Reel2ReelTexas Copyright 2012 • All pictures and content on this web site are the property of Theophilus/ Reel2ReelTexas
This
is a list of our vintage open reel, analog reel to reel tape recording collection for items beginning with "A." As
time permits we'll be building links to more pictures, a bit of history
about our items, catalog listings and
some recent pricing information. PLEASE
NOTE: None of the Reel2ReelTexas.com's Vintage Museum pieces are for sale. This
listing is provided to reflect our collection.
Clicking on most pictures will provide a
larger the item.A reminder that the prices listed are what the item originally sold for in the year it was released.
ADC
Linear Turntable
Akai Terecorder 1958 (Akai was not sold in US until 1971)
Akai produced over 100 models of reel to reel tape recorders. This is one we had not seen previously. When stereo came along, it looks like Akai created their first stereo recorder by adding a 2 track head, stereo outputs and a second smaller unit to house the second channel electronics and speaker. This unit has a switchable head to go from Full track to 2 channel Half track. Pretty cool unit. Most unusual styling.
We were recently told by a Broadcast engineer that this Akai and several others of the last high end recorders were built for Akai by Fostex...interesting.
This set of Altec speakers were acquired when Phantom (Highland Sound Co) was representing Balco Sound in Alpine in 1968. They are working well a are part of the Surround Sound system in the present studio.
This information is based on ad and catalog information in our collection
1947 - 1948 Model 200A $7,200 > $5,200
Bing Crosby bought 20 Ampex 200As for $4,000 each with a 60% down payment in 1948. In April 1948 two 200As went to Jack Mullin for the Cosby Show and many of the others went to ABC to do tape delayed broadcasts.
- Model 201 - As the result of progress made with the Ampex 300 in ealy 1949, Ampex decided to retrofit all the 200A's with the better electronics. This upgrade was released on June 15,1949. The remaining Ampex 200As were releasd as 201s.
Our Ampex 200-A was originally bought from Bing Crosby Enterprises, Inc. by Capitol Records in Los Angeles, California. The news clips below detail some information regarding ABC and Capitol Records decisions to acquire the new technology. Our Ampex 200-A was subsequently acquired by Leo De Gar Kulka, known in the record and recording industry as "the Baron" and remembered for his recording of Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, among others. We were told that "the Baron" was always striving to keep up with the latest technology. The Ampex 200-A we acquired was upgraded to stereo using Inovonics amps. We initially were going to restore the recorder to its original state. However after learning more about the history of the unit, we have decided to work to acquire the original electronics, but will leave the unit as is for now. We also have Capitol Records detail regarding the Ampex 200-A, #33's upgrade in 1949. This upgrade to the Ampex 201 specs involved the replacing of the original head cover and installing an Ampex 300 head cover and tape lifters. View the Capitol Records documents here. They also updated this Ampex 200A in 1954 and 1955.
Ampex 200A with Ampex 201 electronics and Inovonice electronics.
Go to more about Phantom's Ampex 200-A and the development history of the early Ampex recorders.
View video of the trip from Texas to California (3,585 miles in 4 - 12 to 13 hour days) to pick up the Ampex 200-A and Ampex 300.
Work began on the Ampex 300 in November, 1948. First 50 were delivered in May of 1949. The 300 reduced the size of the recorder, reels from 14" to 10.5 and the speed was reduced to 15 ips. Over 32,000 were sold and was available into the 1970's.
This
is the first "professional" recorder martin used to record University
recitals, band & choir concerts; musicals and was taken on tour from
1964 to 1968.
We
thought it interesting that this Ampex 600 and 620 were acquired
from a seller
located on
Sunset
3
blocks
from
its
intersection
with
Vine in Hollywood (this is the area
where Jack
Mullin taped the first Bing Crosby radio shows). We
contacted Ampex, however, they would not release the identity
of the original
owner based on the serial number.
This
Ampex 351 was donated to our collection by John King (brother-in-law)
who acquired it from a radio station in Dallas, Texas. This unit and its remote were restored by Phantom Productions in 2010. View movie - Win MediaQuickTime
Ampex 351/Accurate Sound 300 SS amplifier rebuilt by Accurate Sound Company of San Angelo, Texas. We were advised by the seller that Accurate Sound bought the last 250 Ampex 351 amplifiers and re-branded them.
Ampex / Irish / Quantegy / magnetic recording tape 1950's
Our collection includes an unopened box of Irish magnetic reel to reel recording tape from Opilika, Alabama.
The company was created at the end of World War II by Major John Herbert Orr as Orradio Industries. This was a result of the US Army requiring an American supplier of magnetic tape. Magnetic tape was a German invention and after the war, the German manufacturing ability was destroyed.
In 1959, Ampex acquired Orradio Industries and it became the Ampex Magnetic Tape Division.
In 1995, Ampex divested this division, then called the Ampex Recording Media Corporation. At the same time, 3M was also spinning off its magnetic media division. Equitable Life Insurance acquired these combined entities, which became Quantegy, Inc., and later changed its name to the current Quantegy Recording Solutions, with the Ampex product line being the nominal survivor, although much use of the 3M technologies later found their way into Quantegy products including the high end GP9 tape.
In January 2005, having previously filed for bankruptcy protection, Quantegy closed its manufacturing facility in Opelika. This event received substantial media attention.
On April 18, 2005, Quantegy resumed operations under new ownership.
In January 2007, Quantegy announced that it will cease production of magnetic tape in April 2007 and is taking orders up until February 22. The only remaining manufacturers of new magnetic tape for sound recording are RMGI and ATR Magnetics.
In April 2007, Reel Deal Pro Audio purchased the majority of Quantegy's reel to reel audio tape and accessories and began to sell it on their web site Reel Deal Pro Audio.
In June 2007, Quantegy ceased sales of the FHD and Black Diamond FHD3 series of hard drive products to the professional audio recording industry.
As of 2009 Quantegy was working on reviving Quantegy 456 Studio Mastering Tape, Quantegy 499 Gold Studio Mastering Tape, GP9 Platinum Studio Mastering Tape, as well as the Black Diamond Series of products. But as of 2012, no progress had been made. Most of the tape production facilities were sold or dismantled following the 2007 bankruptcy. Thus a third revival of [new] Quantegy products looks to be in much doubt. - Wikipedia
1982 This was one of the first 250 Ampex Golden Reel Awards... The
inscription reads "A reel of recording
tape is unfulfilled until the magic of an artist's performance and the
creative talents of a technical and artistic team give it life."
While many Ampex and other reel tape recorders went to recording studios and broadcast stations, a large percentage went to data recording (especially Ampex & Magnecord) . We provide this Ampex/Teac PR260using 1/2" tape and running at speeds from 15/16/ to 30 ips, as an example of some of the data recorders. This is a closed loop, however we don't have much additional info. Ampex Data Brochure
Ampex
Frequency Wavelength Calculator for Ampex Instrumentation Tapes
This Ampex calculator was donated by Jim Ferguson. It belonged to his Dad, Lester N. Ferguson who wrote the Magnetic Tape Recording Handbook published by the U.S, Army (1966), then Sylvania and Hewlett Packard (1967 & 1970).
Gotta love the Amplifier Corp's Magnemite field recorder capabilities description "Ideal for any expedition, heading anywhere in the world. Specifically designed to operate with suitable accessories at the North Pole,the Equator, in African Jungles or the Sahara Desert. May be used on the back of an elephant, camel, in a jeep, jet, or submarine."
