February 21, 2026

Cassette Culture Continues

The LA Times recently featured a local cassette recorder repair business.

January 13, 2026

Acoustic Sounds is Cranking Out LPs in Salinas

“Chad Kassem, founder of Kansas vinyl record giant Acoustic Sounds, turned his hobby into a career–but his journey to success was anything but straightforward.” CBS Saturday Morning co-hosts Michelle Miller and Dana Jacobson interviewed Kassem at his warehouse/manufacturing plant in October, 2025. Watch it on youtube by clicking here.

December 5, 2025

The Recorders that Defied the USSR

Many scholars have documented the ways that Soviet citizens used technologies like audio tape and videotape to copy and distribute western entertainment (see for example Gene Sosin, “Magnitizdat: Uncensored Songs of Dissent” in Rudolf L. Tokes, ed. Dissent in the USSR, chapter 8). A recent Reuters story documents Kazakhstan’s museum of Soviet-era tape recorders. They need a web site.

December 1, 2025

The Hart Mfg. Co. Recordgraph

Frederick Hart was an English engineer who immigrated to New York in 1884. He established a company in Poughkeepsie in the early 1900s to build steam-powered automobiles, but soon became a manufacturer of Hollerith punched-card equipment for a nearby company that, as it turns out, would be a predecessor to International Business Machines (IBM). Hart eventually became president of a new IBM munitions division in the 1940s, located in Poughkeepsie. His original company, which by 1944 was making military gun parts, was purchased by the American Type Founders Company, and later became part of Daystrom Corporation. Hart apparently formed a new firm, which manufactured something called the Recordgraph. How and why Hart got into that business is unclear.

The sound recorder database is back.

When I first built this site, it was all hand coded. At some point I decided, foolishly, to try to create a database of every magnetic recorder ever made. It included a back end that I could use to upload and edit new records, and a front end for the public to use for searching. I never got past a few hundred records. Around 2006, when I ported the site to WordPress, I didn’t know how to make the back end/front end code work on the WordPress platform, so I ditched the database. This year, I decided to bring it back. Here it is. It’s just as ugly as I remember it and I’ve managed to break the site’s page layout. If you’re into scrolling, this is the page for you.

September 12, 2025

The Audio Recorder/Player Database

Place of origin:

