Philips

Philips portable tape recorder, model EL-3302, Austria, 1967.

This EL-3302 was a mono compact cassette recorder was made by Philips. Manufactured to a mass volume and produced in many countries, the majority of the earlier units, such as this one, came from Austria. It is the second Philips recorder, the first being the EL-3300, shown in Germany in August 1964. Both were a player and recorder, with built in erase bias for a separate erase head providing high quality audio reproduction from compact cassettes. It has a full range of tape control features including fast-forward, rewind, and play. The pause function was a switch on the microphone, which simply cut the power to the motor.

The DIN sockets provide audio input/output facility, external microphone connection, and mains adapter facility. The internal speaker was very small, and the manufacturers thoughtfully provided a 2-pin socket to connect a better external 8 Ω speaker. There are record level and volume control wheels on the left hand side.

The unit is measures 20 cm × 11.5 cm × 5.5 cm, and is a marvel of electronic and mechanical engineering. Removing the plastic shell reveals a metal die-cast chassis. The tape transport mechanism and control linkages are all metal. All the pulleys, and drive wheels, including the capstan flywheel are also metal.

The internal circuitry, is on a copper-clad printed circuit board. The component density is high, with the resistors in an upright position. The circuit uses ten metal-tube germanium transistors, which are the AC12x series. There are two transistors in a "Class A" arrangement form the audio power output circuit, whilst five transistors form the record/playback circuitry.

The unit also houses a small separate PCB consisting of a two-transistor circuit, which forms the voltage and speed regulator circuit of the capstan motor. The earlier models of this tape recorder did not have the speed regulator, and this appears as a later addition. Five "C" sized dry cells, or an external 7.5 V adapter powers the unit.

This unit was picked up in an "antique" shop in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales many years ago. It's in poor but restorable condition. There are no accessories, external power supply, box etc.

Page created 6 September 2022