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Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players Open-reel tape recorders, cassette recorders, 8-track players etc.

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Old 22nd Dec 2014, 7:31 am   #181
PaulE27
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Default Re: History Of Philips EL33XX Series Cassette Recorder

I bought the last one I could find in Birmingham in 1976. Made in Austria and normal metal flywheel.

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Old 24th Dec 2014, 2:58 pm   #182
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Default Re: History Of Philips EL33XX Series Cassette Recorder

just got a very early EL3301/22d (AH 12-65)

this one is "made in Holland" and has captive screws for the bottom cover, centrifugal motor regolator and genuine leather case just like the EL3300

the playback audio quality from the built in speaker is simply amazing, probably the best i've ever heard from an EL33xx machine, warm, clear and powerful with plenty of undistorted bass, also the speed is spot on 4,75 and very stable

i bought this one very cheap as a parts donor to repair a wrecked EL3300 but i think i may ultimately use the EL 3300 as a parts donor for this one (the battery compartment had leaking batteries in it and the paxolin contact board needs replaced)

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Old 24th Dec 2014, 3:50 pm   #183
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Default Re: History Of Philips EL33XX Series Cassette Recorder

also it has the same chocolate brown colour as the EL3300
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Old 26th Jan 2015, 8:19 pm   #184
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Default Re: History Of Philips EL33XX Series Cassette Recorder

i have several different leather cases for EL33xx recorders that got mixed up over the years, is there a way to know the era/model of recorder they belonged to?
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Old 26th Jan 2015, 10:16 pm   #185
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Default Re: History Of Philips EL33XX Series Cassette Recorder

Jimmy,

The only models supplied with a real leather case were the first EL 3300's and some EL3301's. After that, those which most people call 'leather' are not leather, they are a thin vinyl skinned, compressed cardboard case.

The case for the original EL3300/00 & it's variants: EL3300/15 etc, was leather with a grey (paint like) finish and some EL3301's were supplied with the same case, until supplies ran out.

Unfortunately, the quality of the leather used was poor and could crumble & crack, especially along the opening portion and the strap also broke.
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Old 27th Jan 2015, 9:28 pm   #186
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Default Re: History Of Philips EL33XX Series Cassette Recorder

here's a picture of my EL3302 cases along with a Made in Holland EL3301 in its original case

as you can see there are several differences, the Philips logo is printed inside the speaker grille in one and this one also has a box-shaped white cardboard microphone holder, while others have the logo printed outside the speaker grille and the microphone holder is an open compartment made from black cardboard

i know that the smaller case without the microphone holder is a later one from the 70s and i think the one with the larger cassette opening may belong to a N2202, but what about the others? am i right in thinking that the one with the logo on the speaker grille and the white cardboard microphone holder is for a first generation EL3302 with germanium transistors while the other two cases are for a 2nd generation EL3302 with silicon transistors?

all cases show signs of dry rot and cracking and the straps are falling apart in all of the EL3302 cases and i'm probably going to just cut them off, the only good straps are in the smaller 70s case and in the EL3301 case where they seem to be made from real leather which is still relatively strong and flexible (not that i'd trust them to carry the thing around) actually the EL3301 case itself seems to hold up much better than the EL3302 cases
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Old 27th Jan 2015, 9:40 pm   #187
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Default Re: History Of Philips EL33XX Series Cassette Recorder

Nice collection.

Be aware that the cases' chromed edging strip by the transport controls is prone to bending if the case is accidentally squashed with no cassette recorder inside it. When pushed back into shape, a sharp "crease" often forms on its underside which can take a gouge out of the cassette recorder's top surface as it's withdrawn or inserted. This is particularly damaging on their aluminium-finished, N-series cousins e.g. N2202, 3, etc.

