May 10, 2026

Betamax Anniversary: 1975-2026

1983 Betamax advertisement

Although this site is primary dedicated to audio recording technologies, it’s important to remember that many video recording technologies also record audio. The original Betamax system, which Sony introduced May 10, 1975, had a single, monophonic sound track, recorded alongside the video and sync tracks. While stereo sound had long since captured the commercial record and tape markets and was becoming universal in FM broadcasting, TV was still mono. Based on advertisements and other sources, Sony seemed to believe that consumers would be recording content off-the-air (although they later also pushed home videotape recorders as sources of content). In 1983, Sony introduced its Beta Hi-Fi models, which recorded in stereo using audio heads mounted on the video head drum and recording frequency modulated audio instead of the original linear, audio-frequency recording track. Sony would later introduce a pulse code modulated (PCM) audio recording accessory for the Betamax machine, aimed at professional or semi-professional users. This constituted one of the first commercially available digital audio recorders. The Wikipedia article on Betamax technology has some detail on the many other changes in Betamax audio over the years.

February 21, 2026
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.

Read More …
November 21, 2025

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

Note: the database is down due to software issues. Please check back later.

Recorder Manufacturers


  • Philips (Koninklijke Philips); Stellaphone Brand
    • 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
  • AGA (AGA AB);
    • Agavox C
    • unknown
  • Air Castle (Spiegel, Inc.); Air Castle Brand
    • 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 ); Pocket Record Brand
    • 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 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 (Concertone, Inc.); Concertone Brand
    • 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.); Bradford Brand
    • 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
  • 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.); Holiday Brand
    • 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 (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.); Audiomatic Brand
    • 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
  • Daily Meditation (Daily Meditation);
    • Audio Bible
  • Denon (Nippon Columbia); Denon Brand
    • 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.); Voice Lead (or Encore) Brand
    • 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.); Code-a-phone Brand
    • 1400
  • Freeman (Freeman Electronics Corp.);
    • 660
  • Fujiya (Fujiya Electric 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.); Hammond Brand
    • 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); DeJur Brand
    • 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: )
  • 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); Juliette Brand
    • 500
    • Unknown
  • JVC (Japan Victor Corp.);
    • Victowriter MS-22A
  • Kalart (Kalart Victor Corporation);
    • 392
  • Klemt (Arthur Klemt);
    • Echolette
  • 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 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.); Marantz Brand
    • 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.)); Minico Brand
    • 70 or "Minipet"
  • Miny (Miny);
    • 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]); Airline Brand
    • 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
  • 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 (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); Quadraflex Brand
    • 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.); Realistic Brand
    • 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); Revox Brand
    • A700
  • 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 (Sears Roebuck and Co.); Silvertone Brand
    • 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); Soundesign Brand
    • 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 (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 (Süd-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) (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.); Dixieland Brand
    • 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.); Technics Brand
    • 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
  • test common name (test manufacturer); test brand Brand
    • test model number
  • Thomas A. Edison, Inc. (Thomas A. Edison, Inc.);
    • 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); Tower Brand
    • 4691
  • Toyo (Toyo); QAudio Brand
    • QC-1
    • QC-1
  • Trav-ler (Trav-ler Radio Corp);
    • TT-591
    • TT-595
    • TT5925
  • Trav-Ler (Trav-Ler Radio Corp); Trav-Ler Brand
    • TT5925
  • Trix (Vereinigte Spielwarenfabriken Andreas F rtner);
    • Phono-Trix
  • Truetone (Western Auto Co. (retailer)); Truetone Brand
    • Riviera
    • TOB7675A47
  • Truvox (Truvox Engineering Ltd.);
    • RE-19
  • Uher (UHER Werke München KG); Pilot Brand
    • 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.); Recordio Brand
    • 2A10
    • 410A
    • A-92
    • CL-622
    • Recordio 6520
    • Recordio 6B-1
  • Wiretone (Molded Insulation Co.); Wiretone Brand
    • 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

Malcolm Riviera

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

LP sales chart 2023


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.

Read More …