Museum of early consumer electronics and 1st achievements
www.rewindmuseum.com


Simon Valve (Tube) Tape Recorder.
Produced by Simon Sound of London, the SP2 was developed from their earlier SP1 and dates
from late 1955. It was a two-speed (7-1/2 and 3/3-4 ips), three-motor tape recorder which
provided excellent recording and reproduction through an internal 10" speaker. Uniquely,
it featured a W-gate motion control lever simplifying its operation. The electric motors
were made by Collaro whom themselves later produced a very successful tape deck in addition
to their famous record players.
At the same time as they were developing the SP deck, Simon developed an interesting airfield
voice logger; that division was sold on, but while the Simon SP series tape recorders were very
highly regarded and they continued their development into the late 1950s, they lost their
direction in the early 1960s with innovative designs using a Garrard and a novel EMI desk,
neither of which captured the imagination of the public. By 1967, Simon Sound had
effectively disappeared. - Thanks to Barry M Jones for this information

This very heavy valve tape recorder was made in the UK by "Simon".
information on tape recorders can be found in the softback book
"A Guide to British tape-recorders" by Barry M Jones.
The book can be ordered from Barry M Jones. See
www.brenelltape.co.uk

The F1-Cord portable reel to reel tape recorder. 1965

Fi-Cord were based in Yorkshire and offered a superb British built, portable 3" battery portable,
the Fi-Cord 1A, designed by Quallet-Stellavox of Switzerland. Costing 59gns (£62/19/0d) in 1959
it proved tremendously popular with journalists and engineers alike in field tests through its sheer
compactness an durability, suffering only in limited duration.
With the launch the superb Uher 4000 portable in 1963, adopted by the BBC, Fi-Cord designed the
table top/portable Fi-Cord 202 which was built in Switzerland. With automatic recording level
control, it had a claimed 50-12,000Hz response and operated at 3-3/4 or 7-1/2ips but suffered
poor wow and flutter. Though otherwise a good performer it failed to match the superior Uher
model and was thus a short lived, and loved, model.
Thereafter Fi-Cord concentrated on hi-quality, Swiss made miniature recorders such as the 101 and 303
Thanks to Barry M Jones for this information.

1958 Grundig TK20 Tape Recorder.

Made in Germany,this is half track mono audio tape recorder. Tape Speed - 3 i.p.s.
Grundig TK20 Tape Recorder. Original price 50 gns. Grundig Ltd, 39/41 New Oxford Street, London.
Many reports on the web date this unit as 1960. This is not correct. It was reviewed in the
September 1958 issue of "The Gramophone Magazine".
Hi Fi Sound magazine from Feb. 1970

I bought this magazine in 1970 and recently mislaid it. Managed to find it on e-bay so if it
turns up in the future, I will have 2 copies. This copy features the excellent
Ferrograph Series 7 reel to reel audio recorder.
Making a donation.
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a voluntary basis. Donations,
not money, just old items you no longer want, are always welcome.
If you have something that you think would be of interest, please contact us with the details.
We can send in a courier to pick them up. (Even an international courier). Thank you.

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