Manufacturer Profiles

This is a list of information we have gathered from a variety of sources on some of the major analog reel to reel tape recorder and related equipment manufacturers. While we have strived to provide the best information available to us, there will be corrections and additions. We include personal stories about the companies when they are provided to us.  We always invite input on corrections and updates. Thank you!

Statistics 2014 • 2015  •  News coverage #1  News coverage #2  • view overview video of tape recorder collection • mobile video • more info • See also Multi-Track recording

Go to: • 3M • AEG/Magnetophon • AIWA • Akai • Altec • Amplifier Corp • Ampex • Ampro • A. R. Vetter • Astatic • Astrocom/Marlux • Bang & Olufsenl • Bell & Howell • Bell Labs • Berlant Concertone • Beyerdynamic • Brenell • Braun GmbH/ASE • Brüel & Kjær • Brush • Cetec Gauss • Concord • Craig • Crown • Denon •Dokorder • Dual • Edison • Eico • Electro Sound • Electro Voice • EMI/Gramophone • Fairchild • Ferrograph • Fostex • Freeman • GE • Grundig • HeathKit • ITC • JVC • KLH • Leevers Rich • Lyrec • Magnecord • Mara Machines • Marantz • Maxell • MCI • Mitsubishi • Nagra • Nakamichi • Neumann • Newcomb • Neve • Oki • Otari • Pentron • Philips • Pioneer • Presto • Radio Shack/Realistic • Rangertone • RCA • Reeves Soundcraft • Revere • Roberts • Rola • Sansui • Sanyo • Scully • Sennheiser • Shure • Solid State Logic • Sony • Soundcraft • Spectone • Stancil Hoffman • Stellavox • Stephens • Studer ReVox • Tandberg • Tape-Athon •Tapesonic • Teac/Tascam • Technics • Telefunken • Thorens • Tolnai • Toshiba • Uher • Viking • Vortexion Ltd UK • Webster Chicago/Webcor • Webster Electric • Western Electric/Altec • Wilcox-Gay • Wollensak

View calendar which lists company creation dates associated with world and recording history

Pioneer PIONEER CORPORATION, 1-1, Shin-ogura, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 212-0031, Japan Nozomu Matsumoto founded Pioneer as an audio products manufacturer in 1938, making speakers in his garage. Nozomu Matsumoto - 1905–1988) was a Japanese businessman who was the founder of the Pioneer Corporation. He was born in Kobe, Japan in 1905, the son of a Christian missionary. In 1936, he founded the Fukuin Shokai Denki Seisakusho company in Osaka, whose name roughly translates to "Blessed Sound Electric Company" or "Gospel Electric Company", owing to Matsumoto's Christian faith and belief that his electronic products could help in missionary works. In 1937 he created the A-8 speaker which he christened 'Pioneer'. Matsumoto relocated to Tokyo in 1938 and started a small factory which repaired radios and speakers. After the war the company expanded rapidly and in 1961 the name was changed to Pioneer Electronic Corporation, and it was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. In 1966, Pioneer which was created 30 years ago, created Pioneer Electronics USA Corp at 350 Fifth Ave NY and will continue marketing its car stereo players through Craig-Panorama Pioneer opened its first office in the United States in the Empire State Building in 1972. Matsumoto died in 1988 at the age of 83. Today Pioneer is a world leader in electronics products for the car, home and business markets, respected for their role in introducing such innovations as consumer laser disc (1979), car CD player (1984), GPS car navigation (1990), DVD-Video player (1996), high definition plasma display (1997) and organic electroluminscent (OEL) display (1997).  To this day, Pioneer still develops and manufactures innovative and high-tech entertainment and electronic products. (Above) Pioneer reel to reel tape recorders in the Reel2ReelTexas.com vintage reel tape recorder recording collection • (Below) Pioneer ads in the collection, or submitted by others for inclusion.

Go to: • 3M • AEG/Magnetophon • AIWA • Akai • Altec • Amplifier Corp • Ampex • Ampro • A. R. Vetter • Astatic • Astrocom/Marlux • Bang & Olufsenl • Bell & Howell • Bell Labs • Berlant Concertone • Beyerdynamic • Brenell • Braun GmbH/ASE • Brüel & Kjær • Brush • Cetec Gauss • Concord • Craig • Crown • Denon •Dokorder • Dual • Edison • Eico • Electro Sound • Electro Voice • EMI/Gramophone • Fairchild • Ferrograph • Fostex • Freeman • GE • Grundig • HeathKit • ITC • JVC • KLH • Leevers Rich • Lyrec • Magnecord • Mara Machines • Marantz • Maxell • MCI • Mitsubishi • Nagra • Nakamichi • Neumann • Newcomb • Neve • Oki • Otari • Pentron • Philips • Pioneer • Presto • Radio Shack/Realistic • Rangertone • RCA • Reeves Soundcraft • Revere • Roberts • Rola • Sansui • Sanyo • Scully • Sennheiser • Shure • Solid State Logic • Sony • Soundcraft • Spectone • Stancil Hoffman • Stellavox • Stephens • Studer ReVox • Tandberg • Tape-Athon •Tapesonic • Teac/Tascam • Technics • Telefunken • Thorens • Tolnai • Toshiba • Uher • Viking • Vortexion Ltd UK • Webster Chicago/Webcor • Webster Electric • Western Electric/Altec • Wilcox-Gay • Wollensak

View calendar which lists company creation dates associated with world and recording history