Heathkit reel/reel

[1955APREN]

Seen a charity shop in Eccleshall staff's
Heathkit reel/reel . using a bsr 3 speed deck looks in good condition external .
I do not know what its like inside asking price £20
As tape a a audio lead with it.
Regards Derrick

[dave walsh]

I didn't know that Heathkit did TR's in the UK Derrick Interesting! Can only find USA models AD 16/22/and 72. There is a Heathkit STR1 Daystrom model from the UK [1968] which seems to have a black [joystick] BSR type deck but not [I think] the absolute basic one used in many cheaper UK TR's!
Any more ID on this at all?

Dave

[reelguy]

I have one of these but have not used it for ages.{Like years ! } I cannot remember if its 2 or 4 track Stereo.
But it is Stereo . It uses the BSR three speed deck . The plastic headcovers and control knobs are a very dark blue collar so could be mistaken for black . I think its valved . If it looks in good condition and works its probably worth twenty pounds. See if it comes with any tapes . If interested of course.
I originally had the idea to use the electronics on a Brenell deck but never got round to it.
if I remember I'll try mine out tomorrow maybe and report back.
Peter W, Reelguy ….

[dave walsh]

There you go folks. Peter [Reel to Reel Bexhill] has emerged from his slumber. Is there anything with two spools and a tape you haven't got? I assumed [at first] that Derricks "find"must be a 120v US Tape Deck Apparently not!
This must be a rare but not valued machine surely

Dave W
Gig Buddy and Bexhill UKVRRR member 2/2

[Reelman]

Probably the STR-1 from 1968, stereo, 4 track and transistor.

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/heathkit_str_1.html

However Heathkit did sell some bare decks over the years including Truvox.

Peter

[mole42uk]

I had an STR-1 for a while. It is indeed a transistor stereo ¼-track machine using the BSR deck. Quite acceptable performance on 7½ ips but the transport is quite noisy if my memory is correct. Also quite a heavy beast, but lighter than a Ferrograph! I may still have the Heathkit construction manual in the archive…

[reelguy]

Well I managed to dig it out and try it. Deck quite noisy but a bit of Dave Brubeck sorted that . Volume and sound quite good considering its age. I was going to take a pic of the internals of the amp but it looks like you have to remove the deck first. Hopefully I've posted a pic of the m/c but haven't done that for a while. I often wondered why they used such a cheap deck ,Might have been better with a Collarro Studio deck or Brenell .
Thanks to Reelman for that info to jog my memory.
Back to my Slumbers
PeterW reelguy.

[wd40addict]

The deck appears to be the BSR TD10. A quirk of this design, at least on the one that passed through my hands, is that the pressure is not removed from the driving idler when the deck is off! Mad design flaw that leads to flats, noise and inevitable wow & flutter.

[mole42uk]

Originally Posted by wd40addict

The deck appears to be the BSR TD10. A quirk of this design, at least on the one that passed through my hands, is that the pressure is not removed from the driving idler when the deck is off! Mad design flaw that leads to flats, noise and inevitable wow & flutter.

The TD10 pinch roller is dis-engaged from the capstan when the RH operation lever is pulled back into the off position, or when it is moved right or left for fast wind.

[dazzlevision]

Originally Posted by mole42uk

The TD10 pinch roller is dis-engaged from the capstan when the RH operation lever is pulled back into the off position, or when it is moved right or left for fast wind.

It's not the pinch roller that develops the flats, but the idler tyre that couples the motor pulley drive to the capstan flywheel.

[mole42uk]

Originally Posted by dazzlevision

It's not the pinch roller that develops the flats, but the idler tyre that couples the motor pulley drive to the capstan flywheel.

Ah! I made a mistake, I'm sorry. I didn't keep my first TD10 switched off long enough to develop flats, it was in use every day!

[Chris55000]

Hi!
Somebody must have been up there pretty quick and got it after Member "1955APren" posted it, because I went to go and have a look earlier this afternoon at both the Katherine House Charity Shop in Eccleshall Village and the one just up the road at Norton Bridge and neither of the places remember seeing one, unless I missed another shop down a back–alley somewhere!

Chris Williams

[Chris55000]

PS!

I'm going to have to sell some family silver now – I bought one of these from the same area which (was a lot more than £20) could have been the same machine mentioned by the OP, but as it was good cosmetically and came with the original Assembly Manual I felt it was worth pushing the boat out for it!

Just as well my works is allowing me Saturday "Extra Skool!" this month!

Chris Williams

As a PS to the above, the description said "one channel very low volume" but that won't be any worry to fix with the original documentation on hand!

[dave walsh]

Assembly Manual? Ah so this was a Heath "Kit" Chris? Having not heard of a Tape Recorder in their range and after looking up the American Models + the UK STR1 [p2*] I assumed they came ready built.
Since writing that, I see the Radio Museum describes the STR1 as "available as a kit or ready built".

My main experience of Heathkit was studying their catalogue with great interest but not being able to invest the money. I don't recall ever seeing a mention of Heathkit Tape Recorders, a review or a description one being built but given the choice of tape deck and the problems already mentioned, perhaps they weren't much of a success? I'm reminded of the Ferrograph Series 7 TR's [a bit of a step up admittedly]. They are now described as an unsatisfactory venture by some but seen much more positively by others [good news as I have one, another impossible purchase at the time].

Dave W

[mole42uk]

See post #6 - I mentioned an assembly manual, it was a kit.

[dave walsh]

So you did Richard. The last sentence must have dropped of my Radar
Was it only available as a kit?

Dave

[sortedradio]

Listed in the 1971 Heathkit catalogue

[Chris55000]

Hi!

Further to all the above I'll scan and post the full Assembly Manual for this machine when I've picked it up and had an opportunity to get on my work's office scanner/printer with it!

Chris Williams

[Ted Kendall]

Originally Posted by reelguy

I often wondered why they used such a cheap deck ,Might have been better with a Collarro Studio deck or Brenell .

It was really a case of the BSR or nothing - by that time the Collaro Studio was long gone, as was the Magnavox 363. The Brenell would have doubled the price, as would the Ferrograph, and Truvox had all but ceased bare deck sales.

In any case, the BSR wasn't at all bad for a domestic deck...

[wd40addict]

Remember prior to this they had the TA-1 tape amplifier which, depending on coil configuration, could be used with Brenell, Truvox, Collaro or Wearite decks. It was also available in either mono (TA-1M) or stereo (TA-1S) versions.

By the time the STR-1 appeared something more equivalent to the integrated models from Philips and Grundig was presumably thought more attractive. Transistors would also reduce the weight. But, the enthusiast R2R market was slowly dying, as was the economics of building Hi-fi from kits as opposed to buying something from Japan.