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Old 27th Jan 2015, 10:13 pm   #188
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Default Re: History Of Philips EL33XX Series Cassette Recorder

good point!

just checked, luckily all of the metal strips in my cases are perfectly straight and smooth, some are quite rusty though
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Old 27th Oct 2016, 7:30 pm   #189
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Default Re: Philips EL3302A/15P - Different Colour Logo Badges

Quote:
Originally Posted by camtechman View Post
Of all my collection items, I've spent most of my money, time & research on this machine.

However, either I'm not looking in the right place or it doesn't exist but does anyone know if anyone has ever published a full & detailed history on this machine?

The reason for asking is I'm considering writing one.
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Originally Posted by camtechman View Post
Maarten & other members, keep the info coming (don't worry, I've bought a bulk lot of paracetamol)
Hi Tony,

While researching for my posts in this thread over at tapeheads.net, I found your thread "History Of Philips EL33XX Series Cassette Recorder". Here I found lots of information not (easily) available anywhere else - thanks a lot

I would be interested to know whether you have progressed any further on the EL33XX history. And you could also have a look at the tapeheads thread I mentioned; I have posted a lot of photos of the four 33xx recorders I own, some of which may reveal information you don't already have.

Cheers, Richard
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Old 29th Oct 2016, 7:25 am   #190
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Default Re: History Of Philips EL33XX Series Cassette Recorder

Hi Richard,

Unfortunately, due to complications following my recent surgery - which has resulted in my debilitation, my mind and drive for pushing forward with the book is somewhat on the back burner (although I'm still gathering all info about this machine, from tit-bits to adverts etc)

I'm still finding more anomalies with the EL3300 and the EL3301's, as it's not clear cut when an improvement (or update) was introduced as it appears not to always take place at the same time and some units appear to be "Bitsers" something that I suppose happened with Philips being keen to introduce a stack of improvements that usually follows the introduction of a new device.

There's nothing unusual about the above practice, having seen that in action when I worked for Ferguson (later Thorn) in the late 60's.

Also, it appears to be a grey area (or over spill) where production varied, depending on which version parts they had on the assembly line, as to which models came out the factory.

For me, one thing that makes the EL3300 stand out is the screws used for securing the lower case. There are two, chromed, large headed, sprung, captive screws.

Why they went to the bother & the extra expense, when basic cheese headed types, as used with the EL3301 and all models there onwards, seems to be an overkill.

One 'new' model that I'm trying to find out more about is a "Made In England" version (a cross between an EL3300 & an EL3301), this has the same control knob as the EL3300 but instead of being white, the English version is Black! and underneath the meter, its has "Made In England" printed on it, unlike the raised profile of the of the Dutch & Austria versions.

See pics below, (Must go,the Nurse is trying to force more pills down my throat)

Tony
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Old 18th Nov 2016, 5:38 pm   #191
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Default Re: History Of Philips EL33XX Series Cassette Recorder

i have a made in holland el3301/22d s/n 429060 AH12/65 00853 which still has the captive screws and centrifugal governor like the EL3300... the motor speed is spot on 4.75 in this one though
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Old 19th Nov 2016, 2:19 pm   #192
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Default Re: History Of Philips EL33XX Series Cassette Recorder

Jimmy,

Here's another identifier (3 parts) for the EL3300 and it concerns the Flywheel:

1) The metal compound is darker, more like a dirty grey. In one I have it seems to be a Mazak compound and has developed crazing/cracking. The same problem that early Pathe film projectors suffered from.

2) The cavity in the flywheel is conical shaped, whereas the later version is cylindrical shaped.

3) It weighs more than the later version.
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Old 23rd Nov 2016, 1:24 am   #193
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Default Re: History Of Philips EL33XX Series Cassette Recorder

i can't see the cavity underneath the flywheel without taking apart the whole thing, but it does look dark grey in colour and has no cracking luckily

i think they're all made from the same Mazak zinc alloy and the cracking in some of them has more to do with impurities in some batches

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc_pest

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Old 23rd Nov 2016, 2:04 pm   #194
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Default Re: History Of Philips EL33XX Series Cassette Recorder

Here's a flywheel of a EL3301A of 60s in very good condition with its Philips part number.
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