Description
Probably the first truly ‘portable’ small recorder made in Australia, the Byer “55” was a full-track mono recorder with a single speed (3¾ ips) and a 5″ reel capacity.
The deck plate and all drive wheels of the “55” were precision engineered from cast aluminium which helped to keep the weight down to 18lbs (8.2 kg) – very light for the early 1950s. A single heavy duty synchronous motor was used.
Simple operating controls were incorporated in the Byer “55”, the 5-position function switch on the left side of the panel provided : FAST FORWARD, REWIND, STOP, REPLAY, and RECORD. Playing time was measured by markings on the deck.
Servicing was problematic due to the compact nature of the recorder. In order to re-fit or replace the main spool drive belt involved removal of the loudspeaker, which first required the removal of a capacitor. The speaker wires needed to be de-soldered as they were too short to allow reasonable speaker movement. Replacement of the N78 output tube necessitated the same procedure!
The “55” sold for £100 and was supplied with crystal microphone and carry cover.
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Price when new (in Australia)
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£100 |
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Track system
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full-track mono |
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Heads
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two – erase and record/playback |
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Motors
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one |
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Maximum reel size
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5″ |
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Tape speeds
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3¾ ips |
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Valve complement
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1 x 6AQ5, 2 x 6AU6, 1 6X4, and 1 x N78 |
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Rewind speed
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2½ minutes for 600 ft reel |
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Audio output power
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approx 3 watts |
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Inputs
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high impedance for radio or microphone |
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Outputs
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external 2 ohm speaker |
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Speaker(s)
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Rola 5B 5″ speaker |
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Dimensions
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12 x 7¾ x 8in high (305 x 197 x 203mm) |
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Weight
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18 lbs (8.2 kg) |
Brand: Byer
Model:55
Category:Vintage
Application:Consumer
Electronic:Tube
Country Of Manufacture:Australia
Release Dates: –
Tracks:
Speeds: 3 3/4
Max Reel Size(“): 7”
Number Of Heads: 2
Head Composition: Permalloy
Head Configuration: Mono – Full Track
# Motors: 1
Voltage(S): 220-240v
Frequency Response:
Wow And Flutter:
Signal-To-Noise Ratio:Valve Complement: 1 X 6AQ5, 2 X 6AU6, 1 6X4, And 1 X N78
Sound Quality Rating:6 / 10
Long-Term Reliability Rating:7 / 10
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