About the Company
Knight was the consumer electronics brand used by Allied Radio Corporation (Chicago, USA). Allied marketed audio equipment under several house brands including Knight, Roamer, and Wextark — with Knight covering a broad swath of budget to mid-range audio gear including radios, record players, and reel-to-reel tape recorders from the early 1950s through the late 1960s.
Production History & Timeline
Early 1950s — First Knight Tape Recorders
The earliest Knight reel-to-reel models date to around 1951–1954, exemplified by the Knight 1 Tube Tape Recorder, a tube-based consumer unit with half-track mono operation and a modest frequency response typical of early domestic machines.
Around 1955, units like the Knight 96RX635 appeared — still tube powered, offering both 3¾ and 7½ ips speeds and full-track mono recording/playback.
These early devices reflected an era when home tape recording was just emerging and solid-state technology had not yet taken hold.
1960s — Expansion and Feature Growth
1960 saw models such as the Knight Dual Track Recorder (KN-4050), a dual-track unit promoting expanded recording/playback flexibility — still under tube technology but with a larger form factor and integrated speaker.
In 1962–1965, Allied marketed mid-range machines like the Knight KN-4110 and KN-4310, offering multiple tape speeds, larger reel capacity, and (in the case of the 4310) half-track and quarter-track stereo playback capabilities.
These models targeted the home consumer market, often advertised through mail-order catalogs and hobbyist publications.
Mid-1960s – Transition to Solid-State
Around 1964–1967, Knight moved into solid-state designs, replacing tubes with transistors in products like the Knight KN-4120 — a solid-state quarter-track recorder with detachable speaker enclosures and improved performance over earlier tube consoles.
By the late 1960s, models like the Knight KG-415 were kit-style solid-state tape decks with three heads and selectable speeds, often sold to hobbyists who enjoyed building their own components.
This period saw Knight units become more feature-rich, though they remained budget-oriented compared with premium Japanese or European hi-fi decks.
Manufacturing & Market Position
Maker/Brand Owner: Knight was not a stand-alone manufacturer in the traditional sense but a house brand of Allied Radio Corp., an American electronics distributor best known for mail-order catalogs.
Manufacturing: Early tube models were made in the USA; later solid-state designs may have used components or subassemblies sourced abroad (a common practice by the late 1960s), though catalog listings continued under the Knight badge.
Target Market: Knight recorders catered to the consumer and hobbyist segment, offering affordable tape recording solutions rather than professional studio machines.