Recorder Manufacturers

Philips (Koninklijke Philips);
- ST-459
3M (Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.);
- 525
- 94BG Cantata
3M-Revere (Revere Camera Co., div. of 3M);
- 1580
3M-Wollensak (Wollensak Div. of 3M Company);
- 2551-AV
- 4060
- 4780
- 6024-AV
- 6250-AV
- T1400
- T1500
- T1908
ACA (Amplifier Corp. of America);
- Dictascriber
ACEC (Ateliers de Constructions Electriques de Charleroi);
- Dictorel 2420
Acme (Acme);
- 1500
Acoustiphone (Acoustiphone Corporation);
- 900 Acousti-corder
- Acousti-player 700
AEG (Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft AG);
- Kleine Magnetophon KL-15
- Magnetophon 104
- Magnetophon 70
- Magnetophon 75
- Magnetophon 76
- Magnetophon K-7
Afco (Afco Elec tronics);
- Executive
AGA (AGA AB);
- Agavox 2
- Agavox C
- unknown
Air Castle (Spiegel Inc.);
- 603.880
- 795.880
- Unknown
Air Castle (Spiegel, Inc.);
- 603.880
- 795.880
- Unknown
Air King (Air King Products Co.);
- A-750
Aiwa (Aiwa Co., Ltd.);
- TP-179
- TP-31
Akai (Akai Electric Co., Ltd.);
- 1800SD
- CSM-3
- GX-18104
- GX-230D
- GX-280 DSS
- GX-747
- GXC-46D
- GXC-760D
- GXC-760D
- X-150D
- X-1800SD
- X-1810
- XEA-15 Adapter
Allied (Allied Radio Corp.);
- 1099
American Audio (ADJ Products, LLC );
- Unknown
American Telegraphone (American Telegraphone Co.);
- Early wire recorder
- Telegraphone Answering Machine
Ampex (Ampex Corp.);
- 1461
- 612
- 800
- 9006
- 934
- 936
- 936
- ATR-700
- AX-50
- HCR-8
- Micro 9A
- unknown (data recording system)
Ampro (Ampro Corporation);
- 730
- 731
- 7318
- 739
- 745
- 755/756
- 757
AndyGard (General Molds and Plastics Corp.);
- 900 Home Recorder
Anritsu (Anritsu Electric Corporation);
- Wire recorder
Ansaphone (Ansaphone Corp.);
- KH-85F
- KH-85F
- KH-85F
- unknown
Apolec (Apollo Electric Industries);
- RA11
Argus (Argus, Inc.);
- 800
- 800
Arion (Arion Corporation);
- Ar-tik' 414
Armour Research (Armour Research Foundation);
- 51
Arvin (Arvin (brand of Noblitt-Sparks Industries, Inc.));
- 85L08
- 86L48A3
Arvin (Arvin Industries, Inc);
- 85L08
- 86L48A3
Assman (Wolfgang Assman GmbH);
- 640
Astatic (Astatic Corp.);
- Mirraphone
ATC (Automatic Tape Control);
- Cartridge player
Audio Applications (Audio Applications, Inc.);
- Voice-Master
Audio Devices (Audio Devices);
- 1-mil audio tape
Audio Tutorial (Audio Tutorial (Div. of Burgess Publishing Co.));
- SC-1
Audio-Phonic (Gem Color Co., Inc.);
- Audio-Phonic
AudiOfax (AudiOfax Corporation);
- AudiOfax
Audiomatic (Continental Iambic Inc.);
- A-900
- A-900
Audiotronics (Audiotronics Corp.);
- 110
- 110
Automatic Radio (Automatic Radio Manufacturing Co.);
- STP(?)-4499
Bang & Olufsen (Bang & Olufsen A/S);
- B506k
Bel Air (Bel Air);
- 394
Bell (Bell Sound Systems Inc.);
- RT-65 Re-Cordo-Fone
- 400 Series
- BT2051B
- RT-204
- RT-65 Re-Cordo-Fone
- RT-75
- T-238
- T-300 Series
- T200-210
Bell & Howell (Bell & Howell Co.);
- 785
- 300 Series
- 3081B
- 600 Series
- 770
- 770
- 785
- Filmosound
Belle Wood (Belle Wood);
- 8000
Bellsouth (Bellsouth LLC);
- 1191C
Benkson (Benkert Benkson Ltd.);
- HIL-3
Berlant (Berlant Associates, Inc.);
- BR-1
Berlant Concertone (Columbia Records, Inc.);
- 770
- TR-100
- Unknown
Berlant Concertone (Concertone, Inc.);
- 770
- TR-100
- Unknown
Berliner (Berliner Gramophone Co.);
- unknown
Bigston (Kyokuyo Electric Co. Ltd.);
- BR-600
Blaupunkt (Blaupunkt Werke GMBH, subsidiary of Robert Bosch Group);
- CR-4095
Bon Sonic (Bon Sonic);
- MC-711
Boosey Hawkes (Boosey & Hawkes Ltd.);
- unknown
Bradford (W.T. Grant Co.);
- WTG-60178
Brennell (Brenell Engineering Co., Ltd. );
- Mk 5
Brush Development Co. (Brush Development Company);
- BK-303
- BK-401
- BK-403
- BK-411
- BK-416
- BK-503 Mail-A-Voice
- BK-503 Mail-A-Voice
Butoba (Schwarzw lder Uhrwerkefabrik Burger KG);
- Export/TPR2
- MT-5
- TS-61
Butoba (Schwarzwälder Uhrwerkefabrik Burger KG);
- Export/TPR2
- MT-5
- TS-61
C. Lorenz (C. Lorenz AG);
- Textophon
Califone (Califone International, Inc.);
- 5272AV
Capehart (Capehart Automatic Phonograph Corp.);
- Unknown (early record changer)
