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General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc. |
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1st Apr 2019, 7:54 am | #1 |
Heptode
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Hythe, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 626
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The Truvox story
I discovered an article in the 1969 issue of Tape Recorder magazine which I thought might be of interest. I live in Hythe so it was interesting to read and see how things have changed, and how we have lost this type of manufacturing and development locally.
The Control and Communications Group who bought Truvox was subsequently acquired by Racal Recorders who had a large site on the Hardley Industrial Estate (approx. 3 miles away) until about 15 years ago. How times change! |
1st Apr 2019, 8:36 am | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 9,425
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Re: The Truvox story
That was an interesting read, thank you.
I don’t remember Truvox having a name for being the best in the 1960’s for domestic tape recorders, no different than many others, it’s even hinted at in the article that the company had problems before being bought by Thermionic. Thermionic is not a company I was aware of but I was not in an employment that would see their products. It suggests that they had new domestic items in development, I wonder if they were Compact Cassette based units. For portable domestic use the Compact Cassette was the item of choice for many and a couple of years after this article reel to reel tape machines were few and far between except in specialists shops, passed by with the CC. Has you say times change.
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Frank |
1st Apr 2019, 8:56 am | #3 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Southport, Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 646
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Re: The Truvox story
I had a Truvox tape recorder in the 1959 period. I cannot remember the model number. The deck seemed very solidly made with cast rather than stamped out deck parts. There were two interechangeable capstan sleeves. I think one was for 3.75 / 7 ips sec and the other for 7.5 / 15 ips. The only problem was that the smaller sleeve must have been poorly machined as there was slight wow audible at both it's speeds. On fast wind, the motors were braked by DC braking and worked very well.
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Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana |
1st Apr 2019, 9:11 am | #4 |
Octode
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Morden, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 1,552
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Re: The Truvox story
I remember that article as I read most Tape Recorder magazines at that time.
I always considered Truvox to be rather better than the low end tape machines of the period but not quite up to a Ferrograph or a Brenell. I already knew about the Thermionic Products machines as they were used for recording all the air traffic control channels. Very large rack equipment running 1 inch tape on 14 inch spools, as I remember. |
1st Apr 2019, 9:51 am | #5 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Co. Durham, UK.
Posts: 1,111
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Re: The Truvox story
I've not seen my Truvox for years; it's still around somewhere. I seem to remember it had the usual speeds, but ran the 'other way'. Am I right?
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1st Apr 2019, 10:00 am | #6 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Charmouth, Dorset, UK.
Posts: 3,601
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Re: The Truvox story
I bought a new Truvox tape deck, amplifier and cabinet from Premier radio in Fleet Street in 1954, my first introduction to them. Since then I have acquired an even older one, probably the previous model. It still works! although not very well as the felt head pressure pad is missing.
Built like a tank, three motors, capstan, fast forward and reverse. It rewinds at a colossal speed and has a DC brake that stops it almost instantly but if anything goes wrong you end up with 1200' of tape on the floor! To change speed you have to swap the capstan wheel. Peter |
1st Apr 2019, 10:07 am | #7 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Carmel, Llannerchymedd, Anglesey, UK.
Posts: 1,498
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Re: The Truvox story
That brings back memories! I recall attending a course there at Thermionic's on airport recorders (We were installing a system in site control at AEE Winfrith). An interesting place. The M.D. at the time I seem to remember being one Daniel Boone - a memorable name!
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1st Apr 2019, 10:42 am | #8 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kington, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 3,657
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Re: The Truvox story
Quote:
The last line, the 100/200 series, was largely conventional and well built, not as refined as the Revox (what was?), but broadly on a par with Ferrograph, Tandberg and the like. |
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1st Apr 2019, 1:38 pm | #9 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Lynton, N. Devon, UK.
Posts: 7,059
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Re: The Truvox story
Thanks too!
I have a 1952 Thermionic Products Soundmirror tape recorder, dating long before their escalation into the professional data market. I believe the man who started TP got into manufacturing making glass nodding duck toys, filled with volatile liquid which condenses in the duck's head which is kept cool by periodically dipping in water as it nods. After that, he got into our sort of glassware and started Thermionic, making the Soundmirror under licence from Brush Developments in America (so maybe that should be under license!). |
1st Apr 2019, 7:10 pm | #10 |
Nonode
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK.
Posts: 2,013
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Re: The Truvox story
My Truvox had it's EF86s hanging in rubber nappies. They could still detect footsteps
at 10 feet away. Nice mechanics. I think it was half track. |
2nd Apr 2019, 10:45 am | #11 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Charmouth, Dorset, UK.
Posts: 3,601
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Re: The Truvox story
I thought there was only half track in those days - although someone probably knows different.
Mine worked very well - for the time. EF86, ECC83 and EL84 but it was very different to my EL3542 3 speed 4 track which probably had nearly as good a frequency response at 1 7/8 ips as the Truvox at 7 1/2 ips only a few years later. Peter |