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Interviews and Stories

Preserving the stories of significant individuals in sound recording generally and magnetic recording specifically is a major project of MOMSR. The Museum’s goal is to document the stories of those persons who contributed significant inventions, manufactured equipment and who engineered and produced audio recordings, especially in the areas of music, broadcast, film/video and science. These interviews will be available on MOMSR’s web site and in the permanent facility when it is created. These interviews have also been made available to the Audio Engineering Society (AES) and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (Grammy’s).

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TapesonicTapesonicBobParks.jpg

From Bob Parks
Martin,
Thanks for the reply. Reel-to-Reel recorders sure were fascinating mechanical things, and still are.

I remember when we bought the Tapesonic. I was in High School in the late '50's, and we lived in Union, New Jersey, not far from NYC where Premier Electronic Labs. was located, and we wanted to buy a Tapesonic. My father called and Samuel Miller answered the phone. He said they had no dealers, but we can buy directly from him. My father said we would like to do that. Sam said, "Do we have your check yet?" My father said, "No." Sounding annoyed, Sam then said, "Well, when we get your check for the full amount ($398) we'll put one together for you when we get around to it." Believe it or not we mailed that check. Talk about blind faith! We never heard anything for about two months. Then one day an unmarked truck parked in front of the house. I was home alone, and the driver asked me to help him carry this large very heavy box into the house. No paperwork, just a handshake. After he left I opened the box, and there it was. It formed the basis of our Hi Fi system, and gave us a lot of enjoyment for many years. That's my Tapesonic story. I'll never forget it.

About six years ago I listed it on ebay, and George Csoknyai was the high bidder. He picked it up in Union and was almost shaking with excitement when he saw it. He said it would be one of the star attractions in their museum and gave me and my party a free lifetime pass to the museum, should we ever visit Hungary.

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From Kenneth A deGruchy Jr

 I became fascinated with the work of Mr. Sam Miller of Premier Electronic Labs at 382 Lafayette St, in NYC.  He almost single handedly manufactured the Tapesonic line of tape machines as you undoubtedly are aware.  I have 5 examples of the Tapesonic machines in my collection. I have I also became enamored with Ampex machines which were unobtainable for me as a kid.  Dept of defense surplus to the rescue when I was in college in the early 70's.  I obtained a pair of Ampex 401's that groomed me on professional equipment.  I really learned those electronics well and it paid off some years later when I became close personal friends with Les Paul (because of his association with things Ampex) and had the honor or repairing and restoring some of the recording electronics on his famous Octopus (8 CH) that featured 350 electronics which are very similar to the 400 series machines electronics.  Thanks again for your excellent story telling about magnetic recording.  I believe it fate that I was allowed to have my way with a Pentron 9T3 tape recorder at the tender age of 5 that directed me to a life long career with magnetic recording.  I am a 38 year veteran TV maintenance technician with Fox TV,  WNYW TV, NY, Ch 5, DT44.  Besides magnetic recording I have had a lifelong interest in the history of photographic aka optical sound recording as was used in the motion picture industry for many years.

What simply amazes me is how so many of those old 1 motor machines using belts and intermediate rollers are still working.  Who did your restorations?
At 5 years old that horrible old Pentron taught me the limitations of 1 motor transport designs however Tandberg taught me that it could be pulled off with grace to make a good machine.

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Stories Tapesonic - Richard Sloan

My father had a home business recording audio from tv and radio shows and then soliciting the people who appeared on the programs. He bought about five Tapesonic. They ere great work horses, but very heavy. Between having 5 of them, he took one to be fixed about twice a year. I think the problems ere in the solenoids in some of the buttons. I vividly remember visiting Sam Miller in his shop on Lafayette street. I think the man was a genius. This all took place in the 1960’s. Dad’s business was named TV-Time Recordings, in White Plains, ny. Imagine five of them in a line!  My father sold the business in the 70’s to a very heavyset man in the Bronx. I don’t think he lasted long. I sure wish I still had one of the machines, altho I don’t have room for one! I learned all about recordings and audiotape editing on those machines, and wound working as an audio man at ABC-TV from 1968 totil I retired in 2005 or thereabouts.

 

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