About the Company
Elcon was an Australian brand under Electrical Engineering and Construction Co. Pty. Ltd. (later Electricity Meter and Allied Industries Ltd., or EMAIL) that produced reel‑to‑reel tape recorders from 1953 to 1961.
Company background
Electrical Engineering and Construction Co. Pty. Ltd. was registered in Melbourne in 1920 and acquired by EMAIL in 1940; EMAIL continued the Elcon brand for fans and, from 1953–1961, for tape recorders.
Production occurred in Australia, positioning Elcon as a domestic electronics firm adapting imported designs or technology for the local market.
Known models and specifications
The Elcon TR6R Radio Corder (1955–1960) was a portable all‑in‑one studio with radio, marketed as “complete recording studio in one compact unit.”
The Elcon TR‑7 was a stereo deck with 3 heads, dual speeds (3¾/7½ ips), 7‑inch reel capacity and 220V operation.
Production era and market
Active 1953–1961, Elcon’s tape recorders targeted Australian consumers during the global reel‑to‑reel boom, offering practical home and semi‑pro recording before Japanese imports dominated.
After 1961, Elcon appears to have exited tape recorders, with EMAIL focusing on other electronics.
Elcon represents one of Australia’s early domestic reel‑to‑reel efforts, bridging imported technology with local manufacturing before the market shifted to Asian brands.
Today, Elcon machines are ultra-niche collectibles, mostly of interest to Australian vintage audio enthusiasts or those hunting obscure "radio-tape" hybrids. They represent the democratized side of the 1960s tape revolution, where affordable portables brought recording to everyday homes.