About the Company
Mechlabor — formally Mechanikai Laboratórium Studyjny Mechlabor — was a Hungarian engineering and electronics company founded in 1949. Originally involved with military and intelligence recording equipment, it later expanded into high-quality magnetic recording technologies, including studio and professional reel-to-reel tape recorders.
Country of Origin: Hungary
Years in Business: 1949–1992
Reel-to-Reel Production: ~1954–1992
Primary Focus: Studio/professional tape recorders, portable units, and later advanced consumer/recording equipment.
Mechlabor was one of the few Eastern European companies to design and manufacture its own reel-to-reel recorders, often tailored to professional and semi-professional uses such as broadcast, studio mastering, and archival work.
Production History & Timeline
1950s — Entry into Reel-to-Reel Manufacturing
Mechlabor started producing tube-based studio recorders in the mid-1950s (around 1954), during the early years of magnetic recording in Europe.
Early machines were heavy, robust, and aimed at studio/technical use rather than consumer hi-fi.
Late 1950s – 1960s — Early Professional Models
STM-10 (1959–1965)
One of Mechlabor’s first comprehensive studio tape machines, introduced around 1959.
Tube electronics with three motors and three heads (record/playback/erase), supporting professional speeds 7½ and 15 ips, and large 10.5" reel capacity.
Designed for broadcast and studio mastering applications; approximately 200 units produced — rare but notable in reel-to-reel history.
These early models helped establish Mechlabor’s reputation for precision engineering and high-quality recording performance in professional contexts.
1970s – Technical Expansion & Solid-State Era
After the mid-1960s, Mechlabor transitioned more towards solid-state electronics and modular designs, reflecting broader industry trends:
Riporter Series (1970s)
Smaller portable recorders such as the Riporter-5P and Riporter-6 appeared in the 1970s.
These were battery or mains powered units with solid-state circuitry, targeting more general and field recording tasks rather than elite studio use.
STM-200/STM-210 Series (Early–Mid 1970s)
By the early 1970s, Mechlabor machines like the STM-200 and STM-210 were being produced with modular construction that eased maintenance and service.
Production moved from Dunakeszi to a newer factory in Pécs around 1972.
These models used better materials and electronics, with improvements in tape transport stability, head design, and speed control, making them suitable for radio, broadcast, and studio environments.
Late 1970s – 1980s — Advanced Studio Decks
STM-600 / STM-610 (mid-1970s onwards)
Later machines like the STM-600 and STM-610 series represented the company’s solid-state, high-fidelity professional reel-to-reel decks.
These decks supported multiple speeds (3¾, 7½, 15 ips), IEC/NAB equalization, balanced XLR connectors, and advanced features like digital tape counters, quartz speed control, and stroboscopic alignment aids.
STM-800 (1970s–1980s)
Mechlabor’s STM-800 models pushed performance further with high-speed support up to 30 ips, excellent wow & flutter figures, and strong frequency response, making them competitive with Western European studio decks of the era.
These units were used in professional mastering, broadcast, and archival facilities, and some orders were placed for large installations — for example Mechlabor machines were reported used at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
Late 1980s – End of Production (1992)
Mechlabor continued making reel-to-reel recorders into the late 1980s and early 1990s, a period when most global manufacturers were abandoning analog tape for digital media.
Production finally ceased around 1992, at the end of the brand’s long involvement with analog magnetic recording equipment.
Technology & Product Evolution
Electronics:
Tube era: Early units like the STM-10 were vacuum-tube based with heavy mechanical structures.
Solid-state era: From the late 1960s onward, Mechlabor adopted transistor and then fully solid-state designs in professional decks.
Tape Speeds & Formats:
Ranged from 3¾ ips (9.5 cm/s) for general recording to 15 ips (38 cm/s) and occasionally 30 ips for high-fidelity mastering.
Features:
Many models featured three-head designs (erase, record, playback).
Balanced XLR connections, quartz speed stabilization, modular transport and head assemblies for easier service.
Professional control panels with counter and advanced diagnostics in later units.
Applications:
Studio mastering and broadcast
Field reportage and portable recording (for smaller units)
Technical archival and engineering environments
Legacy
Mechlabor is one of the few Eastern European manufacturers known for producing professional reel-to-reel tape recorders over a long period, combining early mechanical precision and later solid-state studio engineering.
Mechlabor’s machines are prized among vintage studio and analog tape enthusiasts for their robust construction, unique design lineage, and historical importance in the legacy of analogue audio recording.
Unusual for continuing manufacture into the 1990s, when many Western brands had long left the reel-to-reel market.