Bought via Ebay.co.uk from heybrook1, this unit is in perfect working order, and for only £3 (about US$5) plus shipping. When first switched on, it was making a sqeaking noise and playing slow, but a little lubricant on the motor shaft, and now it's perfect. Records, plays and sounds like new.
This was a better than class average machine when new, but it is certainly true to say "they don't build them like this anymore". Of course, the reason is, the market doesn't demand it, most people buy radio-cassette recorders or CD radio cassette recorders now, but in the 1970's, this sort of machine was opening up a new world of home recording to the masses, and there were plenty to choose from, right the way up to the stereo machines made by Grundig & ITT. Now, there are only a handful of machines, all cheap plastic units that don't seem likely to last 25 years+!
Inside this machine is a metal chassis, a motor mounted inside metal screening to keep the magnetic field inside, though it has the added effect of armour plating it, and a tape transport mechanism that is a model of precision engineering. A larger than average speaker for this class of machine gives excellent sound, and there is a proper tone control, and about twice the volume of it's contempories.
It even has a charging
circuit for a dedicated rechargeable accumulator, though this is no longer
available.
Country of manufacture: United Kingdom.
Size: 68mm high x 176mm wide x 250mm deep.
Weight (excluding batteries): 2.1 kg.
Power supply:
Dial illumination: No.
Mono selection:
Speaker: 115x71 mm elliptical.
Tone control: Combined bass & treble, centre neutral.
Clock/Timer: No
Tracks: 2, Mono.
Tape speed: 4.75 cm/s
Frequency response: 80-10000 Hz
Signal/Noise ratio: >45 dB
Wow & flutter: <0.4%
Auto stop: During record & playback.
Recording level: Automatic.
Built-in condenser microphone.
Tape types:
Rewind time: approx. 55
seconds for C60.