- Unknown (early record changer)
Carraday Haiat (Carraday Haiat Ltd.);
- 15-206
- TP-723
Carryola (Carryola Company of America);
- Unknown (record changer)
Challen (Challen Instrument Co.);
- Minivox
Channel Master (Channel Master Corp.);
- 6545
- Small Talk
Cipher (Inter-Mark Corp.);
- 1
Citroen (Citroen Electronics Corp.);
- 66012
Clarion (Clarion Sound Engineering Co.);
- Model A
Coby (Coby Electronics Corporation);
- CV-LR930 Digital Language Repeater
Code-A-Phone (Code-A-Phone Corp.);
- 1750
- unknown
Code-A-Phone (Ford Industries, Inc.);
- 1750
- unknown
Cole (Cole Mfg. Co.);
- Cole-Vanguard
- Dictator TR-400
- Vanguard
Columbia (Columbia Record Co.);
- 461
- 462
- 560
- C-690TR
- C-695TR
Columbia Bell & Howell (Columbia Records, Inc.);
- 350
- 366
Columbia Graphophone (Columbia Graphophone Co.);
- AB
Columbia(Japan) (Columbia (Japan));
- 2686
- C69-OTR
Comptometer (Comptometer brand of Felt and Tarrant Manufacturing Company);
- Commander
Concord (Concord Electronics Corp.);
- 103
- 107
- 220-T
- 555
Continental (Tape Recorders, Inc.);
- 220
- 220
Continental Iambic (Continental Iambic Inc.);
- A-900
Conumep (Conumep);
- 201
Cossor (Cossor AC);
- C1601
Cousino Electronics (Cousino Electronics Corp.);
- Audio Vendor cartridge
- Mag-Matic
Craig (Craig Electronics Corp.);
- 2603
- 2623
- 3307
- PMS-1000
Crescent (Crescent Industries, Inc.);
- 2900
- 907
- E100
- Steno
- unknown
Crestwood (Crestwood (brand of Daystrom Electric Corp.));
- 304
- 400 Series
- 404
- CP-201
Crosley (Crosley Radio Co.);
- C-33A
- C-33A
Crown (Crown (Brand of International Radio and Electronics Corp.));
- 700 Gold
- CTR-355
- CTW-5950PA
- Imperial
- Prince
- Telephone Valet
Crown (Crown Radio Corp.);
- 700 Gold
- CTR-355
- CTW-5950PA
- Imperial
- Prince
- Telephone Valet
Daily Meditation (Daily Meditation);
- Audio Bible
Denon (Nippon Columbia);
- DRR-780
Dictaphone (Dictaphone Corp.);
- 3710
- A-2 Special Electricord (Military)
- Ansaphone 620
- Ansaphone 660
- Ansaphone 6909
- Ansaphone 787
- Cameo
- Cameo - transcriber
- Electricord K-142
- Model 13 (Shaver)
- Time-Master
- Time-Master
- Time-Master model 5
- Time-Master model 6
- Travel Master
Dirt Tapes (Dirt Tapes/Liquida SAS);
- Tape Roller
Dokorder (Dokorder (Brand of Denki Onkyo Co.));
- 7140
- 8010
Doro (Dictran International Corporation);
- 701
- 702
Dual (Dual Phono GmbH);
- C809
- C810
- C812
- C822
- C846
- C901
- C919
- C939
Dukane (Dukane Corporation);
- 11A-200
- 11A-55FF
- 11A-75
- 11B55
- 14A500C
- 28A120-Pro 120
- 28A46A
Duplivoice
- unknown
Edison (Thomas A. Edison);
- Tinfoil phonograph [img #2]
Edison Phonograph Works (Edison Phonograph Works(\?));
- "Improved" phonograph
Ehrcorder (Ehrcorder);
- Unknown
Eicor (Eicor, Inc.);
- 1000
- 230
- 400
Eiki (Eiki International Inc.);
- 5090A
- 7070A
Electra (Electra Radio Corp.);
- 770
- TP-500
- TP50014
Electro Brand (Electro Brand Inc.);
- Petitcette
Electromag (Electromag, Applications Électro-Magnétiques);
- G4
Electromatic (Electromatic Record Changer Corp.);
- Unknown (record changer)
Electronic Futures (Electronic Futures, Inc.);
- 202-A Audio Notebook
Electronic Secretary (Electronic Secretary Industries);
- unknown
- unknown
- unknown
- unknown
EM Stenox (EM Stenox);
- SX-20
Emerson (Emerson Radio Corp.);
- SB329
Encorder (Caltrade Mfg. and Trading Co div. of Electro Brand Inc.);
- VT-800
ERC (ERC);
- 8350
Faurot (Faurot Inc.);
- unknown
Federal (Federal Manufacturing and Engineering Corp.);
- 37B
- 37C
- 47A
Ferrograph (Ferrograph (brand of The British Ferrograph Recorder Co. Ltd.));
- 3-AN
- Series 2
- Series 3S
- Series 5
- Series 66
Fi-Cord (Fi-Cord (brand of Stellavox));
- 202
- 300-303
Fidelipac (Fidelipac, Inc.);
- Cartridge to Open Reel Adaptor
Fidelity (Fidelity Radio Co. Ltd.);
- Playmaster
- Playmaster TR5
Fisher Price (Fisher Price div of Quaker Oats Co.);
- Pocket Rockers
Fonadek (Fonadek Ltd.);
- DG-4
Fonda (Fonda Recorder Div., Jefferson Travis Corp.);
- AV-2 Cellophane Tape Recorder
Ford (Ford Industries, Inc.);
- 1400
Freeman (Freeman Electronics Corp.);
