About the Company
Denon — Japanese Reel-to-Reel Tape Deck Manufacturer
Company: Denon (Kabushiki Kaisha Denon / Nippon Columbia / Japan Denki Onkyo)
Country: Japan
Active Years in Open-Reel Decks: 1950s – mid-1980s
Market Focus: Consumer, semi-professional, and high-fidelity open-reel decks
Product Range: Tube and solid-state reel-to-reel machines spanning basic playback units to high-end audiophile decks
Denon’s involvement in audio goes far beyond tape recorders — it traces back to 1910, when Japan Electric Sound Company (Nippon Denki Onkyo) began producing gramophones and related equipment, later merging into what became known as Denon.
Early History: Foundation to Tape-Era Beginnings
1910 – Foundation of the company that would evolve into Denon.
1939–1946 – Early professional disc recording gear; brand Denon appears in the late 1930s.
1951 – First domestically made tape recorders for business/broadcast use developed.
Late 1950s – With the rise of consumer magnetic tape, Denon moved into open-reel audio tape products, including recorders and tapes.
While Denon made tape recorders for broadcast and professional use earlier (from around 1951 onward), the consumer and pro open-reel decks entered production in the late 1950s, a period when tape recording was rapidly gaining popularity world-wide.
1958–1960s: First Consumer & Professional Reel Decks
Denon’s earliest known reel-to-reel deck models include:
Denon 700 (c. 1958–1961) – One of the brand’s earliest tape recorders with tube electronics, supporting 3¾ and 7½ ips speeds and up to 7″ reels. Viewed as possibly the first Denon open-reel recorder.
DN-83P-K (c. 1961–1965) – Solid-state “tape editor” deck, likely intended for studio or business use, highlighting Denon’s early experimentation with transistor electronics.
DN-85RT (1959-?) – Portable tubed or early transistor deck typical of Japanese machines of the era.
These models demonstrate Denon’s early participation in consumer and semi-pro reel-to-reel recorders during the 1960s, competing with other Japanese brands.
1970s: Hi-Fi Expansion & Flagship Models
By the 1970s, Denon’s reel-to-reel lineup had matured, with higher-end decks aimed at the audiophile and semi-professional markets:
DH-710F (mid-1970s) – Flagship deck with advanced transport, three-motor two-capstan design and excellent wow/flutter specs, highly regarded among enthusiasts.
DH-610S – Another professional/open market model with robust direct-drive transport, capable of standard high-fidelity speeds (7.5 ips and 15 ips).
These units reflect Denon’s commitment to high-performance reel decks with advanced mechanisms, positioning itself against both Japanese hi-fi brands and some lower-end semi-pro units from Europe and the U.S.
1980s: Solid-State Precision & Final Decks
As competition and format changes intensified (cassette, DAT, digital), Denon’s open-reel production wound down:
DH-510 (1980-1985) – A solid-state, high-performance half-track stereo deck with three heads, three motors, and speeds up to 15 ips — offering excellent frequency response and low noise for the era.
After the mid-1980s, Denon ceased major development of new consumer reel-to-reel tape decks, shifting focus increasingly toward cassette, digital formats (including DAT), and other high-fidelity electronics.
Denon’s Broader Audio Legacy
While known today for high-end AV receivers, CD players, turntables, and digital audio equipment, Denon’s contributions to reel-to-reel tape decks reflect its early role in domestic and professional magnetic recording technology — bridging post-war analog recording to modern high-fidelity systems.