Old bobbin tape recorders for most today are just a pile of scrap metal. However, for our parents and grandparents, they were once the only opportunity to listen to music in the digital era. Moreover, in Soviet times, acquiring one of these devices was not easy. For each of its lucky owners, such a device was a symbol of celebration. Consider the most famous models of bobbin tape recorders of the USSR.
Tape recorder: what kind of animal is it and what does it eat with?
Before the advent of digital players, tape recorders were used to record audio information and play it.
They existed in parallel with gramophones, gramophones and other turntables.
Initially, such devices recorded on steel wire with a specific coating. In the future - on magnetic tape.
In addition to tape recorders, a video recorder was invented based on this technology.
But by the beginning of the 2000s, both devices were finally pushed out of the market by digital media. And today they are found only among lovers of antiquity.
Bobbins
At the dawn of existence, tape was used in tape recorders for recording, and at sunset they were adapted for rectangular compact cassettes with magnetic tape. However, in its golden era, the main carrier were bobbins. They were also called coils. Hence the name - reel tape recorder (reel).
Each of these devices consisted of two metal or plastic plates with a rod in the center. A magnetic tape with information was wound around it.
For the reel tape recorder to work, it was always necessary to use two coils. One was called the serving, the second - the host.
To play, the tape from one was rewound to the second. In the future, they could change places.
To extract the sound, the pulling mechanism allowed the tape to approach the magnetic head of the bobbin tape recorder. She served as a reader, writer and eraser. By the way, it was this important detail that became the ancestor of the heads of disk drives, without which no computer can work today.
The first reels for the tape recorder were rather bulky due to the thickness and width of the film. Gradually, it decreased along with a reduction in the size of the coils. They eventually evolved into compact cassettes. These small rectangles actually contained both the supply and the receiving bobbins. Due to the reduced width of the tape, the sound quality deteriorated. And although in everyday life a cassette recorder rapidly replaced the reel one, professionals still preferred to use the latter. This lasted until the proliferation of digital devices.
Magnetic tape
The main and most valuable in any reel was magnetic tape (film). It contained all the information.
The width of the magnetic tape in different countries and in different periods was different. For Soviet reel tape recorders, 6.25 mm was considered standard.
In contrast to the width, the standard allowed 3 thickness options: 55, 37, 27 or 18 microns. The fact is that thick ribbons had better mechanical properties and were more durable. But they were "capricious", because for a tight fit to the reading head they required strong tension, which means that not every tape recorder was able to cope with them. In addition, a thick tape was placed on the reel much less than a thin one.
For comparison: 525 m of film 37 microns thick was placed on a reel with a diameter of 18 cm. In the case of 55 microns on the same tape reel was 175 meters less. Not surprisingly, thinner, albeit less reliable, films were used for domestic needs.
As for tape manufacturers, in the USSR 3 enterprises specialized in this: Svema, Tasma and Slavich. Abroad, the most famous were TDK, Sony, 3M, BASF and Agfa.
A Brief History of a Reel Tape Recorder
The first full-fledged working device was invented in 1925 by Kurt Stille. He was recording on the wire.
After 2 years, magnetic tape was invented and patented. At first, its basis was paper. Later it was successfully replaced with a more durable and durable polymer film.
As for the technology of reel tape recorders, it was also developed in the 20s. At this time, Schuller proposed the design of a ring magnetic head. Subsequently, it became a classic. It consisted of an annular magnetic core with a winding on one side and a gap on the other. The recording current was supplied to the winding. It caused the magnetic field to exit in the gap, which magnetized the tape in time with the change in signal.
When the reproduction process took place, everything was exactly the opposite. The tape closed the magnetic flux through the gap to the core, induced an electromotive force in the winding.
The first household reel tape recorders and magnetic tapes for them began to be produced in 1934 - 35. German firms BASF and AEG. By the way, it was with the light hand of the latter that the name "tape recorder" appeared.
For several years, it was the Germans who were the kings of this niche.
After the victory in World War II, the American and Soviet sides “borrowed” from AEG the design of their tape recorders and magnetic tape. In the future, each of the countries began to actively develop the technology.
The most famous Soviet brands of tape recorders
Unfortunately, in the USSR they often preferred to copy other people's inventions rather than create their own, despite the fact that our scientists developed a lot of interesting and revolutionary ideas that could promise technological leadership in the future.
For example, at the dawn of the tape era, it was in the Soviet Union that they came up with an analogue of paper tape - cellulose. However, the development of its discoveries required finance and time. But there were no guarantees of a positive result. Therefore, preference was given to the already proven "stolen" inventions, which were modified and renamed. Then they were launched into production. This happened with cars, cameras, computers and tape recorders.
