USSR cassette recorder: reliability, quality and nostalgia

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The cassette recorder is an electromechanical device. It is designed to record various sounds, songs, concerts on magnetic media. They can be tape or wire, drums or discs, and others. Tape recorders are divided into sound (those that are designed to record sound) and recording video. The latter are called VCRs. This article provides information about cassette recorders in the USSR. What were they like?

Portable cassette recorder "Electronics-302"

This tape recorder was produced in the USSR until 1984. The main plant producing the device was Moscow's TochMash. The USSR cassette tape recorder was designed to record and reproduce sound using magnetic tape. Such a tape was most often contained in special cassettes, thanks to which the device got its name.

Electronics-302 tape recorderis an improved model of "Electronics-301", differing from its "ancestor" in slightly different slide controls and an improved appearance. The device was not so light, its weight was 3.5 kilograms, which did not stop the Soviet youth from going crazy about it: after all, you could take the machine with you on a picnic and listen to your favorite songs for a long time.

Cassette recorder "Spring"

A good portable cassette recorder was prepared for production at the Kommunist plant in the early 70s of the last century. However, for some reason they were in no hurry to start its release. And then, in 1971, the Zaporozhye Electric Machine Building Plant "Iskra" began to produce a more simplified model called "Spring-305". The following year, its successor, Vesna-306, was put into circulation. From its predecessor, the first cassette tape recorders of the USSR "Spring-306" differed only in a two-speed tape, while the 305th model had a single-speed one.

The advantages of "Spring" was the low current consumption of the motors, which made it possible to save electricity. Also, this tape recorder could switch the speed of the tape in an electrical way. Thus, the mechanism of operation of the device has been simplified. Also in the "Spring" models, the tape drive mechanism worked better and more stable. The cassette tape recorder was so fond of the Soviet residents that, going on the road, they always took it with them. On hikes, on picnics and on the river, he accompanied his owners with cheerful and provocative music.

Romantic Cassette Recorder

This tape recorder got a cassette compartment only in the 80s. It was considered very honorable to have such a device in those days: basically, it was used to listen to music in the yard. The owner of "Romance" automatically became the star of the court, everyone wanted to be friends with him in order to be able to ask him to put on his favorite song.

The very first cassette recorder in the USSR from this series is Romantik-306. This device weighed 4 kilograms 300 grams and was durable and reliable. But his successor "Romantic-201-stereo" already weighed 6.5 kg, but it was distinguished by a very high-quality acoustic system. It was put into production in 1984. The last "Romantic" was released in 1993.

Reliable Lighthouse

Soviet cassette tape recorders "Mayak" left the assembly line of the Kyiv plant of the same name. The Mayak-233-stereo model was very popular. Its production began in 1988. The model was distinguished by its beauty and convenience. The front panel of the device was made of thick aluminum, the tape recorder had metal buttons. "Mayak" could boast of the presence of a power amplifier, which made it possible, by connecting speakers, to achieve acoustic sound. He was able to work with three types of tape, and when he finished listening to the tape, he automatically stopped.

Cassette recorders in the USSR were very popular among teenagers and young people. This is not surprising - after all, they could listen to music anywhere, justtaking the device outside. And although tape recorders are already a thing of the past, a piece of a happy carefree childhood will forever remain in our memory.