Sony TC-50
This is the Sony TC-50 cassette recorder. This unit came out in 1968, and was the smallest cassette machine produced at the time.
This model is famous as it was the model chosen by NASA to be taken aboard the command module of the Apollo moon missions.
There is a strong possibility this unit has actually been used by NASA, but not apparent in the pictures. The units used by the Apollo program (there was more than one) had a metal sticker on the front with operating instructions, as well as a special serial number stamped. The jacks were taped to make then unuseable. Velcro was affixed to the rear of the unit to facilitate the machine being stuck to the wall in the microgravity environment.
I have acquired two TC-50's. One was found at an estate sale back in 2007 or so. It was in very good cosmetic condition, but the motor had a problem that I made worse when trying to fix (it was my first attempt at a TC-50 repair). Later in 2013, I went to a now out-of-business place called "The Black Hole" in Los Alamos, New Mexico.
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Sony TC-802
This is a very interestingly-styled Sony reel-to-reel portable, the TC-802. This unit is from either 2962 or 1963, the initial design of the previous model, the TC-801, almost identical is from 1962. Japanese, of course. I theorize that this unit may have been more commonly sold in Japan and not as much in the US. The reason I theorize this is that
A) The style is rather different than the general style I have seen on many Sony machines.
B) International voltage, selectable between 110VAC and 220VAC, but the manual says there are ranges, and that the 110VAC range is 100V-120VAC and 220V setting is 200V-240VAC.
C) The speed selector is only in metric: 4.75 cm/sec (1 7/8 in/sec) and 9.5 cm/sec (3 3/4 in/sec).
D) Websites I found this recorder on (other than eBay where I purchased mine) were in Japanese.
Now I know of two variants of this particular recorder. The TC-801 and the TC-802. The 802 has a built-in power transformer for running off of mains power, as well as a holding container for an external F-96 (high-Z version, ~500Ω) dynamic microphone.
Printed on the PCB of this well-designed, easy-to-service machine, is "TC-801". I searched that on the net and found the model. The TC-801 looks identical to this, except it has a "hard-wired" (really plugs into an internal jack) square-shaped microphone that can stow inside of the machine, but has no mains transformer and is low-voltage DC only (both of these do accomodate six D-size cells).
The build quality of this recorder is very good, with solid metal mechanics. The circuitry is very interesting, with beautiful black-painted TO-5 bodied transistors. All wires go to plugs in the side of the PCB, and the PCB is easily removable to facilitate service. Luckily, all of the original electrolytics on mine are still OK.
This unit is AC bias with permanent magnet erase. Manual level control. One thing I am very please with is that when changing the speed, the equalization is also changed to achieve decent sound at the lower speed.
