Philips & Norelco EL-3300 Cassette Recorders (1964)
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- čas přidán 12. 09. 2024
- Examining two early cassette machines made by Philips. One is a straight-up Philips machine (week 10, 1964), the other is badged as a Norelco (week 42, 1964), odd because the common understanding is that Norelco cassette machines started with the 2nd generation EL-3301.
Great video Dan. I have done a lot of research on these machines made by Philips so here's what I know. All big manufacturer's got together in Germany with designs for a cartridge recorder but wanted to produce a standard model with which all conformed. Philips designed their cartridge and the EL3300 cartridge recorder in Belgium in 1962. All decided that this would be the design they would all use. But further improvements needed to be made. The finished model EL3300 was exhibited in Berlin in Aug '63. It proved successful so Philips decided to build an additional factory in Holland. And manufacturing started in winter '63. The first units made in thousands were used for marketing and promotion purposes. The rest of the units were made and stored till July 1964, when they began to be distributed to retailers, and promoted via advertising in magazines and newspapers. It was a similar story for the first Norelco units, stocks were built up, and began to be exported after Nov '64. Due to low stocks, sales only began in the US in 1965. The Popularity of the Carrycorder 150 accelerated through word of mouth and Philips started manufacturing the cartridge recorders in Austria too, followed by US and UK. By 1966 Other manufacturers were making their units in Germany, and Sony began making their first cassette recorder Sony model TC100 in1966, it was compliant with the Philips standard BUT used piano keys for the controls. My info is based on literature of that time.
I had a Philips cassette player very similar to the EL-3300 when I was a child, but an early 1970s model. I wonder which model it might have been. I remember that the design and the volume/battery meter were very similar. It came with a microphone. I loved it.
These early machines had really excellent build quality.
sound quality of the recorded voice is really good after so many decades! it's more than half a century! :-)
Yes indeed!
That is amazing! I have been enthralled! Thank you!
I had one in 1967 first person in my High School to have one
Old school
Nice early 3300's! I own a Norelco 3301 Carry-Corder from the 12th week of 65' complete in the box and a 68' Phillips 3302. Love the history behind these recorders!
Interesting to see. I have a "Carry Corder 150" which is from 1965, an EL3301. Also, I have a Panasonic recorder that uses the same design as Philips and even the same circuitry design, but is made in Japan, actually made by Matsushita (Panasonic). The mechanism is in the Concord F-103 radiorecorder, Japan-made, and direct Philips copy, even with a similar motor speed controller circuit.
Boy I would have cried my eyes out if I found the remains of the belt where you found it.
from 1965 on these units had electronic speed control. in this recorders it is done still electromechanically inside the motor.... bad wow flutter specs... i own 3 of the newer types the oldest is from 1969. so very interesting video!
I have one of these complete, I cannot remember the model number but the play, & wind lever(up, down, left, & right) has chrome foil on it as part of the asthenic.
One day, I would love to get it working again & play a bit of Scott McKenzie on it(if your going to San Francisco)
I was born in 1982 &: this was considered old when I were born, so this is one of my prized possessions, & the leather case seems to be in better shape except for a.major stress crease in the top.
Been working on a couple of these too, i wonder what the heck the belts were made of. Same kind of goo, but stuck on the wheels in my machines.
Just bought one of these are they able to record without mics
Today I found my 1964 EL3300 in my shed, it's not serviceable, the motor conked out many decades ago. It was a gift to me new when I was 11. I remember it cost 25 guineas, that's £26.25 in decimal Pounds Sterling. I put that into an inflation calculator, today the price would have been about £540, that's about $750 at the current exchange rate. Makes you think doesn't it?
i had a similar one, which was white, when i was a kid - branded "Lloyds" (U.S) - but i'm pretty sure the mic input was an 1/8' with paired with a smaller jack for the on-mic remote on-off switch. also think it was powered by two "c" batteries and one 9V battery
Keith Richards brought me here
Nice video. I have a 3301 Norelco (1965) and a Phillips 3302 (1968). Do you think that the large wheels that hold the belt are interchangeable on this two units?? The 3301 has many cracks on the largest motor wheel so I need to replace it. I'm getting ready change the belts and clean the crud…. witch in your opinion of these early cassette recorders has the LEAST amount of limiting on the microphone? I'm looking for the "distortion" that Keith Richards got on his portable from the early 60's when he got too close to the microphone. Listen to "street fighting man" it's an acoustic guitar intro that almost sounds like an electric guitar.