- 660
Fujiya (Fujiya Electric Co. Ltd.);
- FL-351
- FL-77
- MTR-252
- Unknown
Fujiya (Fujiya Electric Industry Co. Ltd.);
- FL-351
- FL-77
- MTR-252
- Unknown
Futura (Futura (Brand of Bell Products));
- 400-499
GAF (GAF Corporation);
- Rols
Gates (Gates Radio and Supply Co.);
- 10-12C
- VB-94 Transcription player
GBC America (GBC America Corp.);
- Phonetic PT/12
- Stenomaster
GE (General Electric Co.);
- 3-5333
Geloso (Geloso SA);
- Stenotape 711
- G.256
- Stenotape
- Stenotape 711
- Stenotape 915
- Stenotape RV 4-10
- Stenotape TR-711
Gemark (General Magnetics and Electronics, Inc.);
- 101
- 101
General (Yaou electric Co. Ltd.);
- FX-300
- FX-300
General Electric (General Electric Co.);
- 50A
- 51
- TA600B
General Industries (General Industries Co.);
- 250
- GIR-90
Gibbs (Gibbs Special Products Corp.);
- CR-335B
Gilfillan (Gillfillan Bros. Inc.);
- 108-48
Glenburn (Glenburn Engineering Ltd.);
- SP-10
Gold Coast (Gold Coast);
Graetz (Graetz KG);
- Cole Dictator
- Ultravox
Gray (Gray Manufacturing Co.);
- Audograph 5A
- Audograph AM-22
- Audograph Soundwriter
- Etc
- Key-Noter
- LP/D
- Peatrophone
- Peatrophone
Grundig (Grundig GmbH);
- Citation DEJ-33
- Cub
- DeJur TK820
- Stenorette 2200
- Stenorette Embassy Mk V
- TK-27U
- Verstatile V
Hardray (Hardray, Inc.);
- Unknown (record changer)
Harpers (Harper's Inernational Inc.);
- NL-404
- NL-404>(Comments: )
Harpers (Harper\'s Inernational Inc.);
- NL-404
- NL-404>(Comments: )
Harrison (Harrison Radio Corp.);
- unknown
Hart (Hart Mfg. Co);
- Recordgraph
Hartley (Hartley Electromotives Ltd.);
- Tape-Riter
- Tape-Riter
Heath/Heathkit (Heath Company Inc.);
- AD-40
Helion
- unknown
High Fidelity (High Fidelity);
- 402
Hoffman (Hoffman Radio Co.);
- 1006(possibly)
- unknown
Holiday (Holiday);
- EP-115
Holiday (brand) (Holiday);
- 2504
- 3861
- 818
Home Recording Co. (Home Recording Company);
- unknown
Honeytone (Associated Importers);
- UN-2
Hosho (Hosho Electronics Pte Ltd);
- 10516
IBM (IBM (International Business Machines));
- Executary 211
- Executary 224
Intermark (Inter-Mark);
- Cipher 1
International (International Electronics);
- P-3
Ipsophon (Oerlikon Machine Tool Works, Buhrle & Co.);
- Ipsophon
- Ipsophon
Jaguar
- unknown
Jefferson (Jefferson);
- 4002CM
Juliette ((Naigai Electric Industry Co., Ltd.);
- 500
- Unknown
Juliette (Naigai Electric Industry Co., Ltd);
- 500
- Unknown
JVC (Japan Victor Corp.);
- Victowriter MS-22A
Kalart (Kalart Victor Corporation);
- 392
Klemt (Arthur Klemt);
- Echolette
Knight (Brand of Allied Radio Corp.);
- 4001
- 96-590
- 96-590
- 96485
- 96499
- unknown
Knight (Knight (Brand of Allied Radio Corp.));
- 4001
- 96-590
- 96-590
- 96485
- 96499
- unknown
Kolster (Kolster Radio Corporation of America);
- unknown
Komatsu ( Komatsu Electronics Inc.;);
- Phonetta CT-101
La Belle (La Belle Industries, Inc);
- Courier
LaFayette (Lafayette Radio Corp.);
- RK-120
- RK-899
- TR-101
Lanier ( Lanier Business Products div. of Harris Corp.);
- 7200
- Edisette-unknown model
- MS-105
- P-100
- P-145
- P-85
- Voicewriter 650
Lanier (Lanier Industries);
- 7200
- Edisette-unknown model
- MS-105
- P-100
- P-145
- P-85
- Voicewriter 650
Lear (Lear Jet Corp.);
- HSA-90
Lear Jet (Lear Jet Corp.);
- P519
Lear Radio (Lear Radio Co.);
- Dynaport (console)
- Dynaport WC-311-D
- Dynaport WC-311D
- unknown
Leevers Rich (Leevers Rich & Co);
- D
Leon Scott
- Phonautograph
Lloyds (Lloyds Electronics);
- Unknown
Loftin_White (Loftin-White Laboratories);
- telephone answering machine
Louis Blattner
- Blattnerphone
M.P. Audio (M.P. Audio Corp.);
- TP-88
Mach-Tronics (MVR Corporation);
- VDR-210CF
Magna Tech (Magna Tech Electronic Co., Inc.);
- 200 Series
Magnavox (Magnavox Corp.);
- 1K0886
- 1K887518
- D7185/17R
- R-288
Magnecord (Magnecord Inc.);
- AD-16
- M-30
- M-30
- SD-1
Majestic (Majestic Radio Co.);
- 7YR753 & 7YR772
Major (Major);
- Unknown
Marantz (Philips N.V.);
- PMD101
Marconi (Stille Inventions, Ltd. and Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co., Ltd.);
- Marconi-Stille
