Eico

About the Company

Eico — American Reel-to-Reel Tape Deck Manufacturer

Company: Eico (Electronic Instrument Company)
Country: United States
Headquarters: New York, NY
Active in Reel-to-Reel Production: Early 1950s – early 1970s
Market Focus: Consumer hi-fi, hobbyist, kit builders
Reputation: Affordable, kit-based tape decks with solid mechanical reliability; popular among electronics enthusiasts

Company Background

• Eico was founded in 1945 and became widely known in the U.S. for:
  DIY electronic kits (amplifiers, receivers, test instruments)
  Affordable hi-fi components for hobbyists

• Eico’s philosophy emphasized electronics education and hobbyist assembly, which carried over into their tape deck production.

• The company primarily sold:
  Kit versions of reel-to-reel tape decks
  Ready-built units for budget-conscious consumers

Entry into Reel-to-Reel Tape Recording

• Eico entered the reel-to-reel tape recorder market in the early 1950s, shortly after magnetic tape became widely available in the United States.

• Early Eico decks were:
  Tube-based
  Mono-only
  Designed for home recording, music playback, and educational use

Typical early features:

• 3¾ ips (9.5 cm/s) tape speed

• 5″ reels, occasionally 7″

• Simple belt-driven transports

• Built-in amplifiers or preamp outputs

1950s–1960s: Kit and Ready-Built Decks

• During this period, Eico’s DIY kits were extremely popular with electronics enthusiasts.

• Users could assemble:
  Mono tape decks
  Amplifiers integrated with the tape deck chassis

• Eico kits emphasized:
  Serviceability
  Mechanical robustness
  Solid performance at a low price

Notable Early Decks

• Eico 101 / 102 Series – Mono, tube-based kits

• Eico 110 / 112 Series – Built-in preamps, optional stereo (late 1960s)

• By the late 1960s, Eico introduced solid-state transistorized decks, reducing heat, maintenance, and size.

Late 1960s–Early 1970s: Transistorized Models

• Eico transitioned to fully transistorized reel-to-reel decks aimed at:
  Home hi-fi users
  Budget-conscious audiophiles

• Features of this era:
  Stereo capability
  Multiple tape speeds (3¾ and 7½ ips)
  Two- or three-head configurations on higher-end models
  Durable, but mechanically simpler than high-end Revox or Akai decks

• Examples:
  Eico 116 / 118 – Solid-state stereo decks
  Eico 120 / 125 – Larger desktop units with more robust transports

Market Position

• Eico decks were targeted at hobbyists and budget home users, not professional studios.

• They competed with:
  Ampex (entry-level models)
  Allied / Allied American
  Early Japanese imports such as Akai and Teac (late 1960s)

• Their kits were educational and practical, fostering electronics skills among users.

Decline and End of Production

• By the early 1970s, the rise of:
  Compact cassette decks
  Fully integrated Japanese hi-fi systems

led to a decline in demand for Eico reel-to-reel decks.

• Eico gradually ceased tape deck production around 1972–1973, continuing to focus on kit electronics and test instruments.

Legacy

• Eico reel-to-reel decks are today:
  Rare collector items
  Appreciated for their educational and historical value
  Durable, mechanically reliable despite modest audio fidelity

• They are especially notable as DIY kits, representing the era when hobbyist electronics was a major driver of home audio adoption in the U.S.

Summary

Eico was an American manufacturer of reel-to-reel tape decks from the early 1950s through the early 1970s, producing both kit-based and ready-built decks for the hobbyist and consumer market. Known for durable mechanics, educational kits, and affordable electronics, Eico decks played a significant role in introducing reel-to-reel technology to home users, though they were never high-end audiophile machines. Production ended as cassettes and Japanese hi-fi systems dominated the market.