About the Company
Lafayette refers to Lafayette Radio Electronics, a major U.S. electronics retailer and catalog brand founded in the early 20th century. The company sold a wide range of consumer electronics — including radios, hi‑fi gear, and tape equipment — often under its own brand names such as Lafayette and Criterion.
Lafayette wasn’t an audio‑equipment manufacturer in the strict sense; rather, it marketed and sold products under its own badge, often rebadged from OEM manufacturers (including Japanese or domestic subcontractors).
The reel‑to‑reel tape recorders bearing the Lafayette name were aimed at the consumer market — affordable home recorders sold via mail‑order catalog and retail outlets.
Timeline of Reel‑to‑Reel Products
Early 1960s — Tube Era
Lafayette’s first reel‑to‑reel decks appeared in the early 1960s, during the transition from portable tube recorders to more modern designs:
RK‑400 (c. 1961‑1964) — A tube‑based half‑track mono recorder, typical of early consumer open‑reel gear with standard 3¾ and 7½ ips speeds and a 7″ reel capacity.
RK‑130 (c. 1962‑1965) — Another tube model described as a “Deluxe Dual Track recorder”, with built‑in amplifier and speaker, radio/line/mic inputs, and neon level indicators.
RK‑137 (c. 1964‑1967) — A quarter‑track mono machine with VU meter and more refined controls.
These early products reflect Lafayette’s positioning as a consumer‑friendly brand offering basic recording/playback functions rather than high‑fidelity studio‑level performance.
Mid to Late 1960s — Hybrid and Solid‑State
By the mid‑1960s, Lafayette’s reel decks began adopting solid‑state electronics or hybrid designs (mix of tubes and transistors):
RK‑650 (c. 1965‑1968) — A mid‑hi‑fi quarter‑track stereo deck with hybrid electronics (tubes + transistors), push‑button transport controls, auto cut‑off, and level meters.
RK‑675 (c. 1966‑1969) — A similar powerhouse unit with a heavier motor and features like sound‑on‑sound recording and built‑in speakers.
RK‑600A (c. 1965‑1968) — Another solid‑state quarter‑track recorder with neon indicators, tape speeds, and sound‑with‑sound.
These models commonly supported 3¾ and 7½ ips speeds, 7″ reel capacity, hybrid electronics, and basic stereo capabilities.
Late 1960s – Early 1970s — Full Solid‑State Era
With transistor technology matured, Lafayette offered fully solid‑state reel‑to‑reel units by the late 1960s and early 1970s:
RK‑710 (c. 1968‑1971) — A three‑speed (1 7⁄8, 3 3⁄4, 7 1⁄2 ips) half‑track recorder with stereo output, internal speaker, and compact design.
RK‑825 (c. 1969‑1972) — A low‑budget quarter‑track stereo recorder with tape lifters, multiple speeds, and solid‑state amplification.
RK‑835 (c. 1969‑1972) — A slightly more sophisticated quarter‑track stereo machine with magnetic phono input and improved performance specs.
These later decks exemplified the mass‑market consumer segment of the reel‑to‑reel era — affordable, easy to operate, and typically made by third‑party OEMs but branded for Lafayette.
Production Characteristics
Manufacture:
Although Lafayette is credited as the brand, many units were imported or OEM‑made, possibly in Japan or by U.S. electronics assemblers, and then marketed under the Lafayette name in the U.S. catalog.
Electronics & Features:
Early models used tube electronics; later units moved to solid‑state circuits with multi‑speed tape transport and stereo capability.
They generally supported 3¾ ips and 7½ ips speeds, with some later models adding 1 7⁄8 ips.
Reel capacity was typically 7″, standard for consumer decks.
Target Market:
Lafayette’s reel‑to‑reel recorders were mid‑range, consumer‑oriented products — not premium audiophile or professional decks. Sound quality and reliability tend to rate modestly, appropriate for home recording/playback, voice, or radio capture.
End of Production
Lafayette reel‑to‑reel decks appear to have been produced and sold from about 1961 through around 1972.
After this period, the rise of compact cassette recorders and decks — combined with broader shifts in the consumer audio market — made open‑reel consumer machines less commercially attractive, and Lafayette’s tape recorder line faded accordingly.
Legacy
Lafayette reel‑to‑reels are collectible today as examples of mid‑20th‑century consumer audio gear, with interest among vintage audio enthusiasts and catalog gear collectors.
They illustrate the retailer branding model of the 1960s — where a consumer electronics store marketed its own sound systems sourced from various OEMs under the Lafayette name.
These decks remind us of a time when open‑reel tape recording was a mainstream home audio format before cassettes largely replaced it in the 1970s.