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Dansette

UK

About the Company

Dansette — British Reel‑to‑Reel Tape Deck Manufacturer


Brand: Dansette
Company: J. & A. Margolin Ltd.
Country: United Kingdom
Active Years (Tape Decks): Mid‑1950s – mid‑1960s
Market: Consumer/home audio
Technology: Tube-based (early) → Solid-state (later)
Specialty: Portable recorders, integrated units with speaker systems, often combined with record players



Company Origins

  • Founded: Mid-1950s by J. & A. Margolin Ltd., a London-based importer and distributor of audio equipment.

  • Brand Name: “Dansette” became synonymous in the UK with portable record players and tape decks, often sold in suitcase-style units.

  • While best known for record players, Dansette also produced or branded reel‑to‑reel tape recorders, aiming at the emerging consumer tape market.


Reel‑to‑Reel Tape Deck Production (Mid-1950s – Mid-1960s)


Dansette produced consumer-friendly reel‑to‑reel decks, generally all-in-one portable units with built-in speaker, amplification, and simple tube or transistor circuits. These were not professional studio decks but home entertainment devices.



Notable Models:

  1. Dansette Master 4 (c. 1956–1958)
    Tube-based electronics
    Mono recording/playback
    3¾ ips speed
    Integrated speaker and amplifier
    5–7″ reels

  2. Dansette Master 7 (c. 1958–1960)
    Larger suitcase-style recorder
    Optional stereo playback (rare)
    Tube-based with push-button controls
    Built-in AC mains amplifier

  3. Dansette Reel-to-Reel 321 / 341 (Early 1960s)
    Mid-range portable decks
    Solid-state or hybrid electronics
    Two-speed operation: 3¾ and 7½ ips
    Primarily sold in UK department stores and mail-order catalogs

All Dansette tape recorders were aimed at home users, students, and hobbyists rather than professionals.



Technical Characteristics

  • Tracks: Mono (2-track full-track) or basic stereo in later models

  • Motors: Single or dual-capstan tube-driven designs in early models; later hybrid/transistor units

  • Reel Size: 5–7″ for portability

  • Speed Options: Most offered 3¾ ips; some later models added 7½ ips

  • Amplification: Built-in tube or transistor amps; internal speaker or line-out for external speakers

  • Transport: Simple belt-drive or direct-drive mechanisms, reliable for casual use


Market & Legacy

  • Dansette decks were entry-level home tape decks, sold in department stores, electrical shops, and mail-order catalogs.

  • They helped popularize reel‑to‑reel recording in British homes during the 1950s and 1960s, alongside record players of the same brand.

  • By the mid-1960s, competition from Japanese tape recorders (e.g., Akai, Philips, Sony) and the emerging cassette format led to the decline of Dansette reel‑to‑reel production.

  • Today, Dansette reel‑to‑reel decks are collectible vintage devices, valued more for nostalgia and design than audio fidelity.

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