About the Company
Hornyphon (often rendered in English as Hornyphone) was a consumer electronics brand based in Vienna, Austria connected historically with Radiowerk Horny, a local radio and audio manufacturer. The company’s roots go back to the 1920s, and it became one of Austria’s largest radio and television producers before later being linked closely with Philips-branded products through licensing and manufacture.
Brand: Hornyphon
Country: Austria
Years Active: ~1923–1985 (brand name)
Core Markets: Consumer audio electronics — radios, tape recorders, cassette and later video products
Parent/Partner: From the mid-1950s, closely tied with Philips via licensing and joint products.
The Hornyphon name eventually disappeared by the 1980s, partly because the slang term “Hornyphone” created marketing issues as English slang spread more widely.
Reel-to-Reel Tape Deck Production History
Hornyphon produced a modest range of consumer-oriented reel-to-reel tape recorders during the late 1950s through the late 1960s. These units were generally mid- and lower-tier machines, many of them manufactured in Austria under Philips patents or as clones of Philips designs — a common practice at the time.
Late 1950s – Early 1960s
The earliest tape recorders Hornyphon sold were typically tube-based mono reel recorders aimed at hobbyists and home users:
Hornyphon Diola-WM4100BT/00 (c. 1961–1964) — a portable half-track mono tape recorder with 1⅞ ips speed and small reel capacity, based on a Philips EL3585 clone.
Early to Mid-1960s – Expansion of Models
In the early 1960s Hornyphon offered several models that reflected both evolving tape formats and broader consumer demand:
Hornyphon Stereo NM4200T/00 (c. 1962–1965)
A quarter-track stereo recorder with two speeds (1⅞ and 3¾ ips).Hornyphon Diola–Super WM-4210T (c. 1963–1966)
A mid-range mono quarter-track recorder, with multiple playback features and a bold control layout.
Mid-1960s – Solid-State and Luxe Models
As transistor technology became standard, Hornyphon marketed more sophisticated solid-state decks:
Hornyphon Diola Automatic WM5106T (c. 1964–1967)
A solid-state mono deck with automatic level control, full-track format and a 3¾ ips standard speed.Hornyphon Diola Luxus WM3400T
A stereo quarter-track solid-state model with multiple speeds and added playback features.
Late 1960s Onward
By the late 1960s, Hornyphon still offered tape recorders, but the reel-to-reel format was losing ground to cassette tape and other audio technologies. The brand’s focus gradually shifted to cassette and consumer electronics, and other products like cassetten recorders appear in catalogs by the late 1960s and 1970s.
Technology & Market Position
Hornyphon reel-to-reel decks were mid-range consumer products, typically:
Formats: Half-track mono and quarter-track stereo, depending on model.
Electronics: Early tube-based designs transitioning to solid-state transistor circuits.
Reel Size: Usually up to 7″ capacity.
Speeds: Common 1⅞ and 3¾ ips options; some models also had 7½ ips or multiple speed choices.
Market Focus: Home audio consumers rather than professional studio or broadcast markets.
Performance ratings for these decks are modest — often average in sound quality and reliability compared with premium brands like Revox or Uher.
Brand Decline
A few factors contributed to the end of the reel-to-reel era for Hornyphon:
Emergence of Compact Cassette: The cassette format became the dominant home recording medium by the late 1960s.
Market Pressure: Japanese and German manufacturers offered superior hi-fi decks, making it harder for smaller regional brands to compete.
Branding Challenges: As noted, the Hornyphon name became less practical in export markets, leading to reduced use and eventual retirement.
By the 1970s and 1980s the company’s focus shifted toward other consumer products and away from reel-to-reel analog tape recorders, with the Hornyphon name fading from audio catalogs by the mid-1980s.
Summary — Hornyphon Reel-to-Reel History
Hornyphon was an Austrian consumer electronics brand that manufactured and marketed reel-to-reel tape recorders mainly from the early 1960s through the late 1960s, often producing machines based on Philips designs and manufactured in Austria.
Key points:
Production Era: ~1959–late 1960s (with reels featuring through the mid-1960s)
Notable Models: WM4100BT/00, Stereo NM4200T/00, Diola Super WM-4210T, WM5106T, Diola Luxus WM3400T
Technology: Tube to solid-state transition; consumer formats.
Market: Home audio consumers in Austria and Europe.
Decline: Shift to cassette and broader consumer electronics by the 1970s.