Martel (Martel Electronics Corp.);
- Unknown
Masco (Masco (Mark Simpson Mfg. Co));
- 500
- D-37
- M52 Series
- Soundreel D27
Mastercraft (Mastercraft);
- Unknown
Masterwork (Masterwork);
- M810
Matthew Stuart (Matthew Stuart and Co.);
- Phono-Trix 88
Mayfair (Mayfair Electronics Co.);
- 482
- FT-305
- Swing-A-Tune
- TR-65
MCA (Magnetic Corporation of America);
- Dictascriber
- Dictascriber
Megatone (Megatone Electronics Corp);
- None
Mego (Mego Corporation);
- 2-XL
Meissner (Meissner Radio Co.);
- 4DR
Memorex (Memorex Corp.);
- MB1055
Mibao (MIBAO Technology Limited);
- V100
Midland (Midland Radio Corporation);
- 800-500
Midland Int'l. (Midland International);
- 12-133
Miles Reproducer (Miles Reproducer Co.);
- Walkie-Recordall
Minico (Minico Co. Ltd. (distributed in USA by Arrow trading Co.));
- 70 or "Minipet"
Miny (Miny);
- HPS-27
- unknown
Miny (Unknown);
- HPS-27
- unknown
Mitchell (Mitchell Mfg. Co.);
- 1290
- 1425A
Mohawk (Mohawk Business Machines Corp.);
- Midgetape
- Midgetape
- Tele-magnet
- unknown
Monacor (International GmbH & Co. KG);
- unknown
Monarch (Monarch Electronics International);
- Monacor RT-200A
Monske (Monske GMBH);
- Minifon Attache A72
- Minifon Office
Montgomery Ward (Montgomery Ward & Co. [retailer]);
- 05GCD
- GPL-3280
- GPL-3281
- GPL-3822
- GPL-3829
- GPL-3830a/b
- GPL-3841
- unknown
- unknown
Morse (Morse Electro Products, Inc.);
- 300
- NL-202
- TRD-130
Motorola (Motorola, Inc.);
- H7MY
- Unknown
- Unknown (record changer)
Mountain (Mountain);
- Unknown
Movievox (Movievox(?));
- unknown
Musi-Pak (Musi-Pak Inc.);
- Controlled Background Music System
Mutoscope (International Mutoscope);
- Voice-O-Graph
MVR (MVR Corp.);
- VDR2100CF-1
Nagra (Nagra (brand of Kudelsi SA));
- IV-2
- IV-D
- PS-1
- SN
Nakamichi (Kabushiki-Gaisha Nakamichi);
- Dragon
- ZX-7
Nakamichi (Nakamichi Corp.);
- Dragon
- ZX-7
National Sound Systems (National Sound Systems of America, Inc.);
- Symphonaire
New Bright (New Bright Ind. Co. Ltd);
- Kidsound
Newcomb (Newcomb Audio Products);
- 310-4
- ATVM-73
- ED-73
Nikka Castagna (Castagna Electronics Corp. );
- RP-1000ST
Nissei (Nissei Disk Corp.);
- KS-7000
Nivico (Japan Victor Co.);
- 154127
- Phonte
- TR-224
- TR-411
- TR-651U
Nivico (Nivico (brand of Japan Victor Co.});
- 154127
- Phonte
- TR-224
- TR-411
- TR-651U
Nobility (Nobility);
- RTP-661
Norcom (Norcom);
- 550
Norelco (Koninklijke Philips Electronics);
- Carry-Corder 150 (EL3312-1)
- 3585
- Carry-Corder 150 (EL3312-1)
North American (North American);
- N-678
Nye (Nye Systems Inc.);
- Nyematic
Ocean (Ocean);
- Unknown
Olympia (Olympia Werke AG);
- None (magnetic disc dictation system)
- S15
- unknown
Olympic (Olympic International Ltd.);
- RTD-40
Olympus (Olympus Corp.);
- DM-420
- S720
- S911
- VN-3200PC
Onkyo (Onkyo Corp.);
- C-707CHX
Pacific Stereo (Pacific Stereo);
- 388
Packard Bell (Packard Bell Corporation);
- Phonocord record blank
Panasonic (Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.);
- C-102
- GRQ-2732
- RE-8127
- RN-163
- RQ-194S
- RQ-2045
- RQ-209DS
- RQ-209S
- RQ-300S
- RQ-309AS
- RQ-335
- RQ-341
- RQ-356
- RQ-39S
- RQ-413S
- RR-830
- RR-900
- RS-803
- RS-808
Party Makers (Party Makers);
- 110
Pathe (Pathe Phono and Radio Co.);
- Voice Recorder
- Voice Recorder
Peirce (Peirce Wire Recorder Co.);
- 55B
Penncrest (Penncrest (Brand of J.C. Penney));
- 6211
Pentron (Pentron Corp.);
- 9T3
- 9T3
- BL-100
- XP-60
Philips (Koninklijke Philips Electronics);
- (early tape dictation machine)
- 3581
- 505
- Carry-Corder EL3302
- CarryCorder 85
- CDR-765
- DVT1300
- EL-3500
- EL-3514
- EL-3538
- EL3581/54
- N4504
- Philips-Miller system
- Pro 12
Phone-Mate (Phone-Mate, Inc.);
- 3700
- 400
- 940
- 9750
Pioneer (Pioneer Electronic Corporation);
- AF-61A
- CTF-500
- H-22
- KD-12
- LD-660
- RT-11
- RT-707
- TC-501
- TH-30
Pioneer Video (Pioneer Video Corp.);
- LD-660
Playskool (Playskool subsidiary of Milton Bradley);
- Casey
Playtape (Playtape (brand of MGM));
- 1310
- 1401
- 1441
Polydict (Polydict);
- Unknown
Poulsen/Pedersen (Aktieselskabet Telegrafonen Patent Poulsen);