In fairness, one should not forget that this was done not only in the USSR, but also in the same European countries and the USA. But there, this habit did not gain as widespread as ours. Therefore, having stolen technology from the Germans on a par with the Soviet Union, by the mid-1950s, the Americans had finalized it so much that they were able to record not only sound, but also the image on magnetic tape. So video recorders were invented. The irony is that this breakthrough was made by the Russian Alexander Ponyatov, who, even during the revolution of the 17th year, was forced to leave the country and after many years of wandering settled in the United States.
As for the successes of the USSR in this field, on the basis of ready-made technology, by 1949 the first Soviet Dnepr-1 domestic reel-to-reel tape recorder was put on sale. It was a one-piece tube device working with a standard 6.25 mm magnetic tape. Despite some inconsistency of the model, it worked well. In the future, new, more advanced devices of different brands began to appear.
In the early years, reel tape recorders were a very expensive and scarce commodity. Therefore, ordinary Soviet citizens got a more or less free opportunity to buy them only in the mid-60s. In many respects, this happened due to the appearance of own enterprises in almost every republic, specializing in the production of reel tape recorders.
In Novosibirsk, they released “Note”, “Comet”, “Hoarfrost”, in Nizhny Novgorod (in the USSR it was called “Gorky”) - “Romantic”, in St. Petersburg (Leningrad) - “Astra” and “Orbit”, in Moscow - “Yauzu”, in Omsk - “Saturn”, in Kiev besides “Mayak” there was “Jupiter”, in Kirov - “Olympus”, etc.
Not all models of these brands were successful, but many of them were very, very worthy. To provide everyone, it was impossible to simplify production. This race for mass led to the fact that more than half of all tape recorders were of disgusting quality. So radio amateurs often had to tackle soldering irons and repair factory defects.
"Lighthouse"
Consideration of the most famous Soviet models should start with the products of the Kiev Mayak plant.
While still the Dnieper (until 1963), the company produced 14 models of reel tape recorders. All of them were tube and were designed for a tape width of 6.25 mm. Not all of them were launched into mass production.
Of particular note is the Dnieper-8 (1954). He became the first battery-powered reel tape recorder. Compared to other devices, it was considered portable, weighed only 6 kg. To start it, it was necessary to use a spring-type gramophone motor. The procedure was repeated every 5 minutes using the side handle. A kind of hybrid gramophone and tape recorder. It used coils with a diameter of 10 cm (100 meters of film). Record playback speed - 9.6 cm / s.
After 2 years, a more revolutionary model came out - Dnepr-9, the first Soviet double-track tape recorder. Based on the Dnepr-5 model. Weighed 28 kg and was designed for coils with a diameter of 18 cm (350 m). Playback speed - 19.05 cm / s.
After the name change, the Kiev factory produced all the same tube models, but already under the name "Lighthouse".
Since 1971, the company begins production of transistor coil devices.
The “Mayak-203” bobbin tape recorder was considered the best in quality, as well as its fellow “Mayak-001 stereo”, which brought the prize from an international exhibition.
The latter began to be released in the fall of 1973. It was possible to record and play mono / stereo phonograms on it. And also overwrite from one track to another many times with the possibility of overlaying a new record on an already finished one.
Mayak-001 also had a tape meter and 2 speeds (19.05 cm / s and 9.53 cm / s). This miracle weighed 20 kg. The control panel was attached to it. Buying such a device was very difficult.
The first “Mayak-203” rolled off the assembly line in the fall of 1976. It allowed recording mono / stereo from various sources (microphone, pickup, radio / TV / radio line and another tape recorder).
This model had 3 speed rhinestones: 19.05 cm / s, 9.53 cm / s and 4.76 cm / s. Compared to the previous one, he was a baby, weighed 12.5 kg.
"Note"
These products were manufactured by the Novosibirsk Electromechanical Plant. Since 1966, tube, and since 1975 - transistor.
An interesting nuance, if you try to find a reel tape recorder "Note" - fail. Since this company produced only consoles. With their help, you could listen to bobbins on most radio sets or radios.
They were, of course, cheaper than the most budget tape recorders. And therefore, they gained special popularity among the people. Especially among radio amateurs who use them as the basis for their own inventions.
For example, the cost of the first lamp "Notes" in 1966 (speed 9.53 cm / s, 15 m coils, mono-double track) 80 rubles. At the same time, as the cheapest reel tape recorders cost 85 rubles. and more expensive.
