About the Company
Edison — American Reel-to-Reel Tape Deck Manufacturer
Company: Edison Company for Phonographs and Records (or related corporate successors)
Country: United States
Active in Reel-to-Reel Production: Late 1940s – early 1960s (limited consumer range)
Market Focus: Early consumer audio and educational markets
Reputation: Experimental and transitional designs; pre-hi-fi, limited production
Company Background
Thomas Edison founded the original Edison Company in the late 19th century, becoming world-famous for the phonograph and cylinder recordings.
By the 1940s, Edison had largely exited the recording cylinder market and focused on educational and consumer sound products.
Edison-branded products in the magnetic tape era were limited and mostly sold under the “Edison” name by successor companies licensing the brand.
Entry into Reel-to-Reel Tape Recording
Edison’s foray into reel-to-reel tape recording occurred in the late 1940s and early 1950s, shortly after magnetic tape was introduced to the U.S. from Germany (Ampex and RCA).
Early Edison tape decks were often experimental or small-scale runs, aimed at:
Home recording enthusiasts
Schools and educational institutions
Typical characteristics:
Mono, full-track tape recording
Tube-based amplification
Slow tape speeds (1⅞ – 3¾ ips)
Small, portable or furniture-style chassis
1950s: Limited Consumer Models
Edison offered several low-volume consumer reel-to-reel machines, but they were never mass-market in the way Ampex, Wollensak, or RCA decks were.
Machines were mostly educational and demonstration units, often sold in combination with Edison radios or phonographs.
Some machines were rebranded or OEM units sourced from other manufacturers and marketed under the Edison name.
Notable features of this period:
5″ or 7″ reel support
Built-in speakers in console models
Basic recording and playback functions
Emphasis on durability and ease of use rather than hi-fi fidelity
1960s: Decline and End of Production
By the early 1960s, Edison-branded reel-to-reel decks had largely disappeared.
The rise of high-fidelity consumer decks from Akai, Teac, Ampex, and RCA made Edison obsolete in this segment.
The Edison brand continued in educational media, phonographs, and niche consumer electronics, but not in magnetic tape recording.
Legacy
Edison reel-to-reel decks are extremely rare today, largely of interest to:
Historical collectors
Museums of audio technology
Historians of magnetic tape adoption in the U.S.Their significance lies in:
Early experimentation with magnetic tape in the consumer market
Transitional designs bridging cylinder phonographs to tape technology
Summary
Edison was a minor player in the early U.S. reel-to-reel tape market, active from the late 1940s to early 1960s. Production was limited, often experimental, and geared toward home or educational use rather than high-fidelity audio. While Edison never achieved the prominence of Ampex, RCA, or Wollensak, its early tape decks represent an important link in the evolution of consumer magnetic recording.