- Late wire recorder
- Late wire recorder
Premier (Premier Electronics Laboratories);
- Tapesonic 70A TRSM
Presto (Presto Recording Corp.);
- 66G
- 6N
- K8
- R-11
- R-11
- RC-11
- RC10-14
- RC10-24
- SR-950
- TL-10
Protona (Protona GmbH);
- Minifon
Pullman (Pullman Business Machines Ltd.);
- Voice-belt Mk III
Radio Shack (Tandy Corp.);
- 14-846
- 909
- CTR-24
- CTR-73
- K-14109
- K-CTR-21
- Micro 10
- Micro 12
- Micro 26
- SCT-2B
- SCT42
- TR-167
- TR-730
- TR-730
- TR-883
Radiotechnic Laboratories (Radiotechnic Laboratories (later Peirce));
- 55B
- 55B
Radiotone (Ellinwood Industries);
- HR-12
Rangertone (Rangertone Inc.);
- R-4
- RC-4
- RP4
- unknown
- unknown (film sound editing deck)
Raytheon (Raytheon Co.);
- Unknown
RCA (Radio Corporation of America);
- 10M-2.25
- 1Y2B9
- 1YB-11
- 1YB26
- 45-J2
- Electrola
- M1
- MVC 980W
- R43-B
- RC-350
- RT7B50
- SCP-2
- SRT-301
- unknown
- unknown Magnetic Disc recorder
- Victrola EY-2
- YHB-22
- YHD 42
- YHH-30
- YJD-16
- YZB-507Y
Readers Digest (Readers Digest (Brand -manufacturer unknown));
- 200XR
Realtone (Realtone Electronics Corp.);
- TR-7637 Reporter
Record-O-phone (General Teletronics, Inc.);
- 100U
- Robosonics bran
Record-O-Phone (Telegraphone) (Record-O-Phone Co.);
- None
Recordacall (Avanti, Inc. );
- TAD-10 RV8
- unknown
- unknown
Recordon (Thermionic Products Ltd.);
- TP-500
Recordophone (gramophone-type) (Recordophone Co., Inc.);
- Recordola
Rediffusion (Reditronics Ltd.);
- PT80
Rek-O-Cut (Rek-O-Kut Co.);
- Rek-O-Tape
Rek-O-Kut (Rek-O-Kut Co. );
- Challenger
- Challenger
- CVS-12
Revere (Revere Camera Co.);
- T1100
- T700-D
Revere-Wollensak (Revere Wollensak Div of 3M Corp.);
- M4
Revox (Willi Studer);
- A700
Rex
- TN-3
- TN-6
Rex ( Zeuthen & Aagaard, Ltd.);
- TN-3
- TN-6
Rheem (Rheem Manufacturing Co.);
- 3205
- Califone 70-TC
Roberts (Roberts Electronics);
- 1057
- 1725-8L
- 192-FT
- 90 Series
- 997
Rols (Sawyers Inc.);
- None
Ross (Ross Electronics Corp. );
- Mark 85
SABA ( Schwarzwälder Apparate-Bau-Anstalt (Saba));
- TC-75
Sampo (Sampo);
- CS-408
Sanyo (Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.);
- FT-1100
- FT4-35US
- RDS-19
- TRC-5200
- TRC-5680 Micro Talk Book
Sarkes Tarzian (Sarkes Tarzian, Inc.);
- Recording tape
Scanfax (Scanfax Systems Corp. );
- 101
Sears
- 2320
- 560.21463650
- 564.93270900
- 7520-8
- ICD-P530F
- Unknown
- Unknown
Sears (Sears Roebuck and Co.);
- 2320
- 560.21463650
- 564.93270900
- 7520-8
- ICD-P530F
- Unknown
- Unknown
Senior Corder (Senior Corder);
- HIL-4
Sentinel (Sentinel Radio Corp.);
- 10
Sharp (Sharp Corp.);
- RD-708
- RD-709
- RT-1155C
- RT-6001
- RT-6001
Sharp Electric (Sharp Electric Co.);
- FXG-702
Shipton (E. Shipton and Co. Ltd.);
- Intercorder
Silvertone (Silvertone (brand of Sears, Roebuck and Co.));
- 3070
- 70
- unknown
- unknown
Sonograph Ltd. (Sonograph, Ltd.);
- Tape_Riter C2
Sony (Sony Corp.);
- 101
- 105A
- 106-A
- 8004
- BM-10
- BM-12
- BM-30
- EL-7
- ICD-UX71
- M-455
- M-507
- MZR-30
- PCM-F1
- TC_280
- TC-102A
- TC-102A
- TC-105
- TC-123
- TC-124
- TC-155
- TC-200
- TC-2289
- TC-230
- TC-250
- TC-250A
- TC-260
- TC-262
- TC-377
- TC-440
- TC-530
- TC-540
- TC-55
- TC-630
- TC-651
- TC-720
- TC-8
- TC-800
- TC-854-4
- TC-90
- TC-900
- TC-910
- TC-910
- TC-910
- TCM-2
- TCM-323
- TCM-818
- TCS-580V
- TPM-8000
- WM-3300
- WM-FX21
Sound Inc. (Sound, Incorporated);
- unknown
Soundcraft (Soundcraft Corp.);
- 760
Soundesign (SDI Technologies);
- 5425
- 7619
Soundscriber (Soundscriber Corp.);
- 200
- 2-124-T
- 200
- D-24
- Lady Tycoon
- Memoscriber
- RD-217
- Tycoon
- unknown
Speartone (Spear Products Inc.);
- 57 "Junior"
St. George (St. George);
- unknown
Standard Unicorder (Standard Unicorder);
- 61-5R-F61T
Star-Lite (Sart-Lite Electronics Corp.);
- RA-11
- RN-501
Star-Lite (Star-Lite Electronics Corp.);
- RA-11
- RN-501
Starfire (Starfire);
- Unknown
Stark
- unknown
Steelman (Steelman Phono & Radio Co.);
- 2-1142
Stellaphone (brand of Philips) (Stellaphone (brand of Koninklijke Philips));
- ST-451