In addition, the purchase of the Nota prefix made it possible to save space in the already tiny apartments and communal apartments, as well as to attach them to the radio.
The most popular tube models are Nota-M (speed 9.53 cm / s, 2 tracks, weight 9 kg) and Nota-303 (the same weight, speed and number of tracks, but this set-top box could record sound from a TV radio, or other tape recorder).
Among the transistor models, the most successful were considered:
- "Note-304." It was designed based on the "Frost-303". She had 4 tracks and weighed 8 kg. Speed ​​- 9.53 cm / s. Could produce both recording and voices, music from any source. It was possible to adjust the volume, recording level, pause.
- “Note-202-stereo” and “Note-203-stereo” had a common appearance and were assembled according to a similar scheme. However, the latter did not have a hitchhiking. Otherwise, these four-track consoles were very similar. The mass of each of them was about 11 kg. They had two standard playback speeds. Allowed to record from most instruments.
"Comet"
Reel tape recorders under this name were produced in Novosibirsk since the 1950s. By the way, in addition to various models of the Comet reel tape recorder, another brand of such a device, Melody, was also produced here.
The most famous were such devices:
- "Comet-212-stereo." Due to its particular popularity, it had several modifications: Comet-212-1-stereo and Comet-212M-stereo. The original model had 2 motors and 2 speeds (19.05 cm / s and 9.53 cm / s). Weight - 12.5 kg.
- "Comet-214" - reel stereo recorder, developed on the basis of models 209 and 212. It had 2 standard speeds. Weighed 11.5 kg. Its feature was the possibility of two-channel monophonic synchronous recording from microphone inputs. As well as overlaying a new record on an already finished one.
- "Comet-120-stereo" was considered more professional. Had 2 tracks and 2 standard for "Comets" speed. It was completed with two columns. Only one mass of its central part was 23 kg. The design provided for the possibility of mixing the input signals of both the microphone and the general one, multiple dubbing with simultaneous superposition of the signal coming from any input. Also on it, it was possible to listen to the re-recorded phonogram, control the signal during recording and the playback level by indicators, withstand pauses in recordings with a moving tape.
"Orbit"
Tape recorders of this brand were produced at the Leningrad factory "Pyrometer". It is noteworthy that in the product line there were both tape recorders and consoles.
The most famous models from the first category are the Orbit-204-Stereo reel tape recorder and its Orbit-205-Stereo fellow. All of them had 2 standard speeds, as well as 4 audio tracks. Weight is 15 kg.
In these models it was possible to adjust the volume, balance, timbres, recording level, pause.
Among the “Orbit” tape recorders-consoles, the stereo models 106 and 107 were considered the best. They had 2 speeds, 3 motors and 4 tracks. Each weight is 24 kg. Such consoles were designed to record music and voice from a microphone, radio, television, as well as to play them through 2 external speakers.
"Olympus"
And the last of the most famous devices of this kind in the USSR are the Olympus reel tape recorders.
They were produced at the Kirov Electric Machine Building Software named after Lepse. Most products are tape recorders. Although among their goods were tape recorders.
The Olympus UR-200, designed on the basis of the Olympus-005 stereo, is considered to be the most successful model. It had a very specific scope - recording telephone conversations. Naturally, his main target audience was intelligence agencies.
Those from civilians who acquired this colossus weighing 20 kg also did not complain. Since even in the role of a regular tape recorder, "Olympus UR-200" was a very high-quality product. He had 2 speeds: 19.05 cm / s and 2.36 cm / s. Among other features of the device are a quartz speed stabilization system, auto-correction, electronic switching on all inputs, bias current adjustment. The tape recorder had a complete auto-reverse, timer, luminescent indication of the recording level and a tape counter. With it, you could search for the desired fragment by pauses.
As for the consoles, the best were:
- Olympus-003-stereo. Tape recorder-console of the highest complexity. 4 tracks and 2 classic speeds. Weight 27 kg. Designed to record music and voice from a microphone, radio, TV.
- Olympus-005-stereo. The device of the highest class. Weight 20 kg. 2 standard speeds, as well as full auto reverse, timer, luminescent indication of the recording level, tape counter. In future years, the Olympus-006-stereo was developed on its basis.
As can be seen from the descriptions, the filling of most of the "Olympus" was simply fantastic. One could say that in the USSR they finally learned how to make good reel tape recorders. That was just one fat-fat minus. These devices appeared in the late 80s - the first half of the 90s, when cassette tape recorders almost completely replaced the bobbin ones.