About the Company
Heimstudio (German for “home studio”) was a brand name used for consumer reel‑to‑reel tape recorders manufactured in Germany in the mid‑1960s — not a large independent manufacturer with a broad product line, but rather a label under which a small number of tape deck models were sold.
Brand & Production History
Brand: Heimstudio
Country of Manufacture: Germany
Production Period: 1964 – 1968
Market: Consumer/home audio
Technology: Solid‑state electronics; 2‑track designs for home recording/playback
The name Heimstudio literally means home studio in German, which fits the market positioning of these units as consumer reel‑to‑reel tape recorders suited to home audio and hobby recording, rather than professional broadcast or studio decks.
Known Models
Two Heimstudio reel‑to‑reel tape deck models are documented:
Heimstudio Mk 3335 — A solid‑state, 2‑track mono deck with speeds of 1 7/8, 3 3/4, and 7 1/2 ips, up to 7″ reels, and permalloy heads typical of mid‑1960s consumer decks.
Heimstudio Mk 45500 — A larger solid‑state unit with three heads, two standard speeds (3 3/4 and 7 1/2 ips), twin VU meters, mixing inputs, and push‑button controls; also designed for half‑track stereo operation.
Both models were transistorized, reflecting the industry shift away from vacuum tubes in consumer electronics in the 1960s.
Manufacturer Context
While the tape recorders are branded Heimstudio, they were designed and manufactured in Germany — in fact, records show that at least some units (such as the Mk 3335) were made by Franz Eben, Dipl.-Ing. of Dachau, Germany for the Heimstudio label.
There’s no indication that “Heimstudio” was a large corporate manufacturer; rather, it served as a brand under which these models were marketed, possibly for mail‑order retail or specific distribution channels (e.g., through German department stores).
Product Positioning
Heimstudio decks were:
Consumer‑oriented: Designed for home use rather than professional studios.
Typical of 1960s German hi‑fi: Solid state, permalloy heads, standard reel sizes, and common tape speeds.
Average performance: Reviews among enthusiast sources rate these models as average in quietness, frequency response, and reliability for their era.
Legacy
Heimstudio reel‑to‑reel recorders are now rare vintage units sought mainly by collectors of niche German tape decks from the 1960s, representing a small slice of the broader reel‑to‑reel market that was dominated by bigger brands like Uher, Revox, and Telefunken from the same country.
In summary
Heimstudio was a German consumer reel‑to‑reel tape deck brand active roughly 1964–1968, selling a small range of solid‑state tape recorders such as the Mk 3335 and Mk 45500 geared toward home audio recording and playback. These machines reflect mid‑1960s German home electronics rather than professional studio equipment.