I've used the same diameter belts for replacements on the flywheels on both types of machines that you have and they're compatible, so I suspect the dimensions are the same and they may be interchangeable. But I've never looked "underneath" them to see if their construction and attachment methods are the same, although I suspect they are too. I'm not sure of the "overloading" part. Your Norelco MAY have an electronic motor control board to "smooth" drive movement, your Philips certainly does. The Norelco has a frequency response of 120 - 6000 HZ and the later Philips 80 - 10,000. It's pretty easy to overload either one of these - they didn't have automatic record level control. He could have just cranked the record volume up until it pegged as high as it would go on either of these and achieved history.
Интересно. Весьма наглядное сравнение.
My dad bought a Philips EL-3300 at a market in France for 10 euros with the case and it looks like it might work. How rare are they if they are in good shape?
Given PHILIPS dazzling product history, it's such a shame that they have divested so much of their audio/video/domestic-appliance divisions and associated splendid reputations, to concentrate on undeniably high-return medical/clinical diagnostic/analytical montoring/imaging/x-ray/scanning equipment/services. PHILIPS remain a spectacular conglomerate.
Where did you find replacement belts?
Watching this in the UK in 2019. Trying to get hold of a Philips EL3300 in reasonably good shape for a reasonable price, it has got kinda hard. I didn't think there was much of a collectors' market for these things but seems I was wrong. Shame I wasn't looking for one ten years ago, there was no retro 'cassette scene' in 2009 and machines like this were still worthless.
I just bought an Austrian made Philips EL 3302A/30D for 70€ + shipping. Looks almost the same, only the REC button is square with aluminum sides istead of the round plastic ones here in this video.
man i would love for someone to build a step by step cassette player of building one
I have one that says Philips in Red top right bottom right says Made in Austria. Inside there is no big serial number sign but small one that reads : WR 39 65 . Rubber Belt is also melted and there seems some small condensation rust. Otherwise pretty good condition also leather case close to new. With microphone. Is this possible to restore? Worth anything?
It also has no window on the cassette Tab, it has knock out and reflecting tab on inside. The little wheel on the very inside is white not black.
"Worth" is subjective to the owner. I think it's nice to have a working example of a first-generation compact cassette recorder. If you feel the same then buy some belts and figure out how to change them. They'll probably be melted on the inside. I have a video on my channel of changing belts in a similar Philips/Mercury recorder if you want to find it. Hope there's no more complicated problems like a failed motor or electronics-gone-bad. As far as "money" worth it they often sell for about $50 - $75 in good condition. It sounds like yours was made in the 39th week of 1965.
@@DanOConnorTech Thanks Dan. I want to keep it. Yes the Belt is melted all over the place. There seems to be some condensation Rust also you think this could be a problem? I have not put batteries inside yet to test if it works..
Rust hasn't been a big problem for me. It seems to clean off easily with vinegar. Without belts it won't do anything when you try it, but at least you'll be able to hear if the motor is good by hearing it turn on and hum.
👍
how did u power these? don't u need those old obsolete barrel shaped 9v's?
They use 5 common "C" cells.
verry verry intersting
Looks like a "tricorder" from Star Trek.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Original Series tricorders weren't inspired by these kind of recorders, they were among the smallest portable electronic devices of their era after all. Instead of envisioning something even smaller, the prop makers and writers instead imagined a tape recorder style unit that was much more capable. It wasn't until TNG that we got pocket sized versions, fitting with the trend of miniaturization that had taken place in technology after the old show.
I impulse bought one at a charity shop for 10€. Mine's serial number is 886621. Do you know what it means ?
No. I never knew what system Philips used on their serial numbers. It was probably some combination of total number made and the amount made on a certain shift at a certain plant and things like that. You also need to know what number they started on. Of course I could be wrong and it could be as simple as the 886,621 one made.
@@DanOConnorTech Thank you. I've since found out that the label on the motor indicates the date of production (25th week of 1964).
Наши копию делали
Philips is good
How much ...Muhteşem :)
There were also Russian clones of Philips-EL3300, first one named "DESNA" (1969), retty much exact clone of EL-3300, next one named SPUTNIK-401, successor of DESNA. Watch video here (in Russian. though) czcams.com/video/bG6fkHbLQUo/video.html
Interesting recorder. Thanks for the video.