Dynatron

About the Company

Dynatron — British Reel-to-Reel Tape Deck Manufacturer

Company: Dynatron Radio Ltd.
Country: United Kingdom
Headquarters: Maidenhead, Berkshire
Active in Reel-to-Reel Production: Late 1950s – early 1970s
Market Focus: High-quality domestic audio systems
Reputation: Elegant furniture-grade systems, conservative engineering, British hi-fi refinement

Company Background

• Dynatron was founded in 1927 and became well known in Britain for producing:
  High-quality radiograms
  Integrated hi-fi furniture systems

• Unlike mass-market brands, Dynatron targeted the upper-middle and luxury domestic market, emphasizing sound quality, cabinetry, and reliability.

Entry into Reel-to-Reel Tape Recording (Late 1950s)

• Dynatron entered the reel-to-reel market in the late 1950s, as open-reel tape became a desirable source component in high-end home systems.

• Rather than designing transports from scratch, Dynatron typically:
  Integrated proven British tape mechanisms
  Designed its own amplification and cabinetry

This approach mirrored Dynatron’s broader philosophy: system integration over component innovation.

Use of OEM Tape Mechanisms

Dynatron reel-to-reel decks were commonly based on Brenell Engineering tape transports, particularly:

• Brenell Mk. 5

• Brenell Mk. 6

• Brenell STB series

These were rebadged or lightly modified and installed into Dynatron consoles or standalone units.

Typical features:

• 3¾ and 7½ ips speeds

• 7″ reel support

• Valve (tube) electronics initially, later solid-state

• Mono and later stereo configurations

1960s: Integration into Hi-Fi Systems

• During the 1960s, Dynatron reel-to-reel machines were most often sold:
  As part of complete Dynatron hi-fi systems
  Matched with Dynatron amplifiers, tuners, and Garrard turntables

• Standalone tape decks were less common than console-integrated units.

Dynatron decks emphasized:

• Smooth, quiet operation

• Clean, unexaggerated sound

• Long-term domestic reliability rather than studio performance

Transition to Solid-State

• By the mid-to-late 1960s, Dynatron transitioned from valve electronics to transistorized amplification.

• Transport designs remained largely mechanical and conservative, relying on proven Brenell engineering.

Decline and End of Reel-to-Reel Production

• By the early 1970s, several factors led Dynatron to exit reel-to-reel production:
  Rapid improvement in cassette deck quality
  Rising costs of British manufacturing
  Shrinking demand for open-reel machines in domestic systems

• Dynatron ceased offering reel-to-reel decks by approximately 1972–1973.

Later Company History

• In 1971, Dynatron was acquired by Rank Organisation.

• The brand continued briefly in hi-fi systems but gradually disappeared by the mid-1970s as the UK hi-fi industry consolidated.

Legacy

• Dynatron reel-to-reel machines are valued today for:
  Elegant cabinetry
  High-quality British engineering
  Use of reliable Brenell transports

• They are best appreciated as part of complete period Dynatron systems, rather than as standalone audiophile decks.

Summary

Dynatron was a British manufacturer of reel-to-reel tape decks from the late 1950s to the early 1970s, focusing on high-quality domestic audio systems rather than professional recording. By integrating proven Brenell tape mechanisms into refined, furniture-grade hi-fi systems, Dynatron offered reliable and elegant open-reel recording for the British home. The decline of open-reel tape and shifts in consumer preferences ultimately brought Dynatron’s tape deck production to an end.