Stellavox (Stellavox (Dist. by Gotham Audio));
- SP-7 MPN
Stenocord (Sud-Atlas-Werke);
- 260
- D
Stewart (Stewart);
- 100
Studio (Studio);
- 44_564.21686050
Stuzzi (Stuzzi Ges. mbH);
- Magnette 671-B
- Magnette 671-B
- Memocord
- Radiocord 379W
Talking Books (Misc) (Clarke & Smith Mfg. Co.);
- Digital Standard Player (DS1)
- Unknown
Talking Books (Misc) (Unknown);
- Digital Standard Player (DS1)
- Unknown
Tandberg (Tandbergs Radiofabrik);
- 2 and 3 Series
- 4 Series
- 5 Series
- 64
- TD-20A
Tape Master (Tape Master Inc.);
- PT-121
- PT-125
Tape Recorders, Inc. (Tape Recorders Inc.);
- 110
- 110
Tape Recorders, Inc. (Tape Recorders, Inc.);
- 110
- 110
Tapecaster (Tapecaster TCM Inc.);
- 700-RP
TASCAM (TASCAM div. of TEAC Corp.);
- 424 Mk. II Portastudio
- CD-A500
TDC (Three Dimension Co.);
- Stereotone 130
TEAC (Tokyo Electro Acoustic Company);
- A2300
- X1000-R
Teaching Technology (Teaching Technology Corp.);
- TT-20
TEC (TEC Company, Ltd.);
- Labo\'70
Technics (Matsushita Industrial Electrical Co.);
- RS-M205
- RS-M95
- SL-P1111
Technics (Technics (Brand of Matsushita Industrial Electrical Co.));
- RS-M205
- RS-M95
- SL-P1111
Tecnicorda (Tecnico Electronics PTY Ltd.);
- UG4
Tefi (TEFI Germany GmbH & Co. KG);
- Tefifon
Tele-Tone (Tele-Tone);
- 501
Telectro (Telectrosonic Corporation);
- SS500W
Telefunken (Gesellschaft für drahtlose Telegraphie mbH);
- 616
- 707
- Magnetophon 10619
- Magnetophon 75
- Magnetophon KL-25
- Magnetophon M34
Telex (Telex Communications Inc.);
- 1400
Thomas A. Edison, Inc. (Thomas A. Edison, Inc.);
- Envoy
- Telescribe
- Voicewriter 76500
Thomas A. Edison, Inc. (Thomas A. Edison, Inc.a);
- Envoy
- Telescribe
- Voicewriter 76500
Tiger (Tiger Electronics);
- Deluxe Talkboy
Timex (Timex Group B.V.);
- 401
Tinico (Tinico);
- MP-41
Tobishi (Tobishi Electronics Ltd.);
- Unknown
Toshiba (Toshiba (Brand of Tokyo Shibaura Denki));
- GT-32P
Tower (brand) (Sears, Roebuck and Co., retailer);
- 4691
Toyo (Toyo);
- QC-1
- QC-1
Trav-ler (Trav-ler Radio Corp);
- TT-591
- TT-595
- TT5925
- TT5925
Trix (Vereinigte Spielwarenfabriken Andreas F rtner);
- Phono-Trix
Truetone (Western Auto Co. (retailer));
- Riviera
- TOB7675A47
Truetone (Western Auto Supply Co.);
- Riviera
- TOB7675A47
Truvox (Truvox Engineering Ltd.);
- RE-19
Uher (Assman Electronics);
- 1000
- 5000
- 730
- Universal
Uher (Uher Werke Munchen KG);
- 1000
- 5000
- 730
- Universal
Ultravox (Oerlikon Buehrle & Co);
- unknown
Ultravox (Gutor Ultravox Companies) (Gutor Holding AG, subsidiary of Dictaphone Corp.);
- U3S
Unitech (Unitech Electronics Co. Ltd.);
- CM-300
Universal Realist (Universal Realist);
- C1-A
Utah (Utah Radio);
- 60
- unknown
- unknown
- unknown
Valdemar Poulsen and Peder Pedersen
- Telegraphone (steel tape)
Valiant (Valiant);
- Unknown
Vanity Fair (Vanity Fair Industries);
- No. 53
Victor (Victor Talking Machine Co.);
- Victrola XVII
Viking (Viking of Minneapolis, Inc.);
- 75
- 76
- 85
- 88
Visual Edcom (Visual Edcom Inc.);
- RP-9511
Vivitar (Ponder & Best, Inc.);
- 2750
Voca (Voca (brand of Alroy Sales Corp.));
- None (dictation machine)
Voice of Music (Voice of Music Corp.);
- 722
- 722
- 730
- 740
- 742-AV
- 780-AV
- 781
- Courier
Volta Laboratories
- Graphophone (model)
Vtech (Vtech Holdings Ltd.);
- Little Smart Smarty 80-1449
Wagner-Nichols (Wagner-Nichols Corp.);
- Microdisc Recorder
Webster (Webster Electric Co.);
- 270 and 280
- 290
- 310
- Ekotape 212
- Ekotape 230
- unknown
Webster-Chicago (Webster-Chicago Corp.);
- 178
- 181
- 2005
- 210-10
- 2130
- 288
- 79
- 80
- Coronet 2522
- EP-2356-1B
- EP-2402-1
- Royal 2811
- Viscount III
- WC-286
Westinghouse (Westinghouse Electric Corp., Television Radio Div.);
- H28R1
Westminster (Westminster);
- ER-3947
White Electronic Development (White Electronic Development Corp. Ltd.);
- TR-16
Wilcox-Gay (Wilcox-Gay Corp.);
- 2A10
- 410A
- A-92
- CL-622
- Recordio 6520
- Recordio 6B-1
Wiretone (Molded Insulation Co.);
- MR-6
Wireway (Wire Recording Corp. of America);
- WP
Wonder Bible (All Star Products Group);
- Unknown
Zvuk (Zvuk);
- 1M

