passing of Co-founder, Akio Morita, that was to be the Company's fate. CD had just been launched in the UK, together with Walkman and I bowed out. Today ????? Of course, as you know, SONY  pioneered other magnetic recording formats, analog and digital, cassette in conjunction with Philips, Elcassette, and video/audio recording using its own Betamax system, together with microphones, mixers and many other audio accessories. I do have information on them all, if of interest. Michael                                                       Sony Ads 1957 1958 1958 Sony reel to reel tape recorder selection Sony tape plant in Tokyo Sony tape recorder factory in Tokyo in 1958   1959   1960   1961                                                                  1962                               1963                                                                           1964                                                       1965               1966                                   1967                                                                     1968                                             1969                                    1970                        1971                                   1972                         1973       1974         1975                         1976   1977     Go to Sony Part 1  •  Go to Sony Part 3

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