Interesting machines from the past

[steveidosound]

I would love pictures and descriptions here of interesting machines we now own or have owned. Also the characteristics that you find endearing, quirky etc.
I have collected many machines and many more have come and gone from tiny early Japanese portable mono battery models to big studio type tube units.
My tastes tend to run toward the obscure and bizarre as opposed to really good quality, but I want to hear what all of you like.
I will have to work on some pictures, but for now I will say that the most obscure machines I currently own are the Bell RT-360 and one called the Freeman model 800, both of which are American made 1/4 track 7" reel 7 1/2 - 3 3/4, tube recorders with speakers and amps, from the early to mid 60s,  but otherwise are at opposite ends of the spectrum.
The Bell features provisions for outboard 10.5" reels and tape to tape dubbing (internally!) 3 heads, 5 motors counting the bolt on ones for the bigger reels, lots and lots of tubes, and circuitry and switching to do almost anything.
The Freeman however, manages to boil it's essential functions down to two tubes per channel for all the audio in a compact self contained unit.

[Grant99]

Hi Steve, would love to see some pictures of that above mentioned Bell RT-360.  There is a lot of history in Bell Sound Labs from the early days of hifi.  But I've never seem much written about it.  Myself, I own an odd collection of Bell FM tuners and amps from the 50s & 60s.  Bell was at the forefront of middle-class hifi in those days, when real hifi equipment was expensive, but not ridiculously so....

[steveidosound]

Hi Steve, would love to see some pictures of that above mentioned Bell RT-360.  There is a lot of history in Bell Sound Labs from the early days of hifi.  But I've never seem much written about it.  Myself, I own an odd collection of Bell FM tuners and amps from the 50s & 60s.  Bell was at the forefront of middle-class hifi in those days, when real hifi equipment was expensive, but not ridiculously so....

Until I manage to get some of my own posted, you can see the Bell here -
http://reel2reeltexas.com/vinListBD.html

[Grant99]

Until I manage to get some of my own posted, you can see the Bell here -
http://reel2reeltexas.com/vinListBD.html
[/quote]

Thanks for the link, Steve!  Some interesting decks on that page for sure!

[steveidosound]

Until I manage to get some of my own posted, you can see the Bell here -
http://reel2reeltexas.com/vinListBD.html

Thanks for the link, Steve!  Some interesting decks on that page for sure!

[/quote]

I have owned or do own about 7 of the machines similar or identical to the ones represented on that page !
the Bell, a couple of the Crown's, a couple of the Concertones and the Teac that is the same, the Dokorder 4 channel...

[ironbut]

I'm sure that steveidosound is following the fantastic thread regarding the sound of the 300 series Ampexes on the listserve. I got a little behind and have been spending part of this morning reading the posts. The question of which machines the Beatles used came up and while I've seen mention of the EMI BTR-2 many times, I have to confess that I didn't know a thing about this machine. Google to the rescue and while I'm generally not a fan of YouTubes attempt to find a new low in video quality, here's a real gem that I think you'll enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH56HpSwsQk

BTW There are a number of reel to reel videos on the right column you might enjoy also.

[steveidosound]

here is a just ended auction on ebay for a Bell RT-360  - one of my favorite quirky decks from the past.
320441333059   I like the description.
As mentioned elsewhere, this is from TRW in their younger days. Parent company of Bel Canto pre-recorded tape duplicating services as well, though they said they used Ampex duplication equipment. Bell electronics seems to have given up building hi-fi equipment at the end of the tube era. They made tape and disc recorders and PA equipment as far back as the late 40s.

[ironbut]

Very cool Steve!
That's a new one on me (goes ta show how little I know)

It looks like whoever bought it got a bargain,.. it looks like it's chock full of Telefunken 12ax7's.

[steveidosound]

Very cool Steve!
That's a new one on me (goes ta show how little I know)

It looks like whoever bought it got a bargain,.. it looks like it's chock full of Telefunken 12ax7's.

The tubes that you can see the Telefunken logos on are actually ECL86/6GW8s triode/pentode combo similar to a 6BM8. They, along with another 12AX7, comprise the little P/P stereo amp built in. But I think that the stock 12AX7s etc. were either Telefunken, Amperex or Mullard.
I am crazy enough to have 3 of those machines around, 2 of which actually sort of work. I will look and see how many of those tubes I have. I seem to recall some NOS tubes bought to re-tube my first one bought in the late 70s and never used. These were common in lots of hi fi gear and even little portable record players and tape recorders that were not Japanese with Japanese tubes.
I have not paid much attention to the tube rolling world. Are either Amperex or Telefunken  out of sight now?

[ironbut]

Yeah, depending on the year and internal structure (the TFK smooth plates and the Amperex Bugle Boy D getters can get as much as $150 each!). Nice thing about finding them in something like a tape recorder is they've probably got pretty low hours on them. Neither of the above tubes are in my favorites list for sound. I much prefer something like a Raytheon 5751( which are half the price but going up fast ) except in circuits with passive eq where the lower gain effects the curves.

Some guys troll eBay for old gear with tubes and stuff they can pull and sell. Kinda sad when really great stuff like Ampex and Altec mixers get treated this way.

[ofajen]

I would love pictures and descriptions here of interesting machines we now own or have owned. Also the characteristics that you find endearing, quirky etc.

This is my 3M M-23 1/4" machine that I finally got up and going this summer.  It took many years for me to get around to putting it all together.  Once I sold my M-79 2-track, the M-23 restoration became more urgent.

It has a rack mount transport that I suspect came from a film sync machine and two electronics channels I got from JRF's M-23 machine, all housed in a little console I put together.  The transport has a pretty low serial number (248, IIRC) so it's probably pretty close to the start of production in 1965.

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa115/ofajen/IMG_8196.jpg

Aside from the huge open sound at 15 ips, I love the big 4.5" Simpson VU meters and the shiny chrome parts around the tape path.  I think the M-23s are prettier than the M-79s.  It's also got the old rim drive with a rubber tire around a 7" flywheel.  I just wish I could locate original M-23 style reel hubs.  Right now I'm using VIF hubs, so I had to steal spindles from an M-79 and install them in the reel tables.

Cheers,

Otto

[ironbut]

Wow,.. that's gorgeous Otto!

Thanks for sharing this and all your other posts lately.

[ofajen]

Wow,.. that's gorgeous Otto!

Thanks for sharing this and all your other posts lately.

Steve:

You're welcome.  I'm new to this forum, though I've known of it for a little bit.  I started recording my music back in the early 80s when just about everything was done on tape and I'm just too stubborn to quit.  I figured I'd just dive right in.  I'm not much for lurking, unfortunately.  :)

Cheers,

Otto