September 6, 2025

Malcolm Riviera’s Final Track

I just discovered that Malcolm Riviera (pseud. of Gary C. Broyhill, b. Sept. 17, 1956) died in late July or early August, 2023. No formal obituary has been published online, but he was memorialized in the September 2, 2023 edition of the Trash Flow Radio show on WAIF FM, Cincinnati. The link takes you to a podcast version, and Malcolm is mentioned around 1:20:00. According to Trash Flow, he was a well known figure in the D.C. music scene, particularly in the 1980s, and was in a number of bands including Elevator, Grand mal, Sub Primal Cuts, The Velvet Monkeys, and Gumball. Known best as a musician and photographer, Malcolm was also a fan of 8-track tapes and their history. I never met him, but we corresponded by email over the years after he took over the web site 8 Track Heaven. In 1995, he collaborated with Abbey Levine and Chip Rowe to launch 8 Track Heaven, and it soon became nationally known as a resource for collectors. When Ms. Levine tragically died in 1997, Malcolm contributed to a tribute recording called Links Outta Here (issued only on CD, ironically) and then ran the site until he died. 8 Track Heaven was for many years the best and most comprehensive source for those interested in collecting 8 track tapes and keeping their 8 track players working. In keeping with the creepy and very “21st century” capacity of web sites to outlive their owners, but more poetically in keeping with the celebrated tendency of 8 track tapes to play in a continuous loop until they are finally eaten by the player or break at the splice, 8 Track Mind lingered until its domain registration expired in the early summer of 2024. Today, sadly, the domain is owned by the promoters of some Indonesian lottery site.

8 Track Heaven’s content is preserved by the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine by searching for 8trackheaven.com. (image source)

August 17, 2024

For all the Vinyl Hype, This is Still the Era of Streaming

A great tool for visualizing the current state of the recorded music market is the RIAA’s U.S. Sales Database, which allows you to to filter and sort record sales data in numerous ways. Here’s a screen shot of overall sales since 1973. Although this only represents sales in the US, it still provides some perspective on the much-discussed rebirth of LP records and, lately, cassettes. The green-coded items are all some form of streaming, while LP record sales are in dark blue. It may be hard to see current LP sales in this screenshot, but they are at the tips of the bars representing the past few years. The big orange blob in the middle of the chart documents the rise and fall of the CD. Record sales chart

May 20, 2024

LP Sales are Still Going Up

According to Statistica, US sales of LP record albums increased about 14% in 2023 to about 49 million. The same site claims that 82,000 turntables were sold in the US in 2021. 2023 was the second year in a row during which LP records outsold CDs. But people still do not seem to be listening to their records. In one 2023 survey, 50% of LP buyers reported that they do not own a record player or turntable. The statistics suggest that buyers are not primarily attracted to the aural characteristics or physical form of the LP but rather something else, perhaps album art or merely the appeal of LP ownership and collecting.

Bucks Burnett

Bucks Burnett, a Texas record collector, record store owner, and museum operator, died in October, 2023. Burnett was one of the early and vocal advocates of collecting music on 8-track tapes. In the early 1990s, 8-tracks were bottoming out in terms of popularity and value. Bucks was one of many who nostalgically latched onto them as collectibles. Yet Bucks became a sort of gadfly in the 8-track collecting community, preaching a message of commercialism to a group of fans who appreciated the format for other reasons. To those who hoped that used, thrift store 8-track tapes would always remain cheap and plentiful, Bucks proudly boasted that he had already sold a rare cartridge (the Sex Pistol’s God Save The Queen) for what seemed an unimaginably high price of $100 in 1992. At that time, Burnett stocked about 200 8-track tapes in a special section of his record store, and claimed that he sold about three per week.

KERA story on Bucks Burnett.

Facebook tribute page for Bucks Burnett.

History of Sound Recording Technology

8-Track Featured Image

Edison’s 1877 Phonograph patent

Karapetoff and Recording Setup, 1934

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